The following tips derive from the webmaster’s experience and the experience of other chin owners—they are NOT a substitute for the expert diagnosis and treatment of an exotics specialist vet. to notify of additions/corrections.
The Essentials
The following must be available at all times, chinchillas will not over-consume them:
- pellets and filtered water
- a high-fiber and low-protein hay comes loose or in cubes
- at least 2 types of chews (the more the better) of varying hardness, to keep teeth filed down
A recent study (pdf) of the wild chinchilla diet confirmed that chinchillas REQUIRE a HIGH-FIBER diet:
“Overall, fibers made up most (greater than 66%) of the diet in both years and in all seasons. These fibrous items are extremely difficult to identify and may correspond to highly lignified plant parts such as bark and woody stems of shrubs and of the succulent agave-like bromeliad Puya berteroniana.
Herbs and shrubs followed in importance in the chinchilla diet. Identified succulents made up only a small fraction of the chinchilla diet, and were eaten in a non-predictable way throughout the two years. The same was true for seeds, the least represented food category in the diet.”
High-fiber hay substitutes for the fibrous items that the chin would have had available in the wild- bark, shrubs, etc.- these are not only vital to maintaining digestive health, their consistency helps to keep the chinchilla’s teeth filed down.
Feeding Treats
As stated in the excerpt above, for optimal health and longevity, a chinchilla must be fed primarily on high-fiber items. While it is fun to give the little beggars some treats, or even to use treats to become acquainted with or to train your chinchilla, they must be offered sparingly, since the chinchilla’s digestive system is NOT able to process excesses:
Liver damage will result from fatty treats (nuts and seeds) fed consistently over time
a seizure can result from frequent and excessive treats containing sugar (raisins, other dried fruits) bloat can kill! Except for a little fresh carrot, NEVER feed a chin fresh produce, especially peas, cabbage, corn, lettuce, broccoli and spinach.
While some low-fat items (pumpkin seeds, dried without oils or salt) and dried fruits (raisins) are ok in minimal quantity (1 a day), they should be given with enough frequency (2-3 times a week) so as not to disrupt the digestive system- chins need REGULARITY in their diet. When changing pellets or introducing anything new, even a different hay, do so gradually, mixing some of the previous feed in too, this will help their system become accustomed to the new item.
Feeding a variety of hays- hay must be matured and not exposed to any damp- can be a way of “treating” your chin to a more interesting diet. Other suppliers of hay cubes and loose hay are on Supplier Resources. At ChinCare the only treats we give our chins besides a variety of hays, some supplemental pellets (Animax and Total Enhancer) and grains mix, is unsweetened mini shredded wheat or chewable vitamin C tablets.
Why Filtered Water Is Best
The prioritizations on a fur farm (cost and convenience to the pelter) may have led to this statement on the MCBA website, “DO NOT USE distilled water on your animals. The nutrients which have been removed are important in maintaining a healthy animal” however, the truth is, giving ordinary tap water to your pet chinchilla involves serious health risks that are not justifiable:
Tap water is definitely NOT enriched with “nutrients.” If trace minerals are meant by this vague reference, that does have relevance, “the mineral content of water reflects the nature of the geologic formation with which the water has been in contact. The most abundant minerals dissolved in water are salts of calcium, magnesium, strontium, ferrous iron, and manganese.” – MadSci Network
But any minerals found in ordinary tap water may also come with:
- chlorination
- fluoridation
- routine presence of contaminants such as arsenic, lead, pesticides
- outbreaks of E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia
Any impurities in tap water will have a magnified effect on a chinchilla as compared with a human. Bottled water does not necessarily guarantee safety and purity any better than tap water, but FILTERED WATER does!
