16
General Chat / Re: Popsicle has been chewing on his own tail.
« on: March 25, 2015, 03:31:05 PM »
He didn't eat his own tail... just chewed on it to the point it had bald patches and was bleeding. 
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17
General Chat / Re: Popsicle has been chewing on his own tail.
« on: March 25, 2015, 10:35:30 AM »
smacks forehead. nevermind I just figured it out. Vet gave me this anti inflamatory cream for his tail. Just now, I forgot to put the cap back on and he was all like yum yum. ... sometimes, popsicle is such a dum dum... sigh... better get a less tasty brand of cream for his tail...
18
General Chat / Popsicle has been chewing on his own tail.
« on: March 25, 2015, 10:09:16 AM »
his tail was previously a bit injured, missing some fur. Now, the missing fur section is much bigger, and sometimes it is bleeding. I think he's been chewing on it, ripping out the hairs. What's up?
19
General Chat / Re: How to unstick matted fur? (from spilt critical care)
« on: March 22, 2015, 11:41:22 AM »
I think all is good now, he is back to being a poop machine, though his poops are now big, black, round and damp (not soggy just damp not dry). Fur is still matted, and he's not really eating much pellets or hay but I think he's eating SOME of it... how long can i leave pellets out? Maybe I should throw away the old pellets and give him new ones?
As for dosage, er, I thought you said chins won't overeat, and popsicle had decided he didn't need to be force fed anymore, so I just gave him food (CC) whenever I thought he might be hungry. (ie give him a few hours between meals). Also, my vet didn't know the correct dosage, silly girl, when I asked her the dosage for CC, she said to just follow the instructions on the box... and the packet has no dosage chart, so I found something on the net and then just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
As for dosage, er, I thought you said chins won't overeat, and popsicle had decided he didn't need to be force fed anymore, so I just gave him food (CC) whenever I thought he might be hungry. (ie give him a few hours between meals). Also, my vet didn't know the correct dosage, silly girl, when I asked her the dosage for CC, she said to just follow the instructions on the box... and the packet has no dosage chart, so I found something on the net and then just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
20
General Chat / Re: How to unstick matted fur? (from spilt critical care)
« on: March 22, 2015, 01:15:31 AM »
Just weighed him a minute ago. He's gained weight recently, he's actually the heaviest he's ever been. I give him 1 tablespoon (not heaped) of CC, 3 or 4 times a day.
He's still not touching the hay or pellets though, but my mum says that might be because he's so full of CC. huh. No idea.
He's still not touching the hay or pellets though, but my mum says that might be because he's so full of CC. huh. No idea.
21
General Chat / Re: How to unstick matted fur? (from spilt critical care)
« on: March 21, 2015, 06:23:49 AM »
Are the clumps doing him any harm? I notice he tries to get me to groom them out for him, but I'm not a chinchilla so my clumsy human hands fail at it.
It's had days and days to engrain itself into the fur, so it's not really coming out from wet napkins, yeah I end up getting him wet but no less matted.
Was considering letting him get wet, then towel dry, then dust bath. Bad idea, I guess.
He's pooping a little, not anywhere near his old amounts though. Maybe about 1/10th of his old production? But critical care seem more concentrated nutrients, I dunno. Hard to weigh him every day. He's not really eating the pellets, but I think that's cause he thinks critical care is tastier? ... anyhow this packet of CC is not resealable, so gonna let him finish it off?
It's had days and days to engrain itself into the fur, so it's not really coming out from wet napkins, yeah I end up getting him wet but no less matted.
Was considering letting him get wet, then towel dry, then dust bath. Bad idea, I guess.
He's pooping a little, not anywhere near his old amounts though. Maybe about 1/10th of his old production? But critical care seem more concentrated nutrients, I dunno. Hard to weigh him every day. He's not really eating the pellets, but I think that's cause he thinks critical care is tastier? ... anyhow this packet of CC is not resealable, so gonna let him finish it off?
22
General Chat / How to unstick matted fur? (from spilt critical care)
« on: March 20, 2015, 08:10:18 AM »
Hi, when I was syringe feeding popsicle a while back, there was spillage, and now days later hes still got clumps of fur stuck together by dried critical care. how do i go about helping him clean this?
