2566
Q & A / Re: Chinchilla keeps biting me..
« on: April 27, 2012, 06:14:22 PM »
Are you saying the chinchilla got out of its cage whether or not she was locked in?
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2567
Guestbook / Re: I need advice
« on: April 27, 2012, 06:50:13 AM »
That is a tragic loss. If it were me I probably would get another pet right away. It would help me cope with the loss by looking ahead instead of backwards. But that is my personality. I certainly would want to make sure the next one has a good vet exam before I would buy which I probably wouldn't normally do.
2568
Q & A / Re: Introducing baby to dust baths
« on: April 27, 2012, 06:37:44 AM »
Thank you for that correction. It seems to be the prevailing theory right now. It is good to bust useless myths. EDIT: But only if they are useless.
2569
General Chat / Re: health effects from chinchilla dust?
« on: April 26, 2012, 07:49:38 PM »
That is a very interesting question.I have seen many accounts of people being sensitive to chinchilla dust. The industry standard seems to be Blue Cloud chinchilla dust. It comes from a pumice mine in California. When working with dust the biggest potential problem is exposure to silicates which stays in the lungs and causes a chain reaction that can result in COPD.
On the internet some claim Blue Cloud has no silicates in it, which is strange, since others describe it as being aluminum silicate powder. Some say there are no "free silicates". Not sure what that's supposed to mean. These claims all sound like malarchy to me. Pure aluminum silicate powder has an interesting MSDS and appears to be very harmful to breathe. I would be interested in seeing what the label actually says on the product.
As far as being a lung irritant that is certainly possible to both humans and chins when they are sick. If you have asthma or COPD It's best to avoid or minimize exposure. It would be the same for anyone living near a volcano. If volcanic ash was that bad it seems the dust from it years later would cause a worldwide epidemic of silicosis. Exposure to concentrated smoke is another story. PAH's in the smoke can wreak havoc with endothelial cells' DNA with each exposure.
Considering it's been 200 years and there is no known trend of silicosis in the chinchilla industry I don't think it's the dust you should be worried about.
On the internet some claim Blue Cloud has no silicates in it, which is strange, since others describe it as being aluminum silicate powder. Some say there are no "free silicates". Not sure what that's supposed to mean. These claims all sound like malarchy to me. Pure aluminum silicate powder has an interesting MSDS and appears to be very harmful to breathe. I would be interested in seeing what the label actually says on the product.
As far as being a lung irritant that is certainly possible to both humans and chins when they are sick. If you have asthma or COPD It's best to avoid or minimize exposure. It would be the same for anyone living near a volcano. If volcanic ash was that bad it seems the dust from it years later would cause a worldwide epidemic of silicosis. Exposure to concentrated smoke is another story. PAH's in the smoke can wreak havoc with endothelial cells' DNA with each exposure.
Considering it's been 200 years and there is no known trend of silicosis in the chinchilla industry I don't think it's the dust you should be worried about.
2570
Health / Re: Buddy's not himself
« on: April 26, 2012, 04:09:00 PM »
It does appear that you will need to give him water by syringe. I'm not capable of giving you specifics as to how much and how often. I am hoping someone who knows will comment. I recommend you call your vet, get that info and start doing that tonight if possible. Make sure the syringe is aimed to the side and not the back of the throat at all times. It doesn't take much in the lungs to cause serious problems.
2571
Health / Re: Buddy's not himself
« on: April 26, 2012, 05:52:04 AM »
Thank you for the new info jm. I was basing my calculation on the theory that chins eat about 2 tbsp pellets per day. Of course that still leaves out hay. I am glad this chin is eating something more than 4cc every two hours as this would certainly not be enough to maintain its weight.
Would you care to quantify about how much water it should be drinking in a day to give Annie a guide? I am afraid if the problem is a tooth spur there could be a lot of pain involved still and as chewing starts back up it can cause more inflammation and pain and start the cycle over. Would you recommend what to do for that?
AnnieHank - I think you are doing an excellent job. Your chin will probably get even more upset each time it is restrained. I've cared for many other kinds of animals (not chins though). Some don't care and other act like they are being killed but they get over it. It could get worse before it gets better.
Some chins will eat from a syrninge through the bars. Do you think this one will? Try giving some pedialyte (see how much chin will lick up) and certainly raisins through the bars. Raisins will help with constipation. It is recommended to give no more than two a day (one in morning one in evening) under normal circumstances.
Would you care to quantify about how much water it should be drinking in a day to give Annie a guide? I am afraid if the problem is a tooth spur there could be a lot of pain involved still and as chewing starts back up it can cause more inflammation and pain and start the cycle over. Would you recommend what to do for that?
AnnieHank - I think you are doing an excellent job. Your chin will probably get even more upset each time it is restrained. I've cared for many other kinds of animals (not chins though). Some don't care and other act like they are being killed but they get over it. It could get worse before it gets better.
Some chins will eat from a syrninge through the bars. Do you think this one will? Try giving some pedialyte (see how much chin will lick up) and certainly raisins through the bars. Raisins will help with constipation. It is recommended to give no more than two a day (one in morning one in evening) under normal circumstances.
2573
Q & A / Re: Introducing baby to dust baths
« on: April 25, 2012, 02:15:21 PM »
I've never heard that it could interfere with nursing. However it can cause a problem to the mother if she is not healed up/ closed up from the birth as it can get inside and cause an infection. It should be at least 10 days and only if there is no sign of eye irritation or health issues in either chin prior to dusting. Baby and mother should be given access to the bath at the same time.
2574
Health / Re: Buddy's not himself
« on: April 24, 2012, 03:39:14 PM »
I am very glad to hear everything is starting up again. I'm sure that is a relief!
