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1

Health / Re: Dental and sore mouth UD She's gone :(

« on: January 10, 2014, 08:31:26 AM »

My first thoughts when I read about this were that your chinchilla had developed some kind of blood disorder or reaction to medications. I looked up the side effects of NSAIDs because I know they can cause stomach ulcers. I discovered that although these side effects are rare, especially for being on them for such a short time, mouth ulcers and blood clotting problems are both known side effects. I know that some people can be unusually sensitive to certain meds and their side effects and it does goes the same for animals.
I probably wouldn't have said anything because it is very speculative but you mentioned you have offspring from this one. It is remotely possible they have inherited a sensitivity to the meds as well (Usually metacam or meloxycam which are commonly used with chinchillas without problems) and I just wanted to bring this up so you can watch for it.
Again I am sorry for your loss. That was so unexpected.

Thank you very much for your reply. She was on metacam previously when she broke her arm with no issues, but it is a possibility. Although would you expect to see blood it in her faeces? I will keep that in mind for her daughters though.

2

Health / Re: My new chinny seems depressed. Please help!

« on: January 10, 2014, 05:07:13 AM »

As Grey Rodent said, not eating is extremely serious and life threatening. You need to go to an exotic vet and get fluids, gut motility drugs and some liquid food to get him going again.

Keep the bill and if the pet shop is reputable they might help pay.

3

Health / Re: Dental and sore mouth

« on: January 10, 2014, 05:04:48 AM »

She has passed away.

I got home from work yesterday and there was blood everywhere. I rushed her to the emergency vets and they couldn't work out where the blood was coming from. Her lip wound was almost healed, her mouth was clean, not even any blood round her teeth, he teeth were fine, nothing round her nose or rear. There were big blood clots. She was hardly moving and so cold.

They got her on a heat mat, gave her injections for pain relief, antibiotics, gut motility and sub cut fluids. We took her home and kept her warm, but after few hours she started what looked like gagging (but I know they can't) and then she lay on her side and slowly went. I was stroking her head all the time.

There was something going on inside her that we don't know about. It wasn't her teeth or lip, they were just symptoms of whatever it was, but I don't think we want a PM to find out.

We are really broken. She was our most special pet. We will miss her so much.

I think I did everything I could for her. I wish I could have done more.

We told her we'll look after her babies (they're six so not really babies). So very, very sad.

4

Health / Re: Dental and sore mouth

« on: January 06, 2014, 03:09:31 PM »

It was the other chinnies biting it.
She was trying to get back into the big cage today so I let her back in. Within five minutes the other chinchillas had pulled at her mouth again and made it bleed.

I feel so sorry for her, she wants their company and I have no idea why they're doing this. I'm going to have to let her heal up completely before she goes back, and that could be ages. She's in a hamster cage right now which I obviously can't keep her in for any longer. I'm asking around for something bigger. I'm worried she's going to get depressed on her own.

I just want her to get better.

5

Health / Re: Dental and sore mouth

« on: December 29, 2013, 10:06:56 AM »

Thanks. She is still pooing and had an injection for stasis after the op, for the just in case. It would have worn off by now though. She is also weeing a lot.

6

Health / Dental and sore mouth UD She's gone :(

« on: December 29, 2013, 09:32:55 AM »

I need help please. Cheech has overgrown molars and was struggling to eat. As she lives with three other chinchillas she was pretending to eat and I caught it quite late. She went to the vets and they burred down her molars which had grown so much they were meeting in the middle of her mouth. She's come home with painkillers, antibiotics, eye drops because her eye was runny and recovery food. She's eating the recovery food fine but keeps on stretching her stomach and pressing it to the floor. I'm worried she was more starved than I realised and I've fed her too much too fast. Her mouth is also very sore and swollen still two days later. It looked sore and the other chinnies keep nosing or biting at it. It now looks like it's been cut or bitten and scabbed over. I wanted to separate her from the others for a week but she really pines for them and gets stressed. She'll be going back to the vets but have you got any ideas about the tummy pressing and the sore mouth? I'm very worried.

7

Q & A / Re: Winter temperatures

« on: November 17, 2013, 11:45:47 AM »

Thanks all. I'm in Norfolk. My cage has wooden shelves, no wire, I'm not a fan of it at all.

8

Q & A / Winter temperatures

« on: November 10, 2013, 03:45:03 PM »

Just some advice please.

