Common Chinchilla Ailments
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Chinchilla Health
Although chinchillas are relatively robust and hardy, they do succumb several common health concerns, most of which are preventable.
The most common illness that a chinchilla will succumb is going to be either a respiratory concern or heat stroke (see below). With respiratory conditions, you tend not to notice signs of illness until too late, as chinchillas hide their symptoms very well.
Signs of a sick chinchilla:
- Labored breathing
- Lack of appetite
- Lethargy
- Matted hair
Although, the main signs of a sick chinchilla may seem simple and easy to see, usually you don't notice them until the last few days...
In terms of the chinchilla respiratory system, make sure to never spray can aerosoles in the same room with a chinchilla. If the room smells because of the cage litter, clean it. Refrain from spraying "smell good" sprays.
Never use Fabreeze near a chinchilla!
Chiko- RIP Aug. 31, 2007
Heat Stroke
Cause
- Exssively high temperatures
- Poor ventilation
- Insufficient water
- Direct exposure to the sunlight
Treatment
If the chinchilla is unconscious and has a higher than normal temperature, place him in a cool place and try to lower the chinchilla temperature to a normal temperature (between 99 to 101 F).
When the chinchilla starts to revive, give him a few drops of cool, slightly salted water.
(If the chinchilla's temperature is too cool, you should reverse the treatment and place him in a warm place. Add a warm heating pad if necessary.)
Prevention
Proper housing and air conditioning.
Chiko- Lack of energy
Abscesses
Cause
Abscesses are caused by an infection and sometimes injury. Injuries that can cause an abscess can include- sharp projections in the cage and fighting with other chinchillas. Abscesses can, also, be caused by nasty cages or cages that aren't disinfected regularly, as they can harbor pus-producing organisms.
Treatment
Antibiotic therapy for about 3 to 5 days to eliminate the infection. Sometimes lancing of the abcess is necessary.
Prevention
Remove any predisposed factors such as sharp objects in the cage. Check the front teeth for irregularities. And, make sure to clean the cage and accessories thoroughly and regularly.
Cheech- RIP Sept 14, 2007
Broken Bones
Cause
Hind legs are the most common broken bones, which can be caused by a fall on a hard surface, stuck by a falling object, or getting the limb stuck in the cage wires or a narrow opening. Improper handling can, also, result in broken bones.
Treatment
Put the chinchilla in an isolation cage until you can consult a veterinarian. You may want to construct a splint from stiff cardboard.
Prevention
Examine the cage regularly. Make sure that wires are about 1" x 1/2". And avoid wire bottomed cages. Learn proper handling techniques.
Cheech
Broken or Frozen Tail
Cause
A broken tail is usually caused by rough handling or a door closing on it. Frozen tail is caused by housing in cold weather in unheated area.
Treatment- Break
House the animal alone. If there wasn't displacement, you can use an Elizabethan collar to prevent the chinchilla from chewing at his tail. Avoid handling for about 4 weeks. If there was a displacement, you will need to consult a vet.
Treatment- Freezing
Usually, the tail will fall off without any unfavorable results. If the chinchilla start to chew at the tail, use an Elizabethen collar. You may consider a vet to prescribe an antibiotic to prevent any secondary infection from occuring.
Chinchilla Herd
Torn Ears and Head Injuries
Cause
Fights with cagemates
Treatment
Put the chinchilla in a separate cage and watch him closely.
You will want to clip the hair around the torn area, wash it with soap and water, and then rinse with a mild disinfectant. And, in extreme cases, you will want to treat the chinchilla with penicillin. For severe injuries, you should consult a veterinarian.
You should see the healing process begin to take place if you follow the appropriate measures. Otherwise, if you notice the first signs of infection, you will need to wash the wound with saline solution 2 to 3 times a day to assist the healing process. If infection worsens, consult a vet ASAP.
Prevention
These cases tend to occur when you introduce a new chinchilla to your existing chinchilla(s) without the proper procedure, so when introducing a new chinchilla do so with patience and caution. You should quarintine the chinchilla for at least 3 weeks to make sure that he is free of illness. Then you can start introducing him to your other chinchilla(s).
With the first meeting, watch for any signs of aggression or fighting, as you will need to separate them, and try again later.
I find that introducing new chinchillas to existing ones works best when you let them play together outside of the cage they will be housed in and, slowly, start to let them play together in the cage.
