Chinchilla Community Forums

Chinchillas => Health => Topic started by: null on June 20, 2006, 09:05:25 AM

Title: It's like he's marathon training or something.....
Post by: null on June 20, 2006, 09:05:25 AM

I've got this one male chin named Shotput that's been kind of worrying me over the last few months. He's a year old and weighs about 570 grams. His brother from the same litter is about 100 grams heavier. I say I'm kind of worried because while he's rather boney he runs on his wheel constantly. I hear him in it litterally all night long. He'll run for about thirty seconds to a minute, stop stand up, rock back in his flying saucer and start running again. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he ran 30 miles a night. I changed his food about two months ago since the Mazuri didn't seem to be appealing to him. I've got him on Show Hutch Deluxe show rabbit food now and since he went from 430 grams to 470, but he hasn't been gaining since then.

I'm kind of worried that because he's so much more athletic than other chins that his feed isn't giving the optimal nutrition he needs. I'm wondering if there's a supliment that I could get for him that's similar to a body builders diet, something high in complex carbohydrates and protien. Could I also give him glucosimine or MSM for joint health?

(http://www.threeriverschinchilla.com//img/gallery/68.jpg)

Title: Re: It's like he's marathon training or something.....
Post by: chinchillagrl06 on June 20, 2006, 09:26:14 AM

My squirrelbuny is like that! He just goes and goes and goes. He is much thinner than my Monkeybuny. He just loves to run more as long as he is eating, pooing, and enjoying himself, he should be fine, not all chinnies are big fatties!  :D

Title: Re: It's like he's marathon training or something.....
Post by: null on June 20, 2006, 09:46:29 AM

I don't want him to get fat, I just want to make sure that his diet is giving him everything he needs for muscle growth. Typically people that are more active need more protein and more carbs. I doubt the food I'm giving him now was designed for a chin that was trying to become Mr. Universe.

Title: Re: It's like he's marathon training or something.....
Post by: chinclub on June 20, 2006, 03:07:58 PM

If you are feeding a good chinchilla pellet nothing else is needed.  :)

Title: Re: It's like he's marathon training or something.....
Post by: Debbie.nl.ca on June 21, 2006, 11:21:34 AM

I have sevral very hyper chins as well, and yes they will be a tad on the lighter side.
The ones that would rather eat and sleep maybe heavier, but I doubt they are any healthier.
Genes do play a big roll, and most of the kits I've kept, I do fined they will be a bit of a diff. in their sizes even amoung sibleings.
I seem to always get from twins, a mild and a wild, and a slugger and a slim. rofl and yes the wild is usually the slim.

Title: Re: It's like he's marathon training or something.....
Post by: Jo Ann on June 25, 2006, 08:28:05 AM

::silly:: Hi Null,

     Some of my chins stay on the wheel constantly, they tend to eat more, but do not get fat.   Fat is not healthy.

      The chin in the picture looks good to me.   Nice and blocky! 

 ::wave::
Jo Ann