Gave my new chin dehydrated strawberries for 8 days

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Iamwhatiam156

Iamwhatiam156

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Jan 27, 2025
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New Jersey
Hey all… so I’m worried. I got a new chinchilla (Chico) about two weeks ago he’s about 5-6. I read before on an online forum I could give him dehydrated strawberries so I’ve been giving him some pieces everyday for about 8 days now and now I’m worried because I’m seeing that it could be dangerous!!! Should I be worried? I stopped… his behavior has changed within the past two or three days he is more quiet and reserved and is just hanging in his cage with his back towards me (facing the wall) however, I’m not sure if it’s because of that or because I was cleaning his cage three days ago and he went to go jump from his hammock to his shelf on the door and he fell off and out of the cage. He was walking around though and I let him roam around the house for about 10-15 minutes before putting him back in the cage and then he seemed fine but after just kind of hung around on the bottom of the cage. Also… my chinchilla doesn’t seem to drink any water since I got him? I notice very little missing out of the bottle… is this normal?! Help I’m so worried! I just got pet insurance and it’s not active for another two weeks :/
 
Short term the biggest issues with giving fruits is the risk of digestive upset (gas, bloat, diarrhea), as well as the risk of seizures from the sudden spike and drop in blood sugar. Both of those issues you would see within a day of giving them. If it was the only time he had fruits it shouldn't cause any long term issues so long as you don't give them again. It's not uncommon for chins to be mad when their sugary treat goes away though, like a kid being denied candy, if that is all it is he will get over it.
Chins don't drink a lot compared to other animals their size, about 1-3oz a day is normal. Depending on how dry or humid it is in the house, the temp you keep the room and how active the chin is they may drink more or less water as well. Aside from that just to be clear the rest of the diet is just plain pellets and hay correct? I know online land and even some vets still think chins are the same as rabbits and guinea pigs and that fresh veggies are good for them, but they are not. I mention that since added moisture in their diet can also cause them to drink less.
 
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