Broken Teeth
Cause
Broken teeth is usually cuased by jumping to the bottom of the cage from a higher level. Sometthe front teeth (the incisors) can be caught in the wire mesh caging and broken when struggling to get free.
Treatment
If only one tooth is broken, you can file down the sharp points. But, if two or more teeth are broken, you will need to clip them off evenly and then file them until they're smooth.
Put the chinchilla on a soft diet until he can eat normally. To make a soft diet just add warm water to moisten the regular diet.
You may even have to isolate the animal, but that is situation based.
Swollen Penis
Cause
A ring of hair behind the glans of the penis after mating.
Treatment
Isolate the chinchilla, and but a collar on him. Remove the fur around the penis, apply vaseline, and massage it gently to reduce swelling. Apply an antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin, 3 to 4 times a day.
Prevention
Male chinchillas that are in polygamous breeding groups should be examined regularly and especially at any signs of an irritation.
Other Chinchilla Care
- Chinchilla First Aid
Find basic first aid information for chinchillas. Alternative medicines. Diagnostic & Therapeutic Procedures. - Chinchilla Basics
Basic care information from housing to diet, temperament to treats, and behaviors to keeping them as pets.
Eye Injury
Cause
Eye injuries are usually caused by a projection of wire or splinters of wood in the eye. This occurs more frequently with new cages and nest boxes.
Treatment
Isolate the chinchilla.
If the injury is severe or you can still see the foreign body in the eye, seek professional help IMMEDIATELY!
If the injury is moderate, you can apply an antibiotic ointment twice a day.
Prevention
Check for any harmful projections in the cage, and remove them.
Disclaimer
I am not a professional veterinarian by any means whatsoever, so please take this information with a grain of salt, as it is comprised from various sources and personal experiences.
When I say that when you start to notice signs of your chinchilla being ill, it's near the end, trust me... I mean it.
In 2007, I lost 3 of my chinchillas. I have had necropsies performed on them all, as they ranged in age from about 4 years to 3 years, and were no where near old age. I never sprayed anything around them, and they always had cool temperares and love. I am still waiting the results of two of the necropsies. I miss my babies a lot, and writing this plus adding their last minute pictures (to which no one but myself has ever seen before now), it hurts, and tears come to my eyes. It took everything that I could to even look at the pictures again.
(Chong doesn't have a night of picture because he died without me seeing any signs whatsoever.)
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed veterinarian. The methods outlined above may or may not work for your pet. If you have any concerns, you should consult a specialized reptile veterinarian.
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Comments
nice post..
You have very thorough knowledge on the subject. And they re very cute..
Lost my 2 yr old chinchilla. Woke up one morning, and he was bloated like a balloon. Vet preformed surgery to get the air out of his intestines...He died the next morning. Dont really know why...
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Usually, when you notice signs of illness in a chinchilla, it's too late. But you did your best at getting proper care as soon as you noticed the problem, which is all that you could have done at that point. Again I'm sorry for your loss.
I am new to this site and i was wondering if anyone knows much about the behavior of an older chin. I have had him for 13yrs and he is laying down and is shedding more then i have seen him do before. I also had a female chin for 5yrs and she had 2 babies 7 weeks ago and then they all suddenly died 2 days apart, of an unknown virus that i am still determend to find out :( could giz-mo just be showing signs of old age?
I would suggest a vet ASAP. It could be old age, but it also could have been a virus. A vet could better determine the cause for you. Remember that chinchillas usually hold out their pain and illness until the last minute, so if you are seeing these signs you need to get to a vet today.
Thank you, I am happy to report that it has been four days since I lost the mom and her two babies and Gizz-mo is still doing good and not showing any of the same signs or symptoms they did before they passed. I will definitely moniter him very closely and watch his water and food intake. I called the UofM and called my vet and I was told to contact a breeder and ask them what might have happend to them, but I have e-mailed about 5 and still have not gotten any responses. Any suggestions?
I have had chinchilla pass and then a few weeks later its friend passed with different symptoms. I would go to the vet now. Your best bet is to contact a vet who has worked with chinchillas. Remember that breeders have their own herds to deal with and it can be hard for them to diagnose your chinchillas without ever seeing them. A necropsy would have been able to help if you had gotten it done the day of death. The vet could have performed a simple autopsy and sent the tissues, if not the body off, for further diagnosis if he could not find the cause.
