Sometimes a chinchilla can get fungus, also known as ringworm. You will notice one or more bald spots, usually around the nose, and the skin along the edges may look flaky. Fungus is contagious so wash your hands and arms after touching your chinchilla, also keep him away from any other chinchillas that don’t already have it.
To treat fungus buy both an anitifungal cream and antifungal powder, both found in the foot care section of your local Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS or similar drug store. The cream should contain clotrimozole or tolnaftate, brands will include Lotrimin and Tinactin. The powder will contain the same ingredients, brands include Desenex, Tinactin, Zeasorb, and Lotrimin. Both cream and powder are treatments for athlete's foot fungus.
The cream should be applied every two days to the bald spots. When applying, make sure to rub the cream outward from the bald spot and into the fur 1/2" to treat the active fungus growth area. Do not allow the chin you are treating to bath for two weeks while you are treating with the cream.
The powder should be added to the dust bath, 1 heaping teaspoon full to 1 ½ -2 cups of dust. When you are done treating with the cream. The fungus should clear up in a week or so, and you will see new fur growth in the middle of the bald spots. Start treating other chins in the home with the dust as soon as you see an infection.
** If it has not begun to improve in two weeks, you need to see a vet. **
Once the fungus is clearing be sure to disinfect the dust bath container, all wood shelves, cage pans, and everything in the cage. A mild solution of 1/2 gallon hot water and a tablespoon of bleach is sufficient for disinfection, and drying the items in the hot sun will also help.
Help prevent future outbreaks by adding a sprinkle of antifungal powder to each dust bath, keeping your chin's cage clean & dry, monitoring humidity levels in your chin room, never allowing fresh or green wood into the cage, and insuring a stress free environment.
