Author Topic: Advice please!  (Read 503 times)

lau4a

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Advice please!
« on: October 15, 2011, 12:26:24 PM »
Advice please: new to owning chipmunks and i have had 2 boys since july and they both very active and will eat of your hand etc but tonight one of the boys came out their usual nestbox and went into the empty one at the bottom he nearly fell of shelves twice to get there and was shaking badly - i opened up the back of nestbox and he was just lying shaking - his eyes shutting. one hour later and he is back running around the cage and eating and drinking again and his balance seems to be much better with no shaking - does anyone no what could have happened?

Nick

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1182
  • Pip
    • Nicks Chips
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2011, 07:45:02 PM »
I've never heard of anything like that before, could something have spooked him?
Nick

pinkpill

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2453
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2011, 08:02:28 PM »
maybe he cud of had a fit or sumfin then just recovered :dontknow: keep an eye on him for it happenin again as he may be epilectic :dontknow:
*Fanx Kindly!*:notworthy:

jennyb

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1950
  • Currently have 14 pet Chipmunks, 3 Cats, 1 Fish
    • www.chirpiechipmunkz.webs.com
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2011, 10:42:15 PM »
It does sound like what happened with my Chipmunk Pearl after she would have a seizure, she had something called Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) a calcium defiency and it was bad, she would seizure almost every week sometimes more than once a week, gradually it reduced once we started treatment until they finally stopped but it was two months before she stopped seizuring, she made an almost full recovery and lived another two years.

When she had a seizure she would go into a completely unconscious state, i would find her at the bottom of the cage curled on the floor or in the digging container. Her eyes would be shut, her breathing reduced to just a few breaths a minute and she felt cold to the touch. As she came round she would shake and when she started walking she was very shaky, it took her about 30-45 minutes to recover from a seizure then she was completely normal. back to running and climbing, eating and drinking but she always looked very tired from having the MBD.

As Pinkpill said this could be Epilepsy but it could also be MBD. As long as your Chipmunks have a calcium supplement in their cage such as a cuttlefish bone or mineral block they shouldn't get MBD but seizures are a common symptom of this illness so just thought i should mention.

Hope he doesn't have any more seizures
Asriel,Abi,Hermione,Lottie,Isabella, Willow,Nugget,Sandi,Amber Jr,Mia,Tiny,Scabbers,Millie, Ariana(Chipmunks), Elle, Minstrel & Jake (Cats).
 
www.chirpiechipmunkz.webs.com

mik

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 413
  • no time waisters plz // thanks
    • www.mikschipmunks.web.com
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2011, 10:45:43 PM »
im no expert but from what ive read from this forum since i started having chips id agree with last to post posted
         mik

lau4a

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2011, 12:33:03 PM »
Thanks everyone :) i have been online and ordered a mineral lick - he still seems fine think he getting fed up off me staring at him all the time haha!

mik

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 413
  • no time waisters plz // thanks
    • www.mikschipmunks.web.com
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2011, 02:20:03 PM »
put in a cuttle fish and also try yogart and oranges with other fruiot to
                  mik

jennyb

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1950
  • Currently have 14 pet Chipmunks, 3 Cats, 1 Fish
    • www.chirpiechipmunkz.webs.com
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2011, 08:59:42 PM »
As Mik said if you could get a cuttlefish aswell they sell them for Birds in the pet shop and its just calcium. Chipmunks get their main calcium from the fruit and veg fed so its important to give variety plus if indoors you also need a vitamin d source so they can properly absorb the calcium. I feed Petis Filous yoghurt, it has calcium and vitamin d and my Chipmunks all like it. Other than that mushrooms if yours will eat them, mine tend to shred them rather than eat them so not very keen.
Asriel,Abi,Hermione,Lottie,Isabella, Willow,Nugget,Sandi,Amber Jr,Mia,Tiny,Scabbers,Millie, Ariana(Chipmunks), Elle, Minstrel & Jake (Cats).
 
www.chirpiechipmunkz.webs.com

mrchips

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 94
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2011, 09:15:50 PM »
Coz I've got 30+ budgies I've also got cuttle fish but I've not seen the chips showing any interest in it.  Do you do anything with it or just rely on them to eat what they need.
I DON'T NEED ANGER MANAGEMENT - I NEED PEOPLE TO STOP PISSING ME OFF! :-)
26 budgies
7 Lovebirds
1 Gerbil
2 Hamsters
2 Cats
1 Guinea Pig
1 Senegal Parrot
1 Gordon Setter
18 Zebra Finches
4 chipmunks
1 tank of tropical fish
1 tank of coldwater fish.

pinkpill

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2453
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2011, 09:22:25 PM »
you could always buy some calcium powder and mix it in with the yoghurt or sprinkle over some wet flesh of fruit :dontknow:
*Fanx Kindly!*:notworthy:

mik

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 413
  • no time waisters plz // thanks
    • www.mikschipmunks.web.com
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2011, 10:04:04 PM »
grate cutle fish over thier food too
            mik

pinkpill

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2453
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2011, 10:36:29 PM »
yeah that too :sign10:
*Fanx Kindly!*:notworthy:

mrchips

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 94
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2011, 01:27:01 PM »
I'll give that a try then and I've bought some petit filous - one's tried it and seems quite keen for three of the others have had a sniff and ingored it so far. My 'zoo' is very deficient of sunlight for the chips so the cuttle for calcium and Vit D are having to come from sustitute sources.
I DON'T NEED ANGER MANAGEMENT - I NEED PEOPLE TO STOP PISSING ME OFF! :-)
26 budgies
7 Lovebirds
1 Gerbil
2 Hamsters
2 Cats
1 Guinea Pig
1 Senegal Parrot
1 Gordon Setter
18 Zebra Finches
4 chipmunks
1 tank of tropical fish
1 tank of coldwater fish.

jennyb

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1950
  • Currently have 14 pet Chipmunks, 3 Cats, 1 Fish
    • www.chirpiechipmunkz.webs.com
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #13 on: October 17, 2011, 09:04:28 PM »
You could try small bits of cheese for calcium mine like cheese
Asriel,Abi,Hermione,Lottie,Isabella, Willow,Nugget,Sandi,Amber Jr,Mia,Tiny,Scabbers,Millie, Ariana(Chipmunks), Elle, Minstrel & Jake (Cats).
 
www.chirpiechipmunkz.webs.com

pinkpill

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2453
Re: Advice please!
« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2011, 09:22:28 PM »
mine wont eat hard cheese but they'll eat soft cheese like dairylea or philly :icon_biggrin:
*Fanx Kindly!*:notworthy: