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General Chat / Re: They Get Big Fast!
« on: March 14, 2009, 08:20:31 AM »
Thanks for the pics! I love the one of Yoda sitting on the shelf! They both look very happy and healthy.
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General Chat / Re: I'm giving a chin presentation and I need some help
« on: February 22, 2009, 03:56:45 PM »
To relate back to pharmacology, you might talk about how chinchillas are affected by different medication types and how the symptoms shoudl ebtreated; for instance, what antibiotics can do to their digestive system, and how to prevent problems, or how anesthesia can be dangerous to them because it reduces their ability to regulate their body temperature. Only certain gaseous anesthesias are recommended for use on chinchillas: isoflourane and ceboflourane (excuse the poor spelling) are the safest. There is also research being conducted on how vitamin C and various other vitamins and trace minerals can be used in the prevention and treatment of various problems, like heart murmurs.
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General Chat / Re: The new Chin Cagney
« on: February 21, 2009, 11:32:22 AM »
I think chinchillas, like human kids, take a lto of their behavioral cues from their parents. I find that my most vocal kits have very responsive, vocal parents. I have females that chirp to thier babies constantly, and the babies always grow up to be very vocal adults, and vocal parents. I also have one female who almost never makes noise with her babies and tends to be less responsive to them, and they, in turn, are very quiet babies, and only make noise when they are mad or scared.
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General Chat / Re: destined to be seperate?
« on: February 21, 2009, 11:26:08 AM »
Actually, I found the smoosh method to be very effective. I had a trio of females I was trying to put together. I tried all of the other conventional introduction methods; adjacent cages, shared dust, neutral playtime...nothing worked. I finally followed the smoosh method, as it's described by Kindra Mammone. They got smooshed together in a tiny cage for twenty minutes. While they were doing this I completely cleaned out a large cage, so there was nothing for them to get territorial about. I also added a LOT of hiding places and multiple dust baths in the cage. After the smoosh time they went right into the cage. I left them be without removing the dust or the hiding places for two days. They have been together for several months now and get along great. They all sleep together and eat from the same bowl. I do not usually smoosh my chins, as it is a pretty stressful way of introduction, but it seems to work in the most difficult intros.
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Health / Re: loose stool/diarrhea
« on: February 20, 2009, 07:34:59 AM »
Plain spoon-size shredded wheat might help as well. Diahrrea can be caused by stress, sudden change in diet, or more seriously, Giardia. If the diahrrea continues for more than a couple of days, or she stops eating, drinking, or pooping, you need to take her to a vet.
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Health / Re: Worried chinie owner
« on: February 19, 2009, 08:33:56 AM »
Seizures can have a number of causes, including a lack of calcium, overheating, head injury...the list goes on. The first thing I would do is check his teeth to make sure they are the proper color. They should be a deep orange-yellow color, if they are whitish in color then he is not getting enough calcium. Try giving him a Tums with calcium tablet once a week to boost his calcium levels. Also, try to remember, when he seized before were his ears red, which would indicate he was overheated? Sometimes a chinchilla will play too hard and get themselves overheated to the point of exhaustion and sometimes seizures. Other causes would need to be determined by the vet. That's all I can offer. Maybe someone else knows of other possibilities.
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Health / Re: Kiwi has diarhea, loss of appetite and has lost weight!
« on: February 19, 2009, 08:27:53 AM »
With diahrrea and loss of weight, it may be Giardia, or some other parasite. You need to take him to a vet.
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Q & A / Re: Bath or no bath?
« on: February 12, 2009, 08:10:28 AM »
I am assuming you mean a bath with water. If this is the case, the answer is most definitely no. Chinchillas come from a very dry environment, and should not be immersed in water except in some emergency situations. They can easily get ear or respiratory infections if they get wet. Your chinchilla should only require a regular dust bath to keep clean.
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Q & A / Re: Wanting a dust bath?
« on: February 08, 2009, 03:06:51 PM »
Regarding the digging in his chips, he may just be doing that to clear the chips and get a space of clear flooring. Some chins just like to do that...not sure why. Eating his chips is fine, since it's wood. As far as wiping his mouth, are his chin or his paws wet? Drooling can be a sign of dental problems, and he would need to be seen by a vet.
As far as the sleeping, he is probably just waking when you are around to spend time with you. Chinchillas are very social creatures, and need regular interaction. It sounds like your guy is very fond of you!
As far as the sleeping, he is probably just waking when you are around to spend time with you. Chinchillas are very social creatures, and need regular interaction. It sounds like your guy is very fond of you!
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Health / Re: Pogo's tooth
« on: February 02, 2009, 05:31:20 PM »
Tooth problems can be a big problem if not dealt with properly. You shoudl probably go ahead and take him to the vet just to be checked. If she feels his teeth are too long she has a few options available to help him, including clipping his teeth, or filing them. The big thing is checking all of his teeth to make sure none of the others are overgrown. He might be having problems with the back ones, where you can't see it, and that might cause him a lot of trouble eating. If it were me, I would take him to the vet to be sure. Better safe than sorry!
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General Breeder Chat / Re: Please help me figure out this kit's color...
« on: February 01, 2009, 12:21:58 PM »
Yes, I try to breed dark bellies to dark bellies, and white bellies to white bellies. That's why this tan is paired with the ebony. The female is a beautiful girl from Ritterspach, and the male is very handsome, so their kits should be good-looking as adults, too. Of course, all kits are adorable 
But I am eager to see how they mature.
But I am eager to see how they mature.
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Health / Re: ruptured cyst
« on: January 30, 2009, 05:01:57 PM »
Honey, it sounds like maybe you need to take some time off and get yourself taken care of. Sleeping 15 hrs a day is not normal or healthy. You can take off one semester without losing your status as a full-time student (which is what would affect your insurance), most schools will allow you to take only one or two credits for a semester, especially if there is a health problem involved. Trust me, as someone who's been there, you are MUCH better to take a little time off than to try to struggle through and have your grades suffer. You should go and talk with your advisor about this and see what can be done.
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General Breeder Chat / Re: Please help me figure out this kit's color...
« on: January 28, 2009, 07:04:51 PM »
Well, that clears things up LOL I guess I'll just have to wait and see how her color develops as she gets older.
She definitely has paw stripes though, so I know she has TOV in there somewhere, I'll just have to wait to figure out the rest. Ebony is a tough color to work with!
She definitely has paw stripes though, so I know she has TOV in there somewhere, I'll just have to wait to figure out the rest. Ebony is a tough color to work with!
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General Breeder Chat / Re: Please help me figure out this kit's color...
« on: January 26, 2009, 07:07:12 PM »
Ok, I think I added to photo to the public album. This was the best pocture I could get. Not great, but the kit was getting antsy and I didn't want to keep her away from mom for too long. Thanks for your help guys!