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[ductape]

Hi folks, new to the forums... but need a little advice from people who'd know better than me.

Here's the situation...

I'm watching a friends chinchilla while she's away and at 5 this moring I walk into my room to find that her little fluffball had managed to snag one of the handles to a plastic grocery bag in which his food and chews were carried to the house in.

He chewed on the plastic and it looks like he might've ingested a very small amount of it. I didn't find any pieces of the bag in his cage and removed the bag from anywhere near him and have been keeping an eye on him since the incident.

It's been thirteen and a half hours since all this happened and he still appears healthy and normal. He's still eating, chewing, and behaving the way he should.

My question is: How concerned do I need to be? What are signs I should watch for in case there is a problem?

Many thanks!

[Joyce]

Even though eating a piece of plastic grocery bag is not good for them.......On a positive note, this has happened to me many a time and fortunately nothing happened to any of my chins.
 I did keep a close eye on them after the incidents!  These critters will get their little hands on whatever they can outside of their cages and try to pull it in.  They are usually very successful too!  They will also stick their little noses out the cage wire and chew walls, blinds, wallpaper, baseboards, pictures frames that are hanging on walls.......well, you get the point!
 Never a dull moment!

[chinclub]

I agree with Joyce.  It has happened to me before too.  A one time thing is usually no problem, repeated plastic could be fatal.   I wouldn't worry about it. 

[Jo Ann]

Hi Chin-sitter!

Don't you love it when you're taking care of a sweet, loving, little fur-ball and he turns out to be the cookie monster???

I've had it to happen to me to ... anything within 3" of the cage is fair game for a chinchilla ... even on top of the cage ... I have seen them crawl the wires upside down to get to what looks like a yummy treat to him/her.    They love window blinds, too, even if they are made of metal and/or plastic. 

I would watch his poops ... they should be large and firm ... not small or hard ... as long as it is eating, drinking, pooping and playing ... he'll probably be OK.

Did your friend leave you the name and number of the chin's vet?  If so, you might give him/her a call with a 'heads up' - just in-case.  It is best if they know ahead of time the circumstances ... especially if you had to go after hours, when the regular vet would not be there.  Doubt that you will need the vet, but it's nice to know they know what is going on.   

 
Jo Ann

[ductape]

Many thanks to all you guys....

I let his owner know and she said that it's happened before and he should be alright. Good to hear it from everyone else as well!

[chinchillagrl06]

Yep, just watch poos. As long as he is eating and pooing fine, you should be in the clear. 

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Remember that one that ate the steel Jamie?
Was in one of the past mag. issues.
I had one eat a clay flower pot, and a few who can chew up abs pipe as well.
I have never noticed them consuming much but they can sure do the number on anything within reach.

[chinclub]

Its amazing the trouble they can find to get into! 

[Mel Apple]

Thanks for helping my friend out 

My baby fuzzy seems to be doing great...everything looks normal.

[Jo Ann]

Hi Debbie,
   
    We have one that will chew through a 1/4" aluminum rod overnight ... his name is Cotton ... almost all of his kits will do it also.  If it's the article I am thinking of (By Amanda of Fuzzy Chins) the two chins she wrote about were two of Cotton's sons.   

 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi Jo Ann
So it's all in the genes
Yes those chins amazed me, chewing metal, wonder they don't chew their way right out of the cage.
So how do you keep Cotton caged?

[Jo Ann]

Hi Debbie,

    Their cage wires are made of galvanized steel and the pans of stainless steel, both are hard metals.

     It is the soft metals they chew up ... like aluminum.  We first had aluminum trays made, because they would not rust ... expensive mistake ... in less than a week ... Cotton had his looking like a steak knife with all the little chews along the top edges of the tray.      (I cut my hand open when I pulled it out.)  He and his family got away without a scratch.    If I remember right, Amanda used a picture of the tray in her article.   :-[

      Doubt if it could be proven that it's in the genes, but if any family would be an example of it ... his would have to be ... every kit in every litter (8 litters/15 kits) belonging to him and Eileen seem to love to work on metals.   

 
Jo Ann

[FluffBall]

yeah
I learned the 3 in thing that hard way
when I was finally done with my new cage I had moved the old one to put the new one in it's spot and well I found my wall, well what is left of it all chewed up I couldn't believe it but that was a while ago and his poop and he has been eating fine he was never sick or anything but I am glad I have my new cage cause he can't even chew on the wood part of the cage cause the wire holes are that small.  that is the main reason I went with that wire cause they would be able to get through it and then i saw my wall
naughty little buggers!!!!!!!!!

[tinabeana]

Yeah somehow Magge reached her tiny little arm far out enough to reach a curtain that was no joke at least 6 inches away from her cage. She chewed a hole in it large enough for her to fit through.

[Summer]

Chinpo did all most the same thing with binds. the little