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whiskers387
Guest
I just weighed Whiskers(she is about 1) and she was 435 grams, is that a healthy weight, im just a little worried because Snowball is like double he size and i want to make sure whiskers is not to small
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Rickman
Guest
Are you sure of the age?
I've had 4 mo. old kits heavier.
When I changed feed from Mazuri/Calfmanna mix to PANR the whole herd gained.
Or she could just be petite, too.
I've had 4 mo. old kits heavier.
When I changed feed from Mazuri/Calfmanna mix to PANR the whole herd gained.
Or she could just be petite, too.
Every chin is going to be different in weight, depending on genetics. I would consider 435 small for a chin that is a year old, but as long as you don't feel bones sticking out in the rib, hip, and neck area, and the skin isn't hanging loosely, then she's probably just the size she's supposed to be.
That is very small for a one year old. Some chins, though, are just smaller, so it might be the right size for her.
Does she share a cage? Do you free feed so that she always has food? What kind of feed do you use?
Does she share a cage? Do you free feed so that she always has food? What kind of feed do you use?
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whiskers387
Guest
She shares a cage with a HUMONGOUS other chinchilla, i make sure that there is always food in their bowl and i use Mazuri
RDZCRanch
RavenousDeadlyZombieChins
She could just be small then. When you hold her does she feel skinny or does she just feel like a solid little chinchilla?
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whiskers387
Guest
She feels pretty skinny, and i can kinda feel the bones sorta easy, but im not sure if thats how they are supposed to feel because all i have to compare her to is my 750 gram chin
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whiskers387
Guest
Well i don't think she really shares when she is eating but Whiskers is down there alone all the time without eating, do you think i should put her on some weight gain supplement?
I'd add two bowls to the cage first - one at each end of the cage - and see if that makes a difference. Same with water bottles - add another one.
That way if the smaller one is being bullied there is a better chance of her getting some grub to herself & you can monitor her more closely.
That way if the smaller one is being bullied there is a better chance of her getting some grub to herself & you can monitor her more closely.
You should not feel bones and she should not feel skinny. Small does not equal skinny. I would do as Claire suggested and put two bowls in the cage and two water bottles, on completely different levels, so she has a chance to eat. If she doesn't start gaining weight, you may need to keep them separate for a while until she can.
You don't want to give her a weight gain supplement, even if there actually was one. You want her to gain weight at a nice steady pace.
You don't want to give her a weight gain supplement, even if there actually was one. You want her to gain weight at a nice steady pace.
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whiskers387
Guest
Ok i will do that, but i am not sure if she is bullied because they are almost always cuddling. but ill add that but i can also easily get some weight gain supplement to if you think that will help?
EDIT: ok so no to the weight gain, and i will add the water bottle and bowl tonight, Snowball feels nice and solid and fits into her body really well with out bones being able to be felt at all, is that how Whiskers should feel, just smaller?
EDIT: ok so no to the weight gain, and i will add the water bottle and bowl tonight, Snowball feels nice and solid and fits into her body really well with out bones being able to be felt at all, is that how Whiskers should feel, just smaller?
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whiskers387
Guest
Ok i just put a new water bottle and food dish on the upper level and i will monitor them and Whiskers weight, if she hasn't made a change in a few weeks what should i do?
You should be able to feel the bones under a nice padding of flesh - if you can't feel the bones at all then you've got a podgy chin.
They are just like any other creature & some are smaller and lighter of body than others but a chin should never feel like their skin is stretched over their bones with no flesh between.
Try the two bowls and bottles and just observe if the larger chin is protecting the bowl from the smaller one. Sometimes bullying can be very subtle - 2 bowls gives the smaller chin a chance to stuff her face while the other one is at the second bowl. If the lager one chases the smaller one away from both bowls then you know you've got a bullying problem.
As Peggy has suggested above, for now I would just leave the 2 bowls and see what happens & if she does not gain weight then it will be time to separate them for a while.
Weight gain in chinchillas is often quite slow so you do need to give it a few weeks and weigh the little one weekly so that you can monitor any changes: up or down.
They are just like any other creature & some are smaller and lighter of body than others but a chin should never feel like their skin is stretched over their bones with no flesh between.
Try the two bowls and bottles and just observe if the larger chin is protecting the bowl from the smaller one. Sometimes bullying can be very subtle - 2 bowls gives the smaller chin a chance to stuff her face while the other one is at the second bowl. If the lager one chases the smaller one away from both bowls then you know you've got a bullying problem.
As Peggy has suggested above, for now I would just leave the 2 bowls and see what happens & if she does not gain weight then it will be time to separate them for a while.
Weight gain in chinchillas is often quite slow so you do need to give it a few weeks and weigh the little one weekly so that you can monitor any changes: up or down.
starleomach
Dawnna's Keeper
I agree small doesn't equal skinny. Trooper over to my mom's house is a whopping 400 grams and she is 3 but she is a little chunker. She is very solid feeling, no bones/ribs. she is a dwarf though. I would also go with 2 bowls and water bottles, Just because they cuddles doesn't mean they don't bully
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