23
Health / Re: I think Popsicle is not eating
« on: March 19, 2015, 10:39:20 AM »
Popsicle is doing much better, did some poo poo today, yay! Not really eating his pellets or hay, but he's thankfully decided that he likes Oxbow critical care after all, so I don't need to syringe feed him anymore, right now I mix in less water so it turns to a mash rather than a liquid, let it cool under the AC, and I put it on my finger like ice cream and he eats it off my finger on his own. Yay! So, pretty sure he's out of danger. Though if he doesn't go back to pellets and hay he'll bankrupt me, Oxbow CC ain't cheap... also, the shop doesn't have much stock of it!
As far as the genetically modified vs organic debate goes... most organic food advocates don't realize that the CORN that is eaten by everyone is not natural whatsoever... ALL modern farmed corn is almost certainly a hybrid or mutation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zea_%28genus%29#Origin_of_maize_and_interaction_with_teosintes
As far as the genetically modified vs organic debate goes... most organic food advocates don't realize that the CORN that is eaten by everyone is not natural whatsoever... ALL modern farmed corn is almost certainly a hybrid or mutation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zea_%28genus%29#Origin_of_maize_and_interaction_with_teosintes
24
Health / Re: I think Popsicle is not eating
« on: March 18, 2015, 06:23:21 AM »
He seems to have more or less completely stopped eating PELLETS, but he will still happily munch on dried strawberry or apple twigs.
He's gassy and constipated. Vet gave me some liquid to give him too. Popeiche or something. 2x a day.
There's no way I can get 5cc into him per feeding, unless I want a SERIOUSLY unhappy chin on my hands... I think between the constipation and the gas, I need to give him many small feedings instead of 2 big feedings...
Oh, one more issue... when syringe feeding critical care (bought 3x 36g packets!), the spilt portion gets on his fur and hardens causing matted hair and stuff. How do I clean his fur again? Dust baths don't seem to work. Should I give him a wet towel bath?
He's gassy and constipated. Vet gave me some liquid to give him too. Popeiche or something. 2x a day.
There's no way I can get 5cc into him per feeding, unless I want a SERIOUSLY unhappy chin on my hands... I think between the constipation and the gas, I need to give him many small feedings instead of 2 big feedings...
Oh, one more issue... when syringe feeding critical care (bought 3x 36g packets!), the spilt portion gets on his fur and hardens causing matted hair and stuff. How do I clean his fur again? Dust baths don't seem to work. Should I give him a wet towel bath?
25
Health / Re: I think Popsicle is not eating
« on: March 18, 2015, 05:07:42 AM »
vet put popsicle on oxbow critical care. Unfortunatly, vet did not tell me how much to give him! I specifically questioned the vet, and she said follow the instructions on the box. But the box has no instructions! The shop only had packets of it for sale, and the packet said "each pack is meant for the daily dose for a healthy 1.5kg rabbit"
Anyhow, I think I over-force fed him this afternoon and got him angry with me, so I'm trying to break his feedings up into several different times to give him time to digest it. He seems to be comfortable with about 2ml of the stuff (1 part oxbow 2 parts water), each feeding, I thought I would give him like 3-4 feedings a day. Is this ok? I feel I should be giving him more, but he's very uncooperative after the 2nd syringe. Maybe I should do 6-7 feedings a day?
Anyhow, I think I over-force fed him this afternoon and got him angry with me, so I'm trying to break his feedings up into several different times to give him time to digest it. He seems to be comfortable with about 2ml of the stuff (1 part oxbow 2 parts water), each feeding, I thought I would give him like 3-4 feedings a day. Is this ok? I feel I should be giving him more, but he's very uncooperative after the 2nd syringe. Maybe I should do 6-7 feedings a day?
26
Health / Re: I think Popsicle is not eating
« on: March 16, 2015, 05:47:01 PM »
Giving him standard food pellets, of which I'm now monitoring his food intake, he has had a DRAMATIC food intake reduction, but his weight is about the same (634g).
