Escaped

[Rebecca1122]

I recently found out that my sister left Oliver's cage open, my bedroom door open, and the hallway door open. He escaped and I was very worried that I would never find him.
Luckily, after just a couple of minutes of searching, he came running to the dust bath bowl that I set out for him in a small office room of my apartment.
I'm not sure where he went or what he could have eaten/chewed on, but I plan to take him to the vet anyway, just to be safe. I'm just glad that I was able to find him sooner rather than later.
Does anyone have any advice?

Thank you.

 

[ticklechin]

Unless the chin is showing symptoms that are not normal, I would not stress out a new chin with a vet visit. Keep a eye on food and water intake and poo production, see if he is acting normal.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Okay, thank you. I have taken him to the vet before, but I wouldn't want to stress him out more, so I won't take him to the vet without reason.
He seems to be acting okay, but he's not eating or drinking much. He started to eat the new Oxbow food, which is good, but he didn't eat much. He also ate a little bit of hay. I marked his water bottle, and according to the water bottle, he hasn't had a drink of water since before yesterday. His poop is also very small.

Unless the chin is showing symptoms that are not normal, I would not stress out a new chin with a vet visit. Keep a eye on food and water intake and poo production, see if he is acting normal.

 

[ChinCity]

You can try to rub a raisin around water bottle opening and make it more attractive for him to drink. Once, I even put little "tiny" pieces right around the nozzle. Might do the trick for you...

 

[Rebecca1122]

Okay, thanks. Will anything come off from the raisin? Or the scent?
I also put out a little ceramic dish with water. I put it in front of him and he drank from that and right after he went in a corner and peed a lot, so that's a good sign. I'll try the raisin trick, though. Thanks!

 

[Rebecca1122]

I tried the raisin thing, but it didn't really work. I think I'll leave the bowl and water bottle out and we'll see if he drinks something.

 

[LeoMonster]

I'm iffy about the idea of a bowl of water being left out, considering chinchillas really shouldn't get wet. That may just be my own personal concern though and it could be perfectly fine. I'm not sure.

 

[Rebecca1122]

I know, I was concerned too. But it seems that some people do it, and he doesn't go in the bowl because it's pretty small. I found a coop cup, so now I have the water in a bowl that is attached to the cage and cannot be pushed over.
He still hasn't had anything to drink, though. Maybe he's fine, I'm just worried that he hasn't had much to drink in days. He hasn't eaten much either.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Some chins just do not drink much water. Is he pooping and peeing ok?

 

[Rebecca1122]

Yes, he has been peeing and pooping. I tried giving him some water through a little syringe, and he took it, so that was good. His poop is still a little small, but it seems okay.

Some chins just do not drink much water. Is he pooping and peeing ok?

 

[momenteller]

Yes, he has been peeing and pooping. I tried giving him some water through a little syringe, and he took it, so that was good. His poop is still a little small, but it seems okay.

I think you are supposed to be careful with that. I believe they can aspirate water that way.

 

[Cuddlebug]

If he is peeing and pooping ok, then he is drinking water and eating something. He may just be hoping for the old food. He will eat when he gets hungry.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Okay, thanks. I'm just going to leave him and if he is hungry and thirsty enough, he will get what he needs.