Yes, some filters do remove the tap water’s minerals in the filtration process, but Chinchilla pellets already contain minerals for chins and if you choose to supplement your chin’s diet with additional minerals, you can do so without jeopardizing their health! Chinchilla suppliers offer clean, safe mineral resources: Mineral Fruit Stone, Total Enhancer Pellets, Animax Pellets, Mineral Lick with Calcium, Bone Builder Blocks, Vitamin & Mineral Powder With Calcium. For human mineral supplements, see your local health food store.
Signs Of Health Problems
- Not eating/drinking
- Foam or drool around mouth indication of intestinal or tooth problems
- Wet nose/hair thinned on the nose (from pawing), wheezing, sneezing signs of a cold
- Limp, lethargy check for diabetes or hypoglycemia
- Mushy droppings/diarrhea that is extremely pungent and nasty smelling intestinal parasites
- Mushy droppings/diarrhea without the strong odor upset gut caused by stress or an abrupt change in/new pellets, treats, or hay
Antibiotic And Penicillin Warning By Chinnitude
Penicillin and Amoxicillin (Clavamox) have been shown to cause severe intestinal problems
and even shut-down leading to death in a chinchilla. Lincomycin, Erythromycin, Ampicillin,
Cephalosporins, Clindamycin are other antibiotics that should NOT be given to chins.
Antibiotic Sensitivity From Drpetra.com
Rodents are very susceptible to antibiotic toxicity. Man antibiotics, including penicillin and erythromycin, can be fatal to pet chinchillas. For this reason, owners should NEVER give their pet chinchillas medications without checking with their doctors first. Also, because of antibiotic sensitivity and other unique problems of pet chinchillas, make sure the veterinarian you choose knows how to properly treat chinchillas.
Anesthesia By Pawtalk
Isoflurane or Sevoflurane is acceptable sedative gasses. It is not commonly recommended to use injectable sedatives with small animals like chinchillas, in fact, it’s generally inadvisable- any sedative will slow down the gastrointestinal tract, but gas is less potent and wears off quickly. If an issue arises while the chin is under gas anesthesia only, you can put them on pure oxygen and wake them quickly. With an injectable sedative in their system, it’s much riskier to administer an anti-sedative.
A post-operative shot of Buprenex can be given for pain, as the author notes, “my chinchillas have had this administered after surgery with no noted side effects.”
Euthanasia From Arizona State University
Permissible methods of euthanasia include pentobarbital sodium overdose, carbon dioxide inhalation, and exsanguination under anesthesia.
Household Remedies
- Pedialyte – comes in fruit flavors, has electrolytes
- Baby food, organic: applesauce, banana, squash, carrot- fruits & vegs in general
- Ground pellets with water or Pedialite
- .10cc, no more, of apricot brandy or apple schnapps – to numb pain in a trauma situation
- Feeding Syringe
- Natural Tears
- Purified Water – cleansing wounds
- Neosporin
- Emery Board (cardboard nail-filer) – excellent for filing callouses on paw pads
- Aveeno Bath or Aveeno Lotion (completely hypoallergenic and non-irritating)
- 100% Aloe Vera
- Vitamin E Oil
- Vaseline (petroleum jelly)
- Pure Cornstarch Baby Powder (in supermarkets by the talcum section) – for dry butt-bath
- BY Chinnitude – Cornstarch (as in the cooking kind) can be used to clot a bleeding toe or small, superficial wound. It acts as a styptic powder.
Pet Allergies And Chins
Animal proteins, not found in dander alone, are now believed to be the chief cause of allergic reactions by pet owners. Chinchillas don’t have dander, but the potential still exists for them to produce allergy-causing proteins through other excretions, such as saliva or urine. Additionally, chinchillas require both hay and dust regularly, both items being common allergy irritants.
If you are allergic to hay or dust, it is adviseable NOT to choose a chinchilla for a pet, otherwise someday you’ll find yourself having to re-home your pet or place him with a rescue organization.
