sitting in hay

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

So, my chin Herby has developed a new and somewhat disgusting habit...:wacko:
The other day I noticed that she was not really keen on having her hay in the ceramic chinchilla dust house that I normally put it in, so I took an extra hammock I had lying around and put the hay in that and hung it from the top of her cage. Now she has taken to sitting in her hay and eating like that..but that is not what is disgusting..I noticed that she is pooping in it while she is eating it..and often eats the hay she poops on..:vomit:


Does anyone else have a chin who does this or do I have the weirdest chin ever?

 

[AZChins]

I have one that makes a little nest in his hay and then lays on his side in it. You don't have the weirdest chin...I have the weirdest chin. My weird chin gets flustered and actually spits when he gets mad about anything.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

Now that is weird....mine just stomp away in a huff..

 

[Peep_erz]

Well seeing as they eat their own poop i don't find eating the hay they poop on gross. Its when they pee in it and then eat it when its gross.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

I do not even want to know if she does that...and I'm sure not gonna look...lol

 

[Essentia]

Mine just eat the poop along with the hay.

 

[Stackie]

That's why all my chins have hay holders. I didn't really mind that they were pooping in the hay, but they were also peeing in it..ruining a perfectly good handful of hay.

With the hay holders, they don't really sit in the hay much. Some will hop on to of the hay holders, but they don't usually stay very long. They do pull some of the hay out and leave it on the floor of the cage, but most of the time they won't eat it after that so I don't mind throwing it away should it get peed on.

 

[CJR]

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754646

This is what I use... it clips on the outside of the cage, and Tia can pull out as much hay as she wants but not lay/poop/pee on the fresh stuff. What she does once it's pulled out is her business, I suppose, but it at least keeps the majority of it clean...

Although yeah, they do eat their poop. A lot of herbivores do it to get all the nutrients out of their food. Gross, but it's how they roll.