Hello, I've had my chin Rocky for about 8 months. During the last 3/4 months he seems to be shedding quite a lot of fur. Other than that he seems normal and happy. Do chinchillas shed fur like cats in hot weather or could this be a serious problem?
I never really hada problem with them shedding in hot weather. They typically shed 24/7 and even more so when stressed or ill.
My chinchilla is a baby girl shes two days old latley She is hiding in one spot and not coming out and i never see her drinking Do you think shes just scared of being in a new home or is she sick??????
At 2 days old, the chinchilla should NOT be away from its mother. It needs to be back with its mother nursing. Whoever you go the chinchilla from has NO clue what they're doing by selling or giving you a 2 day old baby chinchilla
Not sure if this is active or not but I'm alittle worried about my one female, shes about three years old and lives with another 3 year old male. I'm pretty sure shes just uncomfortable because shes pregnant but when I knew her before I owned her she was always so cheerful and eager tro come out and play and such but she just seems alot more laid back now... her personality seems to have changed and she just seems uncomfortable all the time. She's eating great and is quite happy to come to the cage in the morning for her treats like the others and is tolerant when I handle her. Her breathing is clear, and everything else I'v been told to watch for is the same and normal its just that she seems alittle off.
I live in a very small town and the nearest vet that will look at chinchillas is like 3 hours away and more expensive then the vet for my horse.... so if you have any ideas could you please let me know?
I'm really not sure exactly what to tell you. I would definitely contact that vet if you can. If you want to breed them, you need to be prepared to spend a little money to make sure they are healthy. You will also want to make sure to have a separate cage for the male when she does have the babies. He will mate with her right away, and she will become pregnant again.
my female chin has started to chew her fur and pull it out. She seems to be bright and active and always comes for her treats but also seems to be salivating alot. Any suggestionswould be appreciated as we live in avery small community and the vets are not close at hand
Yep, I have a seperate cage for her and the babies and I think I'll contact the vet anyhow and just see what he thinks over the phone... because my dog was really sick once and we were told to bring him in.. spent 300.00 on him and they couldn't even tell me what was wrong, just to keep an eye on him.
However if he thinks there is something he can do then I'll defiantly try to find a ride out there to take her. Thanks.
Jodi, Typically chew furring is caused by stress. Has anything changed in the area where the cage is? It may even be caused by mites or something like that. A vet would be the only one to determine what the cause is.
Kenda, sometimes it's worth the money to go to the vet. In most cases it is.
Can a vet do anything to determine cause of death if I am not able to take him on the day that he died. My chin passed away around 3 am Saturday morning and I will have to go on Monday due to offices being closed. I want so badly to know what went wrong. His brother is still alive but I am terrified something is happening to him and I just can't see it yet. As you said, when we started noticing them symptoms it was too late.
Please excuse my grammar, I meant "noticing the symptoms" not "them." I am still very upset. Watching him die was by far the most horrible thing I have yet to witness. I wish a vet had been opened so that he would not have suffered.
Looking for help. Where can I get antibiotics for chinchillas.
Thanks
Jennifer, I'm sorry for your loss. A vet can perform an autopsy. It is best to get the body to the vet asap- not frozen just chilled. If you haven't had the body in the fridge, then being Monday morning, it'll probably be worthless to get the autopsy done, as there will have been substantial decomposition at this point. And, by freezing the body, you would have killed most of the bacteria or fungus that could have killed the chinchilla. The longer that you wait, the less a vet can tell you. A regular dog/cat vet won't be able to tell you, anything though. Have you sprayed anything in the room with the chins? This is a very common mistak that will kill chins withing 24-48 hours; I have spoken with a number of people who have sprayed fabreeze, body spray, etc in the same room and the chin dies shortly after. They have VERY sensitive respiratory systems, as well as cardio and skeletal. Good luck with your remaining chin.
Goerge, a vet can give you antibiotics for your chinchilla, but you'll need to have the chin diagnosed for antibiotics. They won't just give them to you. You'll need to find a reputable vet who has knowledge about chins, not a dog/cat vet, as they can prescribe something but many medicines are fatal to chins.
I noticed yesterday my chin was not very active. Then today he has gooey stuff in his eyes and it is getting crusty. A vet is not an option right now as I just lost my job. Is there anything I can do for him. He is approx. 11 yrs old.
