Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mikasauntie]

Reading the posts here & elsewhere I see that it is ok to give a chinchilla dried cranberries or yogurt.  (Ours would do anything for a dried blueberry)  Often dried fruits like cranberries have sugar added.  Is it ok to feed that kind of dried fruit, or must it be no sugar added.  For yogurt, I've seen suggestions that its good for chinchillas, but how much??

thanks!

[Abby W.]

I feed my chins dried cranberries from time to time, though they definitely prefer dried papaya.  I just buy it from  the organic section in the grocery store.  I also give strawberry yogurt occasionally.  I find my chins don't like to take it from a spoon but they will take it from a syringe.  I have a 1cc syringe (which is about 1/2 tsp) I use, and I give them a full syringe when I feed them yogurt. 

[mikasauntie]

Thanks Abby.  That was a big help.

[Asikovsek]

any fruit that didnt have a pit in moderation and your chins will just jump for joy...I give my chins Activa by Dannon Yogurt...it is great for their digestive system and keeps it in tip top shape I give all my chins a syringe full every month to keep their tummys feeling great...I also give all my chins half a calcium tums to give them a little calcium boost...shredded wheat is my chins favorites it is vary low in sugar as long as you dont give them frosted ones and they enjoy a different taste once in awhile

[Abby W.]

I can't get more than a couple of my chins to eat the Tums.  Most take a nibble and then drop it.  I even had one pee on hers to show me what she thought of it!     But they do love calf manna, so I mix that in with their food for calcium.

[Asikovsek]

I have some that wont eat them so I crush it into a powder and put it over their food they eat and dont even no..lol...or Ill break it up into tiny little pieces and cut open a rasin stick it in the middle and pinch that raisin back together...they love raisins so much they dont even notice...lol

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I went with a fruit flavored liquid from the health food store.
I'd tried everything else for calcium and this one works best for me.
I know exactly how much each chin is getting and they love it.
You should see them trying to grab the syringe from my hand.

[Abby W.]

Debbie, that is an awesome idea!  I am going to try that myself.  Thanks!

[mikasauntie]

We just gave our new girl, Ari, some blueberry yogurt last night for the first time.  What a hit!  we got teeth grinding AND lip licking.  That was one happy chinchilla.  We found she likes Tums too.  We're thinking we'll giver her a half a Tum on the first and a half teaspoon of yogurt on the 15th of every month.  Wish my kids were half as easy to please.

On another subject, does anyone find a need to trim chinchilla nails/claws?  I'm hoping that just running around to play will keep them in check.  I can't imagine holding that girl still to trim nails!

KB

[Jo Ann]

   On the subject of yogurt ... 1/2 to 1 teaspoon weekly is good.  BUT ... if they are on medication, especially an antibiotic ... I let them have all the yogurt they want (up to 2 teaspoons), but, it must be given 1/2 way between the doses of medication/antibiotic for as long as they are on the medication.  Yogurt is a milk product ... milk products and antibiotics should never be used at the same time.  Antibiotics kill all bacteria, even the good bacteria that is referred to as flora in the digestive system.  This can shut down a chinchillas digestive system, killing the chin ... the yogurt puts the flora (good bacteria) back into the system, so that it can operate properly.      If given at the same time, they will cancel each other out and it will be as if you have done nothing to help the little chin.  My chins prefer strawberry and blueberry flavors.  I love it when they grind their teeth and smack their lips ... that is a definite "That stuff is delicious!" reaction.  I have one chin that literally cries for it, so I have to give it some first and last.   

Sugar Added?  You always want to get the lowest sugar and lowest salt content as possible.  I give my little ones mini wheats (no sugar or spicey or sweet adatives), dried papaya, dried rose hips, and naturally dried raisins and cranraisins (dried cranberry).  You want the treats to be as natural as they can be ... with the least addatives ... no preseratives, if possible.

Trimming nails?  I've never tried, and don't think I would want to try that either.  The lava stones/bites they have usually keep the nails on the front paws trimmed as well as the teeth.  I have seen some of my little ones standing on a fresh lava stone and doing what looks like a chicken scratching the ground ... I hadn't thought of it before, but I guess they were trimming the back nails when doing this.   

   Jo Ann

[mikasauntie]

With weekly yogurt, Ari will be in chin-heaven.  And its so much fun to watch her eat from that little measuring spoon (its metal).

As for the nail trimming...I would never have considered it until Ari tried to climb up the inside of my shirt and slid all the way back down.  Those little guys can leave a pretty significant scratch!  I think I'll just tuck my shirt in from now on.   

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I handle them so often my neck and upper chest always looks like I was in a cat fight.

[chicosmama]

Can you really give a chin half of a tums? Thatd probably be helpful with Chico.

I never have problems with his nails? Maybe he keeps them trimmed somehow.

[Abby W.]

You can give chinchillas Tums on a weekly basis or so to make sure they get enough calcium.  Chins need to have a certain amount of calcium in their bodies or they can have seizures caused by a condition called hypocalcemia ( abig word meaning "not enough calcium").  I am not sure about the exact biological processes that lead to this problem, but I know a hypocalcemic seizure can be fatal, and is certainly dangerous.

As for the nails, I know you can use an emory board to file down their nails, though I have never actually tried it.  I find most of my chins keep their nails relatively short on their own.

[chicosmama]

You can give chinchillas Tums on a weekly basis or so to make sure they get enough calcium.  Chins need to have a certain amount of calcium in their bodies or they can have seizures caused by a condition called hypocalcemia ( abig word meaning "not enough calcium").  I am not sure about the exact biological processes that lead to this problem, but I know a hypocalcemic seizure can be fatal, and is certainly dangerous.

As for the nails, I know you can use an emory board to file down their nails, though I have never actually tried it.  I find most of my chins keep their nails relatively short on their own.

I am sure Chico will be more likely to eat a tums than yogurt. He isn't much for any liquid form. I think he only drinks two sips a week from what I SEE. Thanks for the nfo!