Chins do not overeat - true or false?
- Thread starter ysy
- Start date
Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:
symphle
~+bringer of yummy+~
In the past we had a female that overate after she lost her buddy. We put her on limited pellets and hay 24/7. She eventually wore out of that stage and when we returned her to free feeding she had stopped overeating.
Amphy64
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2011
- Messages
- 224
I'd guess it may have been the new brand of hay that upset her tummy in this case. I found that Oxbow, despite being a good brand of hay, didn't agree with Henry, it was definitely that because he was fine when I didn't give him any, but had an upset stomach when I did. I definitely feel that chins should have free access to food rather than limited.
jbcstratton
Well-known member
I have never had one over-eat here, some may be protective of the food dish though.
Zoaea
O.o
Haha my fat girl (I actually call her fattie too) will guard the food bowl even while sleeping.
I think it would be very hard to "see" an obese chin, they all look rotund. I would call my girl over weight, I still give her free feed but her treats have been cut back to 1/2 a wheatie twice a week and give more hay instead of pellets if she gets low. So far she has dropped 60gm in 4 months and stabilized there. However she still has a fat roll behind her front paws and you have to search for her rib cage. =P I'd say her issue is 80% lack of activity, she will only play for about 10 min when out before finding a nap spot, and doesnt bounce around the cage like my male does, Its just her personalty.
KujoSutefanii
Well-known member
My chinchillas always have full bowls and I see them eating all the time. However, they're not overweight, which I assume would also be because they're energetic as heck.
But I don't think it could be impossible for a chinchilla to get overweight... unlikely or rare, yes, but not impossible.
But I don't think it could be impossible for a chinchilla to get overweight... unlikely or rare, yes, but not impossible.
Of course a chinchilla can be overweight, all you need is a bad diet and a tiny cage. That said, I've never seen one that i thought was dangerously overweight. I have noticed some of my older females get a little dewlap of sorts, but that's about it.