I mashed up some pellets and droppings and syringed him some of it.
I'm not too sure about probiotics... AFAIK, the bacteria in probiotic foods are completely different from the bacteria that herbivores use to digest cellulose, is that really a good idea?
Am going to bring him to the vet when they open in a few hours.
He's completed his antibiotics, and he *IS* eating, though in much smaller portions than normal, possibly due to a combination of antibiotics killed his good bacteria, tummy upset from being force fed antibiotics, and stress. Possibly the stress is a key factor, since when I cuddle him and handfeed him, he *DOES* eat some pellets normally.
Behaviourwise, very energetic still. hmm.
What's the minimum amount of food intake a chin should be consuming per day? I think he overeats normally, so maybe it's not so bad as I think it is?
I mashed up some pellets and droppings and syringed him some of it.
I'm not too sure about probiotics... AFAIK, the bacteria in probiotic foods are completely different from the bacteria that herbivores use to digest cellulose, is that really a good idea?
Am going to bring him to the vet when they open in a few hours.
He's completed his antibiotics, and he *IS* eating, though in much smaller portions than normal, possibly due to a combination of antibiotics killed his good bacteria, tummy upset from being force fed antibiotics, and stress. Possibly the stress is a key factor, since when I cuddle him and handfeed him, he *DOES* eat some pellets normally.
Behaviourwise, very energetic still. hmm.
What's the minimum amount of food intake a chin should be consuming per day? I think he overeats normally, so maybe it's not so bad as I think it is?
27
Health / Re: I think Popsicle is not eating
« on: March 15, 2015, 11:46:13 AM »
ooh, caught him eating his pellets, and heard him drop a poop pellet, so, good news.
I think he might be a rodent genius after all, after some consideration, I think the reason his cage has so little poo poo in it, and his food pellet stores remain high, is because he has been eating his poo poo!!! ... ok, so maybe that doesn't make him a genius. Since even a rabbit will do that without prompting, so I guess a sick chin getting an urge to eat his own poo poo isn't so out of this world. huh.
I think he might be a rodent genius after all, after some consideration, I think the reason his cage has so little poo poo in it, and his food pellet stores remain high, is because he has been eating his poo poo!!! ... ok, so maybe that doesn't make him a genius. Since even a rabbit will do that without prompting, so I guess a sick chin getting an urge to eat his own poo poo isn't so out of this world. huh.
28
Health / I think Popsicle is not eating
« on: March 15, 2015, 08:17:13 AM »
Just started him on antibiotics a few days ago for a foot infection.
The bad part is, I was outstation for a bit, so I put in a lot of food in his bowl, and now I'm not sure whether he ate properly or not. I tossed it all out and put in a fresh helping and noted now much I put, so I'll be certain tomorrow.
Anyhow... what to do if he's really stopped eating? Stop the antibiotics? Or just feed him lots of sugary treats to keep up his strength until he's completed the antibiotics? Or what? I'm getting desperate here.
He's still acting as normal, very energetic, struggles like crazy when it's time for medicine.
The bad part is, I was outstation for a bit, so I put in a lot of food in his bowl, and now I'm not sure whether he ate properly or not. I tossed it all out and put in a fresh helping and noted now much I put, so I'll be certain tomorrow.
Anyhow... what to do if he's really stopped eating? Stop the antibiotics? Or just feed him lots of sugary treats to keep up his strength until he's completed the antibiotics? Or what? I'm getting desperate here.
He's still acting as normal, very energetic, struggles like crazy when it's time for medicine.
29
Health / Re: How long does it take fur to grow back?
« on: February 24, 2015, 07:33:22 AM »
oh noes! I've only had him for a year and it feels like forever... (or FUR ever)... that's how long it'll be until he's back to 100% handsomeness?
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the info!
30
General Chat / Re: Chinchilla wheels
« on: February 24, 2015, 07:28:43 AM »
oh he definitely knows when his wheel has been taken away. My mum was visitting once while he was being punished and was all like "he's so unhappy! Give my grand-rodent (grand-son rodent) back his wheel... he's so pitiful!"