Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Health => Topic started by: CloAndTheChins on October 05, 2016, 01:52:27 PM
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Hi everyone
My chin has been losing fur on her back for a few weeks now. She doesn't lose much - just a few clumps stick up from her back, abit like fur slip but not as severe (I really don't think it's fur slip as she is totally comfortable with being handled). It's almost as though she's catching it on her cage somewhere and it's being pulled out. Again I don't think that's the case. I haven't been pulling the loose fur out as it doesn't seem to be bothering her and I don't want to hurt her. There isn't any bald patches where the fur loss is happening. When I blow on her fur in the effected area, it's difficult to see her actual skin as he fur is so dense, but I have noticed a few dandruff type flakes. She is fine in herself and isn't biting the area. I also give her a dust bath every couple of days.
Has anyone come across anything like this before?
Thank you
Chloe
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I've attached some pictures.
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It looks like normal shedding to me. My chinchilla does that sometimes. You can grab the clumps and tug them out. Don't be afraid to pull hard. Your chin won't care and you'll see that is the case as you do it.
I would be concerned if there is a bald spot where fur is not coming back. In the case it's probably fungus you'd likely find the skin to appear scaly, or red and irritated. In that case home remedies usually work and you can take it to the vet if it gets bad.
It's hard to see on the pictures but if the fur looks like it's damaged and the dark undercoat is exposed so that it looks like she has mowed the fur down over the back as opposed to it just coming out in small clumps, that might be need to be checked out by a vet. That would be fur chewing. In most cases its harmless but sometimes it can be a symptom of a number of potentially serious health problems that you'll want to have ruled out.
Check the cage at the corners and joints between panels. If they are loose and cause pinch points you may need to add some fasteners to your cage to stabilize it. That would be a very unusual cause though. If I'm going to guess she is shedding and growing in a dense winter coat. Of course if in doubt see a qualified veterinarian.
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Thanks for your reply. I did wonder whether it might be shedding, but it's been going on for a couple of months now - how long does the shedding process usually take? Also, she's 14 years old and in that time I have never noticed her shedding, so would it be normal for it to become noticeable now? Thanks again for you help!
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Looks like normal shedding but it also can be fur slips if the chins are living together. Pull out a tuff of fur and take a pick of it