HELP: Wet poop...but i don't use treats!!

[casshyr]

I have a female chinchilla for over a month and a half now, very tame.
She has been having soft poop on and off for the past 3 weeks. Whenever her poop turns a bit wet, I switch to only giving her timothy hay, and it seems to cure it. But I notice whenever I start feeding her Mazuri pellet (even if just 1 or 2 pellets per day), her poop turns soft again.

Why is that.? I thought Mazuri pellets are supposed to be top brand..? I don't know if I should toss out my whole Mazuri bag and switch to Oxbow or something..?? I don't know if it is the pellets that is causing the wet poop, or if it is something else, but I do notice when I give her only Timothy hay, the wetness does stop.

I find it weird that my chin is so sensitive to pellets, as if even 1 or 2 per day and she reacts...is that normal for a young chin? She is about 3 months old.

I am NOT giving her any other food beyond hay and pellets.

Any recommendations would help.

 

[Stackie]

Mazuri has been known to give chins soft poop for a reason that not anyone is entirely sure of. I would definitely try switching brands and see if it helps.

Something else that may help her is supplementing with acidophilus.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I would take in a stool sample to have it tested for parasites or bacteria. It's not normal for a three month old chin to have regularly runny stools. I had a bad experience on Mazuri, but it was because of the mill the food came from. All feeds from that mill have caused problems in my chins.

 

[AZChins]

Mazuri in Canada is different...

You could try feed from http://chinchillaparkplace.ca/chinstuffstore// They have good feed, depending on where you are the shipping may not be too bad.

Sometimes it is best to get a fecal test done if you are having issues with diarrhea. Sometimes chins have issues when they eat their pellets if they have a parasite, more than when they are eating just timothy hay. She could be overeating slightly on the pellets, as well.

Did you buy your chin from a petstore or a breeder?

 

[3CsMommy]

Seconding or thirding the fecal by a vet to play safe. My theory is the molasses used in Mazuri feed doesn't work for some chins, though all three of mine are fine with it. (It's a theory only: ymmv, Ianav, etc.) You might want to try a different brand of pellet after the fecal float and see if the change stops the problem.

 

[ticklechin]

Does the poo have a odor or slimey surface?

 

[casshyr]

Thanks very much guys. The poop looks normal, no ordor, just soft to touch, and if the chin steps on it, it gets squashed. I will switch to Oxbrow as well as taking the poop to the vet.