Kid has diarrhea!

[ChinchillaSteve]

Trixie my 2-3 month year old has very soft poo. It's like mud.
I saw she was awake so I picked her up for a hug and saw the problem.

She slept most of the day but her hut was clean so it couldn't be that long.

I gave her a bit of rosehip yesterday and a bit of spaghetty (uncooked) today. Maybe that set her stomach up?

I can't get to a vet now because it's evening.

I do NOT own lifeline, critical care or stuff like that!

 

[aznmexaggie]

Do not give any more treats. Pull pellets and make sure there is an unlimited supply of timothy hay. For diarrhea, I use a plain mini shredded wheat sprinkled with activated charcoal and acidophilus (both can be purchased at a health food store or in most vitamin sections of the grocery store). The fiber in the shredded wheat (and the hay) helps keep the G.I. tract moving but by also providing bulk. Activated charcoal is an adsorbant which will adsorb toxins (which can be produced by bad bacteria in the gut). Acidophilus is a "good bacteria" which will help replenish the good bacteria that chinchillas need in their guts to digest their food properly.

Also, make sure your chin is drinking. Diarrhea can dehydrate a chinchilla and your chin may need to get sub-cutaneous fluids from the vet.

Also, I just realized your chinchilla is only 2-3 months old. Chinchillas under 6 months should not be given treats due to the sensitivity of their digestive tracts.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Do not give any more treats. Pull pellets and make sure there is an unlimited supply of timothy hay. For diarrhea, I use a plain mini shredded wheat sprinkled with activated charcoal and acidophilus (both can be purchased at a health food store or in most vitamin sections of the grocery store). The fiber in the shredded wheat (and the hay) helps keep the G.I. tract moving but by also providing bulk. Activated charcoal is an adsorbant which will adsorb toxins (which can be produced by bad bacteria in the gut). Acidophilus is a "good bacteria" which will help replenish the good bacteria that chinchillas need in their guts to digest their food properly.

Also, make sure your chin is drinking. Diarrhea can dehydrate a chinchilla and your chin may need to get sub-cutaneous fluids from the vet.

Also, I just realized your chinchilla is only 2-3 months old. Chinchillas under 6 months should not be given treats due to the sensitivity of their digestive tracts.

Ok thanks!
but i'm restricted at the moment as it's evening

 

[saphire]

You can give her a small piece of burnt toast the size of a shredded wheat until someone with more experience can get into more details. that will help absorb liquide and toxins in her passage.

Sorry I can't do better for now.

 

[aznmexaggie]

Toast that is burnt to a crisp is carbon-containing as well and may do in a fix although pure activated carbon works much better.

ETA: If the diarrhea doesn't stop today, you will need to get your chinchilla to the vet and have a fecal sample done as it may be due to Giardia or enteritis (which will require antibiotics).

 

[nicky]

I'd say that it's probably related to the treats. Make she she's getting enough fluids. If it was from the treats than it should stop within the next day or so I'd think. I remember reading somewhere on here that someone's chin had developed soft poop like that from uncooked pasta before. They should only get a small piece. But, being that your chin is so young,She really shouldn't be getting any treats yet. If it doesn't resolve within the next day, or your chin isn't drinking well I'd get her to the vet.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Update:

I just checked up on her,

She has still very soft poo but she drinks, eats, jumps around.
I gave her a piece of burnt toast.

If there's no improvement tomorow i'll get her to the vet.

 

[Rickman]

Don't know the purity of the water over there, but if you can use a brita or something that'll filter your water to the extreme, that'll usually rule out guardia!
Hopefully it's temporary, just from the new surroundings!
Good luck!

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Water over here is very clean.
+ I filter it so I doubt that would be the problem

 

[Brittney]

The thing that helps when my boys get soft poo is to just mix activated charcoal in with their food. I don't pull pellets because they refused to eat just hay and I didn't want their gut to stop moving. It works great.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Update (again)

There some slight improvement!
I'm carefully positive.

Is it ok to give some burnt toast in the morning and in the evening?

 

[Claire D]

I would only give a thumb nail size piece of toast once a day TBH.


The best way to treat diarrhoea caused by treats is to pull the pellets and give hay only for a couple of days. This increases the fibre in the gut which helps shift any toxins etc - it gives the gut something to work on.

Good quality hay (make sure the hay is not the problem first though)
Fresh water - make sure your little one is getting plenty of fluid because chins can dehydrate very quickly.
Probiotics
Activated charcoal
Mini shredded wheat once a day

If there is no improvement in 2 days then a trip to the vets for a faecal is required.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Ok.
thanks, almost time for fresh food.
I'll keep updating

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Good news!
It's not a parasite or other disease.

She just needed hay and fibres.

Got to say though: ... my chins never had hay because it's so hard to find out here ...
Alright go on ... scold me, hit me with a wet towel and pull out my finger nails with rusty pliers.

BUT ... I went to a shop over the border ... on my bike ... and found mountain hay (the best i can find)

 

[Rickman]

OMG - Over the Border!! Can you be arrested for "smuggling" hay? Avoiding import taxes?

Just kidding, as I don't understand european countries - glad you found some hay- she'll get better quick, now!

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

OMG - Over the Border!! Can you be arrested for "smuggling" hay? Avoiding import taxes?

Just kidding, as I don't understand european countries - glad you found some hay- she'll get better quick, now!

Just the border to france, not that far away (it goes uphill though )

 

[Claire D]

........... and here is Michiel captured on camera with his hay

 

[Sandi]

........... and here is Michiel captured on camera with his hay

Oh man, I was scrolling down the thread to see how his chinchilla was doing and when I saw this pic, I literally spewed spewed my mouth full of water all over my computer screen, sorry, but that pic was hysteral! :hilarious:

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

:laughitup:

I admit, you have me!

 

[addictedtochins]

That is just about the funniest picture I have seen on here!
:hilarious: