How do I know if my chinchilla is sick?

Question

What are some sign that a chinchilla is sick?

For the past week my chin has been squeaking at random times for no reason. They're not squeaks like he's in pain they are just his normal squeaks, but I've never heard him do it repeatedly and randomly like this.

He usually jumps around his cage and lately he's just been eating, drinking, and sitting around. He has also been grinding his teeth.

I have had him for about 2 months. He still does not let me hold him. I can pet his head and scratch his neck and stuff but any farther than that and he freaks out. I can't let him out of his cage because he won't let me touch him so I can't catch him.

Thanks, it's nice to know he's not sick. He already takes food out of my hands, but wont let me touch him past his head

Answer 1

Make sure you give him plenty to chew on. But yes sometimes they make those little noises

Bringing a new family member home is always an exciting time! People want to take them home, show them their new surroundings and love on them immediately.

However, moving to a new environment is stressful, even on the most socialized chins. For this reason, time should be taken to allow the chin to get used to their new cage so that they feel that this is their safe haven no matter what. There are a lot of new sights and smells in their new home to get used to as well and this is best done from inside a safe cage.

The biggest mistake I see new owners make is taking a chin home and immediately beginning to take them out for play time. Even if the chin seems to be calm, he/she needs time to settle into their own little safe world prior to exploring the big world of the new house. This is especially true of homes that have other species in them.

Chinchillas are a prey species and as such may not show outward signs of stress until it is too late. Smells of other species, especially predatory species can be very frightening to a chinchilla. You may not think Fluffy, your cat is predatory, but the chin has no way of knowing this and will only go by what he/she smells.

For this reason, I suggest that new owners give new chins a minimum of two weeks before taking them out for play time. This gives them time to feel comfortable and safe in their new cage. You can bond with them and interact with them from within their cage. Let them approach you however, do not reach in and "grab" them. If they climb onto your hand, then hold them. But, we do not suggest letting them run around their new home for a minimum of two weeks. This time can be longer, depending on the chin's particular personality, but two weeks should be a minimum.

I know this is hard for new owners, however, it would be much harder if the chin were to end up dying due to the stress of his/her new environment. So please, give your new family member time to settle in prior to letting them out for play time.


A great place to find out about chinchillas and ask questions is http://www.pets-on-the-net.com/............

Here is a great place to buy a cage and wheel
http://www.qualitycage.com/chinchilla.ht...

Chinchillas need lots of exercise and they love to climb UP so the cage should be tall not wide. My chinchilla loves to run in her wheel " all night LONG "

A high quality pellet is the staple to any chin diet. We used Mazuri Chinchilla Diet for many years with wonderful success.

http://www.mazuri.com/

A constant supply of hay should be kept in the chinchilla's cage at all times. Hay is important for many reasons. It is a wonderful source of fiber, as well as calcium and protein. With chinchillas though, it is also important for helping them to keep their back teeth from overgrowing and causing health issues. Cube hay will not help back teeth nearly as much as loose hay does.

Timothy, alfalfa and oat hay are all good for chins. Alfalfa is much higher in calcium and protein, which an be harsh on chin's digestive systems, especially if the pellet portion of the diet is alfalfa based.

Also make sure you always provide plenty of different sizes of chew sticks for thrie teeth as well


A basic rule of thumb is that if your pellets are alfalfa based, as Mazuri is, you need to feed timothy hay. If the pellets are timothy based then feed a alfalfa hay

The fear of any chin owner is a bacterial infection happening to his or her chinnies! Contamination of water is pretty easy to prevent and hard to fix. Bacteria is the most common of contaminants in chinchillas' drinking water. It can come from a dirty waterbottle where it has cultured itself and grown to a concentration that is enough to affect the animals or it can come from the water source. The consequence of the bacterial infection is usually diarrhea and can be fatal if not treated promptly. There are several different types, some are worse than others, but all are parasites that chins are much better not having.

Heavy metals, floride, arsenic, lead, and other chemicals either added intentionally or not can be harmful as well. This is why tap and well water can be dangerous. Even if the concentrations are not hight enough to make humans feel ill, the chinchillas can still cause problems. The consequences can be the poisoning of your chinchilla or even neurological problems that can affect a chin for the rest of his life. If you think that your chinchilla is suffering from parasites or poisoning, get him to the vet immediately!!

Regular bottled, purified water is just fine for chinchillas as is reverse osmosis or distilled water. They don't need the expensive bottled mineral waters and shouldn't be given carbonated water (this could really cause problems..use only flat water!) However, if you are sure that the water you are giving them is clean and contaminant free, then it's probably going to be just fine. Our chinchillas are given reverse osmosis water since our household water comes directly from a well. There are just too many possibilities of contaminants in the well water so I would never risk giving it to my chinnies.

As a last resort (or maybe a first), the water may be boiled to kill any bacteria. This is pretty highly effective at making water safe for chinchillas and humans alike. Personally I just buy regular bottled water

Of course you can give them treats, such as rasins , rose hips, dried papaya but be careful " not too many sweets " give them a bad tummy ache.

Heat Stroke

High temperatures and high humidity are not tolerated well by chinchillas. Most problems occur in situations where the cage is placed in direct sunlight and poorly ventilated. Affected animals will be lying on their sides and panting. They also feel hot to the touch because of elevated body temperature. Animals in high humidity will also exhibit unkempt, damp fur. Treatment involves misting or bathing them in cold water or applying rubbing alcohol to their foot pads. Veterinary assistance should be sought for further recommendations and treatment.



Facts

Average life span: 8-10 years, up to 18 years
Environmental temperature range: 60-75 F
Body temperature: 97-100 F
Gestation: 111 days
Litter size: 1-5 (range), with an average of 2
Weaning age: 6-8 weeks


Chinchillas don't bathe in water. They require a regular "dust bath", during which they toss, turn, and roll around in special dust (that you can usually find in your local pet store).

Chinchillas are part of the rodent family, and are nocturnal.

Chinchillas require special food. Feeding a chinchilla guinea pig food can cause liver damage and ultimately death. Ask a chinchilla breeder or veterinarian about what you should feed your chinchilla.

Because of the density of their coat, fleas and ticks can not live in chinchilla fur.

Chinchillas do not have dander, which causes pet-related allergies. This makes chinchillas an exciting alternative if you have allergy trouble around dogs and cats.

Chinchillas come in many different colors including gray, black, white, beige, violet, ebony, sapphire, and more.





If there is anything else you need please feel free to email me

Answer 2

Sick Chinchilla

Answer 3

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RE:
How do I know if my chinchilla is sick?
What are some sign that a chinchilla is sick?

For the past week my chin has been squeaking at random times for no reason. They're not squeaks like he's in pain they are just his normal squeaks, but I've never heard him do it repeatedly and randomly like this.

He usually jumps...

Answer 4

Awwww, i think he is sick. Take him to a vet, cause they are very sensitive animals. I could be anything. Just call the vet. Good luck.

Answer 5

hes not sick. hes just communicating my daughter has one and she thought the same thing when hers started squeaking. and as far as you not being able to pick him up . just continue to work with him and he will get used to you and you will be able to take him out of his cage. try start out by hand feeding him alfalfa and stuff like that. good luck

Answer 6

you'll know when he turns green hehe ???????