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[dianah]

it is much easier and quicker and you don't have to get them out of the cage for it or hold them so if they don't like to be handled much, it's less stressful

[christa]

Yes,  I would imagine so----I think I was handling him a bit too much--too much checking if he was bloated,  checking his teeth,  etc.  -----when he comes home,  I am going to make sure to do less of it

[dianah]

thing is, you have to do it. when i brought mae home, it was quite horrid because she had to have medication and handfed and she didn't like the taste of either.

normally, you'd give them a few days to settle down and then slowly you start to invade their space but i couldn't do that. i had to feed her horrid tasting medicine and food she didn't like, wash her chin and all this. i thought she would absolutely hate me. a week later she let me stroke her head, now she lets me properly stroke her and even lets me groom her face so when i clean her chin (she has a lesion that's not healing because the elongated root is stretching the skin) i can do it while she's still in the cage, she lets me turn her head any way i like. i would have never expected that. i think she actually likes me more than my other chins!

[christa]

Oh, this at least makes me feel better----so there is a positive aspect in having to be so invasive--it perhaps bonds them to you--they must know we are trying to help,  sweet little things....

[dianah]

well.. i think it depends on the chin when we had the triplets, fluffy had mastitis and couldn't nurse so we had to take over. one of the babies, ffynn, who was then called 'skinny' was the smallest baby and he pretty much stayed at 35g for a week no matter what we did. he didn't want to eat, each feeding took half an hour because you had to put a tiny drop on your finger, then on his lips, let him lick it off and do it again and again. his sister, pippi (then 'average' or 'avg') took the bottle and was done within a minute, steadily putting weight on. spock - or 'chunky' as he was known then - was putting weight on without us feeding, i guess he had the sense to go to the teat that wasn't inflamed so she didn't move away. we tried feeding him to start with but he didn't want to be fed and it turned out it wasn't necessary.

now after all this you'd think that ffynn would be the friendly one and spock would be quite skittish. oh no. it's the other way round. spock is very keen on being stroked, picked up and everything. ffynn runs away! and he's bigger than spock!

i think with rescue chins, especially ones that have been neglected like mae, they want attention because they weren't getting it before. so even though giving medicine is not pleasant, it's still more than they got before. it's sad but at the same time it's positive.

[christa]

Yeah,  each one has its own little personality, 
and I think you are right about this:   

"i think with rescue chins, especially ones that have been neglected like mae, they want attention because they weren't getting it before. so even though giving medicine is not pleasant, it's still more than they got before. it's sad but at the same time it's positive."

[christa]

Just wanted to give an update on Rodney:  I picked him up this noon after several days spent in the Exotics Veterinary hospital---he looks better,  has gained weight, and is much more lively.  I am to syringe-feed him with fine ground Critical Care,  and also give hay and water.  He also has antibiotic (Baytril)  and Metacam for pain, and something called Cisapride, to keep the GI tract moving well..... He is pooping MUCH better after having had fluids and critical care for 4 days....the vet believes it was malnourishment (from prior owner,  plus weeks in 2 shelters)  which led to GI Stasis......I am going to really pamper him,  and also am ordering BeaPhar and Lifeline...thanks for all!!!

[dianah]

brilliant! so glad to know he's better poor little thing. i wouldn't introduce new food too quickly, just to be on the safe side, gi stasis can be recurrent so just keep it smooth for a bit.

must be so nice to have him back xxx

[christa]

Thank you so much.......Yes,  I intend to be VERY careful!!!

[dianah]

i was just telling my vet about lifeline today - she was quite intrigued because they can very rarely get stuff specific to chinchillas, they have to use stuff aimed at rabbits.

she's a great vet. she's so enthusiastic and so on the ball on the time. so glad we've got her. she really likes mae as well

[christa]

Yes, the Lifeline looks wonderful-----glad you have such a great vet.  I have been pretty lucky too,  as I stopped seeing my former vet,  but was able to find an emergency place which took care of my Opossum in December,  and now this Exotics place which seems very good.....

[dianah]

are the opossums quite cuddly? they look cuddly

this vet has recently joined the practice from a different one and she's great. they have three different surgeries and we always used to go to the main one which is about 25 minutes away but she's often at the one near where i live (about 5 minutes away) which is really convenient. she's very nice as well and really caring.

[christa]

I had replied to this, but somehow did not show up?   Yes, the Opossums are cuddly, just wish they lived longer.  I am glad you found a good vet, and I have been lucky as well with the exotics hospital.  Good that yours is so close. 
Rodney seems much, much better:  Has begun eating a bit on his own,  and his gut is moving, and he seems perky,  so I am very glad.  The vet (who is experienced with Chins) says Rodney is a young adult male,  which is good to know, that he is not old.  How do they tell the age?

[dianah]

oh that is brilliant! i'm so glad he's doing so much better and eating on his own! fab!

i think perhaps it's easier to tell that they're young rather than middle aged. with very young boys, perhaps they can tell from their testicles?

other than that, you can sort of go by their teeth and fur condition, but i think that again is young or old rather than an age.

unless he's a beige. they have freckles and if he doesn't have a full set yet then you know he's young.

glad the oppossum is cuddly they look like lovely creatures. it's a shame about their life span. i'm still shocked it's so short for the size of them!

[christa]

Thanks,  yes,  he is making plenty of good-sized droppings,  too,  as well as nibbling food on his own,  so it was worth 4 days in the hospital!   Actually,  he looks to be a hetero-beige, with dark tan fur,  dark eyes,  and pink ears with spots---his ears are indeed spotted,  so maybe he is at least a few years old?  Not sure how the vet surmised age,  maybe testicles, teeth---he does have a "young" face and chubby body,  so perhaps that was how they told?