How do I get my chin to eat weight gain suppliment???

[beige chin]

I ordered a bag of herbal appetite stimulant/weight gain supplement from Fuzzies kingdom because my chin is still very skinny (before i got her she was kept in a cage with her mom and 2 of her older sisters so she was the youngest in the cage and the rest of the chins would never let her get enough to eat) I figured that this would help but she wont eat it (she was never given treats or hay anything like that before i got her). She will pick 1 thing out of the mixture (i have no idea what she picks out) but leave all the rest. is there anything that I can do to get her to eat this? has any one else had trouble getting their chin to eat this? it cost me $22.00 so I want her to at least try it :facepalm:

 

[momenteller]

My chins have enjoyed Tanya's supplements, but their favorite is Essentials for Life. I mix it with water to make a paste and two out of three eat it off the spoon (my third won't eat any treats but oats). I'm not sure if you could grind it down further and make a paste or syringe feed?

I would send a message to Tanya. She is wonderful about offering help and advice.

 

[beige chin]

I sent her an email. I really hope that I can get glory to eat it... I cant afford to be wasting $22.00
I mean, don't get me wrong, I have her best interest in mind (ALWAYS!), but I just don't have much money...

 

[Spoof]

Chins are funny, they often won't eat what they don't need. Herbs included.

You can always resell it on the forum. Your chin will gain weight naturally on regular food without competition. It often takes six months or more for it to happen. )

 

[Tanya]

Rachel, I replied to your email, but will post here too.

You can grind the supplement (coffee grinder), mix with warm water and hand feed. You can also add a small amount of rolled oats or oat bran. She may like the supplement and eat it voluntarily once she gets used to the taste.

If she was constrained to a single food, she may be cautious when you offer her something new because she does not know if it is safe to eat (no learned avoidance/preference), waiting for the familiar alternative. Herbivores who consumed various foods that differ in nutrients/toxins learn to eat a variety of plants to better meet their need for nutrients and deal with toxins (all plants contain toxins).

I think it is a good idea to provide grass hays, legumes, wood, and a herbal supplement in addition to a pelleted feed especially when you have a chin who needs to gain weight. Not all chins do great just on pellets. Pellets are designed for an "average" animal – not an individual.

 

[beige chin]

thanks tanya, I have been trying to give her different kinds of treats but I have only had her for about a month and she is already a year old. Before I got her she was never given anything except pellets (it took her a while to learn to eat hay!). I have been letting her "sister" eat the supplement in front of her because that is how she learned to eat hay... Carmel dosnt need it (she is so chubby already lol!) but it is the only other thing i can think of. I don't want to force feed her.
If worse comes to worse I will just give it to them as treats 1-2 pieces at a time, but that is a good idea spoof! I will remember that.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

Honestly-

I would get rid of the treats and stick to pellets and hay. The more "treat" type stuff you give her the less likely she is going to eat what she needs to gain weight. And like Spoof says it takes a while to get weight back on an animal.