New Beige Girlie

[momenteller]

So here are some pics of the new, currently unnamed beige girlie and a picture of her poo, 'cause, well... you understand. I picked her up the night before last, so she is still getting settled. I see poo evidence that she's checked out her cage a bit, but whenever I'm around she does not move from the top of her wooden hidey house. She looks so sad. She's around 3 years, only 503 grams, and feels really bony. She has a hunchback you can see in the third picture; I read on here that's a sign of malnutrition? In the poo picture, her poo is in the middle, with a dime and Luna's poo for reference on either side. It's so tiny; I'm really worried about her. I marked her water bottle last night and it doesn't appear she's drinking. I think she ate some pellets although I have not weighed them. She wouldn't eat Lifeline paste from the spoon, perhaps because she doesn't trust me, so I sprinkled some on her pellets. Her ears are dry and bit scaly. The girl I got her from said she was dusted daily for an hour or more. I'm hoping if we cut waaay back her skin will improve. I have not been able to hold her long enough to check her teeth.

She was only with her previous owner for about a month and while she was on decent food there, I know she was given nuts and raisins as treats. I don't have much history on her prior to that except that she was housed with a male and apparently has given birth before.

I'm not that good with colors and I know the pictures aren't the best, but I am guessing that she is a hetero beige? Her fur is actually quite pretty with no signs of chewing.

I keep telling her she will be loved and spoiled here but she doesn't look like she believes me! I would love to see her fill out and enjoy the pampered life. Cross your fingers for us.

 

[RDZCRanch]

First of all, congratulations on your new addition! She is a beautiful hetero beige.

She does look very skinny. Has she touched her hay at all? Do you have a syringe that you can try to give her water with? Is the water bottle one she had before? If it's not one she's used before you need to make sure she knows how to use it, try to coax her to it with a raisin, or rub a raisin on the nozzle so it has an enticing smell that makes her want to drink.

 

[mishellyshel]

she is adorable. LOVE freckles!

 

[momenteller]

First of all, congratulations on your new addition! She is a beautiful hetero beige.

She does look very skinny. Has she touched her hay at all? Do you have a syringe that you can try to give her water with? Is the water bottle one she had before? If it's not one she's used before you need to make sure she knows how to use it, try to coax her to it with a raisin, or rub a raisin on the nozzle so it has an enticing smell that makes her want to drink.

Thanks, Tabitha. No, as far as I can tell she hasn't touched her hay. I wasn't given the water bottle she had previously, so this one is new to her. I did rub a raisin on it earlier this morning, but she doesn't move from the top of her house during the day so I don't know when she'll get to her water next. You can't see it in the pictures but the bottle is right next to the front of her house. Should I try to move it so the nozzle is positioned where she sits? I don't want to scare her from a place she feels comfortable. I don't have a syringe, and I can go get one, but she won't accept anything from me right now (I've tried with a piece of hay, the lifeline paste, a pellet). She let me hold her the first night when I was moving her from cage to cage but when I tried last night she panicked and bolted. Not sure how persistent I should be, but I was trying to feel her belly because I'm worried about bloat/stasis.

 

[lauralynne]

Kate, she's adorable!

 

[momenteller]

Thanks Michelle and Laura! I love the freckled ears too. Hope she grows into them!

 

[ticklechin]

She is cute, congrats! Can't wait to see her in a month after you take care of her!

 

[proudmom25]

Congratulations! You're new girl is absolutely ADORABLE.

When I brought my Allie home she didn't eat or drink for the first little bit either. It wasn't until I rubbed the raisin on the nozzle of the water bottle did she figure out what to do with it.

Maybe you can put a pinch of old fashioned oats into her food bowl. That might entice her to want to eat. What kind of hay are you feeding her? Is it the same as she was eating before? I know my chins are pretty particular about the hays they eat.

 

[momenteller]

Thanks Dawn and Proudmom!

