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Health / Bald patch/scabs
« on: June 21, 2012, 04:41:02 PM »
Hi there everyone, i have a minor concern that i just wanted to get some opinions on.
I have had Chewbacca (male chinchilla) for 5 months now and he has been slowly and steadily getting more tame week by week, over the last 2 weeks he has increasingly let me put my whole hand in his cage and give him lots of fuss. Whilst doing this i noticed a few 'bumps' on the base of one of his ears (top of head area) and so got my brother to hold him for me to get a closer look. On inspection i noted that the bumps were what looks like dry skin, or a scab that has dried but not fully come off. i put Chewy back in his cage as he is not a fan of being held and sat and stroked him for a while and then tried to work the scab away from his fur, it came of very easily and he seemed to be encouraging me to go for the area the scab was in as i assume the tightness of something like that would cause discomfort and he liked the relief. I assumed he had over-groomed at some point causing the scab to form or it was a healed old injury.
I thought that it was sorted but then a few days ago i noticed slightly further down his head there were several more rough patches, so i got him out again and looked through his fur and sure enough there are a couple more of these scabs, they are all the same as the first, just what appear to be healed scabs, they look like dry skin and again he lets me touch them and shows no discomfort. The skin around the area is completely normal, no inflammation or discolouration and he seems a happy and healthy little chap. The only area that seems different s the base of his ear where the first scab is which has a tiny bald patch no bigger than 2mmx2mm.
He is having normal behaviour, normal poop, normal urination and is eating and drinking well, he is also very active.
I was wondering if these are a symptom anyone recognises of anything serious or just a case of over scratching an area. I feel there is also a possibility that it is due to rubbing his head on his cage, as he often sleeps on his side with his head up against his cage bars.
I want to say that i am fully prepared to go to the vet for this even if just for a check up as i care greatly for my Lil man. But after ludicrous amounts of research i haven't yet gotten the indication of it being anything serious.
I will attach some pictures of the area so you guys can take a look. Thank you in advance for any help/advice you can give!
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/7163/image1oka.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9008/image1rz.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/1340/image2iv.jpg
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8567/image2cg.jpg
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8817/image3hjk.jpg
http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/9637/image3jve.jpg
I have had Chewbacca (male chinchilla) for 5 months now and he has been slowly and steadily getting more tame week by week, over the last 2 weeks he has increasingly let me put my whole hand in his cage and give him lots of fuss. Whilst doing this i noticed a few 'bumps' on the base of one of his ears (top of head area) and so got my brother to hold him for me to get a closer look. On inspection i noted that the bumps were what looks like dry skin, or a scab that has dried but not fully come off. i put Chewy back in his cage as he is not a fan of being held and sat and stroked him for a while and then tried to work the scab away from his fur, it came of very easily and he seemed to be encouraging me to go for the area the scab was in as i assume the tightness of something like that would cause discomfort and he liked the relief. I assumed he had over-groomed at some point causing the scab to form or it was a healed old injury.
I thought that it was sorted but then a few days ago i noticed slightly further down his head there were several more rough patches, so i got him out again and looked through his fur and sure enough there are a couple more of these scabs, they are all the same as the first, just what appear to be healed scabs, they look like dry skin and again he lets me touch them and shows no discomfort. The skin around the area is completely normal, no inflammation or discolouration and he seems a happy and healthy little chap. The only area that seems different s the base of his ear where the first scab is which has a tiny bald patch no bigger than 2mmx2mm.
He is having normal behaviour, normal poop, normal urination and is eating and drinking well, he is also very active.
I was wondering if these are a symptom anyone recognises of anything serious or just a case of over scratching an area. I feel there is also a possibility that it is due to rubbing his head on his cage, as he often sleeps on his side with his head up against his cage bars.
I want to say that i am fully prepared to go to the vet for this even if just for a check up as i care greatly for my Lil man. But after ludicrous amounts of research i haven't yet gotten the indication of it being anything serious.
I will attach some pictures of the area so you guys can take a look. Thank you in advance for any help/advice you can give!
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/7163/image1oka.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9008/image1rz.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/1340/image2iv.jpg
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8567/image2cg.jpg
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8817/image3hjk.jpg
http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/9637/image3jve.jpg