Meet Lil Momma (+ a few Q's)

[Mandy]

I just got home from picking up my second chinchilla. First off let me say..oh..my..gosh. This girl is huge compared to my other one, Misty. I got a weight and she's 718 g. Misty is only 472 g..
I'm very excited to see how their intro works out. (Don't worry. I'm taking it very SLOW. Talking weeks here..) I don't want to screw it up.) I have a few questions if you guys don't mind. [=

1) When I got there I found out Little Momma was caged with a male 'Gary'. Now Gary is 1-2 years old. The owner said he was ''too young'' to do anything. Which I don't think is correct.. I read on here males start breeding at a very young age? This correct? What am I looking out for with momma..? I'm a little nervous.

2) Is LM going to be ok crashing into switching to a new pellet? I'm going to get her use to the feed I have Misty on for now, then switch them both over to Oxbrow.

3) Her poop is small? It doesn't look like Misty's. Like, I know they aren't going to be identical poops, but I'm just saying hers are way small. Could this just be because she's under a little stress moving to a new home? Her previous owner was giving her a peanut (the chins would take them out the shells themselves) and also a raisin everyday. I only give half a raisin or half a peanut every week.. so sorry LM..

4) Do chinchillas do some weird sneeze/sigh thing? I've heard Misty sneeze, and actually heard what it sounded like. But when we were on the ride home LM did this weird thing a few times where her lower body looked like she sighed. Like a huge in and out, then like a jello-action where she slightly-jiggled. lol I don't know how to describe it.

Thank you all in advance. I really do appreciate all the help I've been reading and getting from this forum..and so do my chin..s ! : )

Now a picture, -yay-...

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

I don't know all the answers to your questions, but I know chins should not have any nuts at all and raisins are not good either.
She could be pregnant.
You should take her to the vet and see if she is okay.
Good luck with her.

 

[aznmexaggie]

1)It is very possible that she could be pregnant. Most breeders put males into breeding around a year of age. Make sure you have a kit-proof cage just in case (1/2 x 1" spacing or smaller), not too tall, no wheels, ledges, or anything a kit may injure itself on. Count down 111 days and if no babies by that time, you're in the clear!

2)I've done cold switches for my rescues and they do fine. Just make sure there's plenty of hay and you can sprinkle the pellets with acidophilus to help the G.I. tract with the switch. What are you switching LM to now?

3) No raisins or peanuts! These are not healthy treats. Raisins are very concentrated in sugar and can cause digestive issues and bloat. Peanuts are high in fat and slow down gastric emptying and peristalsis in the intestines. This can lead to constipation, (small, hard, pinched poos), or even bloat and GI stasis. Some healthy treats are rolled oats, a rosehip, or even wood stick chews.

4) I'm guessing the sound she is making is a "warning call" which a lot of my new chins have done when I first brought them home or when they are startled.

 

[Brittany]

1) When I got there I found out Little Momma was caged with a male 'Gary'. Now Gary is 1-2 years old. The owner said he was ''too young'' to do anything. Which I don't think is correct.. I read on here males start breeding at a very young age? This correct? What am I looking out for with momma..? I'm a little nervous.

Yes Males can start breeding at a few months old. You'll need to keep an eye on your girl for the next 111 days to make sure she's not pregnant. There is tons of info and FAQ's in the breeding section. I'd recommend you read up on some things so you can be prepared just incase.

2) Is LM going to be ok crashing into switching to a new pellet? I'm going to get her use to the feed I have Misty on for now, then switch them both over to Oxbrow.

I wouldn't recommend doing too many feed switches. If you want to eventually have them both on Oxbow then just switch LM over to the Oxbow. If you don't have any of LM's old feed then just give hay for a few days and gradually start adding in some pellets.

3) Her poop is small? It doesn't look like Misty's. Like, I know they aren't going to be identical poops, but I'm just saying hers are way small. Could this just be because she's under a little stress moving to a new home? Her previous owner was giving her a peanut (the chins would take them out the shells themselves) and also a raisin everyday. I only give half a raisin or half a peanut every week.. so sorry LM..

