Pooped chin after excercising!

[jessla]

I'm just wondering if this is normal behavior. After one of my chinchillas has out of cage time and runs her little heart out, she always goes back to the cage very pooped. She just falls onto her side and passes out, figuratively speaking. Even if I come over, she'll just lay there passed out. Sometimes she'll like put her head to the cage bars and bite them or suck on them or something.

I guess she's probably just cooling off, but my other chin doesn't do that (but she's also not as comfortable as her, and I've never seen her lay down like that before).

My husband thinks it's because she's been eating too much hay lol. We just got our chins these big hay holders that fit a lot of hay, and she finishes off almost all of it everyday! She definitely is a little on the chubby side.

 

[AZChins]

Most of my chins do the same thing after playtime. They go for 20 to 30 minutes running like crazy...and when they go back they are just exhausted. They crash when they get back after getting a drink of water... Awwww...she can have as much hay as she likes...chubby is okay.

 

[Mom2fiveChins10]

My boys do this all the time! Especially Cheese since he is what I call weight challenged lol. However with the increase in play time and his new saucer, he has lost some of his baby fat hehe. But yes mine do this too and it just shows you how much fun they had! Mine jump of the walls and surf and they both chase each other down the halls and up the spiral staircase. Way too funny but entertaining to them and to me! As soon as I say break they jump in their cage and grab some water and a handful of hay then knock out on their chillers! :rofl:

 

[lauralynne]

How long is her playtime? I understand a chinnie being tired, but there's a fine line to overheating. Does she have access to her cage during playtime (or do you put her back in her cage)? There are things you can do to help cool her down, I just wanted to get more details on how your playtime goes first.

 

[ticklechin]

How old is she?

 

[amykhar]

Squirrel flops too, but I always figured it was just him being bummed because playtime was over.

 

[jessla]

How long is her playtime? I understand a chinnie being tired, but there's a fine line to overheating. Does she have access to her cage during playtime (or do you put her back in her cage)? There are things you can do to help cool her down, I just wanted to get more details on how your playtime goes first.

She does have access to her cage during playtime, but she never wants to go in. We always end up having to put her in ourselves.

And to the question below this one, she's about 2.5 years old.

 

[Stackie]

Like Laura asked, how long is her playtime and what temperature is the room?

Chins are known to over exert themselves. I don't think it's very healthy to let them play to the point of pure exhaustion..I try to limit my boys' playtime if they seem to over do it.

 

[lauralynne]

I'd cut back on the playtime, and stick some granite or marble pieces in the freezer. When you put her back in her cage, stick a fresh cold slab in their for her to rest on.

 

[clarinuto]

This thought just occurred to me, but are you sure they are both girls? Given that she flops on her side, is described as chubby and is chowing down on hay.... there isn't any chance that the other chinnie is a boy and the girl is pregnant??

Long shot... but just thought I'd bring it up in case it could be true...

 

[jessla]

This thought just occurred to me, but are you sure they are both girls? Given that she flops on her side, is described as chubby and is chowing down on hay.... there isn't any chance that the other chinnie is a boy and the girl is pregnant??

Long shot... but just thought I'd bring it up in case it could be true...

They live in separate cages, so even if one were a boy, there is no way she could be pregnant by her/him. Every time they've had a chance to be together, they've just fought.

However, her old cage mate, Chinny, did pass away a little over a month ago. And I had always thought they were both girls. My friend had gotten Chinny off CL, and given her to me for my birthday, and told me she was a girl. But after Chinny died, she told me that she was actually a he, because that's what the CL ad said (yeah, I was really confused too). I was just kind of like, "Why did you introduce her to me as a girl then???"

Hopefully Bella is not preggers, because I never had the intention of breeding. What other signs should I look for in pregnancy? Although, Bella has always been chubby and has always LOVED eating, and I actually think she's lost weight now because we cut back a bit on the pellets. But maybe I'm just imagining things.

 

[kaliboo]

One of mine does this too. As soon as she's back into her cage she scurries up to her house and flops down, just looking exhausted. And she should be, she runs like a maniac!