Viktor.. sleeps a little strange..

[user 17862]

So I've had Viktor and Jayce for about two weeks now and I can't help but notice that Viktor.. is a little odd? when it comes to sitting on his favorite platform and sleeping up there?


He's had me worried at points because I've heard that sometimes Chinchillas sit like this because theyre in pain but he really only does it when napping and hes perfectly active, eating and pooping the rest of the time.
He seems to be a little more on the skinny side and thats why that "hunchback" is so pronounced?




But yesterday he also did this

its a little hard to tell on the picture - but his but is literally floating! Feet under his chest, but pressed up all the way into the corner to the point where it was off the platform..

Should I be concerned about any of this? Do your chins do something similar?

 

[Amethyst]

I would get him vet checked if you haven't already, just to rule out any spinal issues, not a rush just when you can get in since he is otherwise acting normal. The hunchback condition is commonly caused by malnutrition, and can cause some chins discomfort. You said they came from a rescue? Do you know if they were fed a proper diet before you got them? It might just be him, some chins are just weird and have weird quirks, but I would just rule out being an issue causing pain just in case. They hide pain and illness very well so you really do need to watch of any "odd" behavior.

 

[user 17862]

I haven't yet but I'll try to check in with one this week then!
And yes they're both from the shelter, they were both fed hay and herbs there, nothing out od the ordinary from what I can tell (besides the snacks, apparently one of them got peanuts but I presume this to be Jayce, the overweight one, and not Viktor)

I also have hay, herbs and pellets for them - do you think i should feed more pellets? I cut down the amount to only a small hand full each day to help Jayce cut down weight and people suggested that often the pellets are the issue when it comes to weight gain

 

[Amethyst]

Their primary diet should be unlimited hay and about 2 tablespoons of good quality alfalfa based pellets, herbs would be treats and treats should be limited to just a small pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) a couple times a week. Unless the herbs are being used as a supplement to poor quality pellets. Peanuts are not safe for chins at all, they are way too high in fat and they can actually get fatty liver disease from those. More often then not they get fat from over eating treats not pellets, unless they are pellet hogs and not eating their hay, or the pellets contain unhealthy ingredients.

Could you be more specific on the "herbs" since not all herbs are safe either. I would also take a look at the pellets you are feeding to see if they look to be good or if they contain unsafe ingredients, a lot of foods have things like fruits and vegetables in the pellets themselves for example. Chins should not have any fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, animal parts, or sugars.

I also wonder what are you going by to say Jayce is overweight? If you are going by weight alone that doesn't really say much, chins can vary in weight based on genetics just like humans, so a healthy adult chin can be anywhere from as little as 400g to well over 1,000g. A better indicator is body condition, it's really hard to tell just by looking at them unless the chin is very overweight, but if you feel down the body the ribs should be felt under a thin layer of fat, if you can't feel the ribs they are too fat, if you can feel the ribs easily (like fur covered bones) they are too thin.

 

[user 17862]

Diet checks out then! They have limitless hay but ill make sure to give a bit more pellets each day.
The pellets are also fine from what I can tell


For herbs I have

- dried nettles and dandelion leaves which i give a bit daily as treats
- a small bix-bag of herbs which i sprinkle on top of the pellets sometime, it contains dill, coriander and parsley

and sometimes i give apple sticks as a treat but they only eat the bark of it

i hope all of those are fine! They seemed to be, from what I could find online
[edit: forgot to mention: I don't give either of them vegetables or fruit!]

The vet at the shelter who did a quick check on both of theam mentioned it and confirmed it after weighing him - he is a bit larger than Viktor in general so a bit more would be fine I presume - but Viktor was about 550g, Jayce came in at 820g.
I sadly cannot hold either of them yet to check for the ribs, as they don't trust me really and scurry off If i try to touch them.

 

[Amethyst]

Ok, that looks like Versele-Laga Complete Chinchilla & Degu? Not the best food but far from the worse, and I know in some countries it's often the best you can get.
I'm not sure on the dill, coriander and parsley being good for them, they aren't toxic but aren't listed as safe treats for chins either. If you want a good list of safe herbal treats check out Fuzzy Kingdom Supplies, Treats, Accessories for Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Chinchillas, Ferrets, Rats (you don't have to buy from her I realize shipping would be horrid), but she has a good list of safe treats and explanations as to why, and for most, how much to give. If possible it's best to rotate what herbs you give so they get a more rounded diet.

 

[user 17862]

Oh yea it is! My bad, should've included the name!
Do you have specific brand recommendations? Maybe I can go take a look if I can get them anywhere around here, or order them online

Alright thank you very much I'll take a look! And see what I can adjust

 

[Jawramik]

I know that Oxbow Essentials (just their Essentials formula, the other Oxbow chin foods are no good) is considered the best by most people, it's what I give my girl. Next best is Mazuri chin food, followed by Science Select (Selective?). But I know that some of those are hard to get in certain countries (I'm in the US, where Oxbow and Mazuri are easy to get). If you can get Oxbow Essentials or Mazuri without being killed by shipping costs, those would be your best bet.

Hay should be grass hay like timothy, orchard, or meadow grass (or even a mix of those).

 

[Amethyst]

Aside from the Oxbow Essencials, Mazuri, and Science Selective, which are considered "the best" chinchilla specific foods, the other I've heard is ok is Burgess Excel. As I said the pellets you are feeding are ok, it's more a case of there are better foods if you lived in North America.

 

[Chin-ma]

My male chinchillas sleep like that all the time, nothing wrong with that (been on few check ups since they were babies) they can be just weird sometimes. I even named some of those weird sleeping poses. They can be really creative with getting comfortable in some contained spaces.