At 11 years, the chinchilla is older, and at this point if the chin is ill, the only thing that can save him is a vet. They do not show signs of illness until the very end.
Not sure how active this is but I figure I should ask anyways. My chin is about 3 months old (from what the people at the pet store said) and I've had him for a week. He seems like really happy chinchilla. He eats and drinks all the time, jumps around his cage, and likes being held. But today I just walked in and saw sleeping on his side on one of the upper levels of his cage. Normally he sleeps in his little house down in the corner. When I walked up he woke up and jumped down and acted normal, but it was odd seeing him sleeping there. Is there anything I should be worried about?
Some chins like to sleep on the side, but if you haven't seen it regularly, then it could be a concern.
I have a 3 week old chinchilla out of a litter of 3 we have a nice cage with plexi glass on the outer side of the cage and when we woke up this morning it looked liked it tried to escape from going over the top and hurt its back leg, do they normally heal themselves? or what should i do since its so little.
You shouldn't have a 3 week old chinchilla. You need to take it back to the breeder for another 3 weeks before the chinchilla should be away from its mother.
i had to take my little chin to the vet the other day, because i noticed he was missing a toe! well the vet did the treatments on him and sent him home with his little halo collar on. i came home today from running errands with my mom and he had wriggles the halo down around his middle!! i'm just wondering if thats ok and if he didn't hurt anything inside. the halo collar is loose enough to slip over his head but tight enough that he can't get it off himself. do you think he is ok from any harm of the halo baing around his waist?
You want to fix the collar as it's supposed to be worn. Itis dangerous any other way.
My chinchillas got in a fight. I took the littler one to the emergency vet and another vet the next day and she keeps lying on her side then perking back up but now is POPPING. I think she is just on her last leg and dont think another $700 for her to pass is necessary but what is the popping? Her whole body literally hiccups. What can I do to make her comfortable?
Typically, there wouldn't be a $700 charge to euthanize a pet, so I'm not sure why you would need to pay another $700. I'm not sure what you mean by popping, but if the chinchilla is on is side and having problems breathing, then it may not be a good situation. The only thing you can do to make sure she's in a cage alone and let her suffer to breath until she dies, or take her back to the vet to have her euthanized.
One question; have you ever noticed any signs of aggression from the other chinchilla before? It is odd that they fought this badly without any previous signs of aggression or bullying, unless the smaller chinchilla is new and was not properly introduced the the other chinchilla.
My chinchilla is constantly pulling out her fur with her teeth and she has diorrea! she is 13 1/2 years old
Sounds like stress, but at that age you've done really well carring for your chin. You may want to find out what's stressing her out, and try to stop the fur biting.As for the diarhea, you should consider a vet, as she can get very dehydrated.
my chin doesn't drink water for few days. and his pee has been brown. the water bottle is bought with him. today even worse, he has no pee at all. beside not drinking water, everything seens fine for him. can you advice me how to let him drink more water.
How long have you had the chinchilla? You don't want ot force him to drink. He may drink as you sleep, as they are nocturnal. You may want to consider a vet if he appears lethargic and dehydrated.
I have a 5-year-old male chinchilla and lately when he has been running round my room he has layed on the floor very flat to the ground, he looks like he has been squashed! his legs go stiff and its like he is having some sort of fit! Ive rushed him to the emergency vets twice now in the last month but all they do is give him glucose and send him home again! They don’t know what’s wrong with him so was wondering if anyone can help me as I don’t want to lose him so I need to prevent this from happening again.
How does it act when he's in his cage? The glucose really doesn't do much for chinchillas, and the sugar really is not necessary. You may want to find a vet in your local or surrounding area that specializes in exotic pets.
I have had my white chinchilla Whitey for 6 years, all of a sudden he does not look so great. The hair on his behind is matted and his mouth seems to always be wet and he is licking or chewing the fur on his legs. Any idea what might be bothering him. Thanks Kelly
I'm not sure, but it sounds like he needs a dust bath and a vet.
