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Hello from the Lone Star state - 1st time chinnie owner!

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WhiffenPoof:
Hi there!

I just wanted to formally introduce myself, my name is Ivory and I am a first time owner of a chinchilla (-:

He is a 4yo. grey male with a rough history.

I am a registered foster for quite a few animal services here in Texas and he came from a household seize a couple weeks ago in a town neighboring mine. Of 12 chinchillas, only 2 were found alive - him being one.

Apparently, he was seized 2 years ago from the same family when a family friend reported them for animal abuse. He was returned to the same home, but in the custody of the parents (he was technically taken from the 18yo. son so he was found at fault instead of the parentals).

Anyway, I have him now and couldn't be happier with him. Besides extreme hair matting and some social anxiety, he is particularly wonderful. Not a biter, just a tad frightened. He has quickly became friends with my pup and is actually best friends with an older cat that was seized the same night. I own him as well, I felt it best to keep them together.

They had been evidently locked in a room together on the property that neither of them had been let out of in 6 months (it was 6 months worth of feces, grime, old food, etc.)

Anyway, I was hoping to meet a few of you and of course, I am open to any tricks of the trade to help this little guy blossom!

BLS Chins:
Have the mats been removed? If not you will want to do so asap. Mats trap moisture and oils against the skin which can lead to skin infections. The best method is to just firmly grasp the mat and tug it out. He may not be thrilled about it but fur slipping is painless.

On another note, chins should not have contact with other pets no matter how good of friends they are. Dogs and cats can carry diseases and parasites that are deadly to chins. One wrong step and your dog/cat accidentally kills your chin. So please be aware of the dangers

GrayRodent:
Can you tell us a little more its cage, cage accessories, bedding and diet including treats? We would be glad to give you an assessment on those things.

WhiffenPoof:
Yes, I removed the mats already (-: He looks much better now! And I have also been sure to give the dust baths as well, I am confident those were extremely overdue.

And yes, I am glad you mentioned the "dog cat" thing. I have been educated about that in the past and have been cautious of the risks involved there. The chinnie does not have direct contact with the pup - they merely enjoy each others surrounding company most days. With the cat however ... they bonded quite strongly while being locked away in that room.

The first few nights I had the chinnie he was fairly anxious and upset, I figured it was due to the obvious stress in his life with the abuse/neglect, then me sweeping him up to a new home. But, when I made the decision to bring the cat on board as well, he  instantaneously relaxed upon being with him again.

Because I am a foster, all the animals I take in are immediately brought to a vet (if they didn't already come from home), to be tested - blood, fecal, hair, saliva, etc. Whatever it may be.

I did all the possible tests available for a chinchilla, including any I could do for the cat. Besides malnutrition, both checked out fine (luckily). I am aware that doesn't negate the possibility of transmitting diseases and such, but if I take the cat from the chinnie or vice versa they become quite nervous and fidgety without one another. So ... I figure that the next best thing I can do is monitor them. The chinnie is kept in a cage without the cat (of course), so the most the cat can do is nuzzle him through the bars or sleep by the cage. But when I take the chinnie out to play or snuggle, the cat always participates as well.

In answer to the other question - his cage is a 4-tiered chinnie cage with a Snak Shak, wood chews (hanging ones and individual chips), hay manger, chinnie bedding, hay hut to sleep in and eat (which he has done a number on that thing), etc. Everything is all natural with no artificial coloring and such.
I clean it everyday or every other day depending on the work week.

As of now, he is fed the basic pellet food, but the bag I bought was pretty expensive (I didn't want to go cheap). The only treats he currently gets are Dandelion Drops? If that sounds familiar. They were a gift from the shelter and he loves them so ...
I have also been researching natural foods to feed them as strictly treats (not necessarily part of a routine diet). As long as it is unsalted, sugarless, etc. Raisins I heard are okay in limited quantities?

GrayRodent:
Here are my recommendations based on what I can see.

The biggest health risks are respiratory infections, intestinal infections, and tooth problems. Your vet has pretty much ruled these out. Your biggest indicator of problems is going to be trends in weight. Weigh your chin once a week and look for sharp weight loss trends. Of course fecal output is a big indicator as well. Make sure there is no change in the texture or size either larger or smaller. Of course there are indicators like fur chewing, drooling, mucus from the eyes, etc. keep track of input and output and you may catch something before it gets that far.

Of course you know that one wrong move with the cat it's probably going to be over for your chinchilla. Cats are much tougher than chins.

-Cage (no useable information) Should be all metal with no plastic parts. All chinchilla cages should have solid pine shelving installed. If you need to modify your cage I can help you there with ideas.

-Snak shak (looked it up) I don't recommend this. It has honey in it and sugars are not good for chinchillas. Recommend wood huts made of solid wood.

-Chinnie Bedding (no indication of what kind). I'm assuming you're not using fleece lining. Do not use paper bedding or cedar chips both are dangerous and paper bedding is known to cause skin problems and bowel obstructions. Use kiln-dried white pine. For one chinchilla you should only have to change the bedding once a week to 10 days. Or unless you think it's starting to smell which it shouldn't until closer to 7-10 days.

-Diet (no indication of what kind). Please be more specific on this. There are many brands. The most expensive isn't necessarily the best. Chins should be put on plain alfalfa pellets. Mixtures are not good. Foods with fruits, nuts, or seeds are detrimental to them. You'd be amazed that good diets can be right next to horrendous diets known to kill pets on the same shelf.

-Hay manger (no indication). If it's one of those wire hay balls stop using it. Most designs of these are not safe.

-Dandelion drops. I recommend not feeding these. They have extra vitamins in them and they are sugary. Not really a good combination.

-Raisins. There's some controversy on these because they can harbor toxic mold that is known to kill them instantly although it very rare. I would recommend rose hips, and only one small one a day for an healthy adult chinchilla that is not stressed. Honestly I don't see a need for giving chinchillas treats as food. When you learn to interact with them you'll find they like to be scratched and they'll groom your hair and face. Your chin will eventually get used to being handled. If you need treats as a training aid to tame a difficult animal that is one thing but there is much less risk if you simply keep them on a regular diet of loose hay and quality alfalfa-based pellets. They simply do not need anything besides that to live very long lives.

I know I sound like I'm minimalist and boring but when it comes to chinchilla digestion you don't want things to get interesting. The safest alternatives are non-food treats and giving them personal interaction. You'd be surprised how they might interact with chew toys if you hold them in your hands.

Of course if you have any more questions or comments ask away. We have a good community here.

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