New Chinchilla not eating toy/chew.

[chinylover]

I just got a new chinchilla a couple of weeks ago and he eats his food hay and yogurt bite treats, but he wont eat his toy. It's one of the treat kabob wood chews with a bekk on the end. He has only sniffed the wood and once he grabbed the bell at the end and played with it. Does anyone know why/ have a suggestion of a chew/toy to get him so he can chew on something and stay happy.


:Thanks:
Thanks if you help
and p.s he realy like timothy hay and his little timothy hay tunnel thing.

 

[Aridan]

Yogurt bites are not really healthy for your chin, you may want to look up the FAQ here on the forum to get some ideas of safe treats. Chins can be picky from what I'm reading on here. Some will ignore certain kinds of toys, and then one day show interest in them. Providing a variety and finding out what your chin likes is your best bet. There are many toys out there that combine safe woods, pumice, sisal, loofa, and bamboo in countless variations.

 

[The1nOnlyMatty]

Try getting just some chew sticks for him. Lots of people on here sell/ship them. My boys really only tend to like more natural toys. They'll eat the wreaths you can get and so forth, but only ones with just plain wood, pumice, and such. But yeah try some sticks. They tend to like particular "flavors." For example my Hetero Beige prefers pecan wood.

 

[chinchillin2005]

I've noticed for a few months that my chinchilla doesn't like chew toys either anymore. At first, I thought it was malo so I checked his teeth, and they were short, plus they feel short. He eats fine, but even though I put a pumice stone, a piece of loofah, a huge toy with all kinds of woods in it, a chinchilla kabob, etc. he doesn't have any interest in them. Sometimes he sits on his ledge and grinds his teeth which drive me nuts, I immediately give him a chew toy, he nibbles and doesn't have any interest in it. I thought it was a dental problem at first, but he is absolutely fine, and I honestly think his teeth somehow stopped growing or isn't growing as fast anymore. He just doesn't chew any of his toys.

 

[kerri101]

definitely try sticks....the sticks though you buy in the store with the one exception of the willow ware brand will be overpriced....( some stores sell 6 TINY apple sticks for five dollars!)
these are the only sticks I will buy from stores because they are decent priced..and like others said there are many vendors here that sell great stuff !! but if you cant order online these are good too

my chin wont even touch the kabob stuff for some reason if tooth issues are ruled out and hes eating hay pellets fine he probably just wants some different wood

 

[ticklechin]

A trusted source for wood chews

http://www.rondaschins.com/WoodPerPound.shtml

 

[chinylover]

I've noticed for a few months that my chinchilla doesn't like chew toys either anymore. At first, I thought it was malo so I checked his teeth, and they were short, plus they feel short. He eats fine, but even though I put a pumice stone, a piece of loofah, a huge toy with all kinds of woods in it, a chinchilla kabob, etc. he doesn't have any interest in them. Sometimes he sits on his ledge and grinds his teeth which drive me nuts, I immediately give him a chew toy, he nibbles and doesn't have any interest in it. I thought it was a dental problem at first, but he is absolutely fine, and I honestly think his teeth somehow stopped growing or isn't growing as fast anymore. He just doesn't chew any of his toys.

I know exactly how you feel with the teeth grinding the noise is just horrible. also hey eats his hay but like he's really picky he searches through the pile pushing the rest everywhere, not cute if you're the one cleaning it, and his tunnel from hay and the thing is i know he's picky because he also picks through his food only eating pieces he wants to eat. but at least I know he is still chewing on some stuff, because his beading, carefresh, has safe wood chips he sometimes eats/chews and his tunnel.

 

[Daina91880]

They all waste hay. Don't take it personally.

My girls love, love, love Apple twigs. I make toys for them and only use colored wood toy parts as spacers because they typically don't touch that stuff. Then when they destroy everything, I take the toys apart and reuse the spacers. They like natural things to chew on. Wood, loofah, pumice. I've ordered from a couple vendors on here and I would recommend any of them.

ETA: if you want to buy from pet store, look for lava ledges and lava bites. My girls also love them.

 

[chinchillin2005]

I know exactly how you feel with the teeth grinding the noise is just horrible. also hey eats his hay but like he's really picky he searches through the pile pushing the rest everywhere, not cute if you're the one cleaning it, and his tunnel from hay and the thing is i know he's picky because he also picks through his food only eating pieces he wants to eat. but at least I know he is still chewing on some stuff, because his beading, carefresh, has safe wood chips he sometimes eats/chews and his tunnel.

same here. mine will eat the aspen shavings and he's super picky. he pushes out the hay and he will eat an oxbow pellet and right till the tip and than drop it. He eats some of his oxbow whole but usually he picks one and eats till the tip and than pick another one. I see lots of pellets with just the tips in his bowl. With the hay, he makes a mess and than he will come back and eat the ones on the ground lol

 

[ChinnieGal12]

well the chinchilla will do it when it is time. maybe because he is chewing on the timothy tunnel

 

[louiekim]

You could get him a Lava Ledge.

Details: Completely safe to chew and promotes clean and healthy teeth
Encourages natural jumping exercises
Easily attaches to any wire home
Made of pumice rock

 

[chinylover]

Chewed on toy a little bit finnaly!

Today well night my chin, Buddy, finnally chewed on his toy instead of just pushing it away or playing with the bell and yes he eats his tunnel a good bit but he also will just sit ontop of it and then makes a pile of poop which is a pain to get off so that he can still eat it.