How do you give acidophilus?

[JennyBug]

I'm curious about how to give acidophilus (probiotics) to chinchillas. Carmen likes it when I roll pellets in it and then give it to her, but is there another way to do it (we have to go through A LOT of pellets to get much into her). Also, how much should be given at a time?

UPDATE: Carmen is still doing VERY well by the way. She's hanging out on her new chinchiller after her evening dose of medicine. She's eating hay and drinking plenty, and the best news is we have had NO discharge whatsoever!!! I think my baby girl is healing up nicely!

 

[Silverrose]

I have a few chins who enjoy their acidophilus in tablet form. I will break up a tablet and just hand them a little chunk of it. Others just get a sprinkling of it on their food. You really can't overdose them on it. We just use it about once a week as a "treat". We feed PANR, which also contains acidophilus, so they also get it that way. Most of the usual, recommended chin/rabbit pellets will contain acidophilus.

 

[JennyBug]

Their pills come in capsules, so I open the capsules and sprinkle it on their pellets. They love it, I just wasn't sure if there was a way to do it in liquid form.

 

[kaykay]

One really good way most people recommend is sprinkling it on a few oats. Because sometimes if you put it on their pellets, they will dig through their pellets to get to it.

Just a thought.

 

[CerLynn]

We sprinkle it on the pellets as well - seems to work for our little guys!

 

[searchand_dstry]

I sprinkle it over the pellets in a small bowl then mix it around really good so all of the pellets are covered in a dust of it before putting it into the bowl in the cage. That way they aren't skipping pellets because they want the clean ones & it isn't going to waste sitting at the bottom of the food dish.

 

[oxchincerelyxo]

Their pills come in capsules, so I open the capsules and sprinkle it on their pellets. They love it, I just wasn't sure if there was a way to do it in liquid form.

This is my method of choice too!!! :high5:

 

[Chinniechantel]

I sprinkle it inside a shredded wheat. That way you KNOW they are getting all the pill because you watch them eat the whole thing!

 

[Essentia]

I sprinkle it inside a shredded wheat. That way you KNOW they are getting all the pill because you watch them eat the whole thing!

What a good idea! I've always been a pellet sprinkler, but this makes so much more sense.

 

[Jenn]

Sorry, Can I ask if acidophillus is a recommended supplement or is it only given after an ailment? If it is recommended, how often to give and where do I find it to purchase? Thanks.

 

[greychins]

What I've done to get the acidophilus in liquid form is to crush a tablet (or empty a pill or crush a pill, whatever you have) and mix it with juuuust enough water to make it like a liquid consistency - and I just use one of those 1 CC syringes to give it to em...

Granted, I don't typically give the chins acidophilus unless they're already having some other sort of problem, so I suppose it's easier to do it this way if you already have all the syringes out and everything for handfeeding...

 

[Chinniechantel]

Sorry, Can I ask if acidophillus is a recommended supplement or is it only given after an ailment? If it is recommended, how often to give and where do I find it to purchase? Thanks.

It is good when they are on antibiotics or under a lot of stress (moving, big storm, etc.) or after surgery. It would not hurt to give some every few weeks though, I even take some!

 

[Sugarmama]

I like to add it to water, and give with a medicine dropper--like an eye dropper. That way I can give a drop at a time, and know it's being swallowed instead of inhaled.

 

[Chinmama]

I buy mine at an organic grocery store (Whole Foods, Earth Fare) in the refrigerated vitamin and supplement section. It is almost the same shape and consistency of a Tums. I break one tablet into fourths and give each chin 1/4 a tab each week. They think it's a treat.