How do I know if my chinchilla is injured?

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ChinchandChilla

ChinchandChilla

Chinch and Chilla
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
48
Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just really worried and really stressed.
She has been very VERY feisty when it comes to hand feeding. And she keeps twisting and turning, I keep a firm grip on her but It worries me when she just start spazzing and twisting to get out of the chinchilla burrito. How would I know if something was wrong? Would she she breathing weird? I'm so worried that I hurt her.
 
I can understand your worry. I had to hand feed one of my chins last fall, and I was positive I would hurt him.

Just keep an eye on her to make sure she's moving like she usually would. You had mentioned in another one of your posts that her poops were still rather small. If you let her run around after the feeding session, it will help get her gut moving, and will also give you a chance to see if she's limping, etc.

That being said, chins are not quite as delicate as they're made out to be, although you should still be as careful as possible.

Good luck. My heart goes out to you...I remember what it was like those first few days of hand feeding. As others have said, she will soon get used to it, and it will be so much easier for both of you!
 
They can stress and start to breath heavy, handfeeding the first time is stressful on the chin and the parent, just be patient and try not to get upset at her, she will know it and it will make her worse. If I get a really spazzy one I will flip them over, get a couple of squirts in them, place them in a carrier to chill and repeat over and over again. I don't burrito, never had the need.
 
I don't burrito either. It is stressful and hot for the chin and they never will stay inside that dang towel no matter how well you burrito!

I flip them over and hold them diagonally across my chest at an upright angle. I then take my non-dominant hand and hold them gently but firmly against my chest with the palm of my hand across their upper stomach and chest and using my thumb and index finger on either side of their head to keep control.

Then using a 10 ml syringe and my dominant hand, I squirt small amounts of the CC into the side of their mouth (think cheek pocket) and make sure the syringe is behind their front teeth as this makes it harder for them to spit it out.

It takes a while but you will find what works best for you. each chin likes o be held just a little differently. It is trial and error.
 
Good news! She has big hard poops again!!! AND even better, she hate some of her food today. I'm so freaking happy! Now I'll cut down the feeding a bit. Thanks for all your advice, it has made me feel better about this whole experience
 
I don't burrito either. It is stressful and hot for the chin and they never will stay inside that dang towel no matter how well you burrito!
Click to expand...

I just want to say, if your chin is spazzing out and stressed in a burrito, as well as over heating, then you are not doing it right. I never have any trouble with a burrito wrap. They are held securely and cannot struggle. They do not escape because they are wrapped correctly and held securely. The feeding is fast and over with before they would even have a chance to overheat, plus, your room must be awfully warm if they overheat in the time it takes to hand feed a chin. I can get 60 mL into pretty much any chin in around 10-15 minutes, 20 minutes with a super stubborn chin. They never overheat.
 
Tunes -iIt is not that I am not doing it incorrectly - it is that I do not do it at all! I do not have the need as I have found that if you hold them correctly and comfortably that they don't need to be burritoed at all. BTW - I feel pretty confident in my abilty to burrito. As a nurse I have done it on many infants without an issue.

The temp in my room and entire house for that matter is just fine.
 
You said you don't do it because they struggle and it's too hot - which would lead one to believe that you have done it, hence my comment that you're doing it incorrectly. I've burritoed plenty of human babies as well, and they are not the same as a chin. For people who are experienced with hand feeding chins, like Dawn, I wouldn't use a burrito either. But for others who are not so experienced, they work really well and help cut down on stress for the chin and the owner.
 
If the burrito isn't working for you, and you can't hold the chin and feed by yourself, perhaps you can get someone to help you?

Hand feeding used to be a team effort, with my boyfriend holding the chin, and me doing the feeding. It took me awhile to get comfortable with doing it by myself. Keep trying, I know how frustrating it can be in the beginning.
 
I believe we are all allowed to give input as I thought that was the point of a public forum. If one way doesn't work for the OP then it is always a good idea to get others input and experiences. You assume too much from my post and did not read it correctly.
 
I think alot of stress comes from the chin picking it up from the owner, I have handfed 1000s of feedings, and I mean 1000s and the newbie chins are not a problem because I am calm and matter of fact, we are going to git er done, if you are calm, they are calmer. That is the key to not having to burrito, I agree it may be better for newbie feeders to do it if its done correctly. I think there is a burrito video here, I will look for it.
 
No, I think you read way too much from my post. Nowhere did I say you couldn't give input on a public forum. Does anyone else see where I said that? Are you feeling a bit sensitive because I questioned the fact that you might be doing something wrong? Everybody has to start somewhere, and when someone says it doesn't work, then odds are they aren't doing it right. I'm going to bet I've done quite a bit more hand feeding of chins than you have, including adults and babies, so I feel my comment is just as valid and useful as yours.

ETA: If you have not done it, and I read that incorrectly, then how do you know it doesn't work?
 
The first time you hand feed (and I mean the first time EVER, not just the first time with a particular chin), a burrito is IMMENSELY helpful. When Romeo was sick last fall, I was spending 2 hours trying to get 60 mL of CC in him (without a burrito, since I was afraid of hurting him trying to actually get him INTO the burrito). One night I had had enough, and well, you know that line from MTV's "The Real World"? "...when people stop being polite and start being real"?

Romeo and I got very real with each other. I'm not sure what came over me, but I burrito'ed his furry little bum before he knew what was happening, and guess what? It took about 40 minutes to get the 60 mL in him. After my burrito'ing technique got better, I was doing each feeding in about 15-20 minutes.

After a few burrito'ed feeding sessions, I didn't have to burrito him anymore. He would just sit in my lap, on all fours, and eat the CC. We then progressed to him staying in his cage (here are some pics).

All that to say, burritos are VERY helpful for inexperienced handfeeders, and it is FAR less stressful for both the chin and the owner.

I'd also like to say that "burrito'ing" a baby requires a far different technique and has a completely different purpose than burrito'ing a chin.
http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showpost.php?p=239856&postcount=1
 
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