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2626

Health / Re: Not eating pellets but demolishing hay.

« on: March 10, 2012, 09:20:05 PM »

Do you think he would eat the other stuff by the end of the day? Sounds like an interesting problem. Perhaps someone who has seen this before can provide some better insight.
The good news is that he is eating more hay than usual so I would think it should have less of an impact on the overall percentage of his diet. If you're sure he has completely backed off his pellets until now then I would keep mixing more and more as planned. Just keep an eye on his droppings and watch for signs of changes each day that could indicate problems.

2627

Health / Re: Hair pulling?

« on: March 10, 2012, 08:21:46 PM »

Do you think it could have been hair slip caused by getting his tail caught in something or getting extremely startled by something? Usually hair chewing doesn't go all the way to the skin. Fungus usually presents with redness but not always.

2628

Q & A / Re: abnormal behavior from my 'chilla's.

« on: March 08, 2012, 09:48:29 PM »

She very likely is pregnant if you have put the opposite sexes together. It doesn't take much. If they have been together for two months you can expect to have babies in about two months. Signs of pregnancy don't always show up until very late in the game. By giving into the spraying and warnings you could make it worse. The best thing I know to do is keep a normal routine and try not to react to it and don't back away at the slightest hint.

Another problem is that these creatures do need regular socialization and a fairly consistent routine. By not having that there may not be much you can do but be merciful and understand that these are natural responses to fear and a natural mode of defense for a pregnant female.

It sounds like you have a very difficult situation on your hands with the male. Chasing a chinchilla will make it very distrusting of anyone. You should stop letting him out until he becomes more trusting of you to the point where you won't have to chase him to get him back into the cage. A lot of damage has been done here. It might be best to put the two in separate cages and deal with them individually, carefully, calmly, routinely. This is a process that can take months. Their psychological makeup is quite different from cats and dogs as they are prey animals and they must be treated as such. Now extra measures will have to be taken to avoid stressing or startling them because they now associate handling and people with stress which get worse each time they are handled.

2629

Health / Re: Not eating pellets but demolishing hay.

« on: March 08, 2012, 09:22:16 PM »

Does Brock have other things to chew on inside his cage? Have you noticed any differences in his chewing habits? You might try adding some Mazuri to his diet and see what he does. Remember do not change the diet all at once. This can be dangerous to chins.

2630

Breeding 101 / Re: pregnant chinchilla,only had her a week

« on: March 08, 2012, 07:40:57 AM »

According to some articles I've read by breeders you can't always tell when a chin will give birth. Sometimes you don't know until the day of the birth. The best thing to do is just start counting days. Late in the pregnancy it is possible to feel the babies moving. With chins they are very delicate and great care must be taken not to exert pressure on the developing kits. With a chin that is that aggressive I doubt you'll get close enough to try but you can put the back of your hand against her abdomen to feel if she'll let you.
I was wondering if the bottom of the cage is showing signs of chewing. If it is you'll want to replace it. They can also escape that way.
I don't think a 3' high cage would be a problem. Maybe someone who knows better can advise.

2631

Breeding 101 / Re: pregnant chinchilla,only had her a week

« on: March 07, 2012, 07:26:42 PM »

Sounds like your female has some behavioral issues that will have to be dealt with. It is not normal for a chin to bite like that. but it's also not normal for a re-homed chin to go through all that stress. Usually biting is a sign of being mishandled. For some it can be part of their temperament. It can take weeks or months for her to calm down and get used to you. It is important that you establish a consistent routine. After she gets used to being fed through the bars then you might try opening the door and see if she'll take food from you at the door opening. You'll have to go incrementally, slowly, routinely trying not to provoke aggression but being careful to find a balance. If you constantly give in she will take advantage and there will be no forward progress. If you push her you will loose her trust and take a big step backwards.

When it comes time to have her babies make sure to have thick gloves handy in case you need to handle the kits. She might be the type that will viciously defend them. It is a myth that they will kill their babies if you handle them that no basis in reality, however, beware of the mother being defensive and trying to kill you! They can bite you to the bone if perturbed.

The male may be docile but after the kits are born she could go into heat and this could result in a bad situation for everyone.
In rare cases chins could go into heat before birth so be careful.

Does she have a place to hide inside of the cage?
How tall is the cage? Babies can climb the walls.
Are there any signs of chewing on the plastic parts of the cage? If there is you will need to get a cage with a steel bottom ASAP. The plastic can easily result in a fatal bowel obstruction if ingested and it is generally recommended to never give chins access to plastic.

Hope this helps

2632

Health / Re: Not eating pellets but demolishing hay.

« on: March 06, 2012, 06:09:39 PM »

What kind of pellets are you feeding? Some are better than others.

2633

Cages / Re: PLEASE HELP!!! need an escspe proof playpen

« on: March 04, 2012, 06:37:10 PM »

That's the easy way! I wasn't expecting that. How is it holding up?

2634

General Chat / Re: please help,chinchilla lost! in heating vent!

« on: March 03, 2012, 08:15:56 PM »

http://www.chinchillaclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,3602.msg27668/topicseen.html#new

2635

General Breeder Chat / Re: did lost chinchills have her babies!

« on: March 03, 2012, 08:12:51 PM »

I wish I knew what to say. There is a lot of conflicting data out there about what is safe and what is not so maybe someone who knows more can recommend something more. As long as she is eating her hay and pellets that is the most important thing. I think it is good to feed yogurt, maybe a up to half a teaspoon a day for bringing the digestive tract back into balance. Dried cranberry is not a bad thing to try. Feed it like you would raisins, no more than a couple of pieces a day to avoid diarrhea. What kind of condition are her droppings in? Watch closely for diarrhea or constipation which will work against you.

2636

General Breeder Chat / Re: did lost chinchills have her babies!

« on: March 03, 2012, 06:16:08 AM »

It is true that chins may abort the babies if they are stressed enough but I know of pregnant chins who get stressed and come out just fine too. As you know it's important to make sure she stays as comfortable as possible and that she keeps eating and drinking. It makes it especially difficult because you are still unfamiliar to her so there's not much you can actively do that will comfort her (like giving her attention, which she might not like too much until she adjusts to her now surroundings) so it's best to be as passive as possible and consistent as possible doing the same things the same way to avoid surprises.

It sounds like you have a very good vet who is more interested in the welfare of the animal than making money on your case. Sometimes it's difficult in a situation like this trying to weigh the benefit of the care vs the stress the care causes.

2637

General Breeder Chat / Re: did lost chinchills have her babies!

« on: March 02, 2012, 07:24:21 PM »

I wouldn't worry too much about babies. A nursing chin will have very large nipples.
However I am worried that she has gone through a lot of stress with a recent move as well as being outside of the cage for a long time. This can cause her to back off their food and water and have intestinal trouble that can be fatal if not managed. Chins can drop weight very rapidly and die quickly. Make sure she is eating and drinking. I strongly recommend you take her to the vet as soon as possible for an exam. He may be able to give you some extra dietary supplements for her.

2638

General Chat / Re: please help,chinchilla lost! in heating vent!

« on: March 02, 2012, 04:44:24 PM »

This discussion continued in another thread. It does not appear any babies were born since the mother's nipples were not long enough to have been nursing.

2639

General Breeder Chat / Re: did lost chinchills have her babies!

« on: March 02, 2012, 07:25:30 AM »

You're very welcome. I am too.

2640

Cages / Re: PLEASE HELP!!! need an escspe proof playpen

« on: March 02, 2012, 07:06:22 AM »

I'd like to see that. I'm interested in building one myself for when I can have a chin.