I would try to offer solid food by hand and see what he does. I recommend you keep an eye out for tooth problems still. Make sure he doesn't crumble the pellets and that he is still chewing regularly on toys. Weighing the food dish is an interesting idea. It will work as long as he doesn't shovel it out of the dish like some pets do. Make sure he is drinking too. Backing off of water can result in constipation that will make matters worse. The darker "poohs" probably resulted from sitting in the guts for too long and are likely drier, smaller and harder than normal as well. If you don't see an improvement by the end of the day tomorrow you may need to take additional steps to manage that.
I would try to offer solid food by hand and see what he does. I recommend you keep an eye out for tooth problems still. Make sure he doesn't crumble the pellets and that he is still chewing regularly on toys. Weighing the food dish is an interesting idea. It will work as long as he doesn't shovel it out of the dish like some pets do. Make sure he is drinking too. Backing off of water can result in constipation that will make matters worse. The darker "poohs" probably resulted from sitting in the guts for too long and are likely drier, smaller and harder than normal as well. If you don't see an improvement by the end of the day tomorrow you may need to take additional steps to manage that.
2575
Health / Re: Buddy's not himself
« on: April 24, 2012, 12:36:54 PM »
One thing that can be done to help the guts is to massage the abdomen on either side (very gently) after each feeding. Feeding small amounts (2ml seems reasonable to me since they they take in a normal food volume of 1.2ml/hr I think) in short intervals (every 2 or so hours) will also help. Chinchillas have significantly longer intestinal tracts than other rodents for their size so it takes food a while to transit through the bowels. Don't quote me on this but I think it is 15 hours. Giving yogurt is probably a good idea, offering a teaspoon of sugar-free yogurt a couple times a day may help straighten out the gut flora.
Unfortunately this kind of situation is not always reversible. If you see any marked distension of the abdomen later on you should call the vet. When the system has shut down this severely it could take a couple of days. If all goes well and there aren't any other problems causing anorexia (such as tooth problems) I'd expect to see some improvement by mid day tomorrow.
I am no expert so maybe someone who knows more can expound on this or provide some corrections.
Unfortunately this kind of situation is not always reversible. If you see any marked distension of the abdomen later on you should call the vet. When the system has shut down this severely it could take a couple of days. If all goes well and there aren't any other problems causing anorexia (such as tooth problems) I'd expect to see some improvement by mid day tomorrow.
I am no expert so maybe someone who knows more can expound on this or provide some corrections.
2576
Q & A / Re: Strange odor comming from younest chin's water bottle.
« on: April 12, 2012, 02:31:32 PM »
We give our pet parrot filtered water using a filter that attaches to the sink faucet. It may not be the best but it makes the water taste better and is way less expensive than bottled water in the long run.
2577
Q & A / Re: New baby help
« on: April 12, 2012, 02:28:42 PM »
If your chin is not eating or drinking you have a serious problem on your hands. You may need to hand feed and water your chin if this is the case or it will die. I recommend you talk to the breeder about this ASAP.
2578
Q & A / Re: Dust substitute in a pinch?
« on: April 12, 2012, 02:24:40 PM »
There is nothing that can substitute for volcanic ash. Although sand is sometimes marketed as a chinchilla bath it is not effective. A chin can go several days without needing a bath. Please do not use flour or anything that can be a medium for fungus or mold to grow on. This can be very unhealthy.
2579
Health / Re: Broken Whiskers
« on: April 12, 2012, 02:13:21 PM »
It sounds like you will need to separate these two. They may be incompatible. One is too dominant. The mounting could be a pre-cursor to a fight. Sometimes the dominant one may prevent the other access to food. At least that is according to some of things I have read.
2580
Q & A / Re: Newbie Questions please answer :)
« on: April 05, 2012, 03:30:31 PM »
Approximate (based on on-line searches) prices in US dollars
13oz blue cloud dust 5.00 - high quality dust
Chinchilla diet (pellets) 20.00 - 25lb decent quality (chins eat about 2 tablespoons of pellets per day)
smaller bags are around 7.00
Small hay bale 5.00 - Should not be kept for more than 3 months before buying fresh hay. Chins can do without pellets but must have access to hay to prevent tooth problems. Timothy hay is commonly fed. Alfalfa may be used.
Antifungus powder - optional - 4.00
Akicorn bedding - unable to find info
Sweet pdz - bedding used for horses but can be used for chins, 40lb bag $20.00 can or be bought in smaller quantities from online stores such as tjschinchillasupplies.com also a nice place to do research on pricing.
Toys - cheapest to make them yourself. Chin must have constant access to solid wood to chew to prevent tooth problems
Treats - raisins, dried fruit, no nuts, - very small quanities. No more than 2 raisins a day per chin.
13oz blue cloud dust 5.00 - high quality dust
Chinchilla diet (pellets) 20.00 - 25lb decent quality (chins eat about 2 tablespoons of pellets per day)
smaller bags are around 7.00
Small hay bale 5.00 - Should not be kept for more than 3 months before buying fresh hay. Chins can do without pellets but must have access to hay to prevent tooth problems. Timothy hay is commonly fed. Alfalfa may be used.
Antifungus powder - optional - 4.00
Akicorn bedding - unable to find info
Sweet pdz - bedding used for horses but can be used for chins, 40lb bag $20.00 can or be bought in smaller quantities from online stores such as tjschinchillasupplies.com also a nice place to do research on pricing.
Toys - cheapest to make them yourself. Chin must have constant access to solid wood to chew to prevent tooth problems
Treats - raisins, dried fruit, no nuts, - very small quanities. No more than 2 raisins a day per chin.