Concerned about chinchilla

[cmar92]

Hi,

I came across this website when I first got my chinchilla which is almost a year and a half ago and really found it helpful in keeping my chinchilla healthy and happy.

I have decided to write my own post as I now have a problem that don't quite fit what others have had so please bear with me while I try to explain.

For about the last week I have noticed that my chinchilla's poo has become soft to the point that if he steps in it it squashes beneath him however it isn't constant it seems to be a few out of many and didn't happen on consecutive days. I know this is really dangerous for chinchilla's so have been monitoring him closely. I have also noticed that he has hair on the outside of it sometimes too and that they can come out attached.

Yesterday I noticed that it was squishy again but this time it was in clusters (only 2 lots) so made an appointment at the vets. His poo has always been a very dark brown colour slightly moist but is formed correctly though can be a little on the squishy side sometimes but not if he steps in it.

I feed him beaphar care plus and timothy hay. I always boil his water before giving him any as I heard this helps kill anything bad which he could catch.

As for treats I limit him to a papaya piece about 4 times a week however I found out someone in the house had been giving him them too.. After I found this out I stopped all of his treats to see if it helps.

Another thing is he doesn't seem to be eating as much hay as he used to but this started a long time before his pooing issues (he still eats hay just not as much) he is still eating his food and is drinking plenty.

One last concern is that he does not seem to be pooing anywhere near as much as he should. He used to go everywhere now I rarely seen any on his shelves in his cage or when he is running around.

I have just bought a new cage for him and he has been in it about 4 days so I don't know if that could have any effect on it?

I had my vet appointment today and they didn't really say anything other than I should limit the amount of food I give him as he might not be getting enough roughage and that if it didn't improve in a few days to take him back and they will xray his teeth to see if there's any problems with that.

Is there anybody that could possibly shed some light on what is going on with him and I would welcome anyone who has had any of the same problems as this to let me know what you came back with.

I am very sorry for the long scrambled post and thank everyone who reads it .

PS I do not give Widget anything that isn't wooden except for his fleece blanket.

 

[cmar92]

Just to add does anybody think this sounds like a tooth problem or something else like a digestive problem? The fact that he isn't pooing anywhere near the amount he should or did and barely touching hay is this due to my chinchilla being fussy and no longer the liking particular hay? And is why he is no longer pooing as much (lack of fibre)?

I am seriously worried and would rather him not be anethetised if it isn't a tooth problem.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Is he losing any weight? Chinchillas should not have any fruit or vegetables at all, not even dried. They contain way too much sugar and chins can't digest sugar well. This causes the bacteria in the gut to go out of balance, causing soft poos. Try pulling pellets for 3 days and give just hay. You have eliminated treats at this point. Keep it that way until the soft poos disappear and are gone for a few weeks. If you do start with treats again (chins don't really need them), use only good treats. Some examples are plain cheerios (plain), rose hips, rolled oats (not the instant or quick cooking ones), and shredded wheat (plain, mini-sized). Treats should also not be given daily. They should only have one or two a week. This means one or two not one or two of each.

If these measures do not help, the chin will need to go back to the vet.

 

[aznmexaggie]

The soft cluster poos are cecotropes, which a healthy chinchilla normally eats in order to extract all the nutrients from the food they eat. A chin that has soft poo and does not eat the cecal pellets has something going on with his digestive tract. I do not condone the feeding of any fruits or veggies, fresh or dried. The sugars in the papaya may be what has caused a disturbance in the normal intestinal environment which can kill off good bacteria that chins need to digest their high fiber diets and lead to proliferation of harmful bacteria that can inflame the intestines and result in soft poo.

I would cut all treats, supplement him with some acidophilus, and just give pellets and plenty of hay. You can also give activated charcoal for just a couple days to absorb the toxins that the bad bacteria can be producing in the gut.

 

[jbcstratton]

I would say the extra treats might be causing it. I suggest feeding old fashion oats, plain shredded wheat, or Cheerios instead of fruits. The are too high in sugars and can cause gut issues. Also feed as much Timothy as possible, I would not give alfalfa right now as it can sometimes cause softer poo sometimes with my chins.

 

[cmar92]

Thank you all for giving me advice.

I have stopped all treats at the moment. I have also taken away his pellets and he is just getting timothy hay (I don't feed him alfalfa).

He isn't losing weight but I will keep a check on that.

Once he is all back to normal I will only give him either shredded wheat or a rose hip as an occasional treat.

As for the acidophilus do I give this in the chewable form and how much do I give him?

 

[Newt]

For the acidophilus, just get human supplement capsules from your local pharmacy. Look for the ones with the highest bacterial count.
Just open a capsule, and sprinkle the contents over his pellets daily. Throw the empty capsule away.
Best of wishes to your sick chin xxxx