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[christa]

I got a Chinchilla from a Rescue shelter on Saturday.  He looked very healthy (he is in the beige family, dark, with dark eyes,  and pink speckled ears). I do not know his age.
 My other chinchilla Ms. Twiggly (who died of sudden heart failure  ) came from a great breeder, and when I first got her home, she immediately ate pellets, hay,  oat hay, and was drinking, going on wheel.  BUT---this one will not eat or drink.  As this went on all day Sunday,  his poos became tiny,  dried,  and very infrequent.  He runs on the wheel a bit,  and then just sits. 

I became alarmed,  so I got some apple Pedialite,  mixed it with water,  and began giving to him via a dropper.  I also mashed his pellets with Pedialite and water and syringe fed him,  he seemed to get some of it down his throat.  He is peeing,  but still not too good at all with poos, and will not eat or drink on his own.  I have Alfalfa hay,  Timothy hay, Botanical grass, pellets,  rolled oats, dried Papaya, dried pineapple,  water dish---HE IGNORES IT ALL.  I have tried rubbing his tummy,  but he is very skittish and does not take to it.  Do you think he may begin to eat and drink and poo OK in time?  Is this stress,  from being at a crowded animal shelter, then a rescue,  then a new home?  Thanks for any info. 

[christa]

ps:  I have also given him a couple of droppers full of simethicone drops in the past 12 hours or so.....

[ABC Chinchillas]

I became alarmed,  so I got some apple Pedialite,  mixed it with water,  and began giving to him via a dropper.  I also mashed his pellets with Pedialite and water and syringe fed him,  he seemed to get some of it down his throat.  He is peeing,  but still not too good at all with poos, and will not eat or drink on his own.  I have Alfalfa hay,  Timothy hay, Botanical grass, pellets,  rolled oats, dried Papaya, dried pineapple,  water dish---HE IGNORES IT ALL.  Shrug I have tried rubbing his tummy,  but he is very skittish and does not take to it.  Do you think he may begin to eat and drink and poo OK in time?  Is this stress,  from being at a crowded animal shelter, then a rescue,  then a new home?  Thanks for any info.

Cut the pedylight out..use water and ground pellets to feed him if you must force him to eat..also provide lots of hay and pellets for him to eat. Cut the papaya and pinapple..way to much sugar and that may increase digestive issues. try to leave him be as much as possib;le between feedings. You will need to feed him every few hours around the clock. Make sure the food is mushy..extra watery and also give water with feedings. All that movement and changes can be huge amounts of stress. chinchillas in a new environment (like going to a new home) should be left alone to adjust for a few days. Obviously making him eat is important but try not to play with him between feedings let him adjust

[christa]

Thanks.  Did not know Pedialite was bad.  I will leave him alone,  but do the syringe feedings. thanks for the info on the dried fruits as well

[jmdebb]

just be careful when you syringe feed.  don't put it in the middle of the mouth, but more on the sides so he doesn't choke.

[christa]

Thank you-------yes,  what REALLY bothers me is when the syringe gets stuck,  and as you push it,  suddenly it moves too far, and too much comes out.  That really makes me hesitant to do any more....had it happen a couple of times now...........

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Yes the he doesn't need any junk food now with what little he might be taking.
The key is keeping his pellets & hay {timothy} into him any which way. From liquefied syringe mix with a very sick chin, to a solid mush he can eat off a dish, and always back to normal pellets asap.
Sounds to me like he may be stressed out, and if you gave him some time to settle in he may come around on his own.
Just like any of us they too loose their appetites for many reasons and interfering too soon could cause a problem.
The poor little darling. Do keep us posted.

[christa]

Thank you---I had to take him to the emergency vet last night: I had syringe fed him,  but somehow,  instead of getting the gut moving,  it just caused him to bloat up.  The vet did X-rays,  and said there was an enormous amount of gas,  and so had to clear it out with a needle.  She told me to just give hay and water,  and let him eat on his own.  I hope he will,  as I am now afraid to do the syringe feeding.....

[jmdebb]

i'm so glad youu caught it in time...

rub his belly, you can give him kids simithoicone.. i have no clue how to spell it...

jean

[christa]

Yes,  me too...I have some Simethicone, (i copied spelling from the bottle here ) thanks so much for your words of advice.  Will try belly rubs, too

[jmdebb]

thanks for the spelling, i was too lazy to even search it on the web.

anyways something else i wanted to add, is that when you syringe feed, make sure there is no air in the syringe, just push it up until the food just about comes out.. 

[christa]

thanks-----unfortunately,  he seems to be bloated again,  and I may need to go back to the vet....a bit worried here,  have been trying to follow vet's instructions, but he seems to not be clearing up with the bloat....

[jmdebb]

yah, definately get to the vet immediately, i don't want to scare you, but this can turn really ugly.  never let bloat go.. pls keep us posted.. until you get in thos, keep rubbing the belly, try to get him to move and give him that simi stuff...

if you call the vet and they don't have anything open, don't take no for answer on this one... this is very dangerous.

best of luck.

[christa]

I understand,  and thank you.....

[kneesaa]

Good luck with him, I hope he gets better.