Chin on side

[ScarlettSugoi]

Hi, I just joined Chins & Hedgies. My chinchilla's name is Pixel. He is around 5 or 6 months old and I have had him since May.

Very rarely I would find him on his side, open his cage, and he would sit up and run around.

But today after he ran around a bunch, he just laied on his side. Sometimes on his full side, sometimes on his belly with his legs out to his side, or something just flat on his belly...which I've never really seen him do. He gets up and eats pellets and hay. When I put a treat near him he jumps up. When I cover his cage he jumps up to the third level of his cage and tried to get ahold of the blanket [like always], and he just seems fine besides the laying on his side.

Im so new at being a chin owner, and I worry about every little thing. I just dont want to go to sleep and wake up with my chin gone :[

Is what he is doing normal? Is Pixel okay? Anything I can do?

Thanks.

 

[tunes]

It may be that his run time is too long. He's still a youngster yet, and he may need to have his play time cut back a little bit. I always tried to build up slowly to a full hour of run time with young chins. Start with 10-15 minutes a day for a few days, then up 5 minutes each time until they are able to have a full run time without issues.

If he's laying on his side, you need to worry when he doesn't jump up. If he gets up, grabs his treat, etc., then he's probably just tired. If he lays on his side and doesn't move, or is limp or lethargic, then you have a problem.

You also need to be aware of the temperature where he is playing. Most recommend that you keep your chin room at 70 or below, and even then with a chin running full out, jumping, and playing he may get too warm.

 

[ScarlettSugoi]

Yes, if I even hold a treat outside the cage he gets up and runs to the cage door. And right now he just drank a bunch of water and is eating pellets.

 

[whiskers387]

My chin does the same thing after playtime, i was super worried at first but right when she hears me coming she jumps up and hops around, they are probably just tired like Tunes said.

 

[ScarlettSugoi]

You are quick to reply here. I like that, and am so glad to hear this is normal and that my chin will be okay.

 

[Rickman]

Putting a blanket over the cage will restrict the fresh air movement and could cause overheating!! Not needed, ever!
If you're trying to restrict the "poo pitching" they all seem to do, you can get shelf guards that fasten on the outside of the cage! Will ricochet them back in the cage, and allow airflow, too!

 

[5melrose5]

My Rigsby does the same thing. He is a year old. I am a new chin owner too(5 months) He is out for 30 minutes and then he is done,goes back in and lies on his side.The room is air conditioned, stays around 60. I think it just means they need a minute to rest. Rigsby will jump back up too,if offered anything.

 

[jmdebb]

Yup while agreeing with everyone else, some chins do lay on their side, so as long as he is healthy you may just have one that always lays on their side. My chin chin does, sleeps in dogs positions.:laughitup:

 

[Stackie]

All the different positions he laid in this time kind of sounds like bloat to me, but I could be totally wrong. Did it seem like your chin was stretching a lot?

Just keep an eye on him and let us know what happens.

 

[crazychin]

Putting a blanket over the cage will restrict the fresh air movement and could cause overheating!! Not needed, ever!
If you're trying to restrict the "poo pitching" they all seem to do, you can get shelf guards that fasten on the outside of the cage! Will ricochet them back in the cage, and allow airflow, too!

I don't think she covered the whole cage in a blanket, it helps reduce stress to have something covering the top and a side of the cage (or both sides). Her chinchilla won't over heat from it with just 1 or 2 sides covered, people have melamine cages, they don't over heat. It's okay to have sides covered, as long as its not all the way around.

 

[sheri7]

Is alot stretching a sign of bloat? Mine sometimes stretch but I just thought they were waking up and stretching out.

 

[ScarlettSugoi]

Yes I never completely cover his cage, but sometimes if he does not come to me I cover just the top of the cage and he comes out of hiding and sees me.

And thank you everyone. I had only heard sleeping on side being bad when it came to chins. Now I know some just love it XD.

And I have not noticed him stretching alot. Ill keep an eye open.

 

[shadow29]

I've been a chin owner for a couple weeks and my female Mia just stretched out on her stomach, then rolled on to her side and apparently went to sleep. I had only read that stretching out was a bad sign (usually bloat), but her poo is dark dark brown and fairly hard so I don't think she has a diet issue. She eats mostly hay anyway and the male, Koda, has no problem.

She's 9 months old and he's 4 months and he keeps her busy fending him off during playtime. I've never seen them try to mate in the cage, only during playtime. Mia's usually shy and hides behind me half the time when I let them out, but today she was really active so I'm thinking maybe she's just tuckered out and that's why she's lying on her side. I had them out for about an hour...but I have a feeling they didn't get alot of exercise before I found them. Otherwise she seems fine.

 

[Bethany2386]

Mine sleep on their side alot. They don't have any issues. They are perfectly healthy. They just prefer laying on their side sometimes.

 

[Dolyphinm]

Males and females should not mix. It is possible that she can get pregnant and chin mating happens in seconds or more correctly a blink of the eye.

Chins sleep on their sides a lot after they are comfortable with their surroundings. It's when they act lethargic all the time its time to worry if on their side and treats and such won't get them moving.

 

[greychins]

Mine sleep on their sides all the time as well. I agree with Dolyphinm, it's fine unless they start being lethargic and unresponsive...

 

[shubbles]

i wouuldnt be worried my chin does the same thing sometimes and its actually really cute although i dont see it anymore because hes always on his favorite shelve