scared new chin?

[momenteller]

Hey all. I have a new addition! We have a new black velvet girl we brought home on Sunday. I haven't done an intro for her yet because I know how you all adore pictures, and I don't want to scare her with the camera just yet. In the meantime, I have a question...

The first few nights she explored her cage, judging by the poops on the shelves and the hay on the floor. But last night it seems she didn't leave her hidey house. All the hay is still in her holder, no pellets missing and water level is the same, no poops on shelves. I realize this is only day three, so I'm trying to give her space. But how many days can they go without eating and drinking before I should be worried?

 

[alli713]

Are you positive she didn't eat or drink? You can mark the water bottle with tape or a washable marker and then you'll be able to tell for sure if she's drinking at all. And then weigh the pellets before you put them in the bowl and then when you give her new ones at night/in the morning. That's the only way you can know for certain that she didn't eat at least a couple pellets.

 

[shubbles]

if theres poop then she had to eat at sometime and if theres hay all over you'd think that it wasn't just throwing it around, but eating it. Good idea to mark or weigh the food. Also though wouldn't it have to eat at sometime?

 

[corley]

Whenever I first got Freddie he did the same thing, the first night I brought him home when I was out of the room he would run around everywhere, run on his old wheel, destroy stuff 'cause I could hear him in the next room, but as soon as I entered, he went and hid. The next few nights I seriously started to get very worried that I needed to take him to the vet, cause he was very lethargic, and I could tell he had not moved, eaten any hay or pellets or anything. I just kept working with him and letting him out of his cage and such, and he eventually warmed up and is just fine now, a few weeks later.

 

[Jazicat]

Do you think she might be more comfortable if there was food closer to her hidey hut? Maybe she's afraid of her new bigger cage.

I know that the first week Edgar was here that he was adjusting and very quiet. I was often concerned about food and water intake but he did fine. Let's hope tonight you see lots of poop and missing food and water.

 

[Ziora]

Congrats on your new addition! We haven't had our chin very long, either and I was very worried after a few days and some poop issues. I called the breeder and she told me with babies it only takes a few days of no food and water before things can get touchy, and to get aggressive with monitoring. I put tape on the water bottle and made sure it was actually working (I have the super pet bottle.) She also told me to get her moving around to get the poops moving. I was told to give her 2 raisins (no more) and that did the trick. I know that goes against what I have read on here, but this is what the breeder told me to do and it worked. I also dipped a few pellets in water and she thought it was a treat and accepted it.

Our chin is still very shy and skittish but is romping, drinking, and eating just fine now.

 

[momenteller]

Are you positive she didn't eat or drink? You can mark the water bottle with tape or a washable marker and then you'll be able to tell for sure if she's drinking at all

Not completely positive, no. But the water line was at a certain part on the super pet bottle (where there's an indentation for the spring to hold it in place) and I could tell it hadn't changed from the night before. As far as pellets, they didn't look picked through at all, but I can't be sure as I didn't weigh them. I will start doing that.

It concerned me because the first two nights she was here, she made such a disaster of her cage. Shavings everywhere, pellets scattered, hay holder emptied, her hidey house was completely turned around. Then last night, it looked as though nothing had been touched. I just wanted to know how many nights they can go without eating before I need to be worried.

Do you think she might be more comfortable if there was food closer to her hidey hut? Maybe she's afraid of her new bigger cage.

Thanks for reminding me Jessica... I called the breeder and she left a message suggesting just that. I put a pile of hay outside her hidey house door. And she did take a rosehip from my hand today so hopefully it was a one night hunger strike.

 

[Sesame]

ooh about the super pet bottle, just double check that you're able to get water out.

 

[momenteller]

ooh about the super pet bottle, just double check that you're able to get water out.

yes, i always tap the tip of the bottle on the palm of my hand to make sure water is coming out.

she came out of her house last night, ate, drank, threw her hay everywhere, etc. so looks like i was just being a nervous nellie. thanks to everyone for their help!

 

[Jazicat]

You're just being a good chin mom and making sure Luna adjusts. If things hadn't turned around you would have had been one step closer to helping.

I really hope Luna continues to do great and can't wait until she adjusts so we can see pictures.