won't poop during play time

[chexy114]

Now, normally not pooping at anytime would worry me, but for some strange reason my chinchilla only poops in his cage. it looks totally normal, and there's a lot of it. But when we let him out to play for 30 minutes to an hour each day, he doesn't seem to poop at all.

We do mostly play with him late at night around 10 pm because of work and school schedules....could that have something to do with it? Should I be more worried? Any advice would be great!

 

[Laurie]

Where do you allow playtime? could it be you're just not seeing it? None of my chins have ever peed on me when I held them or out for playtime, but they do poop. If you don't do playtime in the closed bathroom can you do so or even let him play in the empty bathtub and see you there are any poops?

It seems odd that he would not poop while out running and jumping around

 

[Pikaia]

Yeah, that is weird that he wouldn't poop. Mine poop everywhere and anywhere. LOL... maybe someone else has some expertise..

 

[fanofdmb84]

Mine will not poop if they are in a new place (if I switch bathrooms or something) or if they are out for just a little while. It seems like they poop more in familiar surroundings and less in not-so-familiar surroundings.

 

[Maia]

Is he a new chinchilla? If so, I think he may be not used to the area you let him play in. I know when I take my chin overnight with me to visit family, I let him out in their bathrooms and he doesn't poop much at all. At home for playtime, it's a poop explosion, lol!

If not, then I don't really know. Maybe someone else with more experience will chime in.

 

[Luci]

just going out on a limb here....so bear with me:

whenever i take giz out for playtime, i actively watch for poop (sometimes they'll eat it and you never see it). it assures me that he's pooping fine and that there is nothing abnormal with them.

my thoughts: either your chin is just a bit timid with pooping in other places, or maybe there's something off in its digestive system. typically chins poop more once they get active (activity=GI mobility). clean out the cage everyday to make sure youre not just seeing old poop pushed around, making it seem like he's pooping. i didnt think chins could "hold" in their poop. so if he's not pooping, id assume its cuz he's constipated.

 

[Claire D]

I've got a few chins who don't poop much at all when they are out for a run. There's nothing wrong with them & they poop perfectly normally at all other times. If they are producing normal droppings the rest of the time then I would certainly not be concerned.

 

[chexy114]

thanks everyone!!!

yeah I think it might be normal....maybe? His poop seems healthy and all over the place even after I clean his cage...maybe he has chin manners