Yes, I tried the raisin trick but its only been a few hours, so maybe she'll catch on. Thanks for the idea about the hay. The lady I adopted her from was giving her timothy hay and alfalfa blocks from the same feed store I use. Not sure if she bought the packaged hay or some of the bale slices that I get. I can try some Oxbow timmy hay and see if she'll eat that. Right now she has a pile of orchard grass, a holder full of fresh local timmy, and an alfalfa block. I know it might take a day or two, but her poos are just so small and I want to keep something in her system...

Can anyone offer insight into the hunched back?

 

[Laurie]

oh I just love those freckly ears!

 

[LittleTrinkets]

Congratulations on the new girlie!

Now, I am not very sure on this so please someone correct me if I am wrong but I have heard that small hunched backs can be caused by a poor diet or rapid weight loss and due the fact your girl is pretty this may be the case.

 

[momenteller]

is a shreddie okay?

Could I try giving her a shreddie w/some acidophilus on it, or will that mess her up further considering she hasn't eaten much? She's only pooed once in the past 6 hours. I'm really worried.

 

[AZChins]

I don't think that that could mess her up any worse... She won't even eat hay? You may need to start handfeeding her soon.

 

[momenteller]

Thank you, Susan. I gave her a shreddie and she took it out of my hands, so that's a small success! She hasn't taken a bite yet, but we're taking baby steps here. No, she hasn't eaten any hay from what I can tell except perhaps nibbled a little at her alfalfa block. And as soon as I sent the above message, she let out a few more tiny poos.

I hope it doesn't come to handfeeding since she is so scared already and won't let me hold her. Oh dear.

 

[AZChins]

Life Line and maybe some simethicone would help. That's usually what I do when I have a chin with constipation. Digestive enzymes are good, they sell concentrated digestive enzymes at health food stores and maybe well stocked grocery stores with a decent selection of supplements. She needs to be getting water into her...so make sure she's drinking.

It isn't uncommon for a chin to sort of protest by not eating or drinking when she goes to a new home, but keep a very close eye on her. If her attitude changes or she gets lethargic, get to a vet. Hopefully it won't come to that. Sometimes with rescues here I get three days of the protest...and then they eat and drink and start coming around attitude-wise. There's always that little voice in the back of my head that says if I see anything wrong with them, I'm taking the chin to the vet!

 

[Sandi]

Congrats on the new girl, she is pretty and I love all her freckles. I'm not sure if this was asked but did you change her feed? If so that might have something to do with it since you've only had her for a couple of days. As Susan mentioned, Lifeline and baby gas drops is a good idea right now.

 

[momenteller]

I've tried giving her Lifeline in paste and powder form on her pellets, and she won't eat it. Are there some chins who don't like the taste, or is she just being obstinate? I gave her a bowl full of pellets with plain acidophilus on it, wondering if the LifeLine is what she was objecting to. It doesn't seem like she's had any water. Tabitha mentioned syringe feeding some water to her, but she is so freaked out already!

Thanks for the reassurance that three days isn't unheard of. I'll watch out for lethargy.

ETA: Just saw your response, Sandi. No, I haven't switched her food yet. But I did sprinkle the lifeline on it last night so it wasn't the taste she is used to. I'll try the simethicone. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Sandi]

I've always given the lifeline as is, no water added, in a small bowl next to their food bowl. CJ is the only one that I ever sprinkled it on his pellets.

 

[Jazicat]

Congratulations on your new baby! I hope she is eating and settle soon.

 

[momenteller]

Update

So we are making a little progress... she ate 4 grams of pellets the night before last and 6 grams of pellets last night. And she is drinking water! I even saw her nibble on some hay last night. Her poos are still so tiny and she won't take Lifeline or simethicone from me. Hopefully things continue to improve.

Thanks to everyone who gave advice. My other two girls didn't put up such a protest when they came home, so this was new for me and a bit scary!