While the following resources discuss animal proteins and allergies, they do not name chinchillas specifically and are intended as a general orientation:
“It was once thought that these people were allergic only to dander and cat hair, however it is now believed that these people might actually be allergic to protein particles that are found in various body fluids such as saliva, sweat (and yes, cats can sweat) and urine.” – Cats Rescue
“All warm-blooded, furry animals, such as the average household pet, can cause allergic reactions, usually because of proteins in their saliva, dander, and urine. When the animal licks itself, the saliva gets on the fur. As the saliva dries, protein particles become airborne and work their way into fabrics in the home.” – Kids Health
“Rodent Allergy: Patients become allergic to rodents due to exposure to these animals in
their daily work. The most common people at risk are veterinarians, laboratory technicians, and
people who live in close quarters with rodents (such as pet owners and those who live in
rodent-infested homes). Some examples of common rodents that humans come in contact with include mice, rats, and guinea pigs.
The rodent’s urine has a high concentration of protein, which is the primary allergen to
humans. The urine is often sprayed rather than deposited, thereby increasing human exposure.
After the urine dries, the urinary proteins become airborne and are inhaled, leading to allergic
symptoms.” – The Allergy Authority
How Do Animals Cause Allergies? When we touch or work around animals, we expose our bodies to these allergens. The allergens, which we contact from animals, are called antigens and are transferred to us merely by inhaling, eating, rubbing our eyes, or touching our skin.
Common animal antigens are as follows:
- Cats – saliva, hair, skin dander, albumin (a blood protein)
- Dogs – saliva, hair, skin dander, albumin
- Guinea pigs – urine, skin dander, hair, saliva
- Rabbits – fur protein, saliva, urine
- Rats – urine, saliva, bedding, albumin
- Mice – urine, albumin
- Pigs – urine
- In addition, gerbils, cattle, horses, sheep, deer, birds, reptiles, and fish can cause allergic reactions
Symptoms of animal allergy can occur right after exposure; or a person can become allergic after weeks, months, or years of exposure. > source
“If you can’t bear to part with a cherished friend, there are some strategies you can use to minimize allergy symptoms… Use air purifiers in the bedroom to reduce airborne animal proteins. Groom and wash your pets weekly. If possible, have another member of the household do this. Keep pets away from your face whenever possible. Wash your hands and face after playing with her.” – UTMEM
Dry Butt-bath
Intended for dry-bathing a messy rabbit rear, but will work just as well for a chin
By Dana Krempels, Ph.D. University Of Miami, Biology Department, House Rabbit Society Of Miami
- Purchase a container of Baby Cornstarch Powder (DO NOT use Baby Powder or any sort of powder that contains talc, as talc is a respiratory irritant and may even be carcinogenic!) from the grocery store baby section. You can use either unscented or scented cornstarch powder. DO NOT use commercial flea powders or other pesticides on your bunny. Use only baby-safe cornstarch powder for best, safest results.
- Place bunny is a comfortable position so that the soiled parts are easily accessible. This may involve placing him in your lap on a bunched towel so that he feels secure, or simply laying him on the floor in a comfortable position if he’s calm and won’t try to run off.
- Liberally apply the cornstarch to the soiled areas, and gently work the powder down into the fur, around messy poops, and down to the skin.
- Work the powder around any stubborn clumps of debris gently. As the cornstarch coats the mess, it will slide away easily.
- Once the largest bits of mess has been removed, use a soft-tipped brush to gently loosen any remaining dirt and debris.
- Pat the powdered areas well to remove the loose powder.
Dental Health: Malocclusion, Supplementing Vitamin C, The Calcium Ratio
What is Malocclusion? BY Chin Vet
Chinchillas are hypsodonts, meaning that they have continuously growing incisors and molars. If the teeth are not properly worn down by constant chewing of coarse material, they can overgrow. Instead of growing out of the mouth as we see with some rabbits and guinea pigs, the teeth actually reverse their direction and will grow from the roots. This means that you may not see the signs of tooth overgrowth until it is too late. The roots will grow up into the facial sinuses and even into the orbit (eye socket). Clinical signs such as runny eyes and protrusion of the eye will occur.
