Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Health => Topic started by: Silverflash22 on October 18, 2014, 02:37:59 PM
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My chin (Titan) is a little over a year old and his fur is matting. I know they sometimes have a hard time shedding their fur but in two minutes I have a clump of fur this size (see attached picture). Also hes matting by the hind legs on either side what signs should i be looking for if its from him being sick or a teething problem? And finally is this an ok comb to use for him (he kinda whimpers when i lightly go through his fur with it) (see attached picture to see comb) I just hope the little buddy is ok :'(
Oh and there have not been any changes in diet
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eSCzZpz_6z3fAYsgLDW5VipThfmY5SjndzUU--C8juoae4EajCp5y1OIXW_JcY8BMfar5e_iuGeZAnlr43_2wDWFpWs=w1342-h581)
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How often are you dusting and what kind of dust bath do you use?
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How often are you dusting and what kind of dust bath do you use?
2-3 times a week and we buy our chin dust from the privately owned pet store we got the chins from
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If you notice the fur is damp or suspect drooling, dampness under the chin, matting under the eyes, it is time to see a vet.
Usually tooth problems will coincide with weight loss, reduced fecal output, and in some cases, anorexia (if you don't catch the other symptoms first).
If it's Blue Cloud dust I doubt it is a problem with the dust. Some types can be badly substandard.
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If you notice the fur is damp or suspect drooling, dampness under the chin, matting under the eyes, it is time to see a vet.
Usually tooth problems will coincide with weight loss, reduced fecal output, and in some cases, anorexia (if you don't catch the other symptoms first).
If it's Blue Cloud dust I doubt it is a problem with the dust. Some types can be badly substandard.
Awesome! thanks for the help ill keep an eye out for those symptoms. Also they bag it there and its a white sparkly poweder....ill keep an eye out for blue cloud dust
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One other thing, Should I be combing it and if I do is the comb in the picture ok to use. If not what one do you reccommend.
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It looks like a suitable comb but I don't know. I don't comb my chin but his hair never gets matted unless it gets wet. It gets greasy sometimes but the dust bath takes care of that. There are some times a year when he will shed and his fur looks kind of raggedy.
There is another possibility and that is your pet is leaning against the water spigot and dispensing water onto its sides. Usually drooling chinchillas mat on the middle of the back and chest and usually there are other symptoms.
Here is an example of a comb used for showing chinchillas: http://sunsetchinchillas.com/Combs.shtml
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I can't see the pic. Flea combs are suggested for people that don't want the rather sharp and expensive show combs. Otherwise I've been told a #3 is the most useful to have again for non show folks. One of the difficulties with chins is that if you pull a clump of fur uncomfortably they will eventually slip it and you'll end up with all the healthy fur as well as the tangle.
The fur should not be clumping though. Some people have had chins do weird things to their coats. Urine will clump the fur. I have one who will pee off the edge of the wheel and then go back to running with the pee on the edge getting on her outside hip. She has one of these now http://www.exoticnutrition.com/trwhla14in.html . I've heard of some rubbing the fur odd doing backflips over objects or laying under a side mount wheel and turning it. I do have an extra fluffier and longer coated one that takes some more care. Mostly just more frequent dust baths and I will sometimes manually rub some dust in to her fur. A good dust should do it. Even when Aisu shed her coat in large quantities it didn't clump or tangle. Enough blue cloud dust bathes and she just fluffed all over her fleece for a week.