Accepted Answer

Hello Kyle,

I'm sorry to see that no one has responded to your question earlier. Different experts come online at various times; I just came online and saw your question.

There are several different causes of soft stool/diarrhea in chinchillas. One of the most common is diet, especially failure to feed plenty of hay, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. However, the pellets with fruit and nuts in them can cause problems. Plain pellets are best, and most chinchillas don't need more than about a tablespoon a day. If a pet store gave you the recommendation for a food, it may very well be unhealthy for your chinchilla. Most of the gourmet mixes and foods with bits of this and that in them are not the best foods. Pet store personnel mean well, but they often have incorrect information. Basically, chinchillas need hay and pellets. Small amounts of "treat " foods, such as carrots, may also be given. Here are two sites where you can read more about nutrition for chinchillas:

http://www.azure-chinchillas.co.uk/pages/feeding_diet_and_nutrition.php

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/chinchillas/p/Chinchillas.htm

Dental problems areanother potential cause of mushy stools. Chinchillas are quite prone to developing tooth problems that keep them from properly chewing their food. The result is often a loose stool. If you see pieces of undigested food or bits of hay in the stool, a dental problem is likely. Another sign to look for is a wet chin or mouth area. Some dental conditions cause drooling which will make the mouth and chin area wet. Just because you don't see other symptoms doesn't rule out a difficulty with teeth. Filing or, in some cases, surgery will treat dental problems.

The other main possibility is a bacterial infection. That's probably what your vet is checking for. Antibiotics are used to treat most such infections. Failure of internal organs - liver or kidney - can also cause the problem, but this is less likely. If nothing else is found, your vet would need to do blood work to detect these conditions.

If you have further questions about this, just let me know by clicking on REPLY. I hope your chinchilla recuperates quickly.

Anna







in nature eat a high fiber diet. Please don't take your chinchilla's timothy hay away from him - it is an essential part of his diet. He should be given as much as he wants. He also should have access to chinchilla pellets, but most chinchillas don't need more than about a tablespoon a day. If a pet store gave you the recommendation for a food, it may very well be unhealthy for your chinchilla. Most of the gourmet mixes and foods with bits of this and that in them are not the best foods. Pet store personnel mean well, but they often have incorrect information.

Basically, chinchillas need hay and pellets. Small amounts of "treat " foods, such as carrots, may also be given. Here are two sites where you can read more about nutrition for chinchillas:

http://www.azure-chinchillas.co.uk/pages/feeding_diet_and_nutrition.php

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/chinchillas/p/Chinchillas.htm

Expert:	Anna
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	10/20/2009

Pet Expert/Biologist

40 yrs.: herps, pocket pets, rabbits, poultry, dogs, horses. Biology degree. Volunteer vet assistant