Quick question. I give my chin (2 1/2 months old) a tbsp of pellets and oat mix i recieved from the breeder. She eats all of it. Today i have added 1/2 tsp of dried hibiscus (which i plan on doing once a week) and shes only eaten half. By this time it would be all gone. Drinking and pooping is still regular. Is it the hibiscus? Is it too much? And im also giving her rosehips once a week. Any ideas or input would be awesome! Thanks :thumbsup:
My chin and hibiscus
- Thread starter sbringas
- Start date
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As far as I know you shouldn't be allowing your chin to have any treats (even chin-safe ones) at all until she is at about 6 months old. Chinchillas have pretty sensitive digestive systems and younger chins even more so. Just stick to a regular diet of pellets and hay for now, cut out the oats and rose hips and any other supplements.
lol
Shooper
"Ellie Mae"
Even babies can have toys and wood to chew on. I have a baby too that cant have goodies yet but he LOVES wood! I think that he thinks he is really spoiled because I give him lots of wood to chew. If I hand him a stick, he grabs it and runs off to munch!
I agree with everything that's been said. To address your original question, I feed my chins an herbal supplement, and hibiscus is one of their least favorite herbs. Once she's old enough you can experiment with chin safe treats to see what she likes. If you decide to go with a supplement I would suggest feeding it on a daily basis, so she considers it part of her food and not a treat. Then she won't hold out for it and ignore her pellets. If you just want to give her safe treats I would limit it to 2 -3 pieces a week, once she's old enough.
feistychins
The Chinchilla Lady
Why do you think your chin can't play until she is 6 months old?
The usual rule of thumb is chins shouldn't have playtime until six months because they need the energy/calories they would be burning playing to help them grow and develop.
Leajo answered it for me. My last thread raised the debate. So now i just open the cage door and let her run in and out my lap for a little bit so she stays comfortable with me. I dust bathe her in the bathroom and she plays for about 15 minutes in there two or three times a week.
Shahna
Well-known member
I have experimented with a lot of the "safe" herbs and as previously stated, hibiscus appears to be one of the least favorites among chins.
Wood chews, twigs, sticks are by far my chinnies favorite treat. I offer up a kiwi stick or an apple twig and I have a new best friend.
Wood chews, twigs, sticks are by far my chinnies favorite treat. I offer up a kiwi stick or an apple twig and I have a new best friend.
