What should I do?

[starrynight0621]

Here is the background of the situation:

Orville was born in April and is a plump, healthy chinchilla. He consistently has 1/2" to 3/4" healthy poos and eats hay and pellets like there's no tomorrow. He is also social and fearless.

Wally was born in March. He has always been smaller than Orville, weighing in at about 450 grams. His poops are 1/4" or less. They can even come out looking like small pebbles or spheres. His poop was soft and squishy a few months ago, so I fixed the issue by taking away pellets and just giving hay. He typically has a little gunk around his eyes. He is also very timid. Other than that, he appears to be healthy and loves watching TV and chasing Orville around the cage at night.

Today I noticed Wally made three of his small pebble poops connected by a strand of mucus. Due to Wally's history (small poops, underweight, soft poop, gunk in eyes), I am worried. Could he have some sort of chronic giardia? Is mucus a sign of diarrhea? Why does he seem so unhealthy compared to Orville? Should I take him to the vet?

 

[Riven]

Have you done a fecal on him? If not then he can't have "chronic" giardia as it's never been treated.

I'd start with a fecal to rule out parasites

 

[SookiFace1]

it sounds like he has diarreha.. I would take out his pellets, leaving only his hay and fresh water. Burn a piece of toast until it is black ("charcoaled") all the way through and give Wally one or two little pieces of it. I didnt think Sookie would eat it but Ive given her the burnt toast for both bloat and when her poops looks mushy and within 4 hours i usually always see a difference.

Are you sure Wally is drinking enough water?

I usually wait 24 hours from when I try a remedy and if it gets worse or doesnt improve I take her to the vet ASAP