Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Q & A => Topic started by: totolover on September 22, 2006, 07:35:05 PM
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What is the best way to groom a chin? Toto has tufts of fur on his back that are kind off matted and i don't know why. Please respond. ::silly::
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::silly::
....Toto has tufts of fur on his back that are kind off matted and i don't know why. ... ::silly::
The tufts/spikes of fur appear when a chin is going into or out of prime (shedding) and are not being dusted and/or groomed properly. They are matted because it is way past the point of proper grooming and dusting.
There are videos on proper grooming on several sites. One is at: http://www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=CW15
... I am sure there are others ... Any one know of other sites offering the training video?
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is the Slicked Brush good for chinchillas?
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Its best to use a chinchilla comb because the hair is so thick. Chinchilla combs are made especially for their special fur. They have sharp points on each of the comb teeth to help get through the fur. Cat and dog combs are the closest thing but I think they would just pull out the fur (dead and live fur) rather than doing what you want them to do. If you don't want to spend the money for chinchilla combs (they do cost $25 or more a comb) try to get one that will only work on the surface. That way you can't do much damage. Sometimes one of those tint rollers made of masking tape will remove the hair. A finger nail file (emery board) rubbed back and forth through your chinchilla's hair will remove a lot of loose fur.
I have a few girls out there right now that look pretty terrible with fur sticking out all over the place!! Since my girls are pregnant I can't get them out to groom them. If there are just a few tufts here and there and I try to pull them out as best I can. But don't feel bad if you can't get them all. Eventually your chinchilla will get thought this prime and all of the old tufts will fall out and it will look fine again. :)
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Try the metal greyhound combs. A lot of people will use them to rough groom their chins, before using the actual chin combs.
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It must be the time of the year. Buddy had a few little spots sticking up on his back last night also.
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Where can I get a chinchilla comb without spending too much?
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::silly::$25 to $35 each is the cheapest ones I've seen.
If you find any priced more reasonably ... let us know where ... we'll make a run on the place! :D
::wave::
Jo Ann
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But where can I buy the combs? The petstores near here do not have them. ::silly::
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www.chinworld.com has 1. I have found a few other site with them but I can't remember where.
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Pam, @ Canadian Exotic Pets (http://www.canadianexoticpets.com)
Sells a couple of good combs at very good prices.
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stacy, have you ever tried the slicker brush? ::silly::
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All I have ever used is a rabbit comb. It helps but I am sure one meant for chins would work better.
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Can you get a rabbit comb in any pet store? ::silly::
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I got mine from Pet Smart. It kinda looks more like a brush than a comb.
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::silly::We had a seminar at the Circle M Ranch (Lee Musslewhite), sponsored by the Chinchilla Club on grooming. The slicker brush was one thing we were told would damage the fur on a chin. There's an article in one of the issues of the Chinchilla Club Magazine. Karen Hill of Alyssum Acres was kind enough to go through the various steps demonstrating the proper way of grooming a chinchilla.
::wave::
Jo Ann
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The one I have been using is on the No side. I have tried the lent roller but they hate that. I will have to get a real chinchilla comb.
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::silly:: The larger-tooth pet combs are a good starter. The ones that are very fine and close together are not. There is one on each side of the yes-no pictures. (The ones with the large handles.) Those two were made for cats/dogs. One is acceptable, one is not. It's best to have your chinchilla grooming combs if you can get them. They are made for the chin fur and made not to damage it.
Have you used a rubber hose on the chins? ::Hairraising:: No, no, not to beat them ... to run quickly, but gently back and forth across the fur ... it creates static electricity and will lift loose fur from the chin's coat. It's a little black rubber hose about 1/4 inch in diameter and about 12" long (or slightly larger). It is used near the end of the grooming session, after it, comes the roller brush ... again moving lightly over the fur.
Some breeders will even use what looks like a small metal coat hanger bent to look like a tennis racket (without the woven center) to move over the fur quickly to make it a "magnet" for loose fur. (You use the looped part on the fur, not the handle. I had a lady tell me she couldn't understand why the 'loop' was so big, she had small hands. :o Yep, she was holding the loop and using the part that was the handle to rub over her chin! :doh: )
If you are 'tender-headed', then you know how gentle to be with a chin when grooming, if you are not, you will find out when he nips you. ::)
::wave::
Jo Ann
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I will have to try that. I know the hair seems to stick to everything in the house. I have there dust bath houses sitting beside the cages and everytime I move them there are hair balls flying.
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Maggie throws fur a lot when we handle her, and its one reason we do so as little as possible. Could it be she needs to be groomed?
I wouldn't know where to start. I'm sort of afraid to try. I don't want to hurt her as I highly doubt she would sit till for any amount of time to comb her.
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HI Tina,
It sounds like Maggie is nervous when you hold her. Nervous chinchillas will shed like crazy!! Once they get comfortable being held they don't do that anymore.
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I don't have a chin comb, but I do use the greyhound combs and they work pretty well. My chins are just pets though. I'm a dog groomer so I have all kinds of fun tools and the Furminator that really expensive thing works really well too, there is a cheaper form of it for around $10 at WalMart you could try. :)
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this might sound wierd but, ::) for chins you could use a horse shedding brick, it looks like foam but it's hard and rough,it picks up hairs when they are shedding, they don't cost much either, and yes, it's totally safe for your chins. it works really well.i know it sounds funny :2funny:but it really works, i go riding all the time and we used those on the horses and they worked really well so i bought a new one and used it on my chin, he really enjoyed it!
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is the Slicked Brush good for chinchillas?
shuld be
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I can't say about the job that the slicker brush does, but my chins hated it. They will at least sit still and be calm for the regular combs, but the slicker brush really made them mad, to the point of barking and peeing (they made their point as we only tried that brush once).
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I ordered a comb from Chin World and they hate it! :flames: It did cut back on the hair every where in the house and they look a lot better. I don't think it was really the comb they had a problem with. It was having to sit still that long. The comb has sharp points and I was scared I was going to poke them so it took me a while to get threw.
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Hi,
I got the tender brush that is used on rabbits. What I do to groom my boys:
1) Get a towel and fold it up and let your chin get comfortable on your lap
2) and just brush for the tail to the head. My boys make noise which scard me at first but it's not hurting them. Just apply even and soft strokes and you will have a beautiful happy chinch!
Good luck,
Pudge :)