Is he sick?

[VictoriaM.]

This is week 2 with my chinchilla. Yesterday, he stayed in his igloo almost all day. He came out for a second when my boyfriend was talking to him but then went back inside. He was fine last night, came out and was moving about his cage as he normally does, but today he has spent the day in his igloo again. Is he sick or is he just tired?

 

[Siylvat]

Sounds like he is being a chin. I received a rescue chin last September. He is just now starting to open up. He used to hide in his igloo or tube all day long, and if you walked into the room he would make a b-line for one or the other. Now he will come out and say hi to you, he is sooo much better. But it took a long time.

Does he come out at night?

If he is eating,drinking, and his poo looks fine, I wouldn't worry too much. Just give him a little time. I'm not saying that all chins take forever to get used to you...some are ready to play right away. It just depends on the chin.

 

[Laurie]

Many chins spen their day sleeping in a house. If he is eating, drinking and pooing normal then probably no cause for alarm. Make sure it is not too hot where you are as sometimes heat causes lethargy in chins, but most likely he is just sleeping as chins do during the day.

 

[VictoriaM.]

Thank you. I was just worried because before yesterday, he would come out during the day. He eats more of his hay than his pellets...is that normal?

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

It's fine that he eats more hay then pellets. Be sure to have hay available to him all the time.