Practice handfeeding prior to illness

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
ticklechin

ticklechin

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
8,087
Location
modesto CA
I am a big advocate of handfeeding ALL chinchillas in my "herd" at least once or twice, regardless of health, this way I know what each one likes to eat and how they like to be fed-on the back or upright, it also gets the chin used to green slime in the mouth, something they do not encounter on a regular basis, I think its important for all owners to practice handfeeding on their chins, prior to needing to.

What do you think?
 
I offer CC ever so often but I actually never have to restrain any of them. They all willingly come up to the cage and take the CC from the syringe. They think it's a treat. I think some people never think to just offer the CC that way and automatically think the chin has to be restrained to eat.

However, a chin that is injured or ill may act differently.
 
I don't see any issues with doing that.

Lady gets 3-5ml of Lifeline/EFL every day, and she will only take it through the syringe. She grabs the nipple and holds it like a bottle. I don't have to restrain her at all. Haven't really practiced with the other chins. Latte's too young IMO, and I don't see Gus often enough or on a regular basis.

EDIT: I'm still trying to get Paul to do regular hair ring checks, so I don't see him being willing to 'practice hand feeding' Can't wait until I have all of them under one roof.
 
I got lucky with Lucifer, I did practice on him over the summer so it was not a big issue when I had to start handfeeding him full time in November, I was still working on taming him at the time, he was already introduced to the CC/LL and settled in fast to easy feeding, good thing since he is still being hand fed today! AND he is tame!
 
" practice makes perfect" IMO.. :) I wish I had had the foresight to do this with Herby before her teeth issues, because it would have been so much easier for her and for me. I think this is a great idea though and I always have LL and CC on hand here, so I am going to start practicing on my other 3, just in case I never need to hand feed them.
Thanks for the idea! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top