In general chinchillas are pretty tough little creatures. After all, surviving on the barren slopes of the Andes Mountains doesn’t bode well for a creature that is anything but tough. However, there are certain health issues that a chinchilla is prone to, and ones that we as their owners need to keep a close eye out for.
So here are 5 very important health issues that we should keep in the forefront of our minds when carrying out our daily chinchilla well-being checks.
1 – Maloccluded Teeth
Because a chinchilla’s teeth grow constantly throughout his (or her) life, if they don’t have enough fiber, tough toys or objects to chew on then the teeth can become too long. When this happens little spurs appear, and these catch on the sensitive flesh inside the mouth, causing injury. If this is not dealt with at an early stage it will worsen, and can prevent a chinchilla from eating at all and eventually could prove fatal.
Outward symptoms of a chinchilla that’s starting to suffer from maloccluded teeth include watery eyes, drooling, rubbing at the mouth and going off their food. If you notice some or all of these symptoms then you should get your chinnie checked out by a vet straight away.
To prevent this occurring you should ensure that your chinchillas are fed a daily ration of hay and have plenty of objects to chew on. These can include the inside tubes of toilet rolls, chinchilla safe wood and various toys that can be purchased from pet stores.
2 – Hair Rings
This is a problem that only affects male chinchillas. It’s exactly as the name sounds, and is a ring of hair that builds up around the base of the penis. If this happens it can constrict the blood supply, causing very severe problems and in the worst case scenario could be fatal. Next week we’ll cover how to check for hair rings in much more detail.
3 – Tooth Discoloration
Unlike human teeth, a chins should be an orangey yellow color. White teeth in a chinchilla is a sign of possible calcium deficiency and should be checked out by a vet straight away.
4 – Skin Fungus
A chinnies fur is extremely soft and dense, but this can hide a nasty little condition known as skin fungus. The best way to help prevent this occurring is to allow your chin to have regular dust baths. You can purchase the special dust from pet stores, place it in a container and let your chinchilla roll to his heart’s content two or three times per week. Another way to help prevent skin fungus is to ensure that your chinnies environment is not too humid.
5 – Eye Infections
Chinchillas are quite prone to these, and can be caused simply by a speck of dust or a foreign object in the eye. If a chinchilla’s eye (or eyes) become red and swollen then he’s likely to need veterinary treatment. It could be an infection or it could be the onset of something more serious, such as flu or pneumonia. Once again, prompt veterinary attention is needed in such a case. If your chinnie is running a fever the inside of his ears will be warm and a bright pink or red color. However, even if this is not the case you should seek a vet’s advice if your chinchilla is experiencing eye problems.
Checking your chinchilla over on a daily basis for all of the above problems will probably become so routine that you do it automatically. But however experienced we get with handling and treating our chinchillas, it never hurts to have a quick reminder.
Till next time – love those chinnies…
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