How do I fatten up my Chippie???

[alan]

Does anybody know the best and healthiest way to make a chipmunk gain some weight?? My Cybil, over the past 6-8 weeks has lost a considerable amount of weight. Although I dont think it to be too serious. Im guessing he lost all the weight from using his wheel all day every day!!! Like seriously, he is an addict!!!! I have been giving him almonds and peanuts, on top of grapes tomatoes and a chipmunk food mix, but he prefers to run mostly. Dont get me wrong, he sleeps when everyone else sleeps, He is just an extremely hyper chippie since he met his new friends. So rather him loose more weight, and start becoming sick, Id prefer to give him something to counteract his weight loss. By all means he still looks healthy, but I remember him far heavier, before I got the wheel. And in comparison, Jessie is twice his weight. She is very shy, the shyest in fact, and moves very little.

Off topic, but I let all four out yesterday. They loved it. But when putting them back in, after about an hour, Jessie gave me an awful bite on my finger. The kind of bite that you pull away from and cuts through like a hot knife through butter!!! Straight to the bone  . The joys of chippies I guess.

So, does anybody know how to fatten up a chippie??? 

[tarcus/Kevin]

I definitely do not suggest fingers unless of course they are cadbury's  try whole meal biscuits or even a bran mash(like you used to make for rabbits in the winter)or perhaps porridge,I have mine in an outside aviary and never had this problem but that could be down to the fact that they hoard food underground and in their nest boxes I have a couple who love the wheel but as soon as they come off they drop to the ground and dig up a mouthful of something to nibble on

[jane]

ive fattened my babies up by putting oats and powdered milk in their normal food, their coming upto 8wks and they are the same size as mum 

[rakupotter]

Hi have you tried banana,mine love it the male looks as if he wants weight watchers diet the little piglet.If you go on the tinternet they also like live food,live mealworms and  they eat wax worms like mars bars'

all the best

steve

[alan]

I have been giving all of them good food. I  myself, eat next to them, so they always get their fair share. I love Italian, so basically ive a crew of mini mobsters!!!! .. I have just given them some whole meal biscuits,  but they dont seem to take to them. Ill try the banana and see what happens, and Im gonna get a box of the worms during the week. Hopefully he will plump up  Thanks everyone 

[pinkpill]

try them on a bit of whatever u eat, i'm sure u'll find a fave,  mine eat absolutely anythin theyre rite little gannits