Your chinchillas stool should be firm and dry. If it is sticky, wet or runny, then there is a problem.

Causes of loose stool and diarrhea include stress (can be caused by many things such as a change in environment, too much daytime activity in the house preventing the chin from getting necessary sleep, a new cage mate, and more), change in diet (pellets, hay, water, and treats), giving too many treats, a poor diet, or parasites (including Giardia and Coccidia).

If the problem has only been occurring for a short while, a vet trip may not be necessary. If the problem is severe or on going, your chinchilla should be taken to the vet immediately.

Diarrhea caused by stress, change in diet, and consumption of too many treats is usually easily remedied. Giving your chin a few small pieces of dry burnt toast (it must be burnt) a few times a day might be enough to cure your chin. Alternatives to burnt toast include shredded wheat and dry Baby Rice Cereal. You might also give a little active culture yogurt or live acidophilus to aid in restoring the bacteria balance in your chin’s tummy.

A temporary diet alteration might also be necessary. Remove all pellets from the cage, abstain from giving any treats and give your chin more hay and purified water until the problem has ceased.

Should none of the above work, try giving your chin a little children’s Kaopectate.

If you have tried all of this and allowed for two to four days for the treatment to work, then you should definitely go to the vet right away. Diarrhea can be very serious. It can lead to dehydration. Your vet should run tests for parasites on a fresh stool sample. Just because a test comes back negative, it does not mean your chin does not have parasites. Multiple tests may be necessary.

If your chin does have Giardia or Coccidia or other parasite, you should disinfect the cage and watch all other animals closely to ensure that they do not have it as well. It is possible for an animal to have Giardia or other parasite without showing any signs of it for some time.

If you are unsure about the severity of your chinchilla’s condition, you should take him/her to the vet just to be on the safe side.

All of the above information is what I have learned from experience and from the Internet.

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