Male chinchillas, whether used for breeding purposes or not, can suffer from a condition known as hair ring. This is when hair builds up around his penis and literally causes a ring around it. If this gets tight then it can cut off the blood supply and prevent the chinchilla from being able to pee, and this then causes a buildup of bacteria and related kidney problems.
If a hair ring is allowed to get to this state it’s not only very painful, but potentially very dangerous to the health of the chinchilla. Some males are more prone to hair ring than others, for reasons unknown.
In many cases a chinchilla will get rid of a hair ring himself. But on occasion he might not be able to, and this is why you should carry out hair ring checks on male chinchillas once a month at the very least, but ideally a little more frequently.
The video below shows how to check for and, if found, gently remove a hair ring.
This video doesn’t show the owner using any lubrication to get rid of the hair ring. If it comes off easily then that’s great. However, if it doesn’t, then using a lubricant such as KY jelly will help. If at all possible don’t use scissors to cut the hair ring off – this is a very delicate area and scissors present a very real danger of causing damage. If the hair ring is extremely stubborn, then try to gradually tease the hair apart. Done gently and with patience it will come away.
Signs and symptoms of your chinnie suffering from a hair ring might include the following:
– You might notice the chinchilla licking and cleaning himself in the area of his penis more than usual.
– In severe cases he might sit hunched up, go off his food and be reluctant to move.
– The penis itself might become red/purple and swollen.
If you’re at all worried that your chin might have a hair ring and you’re not sure what to do, then seek professional advice. Hair ring checks are a necessary part of chinchilla care, so if you’re new to keeping chinchillas then ask your vet or another experienced person to show you how to perform hair ring checks.
Till next time – love those chinnies…
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