Bugs

[Godzilla]

Last night Godzilla ate a moth... which is fine as I hate moths. She seems fine today (certainly in a better state than the moth). Anyway, this got me thinking - do chins tend to eat bugs in the wild? And also are there any creepy crawly type things that could be dangerous for them to eat?

I'm probably being a bit neurotic but I do worry about the Special One and the sensitive digestive tract of a chinchilla. I also worry that this is only the beginning of her carniverous side and in a few months she'll be eating field mice and small dogs....

 

[whiskers387]

And buildings in China? Thats where Godzilla roamed correct? haha, just watch her poop and what she does and she should be fine but if anything changes you may want to take a vet visit

 

[ABBY W.]

Just give her some time...one night you'll wake up and she'll be in your bed just staring at your jugular vein (cue the theme from "Jaws")...Godzilla the carnivorous chinchilla!

 

[addictedtochins]

Are there any creepy crawly type things that could be dangerous for them to eat?

When I was a kid there was some strange flying bug that had somehow gotten into the house, mom and I where trying to kill it but Fluffy my cat got it and ate it in a second before we could do anything about it. It's been 25 years but I remember she had some weird strange strokelike reaction which went away within an hour with no lasting affects

 

[Newt]

Jasmine, Rosey, and Poppy have all eaten moths and thankfully havent suffered any ill effects.

Once, whilst out bouncing in their playroom, I noticed Rosey grab something off the floor. On route to check out what she had, I saw fat black spider legs wriggling out from between Rosey's wee paws... I raced to get it off her, but she understood my intent and stuffed it in her mouth before I reached her.
Panic ensued, and I took her straight to the local emergency vet, who pretty much just laughed at me. Needless to say I go to a different emergency vet now.

Rosey was fine though (thank god). I gave her some activated charcoal and just watched her very very carefully for the next few days and nights.

Nowadays I do a "spider surveillance sweep" before chinnie toes hit the playroom floor.....

 

[6Dusters]

Just make sure the small dogs are puppies. The bones are softer. Jk...I couldn't help myself. When my daughter was a few years younger she would leave a trail of food where ever she sat. My chin Jack used to live for a chip. You would have to run up to him and take it away. Then he would find that occasional chip again and he learned to run away.

 

[Spoof]

Le Ghasp! Is that the mailman's foot sticking out of her house?!?

I was chasing one of those big black house flies with my swatter one summer and it flew through HB's cage. She caught it with her paws at full fly-speed, pulled the wings off and ate the body while I just stared.

Clearly she'd done it before. Yuck.

I think they are equal opportunity eaters. I've not seen one do it since, but I also never see bugs in my chin room. I think it's a conspiracy.

 

[3CsMommy]

Only thing I'd be concerned about are venomous spiders that are small enough to be caught. The rest is just.... kind of yucky.

 

[lauralynne]

Nowadays I do a "spider surveillance sweep" before chinnie toes hit the playroom floor.....

I love this!

 

[starleomach]

they are like kids if it moves it goes into the mouth, if is doesn't move it goes into the mouth. If they can't pick it up to put in their mouth they bring their mouth to it. Keep an eye on your chinchilla for a while he should be fine.

 

[Laurie]

This is kind of a nausea enducing thread! And we all thought eating poo was bad! I think I would never want to smooch on the lips any of my chins if I saw them eat a spider or cricket! YIKES!
Hopefully Godzilla doesn't develop a taste for the crawlies!

And and I just wanted to sing Go Go Godzilla! when I first read this!

 

[Godzilla]

Thanks for all the advice. Everythings fine with the Special One since her epxeriment with new sources of protein. Venemous spiders aren't a problem in the UK so thats one less thing to worry about.

However, I'll be upping security around the cage and the spare room just in case she's a bit bloodthirsty and turns out to be a threat to mankind.