advice on weight gain?

[chinchillalover0927]

as many of you probablly already know, i have a female chin that gave birth to a premature baby not that long ago..well she only weighs in the light 500 gram area...but when i pick her up she isnt thick like the rest of my chins are, do i need something to supplement her and fatten her up or are some chins just small boned...i have another chin that is thin like her but not as thin...

 

[eroomlorac]

If she is a smaller chin that weight might be right for her. Does she feel too 'bone-y?"

 

[Silverrose]

Weight is just a number, and some chins are just small. When you pick her up, do you easily feel her ribs? If so, she could probably use a bit more weight, but other than that she may just be a small chin. Pregnancy can also really change a chinchilla.

I've had a female who was about 650g that I put into breeding, small for what is usually an acceptable minimum for me. But she was so beautiful, and her pelvic opening seemed large enough so I put her into breeding. She had one litter. But the pregnancy and labor really took a toll on her. She dropped down to 550 at one point, and today hovers around 600. She never recovered the weight she lost, and I had to pull her from breeding. So now she remains a small, but still beautiful, pet chin.

If you are really considering putting weight on your chin, like anything else, it should be done gradually. What type of feed are they on? Are they free-fed hay? Do you feed them any treats? IMO, the best way to gain weight is just to free feed them quality pellets and hay, and usually different types of hay. Treats are just fillers and aren't necessary. Supplement should be a last resort, I think of it as a treat.

 

[chinchillalover0927]

they are on purina rabbit food, show, i believe..and i give them a large amount of hay at night.i dont give them free fed hay because they pull it out and waste it all when i even give them to much hay... i know she might gain a little weight back given time since she just lost her baby but she just feels smaller than she did before... and i feel that she needs to fatten up..all of my other chins are fat as ticks given the other small frame chin that i have..should i give her free fed hay all day??? she is housed by herself..

 

[Cuddlebug]

Slow and steady is the best way to go about it. Good feed and hay, which you are supplying, is the best route. I used to have a girl about that size. She was just meant to be small. Maybe yours is too.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

You can try putting some 'Lifeline' on her food for awhile