Advances in Dental Surgery to Correct Malocclusion
Articles on Chinchillas Unlimited Forum by Debbie, quotes from the article:
“…malocclusion can also affect the roots of the teeth too (this shows up well on X-rays). With the upper teeth – they over-grow upwards into the skull and towards the eye orbits. With the lower teeth, they can over-grow downwards, into, and out of, the lower jaw. The lower tooth roots grow much faster than the upper ones. Understandably this root over-growth causes the chinchilla to suffer from chronic “jaw-ache” which may prevent the chinchilla fully recovering, even though they may have had surgery to correct the grinding surfaces.”
“Until very recently this root condition was untreatable in chinchillas and only rabbits were operated on to correct it – but now (in the last 5 months) vets are attempting a pioneering new operation that, until now, has only been used successfully on rabbits. It involves making an incision under the chinchillas chin – and then using a tiny drill – drilling out the roots of all the lower teeth – thus killing the roots and stopping them from continuing to over-grow. Unfortunately it is only the roots in the lower jaw that can be operated on in this way – and not the upper roots.”
“Once the tooth roots have been killed they stay in place (and not fall out) and the chinchilla can go back to a pain-free life and can eat a normal diet again. In time, the chinchilla will grow new bone around the tooth roots. There is one minor drawback, because the teeth have been killed by this surgery and no longer grow and renew themselves – and will eventually wear down. But that can take some years – and in the meantime the chinchilla’s quality of life is greatly improved.”
“So far only 4 chinchillas (that the vet knows about) have been operated on using this new procedure – 3 of which have survived. The fourth one only died because he tore out his stitches and got a bad secondary infection. Although the long-term prospects are unknown as yet – it really does look like there will be some hope now for chinchillas with chronic dental problems involving lower tooth roots as well.”
Malocclusion and Supplementing Vitamin C
Measures can be taken to prevent malocclusion, such as supplementing vitamin C and regarding maloccluders as NFB, but to date there is no “cure” for genetically predipsosed malocclusion despite recent medical advances.
A chewable vitamin C tablet, 500mg, given every other day is recommended. Chins cannot get “too much” vitamin C because its is a water-soluble vitamin, not fat-stored, they pee out any excess. The tablet can have rosehips or ascerola, but we suggest avoiding flavorings such as orange or cherry, from our experience they don’t care for those flavorings. Rose hips are also a good source of vitamin C, and powdered vitamin C can be dusted onto the chin’s pellets for guaranteed regular consumption. Chinchillas like the tart taste, which makes supplementing that much easier!
The following articles indicate a connection between supplementing vitamin C and preventing malocclusion (abnormal tooth overgrowth):
California Chinchilla Association Ongoing Research Project (CA Chins)
“The teeth are not set into bone, as in the human jaw or some other mammals. So when the teeth are loose in their sockets, they can easily grow into the eye sockets, which are above the back three cheek teeth… To prevent loosening of the teeth in the jaw, give a healthy young chinchilla about 150-200 mg of vitamin C daily.”
ChinchillAZ
“Additionally, the teeth are not connected to the jaw bone. Rather, they are free-floating and are set in the socket with connective tissue. Vitamin C helps to keep this tissue firm. Chewable Vitamin C or rosehips are recommended. Your chinchilla cannot have too much Vitamin C. Just as with humans, chinchillas will
absorb as much Vitamin C as they need and pass what they do not need through waste.”
The Calcium Ratio
Calcium MUST contain phosphorous when a chin receives it into their system, phosphorous is essential in aiding the absorption of calcium. The ratio should be 2 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus or equal amounts of calcium to phosphorus.
Bear in mind that pellets also normally contain calcium and phosphorous, so it is important to consider the content ratio of calcium and phosphorous the chin is already receiving in his pellets before supplementing with mineral stone/ calcium block.