A few things...I got two chinchillas from a breeder a few months ago. They had been in the same cage with two other male chinchillas since they were weaned. I was told that they were boys, but I am positive that the one is a girl. The other one that we got is her cousin. I am afraid she is pregnant. She is always laying around and very testy. I do not know her personality from before, because like I said, I have only had her a few months. But I am worried that if she is pregnant, is there any chance that they baby will be okay? Or is it for sure that something will be wrong with it? The other two males that she was caged with, I think are "related" too. So I am worried as to what might happen. Also, the reason that I took notice that she was actually a girl and not a boy was because around her girly parts, her fur is matted. It's like she sits in her pee. I give her dust baths regularly, but it certainly doesn't help that. Her fur is kind of tinged yellow and sticks together. Is that normal for a chin to sit in her pee, or if it is something else, what should I do? Thank you..
I would contact the breeder. If the breeder was reputable, then there is very little chance he/she made a mistake sexing the chins. If the chinchillas are young, you pose a HUGE risk of pregnancy and birthing complication for the female. I would separate the two if she is pregnant, as when she gives birth she can get pregnant right away, which will truly be detrimental to her life if she is young.
They all squat to pee- male or female. It doesn't sound right whether male or female to have a yellow clumped fur around the private area. Definitely consult the breeder.
Hi I have a four year old female black velvet chinchilla, she suffered from a horible case of consitapation about a 1 1/2 months ago and since then she is pooping normally but will not stop licking her private parts. She is always wet down below and I have looked everywhere for information about chins that do this and haven't come across anything. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
You want to find a vet who sees chinchillas. It's prettty important that you do so. Good luck.
I just lost my first chin last night, very sad. She was only about 7 years old. She was laying in the bottom of the cage. I think one of the others I have in the same cage jumped on her and broke her back
I'm sorry about your loss. It may have been sick before hand. Typically, chinchillas are very aware of their cagemates and will not jump on ill ones. Death was probably caused by illness not broken back; unless the chin fell from a ledge or something like that.
I think one of the other adults fell and landed on the other one. I can tell that my other adult female is very sad
my chinchilla has lost a lot of weight and i took her to the vet and he said she has a abcess on her bottom along with conjuctivitus , they want to do her teeth but im afraid she is to weak for the anasetic, has anyone had this with a chinchilla before?
That will be your call. If your vet feels she will be fine, then you can take his word for it, as the professional. But, ultimately it's your call.
is there an "at-home" remedy for a possible eye infection?
No.
I removed a bad hair ring on my chin last night. His penis was hanging outside, he couldnt retract it back was when I notice it. Besides that, his genital area (both sides) were swallen too. One day after, now his penis is back to normal, one side of the genital went back to normal, but the other side is still very bad. Base on your experience, is there anything i can do? I own him for 3 months now, he's a 6 months old. I read the reviews for vets around where I live, none of them is good. Not sure what to do.. He's been lost so weight, maybe because of he was suffering from the hair ring.. I feel so bad..
Could something else be causing the weight loss? Where did you get him? Could he have parasites or another illness? What other signs of sickness is he showing?
You may have to take the chin to the best vet you think can help. I'd call in advance though.
my chinchilla was 19 years old just died from blockage in his intestines, the vet had to put him down and i'm curious what he could have eaten that caused this. he is always made sure to have been kept away from wires, foam, and any other harmful things i could have thought of. i always had him run around on carpet. also, i'm getting a new chinchilla soon, what is the size of a 8 week old chinchilla? i didn't have my other chinchilla until he was three.
I just lost my larger male chinchilla, was not showing any visible signs of illness and was looked at and talked to, held the night before :( found him when i got home last night but I do not know what happened or why he passed away.
Hoping my other chin will be alright without his littermate.
Kevin, I'm sorry for your loss. You did a good job keeping him healthy for 19 years, or 16 if you got him at 3 years old. His digestive system could have just started failing to properly digest his food. He may have ingested the bedding. It's hard to say. Did the vet tell you what was causing the blockage? That would be interested to know. 8 weeks old is pretty small. About the size of your hand. I got my third chinchilla at about 6-8 weeks; he was very small. You should consider a smaller cage if you're going to start that small. If you have a taller cage, which is best for adults, the baby may fall and injure himself. It's best to start babies in smaller cages with lower levels so that if they fall, it's not as long of a fall.
Joy, I'm so sorry to hear that. Sometimes the signs of illness are very acute because they are great at holding back sickness as they are very fragile, and in the wild very susceptible for predation especially when ill. Hopefully, the remaining chin will fair well. You may want to consider a vet to check out the remaining chin so that you can verify he's healthy and that what the first had wasn't contagious.
darkside says:
2 years ago
They are so cute!