First of all NO NUTS PERIOD, and NO RAISINS either IMO (some members are ok with raisins) Nuts are TOO fatty and will lead to health problems down the road. Safe treats include plain cheerios, plain shredded wheat, or rosehips given in moderation (1 maybe 2 a week).

Second- Each chin poops differently. I can look at poop lying around the chin room and tell you exactly who made it by it's shape. You'll have to keep an eye on her for awhile to see what her normal poop looks like. As long as she's eating, drinking, and pooping I wouldn't worry about the size right now.

4) Do chinchillas do some weird sneeze/sigh thing? I've heard Misty sneeze, and actually heard what it sounded like. But when we were on the ride home LM did this weird thing a few times where her lower body looked like she sighed. Like a huge in and out, then like a jello-action where she slightly-jiggled. lol I don't know how to describe it.

Not sure what you saw, but excessive sneezing/wheezing is an indicator of a respiratory infection. If she is continually sneezing/wheezing then I'd take her to the vet for diagnosis and medication



Lastly make sure you quarantine her from your other chin for a month to make sure she is healthy. Keep her in a separate room and wash your hands thoroughly before interacting with the other chins. Good luck and congrats!

 

[Mandy]

The cage I have her in now is about 1/2 inch space on the rails. And, ok.. thanks.
Well, when I got Misty Petsmart had her on Kaytee pellets.
And ok, I'll defiantly cut out their nuts and raisins. I was a bit on/off on if I should have showed my chin what a raisin was in the first place. I was originally giving her cherrios as a treat. Where can I get rosehips? I've never heard of them before.
I was thinking she would have been making a call too, but when it happened she made no sound at all. Just the movement happened. She had her eyes half open and half closed where she looked to be in and out of sleep the whole ride how, haha.

Thank you!

I took the pellets out LM's cage and will go to petsmart tomorrow to pick up some Oxbrow. She has lots of hay for tonight.

 

[momenteller]

Unsweetened Cheerios are fine as an occasional treat.

Congrats on the new furbaby!

 

[Brittany]

The cage I have her in now is about 1/2 inch space on the rails. And, ok.. thanks.
Well, when I got Misty Petsmart had her on Kaytee pellets.
And ok, I'll defiantly cut out their nuts and raisins. I was a bit on/off on if I should have showed my chin what a raisin was in the first place. I was originally giving her cherrios as a treat. Where can I get rosehips? I've never heard of them before.
I was thinking she would have been making a call too, but when it happened she made no sound at all. Just the movement happened. She had her eyes half open and half closed where she looked to be in and out of sleep the whole ride how, haha.

Thank you!

I took the pellets out LM's cage and will go to petsmart tomorrow to pick up some Oxbrow. She has lots of hay for tonight.

I used to feed my chins raisins before I knew how bad they were. Speaking from experience your chins won't miss them. They don't really need treats, treats are more for our enjoyment. All chins need is good water, hay, and pellets. If you're interested in rosehips several forum members sell them. I know Alli has them for sure, here's a link to her site http://www.camphorchins.com/store_food.html.

I'm starting to get away from treats all together. Instead I "treat" my chin with a supplement that has natural things to boost her overall health.

I use both Lifeline and the Broad Spectrum Supplement from Fuzzies Kingdom.

Lifeline can be found on this website: www.chocolatechinchillas.com

Fuzzies Kingdom is run by Tanya, a forum member. She has a whole line of natural products to choose from. http://www.fuzzieskingdom.com/

 

[missjess10475]

Plain mini shredded wheat or old fashioned oats are a good treat if you want to give them. In moderation, of coarse!
Definetly watch for kits. Not sure how long she was housed with Gary, but from what I read on here, she could very well be pregnant. He was plenty old enough to "do something".
Good luck!!