Everyone will be out of the house for 12+ hour days this winter getting back late at night and probably going straight to bed. We're not putting the heating on and I don't know if we will as there doesn't seem to be much point. However I need to make sure the chinchillas will be okay. There's four of them together so they can all snuggle up in the nest box and they have lots of hay. We live in a terrace house so we only have outside walls at the front and back. The room they are in has one outside wall to the front and one wall to either side is shared with another house who, presumably, will have their heating on.

I will get a thermometer so I can see what temperature it actually is, but would you think this was okay? I'm in England and it's 5 degrees centigrade outside at night at the moment. Has anyone got any tips to keep them warm without having the heating on?

Thanks. 

9

General Chat / Re: Stressed chinchilla?

« on: April 14, 2013, 01:17:05 PM »

Don't worry, I cut up the raisins, they don't get too many. 

Her eye isn't infected, the tears just can't drain. She is more prone to infections and has had one twice or three times which were treated with antibiotic eye ointments. The tooth roots are malformed and have grown up to block the tear duct. She's had a full examination by a very good exotic vet. Thanks for all your replies.

10

General Chat / Re: Stressed chinchilla?

« on: April 11, 2013, 10:01:57 AM »

3 males and 1 female living together? Have I got that right?
2, 5 year olds + the parents??? In the same cage ??

1 male (neutered) and 3 females. It's a very big cage.

I've been making progress with Snake. I've been sitting on the floor with raisins.

She's not scared of the other chinchillas, just of everything but. I'd definitely have an issue if it was three males and one female, but it's a normal, happy, family group who all snuggle up to sleep and have plenty of space if they don't want to see each other.

11

General Chat / Re: Stressed chinchilla?

« on: March 31, 2013, 05:46:29 PM »

Thank you.

The cage is in a corner as I've always thought that was best for them. I'm not sure how I'd do the confined space as I don't pick them up, I just open the cage and they come out, then I give them treats and play with them while they're out and then I get the dust bath and raisins out to get them back in. I don't know if picking her up and taking her to the bathroom to play would stress her out more, but it's certainly something to think about and a good idea.

Regarding her eye. The fur around it is almost always wet. After it was like this for a while I took her to my excellent exotic vet and we agreed it's most likely a compressed tear duct and this is very likely due to her teeth. I have a rabbit who started with these exact issues although he has quite a few other extreme health problems and is a thread all to himself. So I know the warning signs to look for, dribbling, going off certain foods, dropping food while eating, eating slowly, sitting hunched up etc. She doesn't have any of these issues, just the wet eye. 

I quite happy if she's never a people chinnie and just wants the company of her family so I'm not fussed if she doesn't love me or isn't 'tame' but it's the fact that she seems to be stressed all the time, even in the cage. Their cage is very big, about five foot high by three foot wide and two foot deep. it has lots of shelves and boxes so plenty of space for her to get away from the rest of them. If I give them all a big pile of hay they all rush to eat it, but she doesn't join in with the excitement. So then I get worried about her teeth and give her some hay on her own and she eats it fine.

12

General Chat / Stressed chinchilla?

« on: March 31, 2013, 10:46:23 AM »

Hiya, I was wondering if anyone could help me with a behavioural question.

My two little baby chinchillas (Snake and Big Boss) are almost five, dad (Chong, neutered) is almost six and mum (Cheech) is almost seven. They all live together. Cheech and Big Boss are very laid back, very tame and chilled. Chong is a little more on edge, very bitey and nervous and Snake is more so than him. She doesn't bite like he does but she's so nervy and on edge all the time. She always warning barks and won't come near me when they have free range time. I've been trying to spend more time with them all recently, building better relationships. Cheech and Big Boss climb all over me when they're out and Chong will appear if raisins come out, but Snake hardly pops her head out from under the bed.

She has some health issues. She has a runny eye and has been to the vets. It will be teeth issues and I have to watch her a little closer than the others for signs of stopping eating or discomfort as we know that at some point in her life it's going to cause her more problems. The vet was happy I know what I'm doing and will spot any issues when they arise. She has topical treatment if the eye gets infected, but it runs all the time and we are very sure it's her tooth roots although she's not been x rayed.

I handled both babies from birth but she has always been this way. I know it must be a trait from Chong and I feel sad that I bred them without knowing what I was doing. Cheech was from a pet shop so I bet the bad teeth have come from her line as Chong was from a reputable breeder and a good line, however she's got his stressed temperament. I also found out afterwards how many chinchillas there are in rescue centres here in England and it made me very sad that I'd brought more chinchillas into the world, especially as Snake has these issues.

I'm just worried about her always being stressed and on edge. The others are fast asleep right now in their big box and she's on top of it on guard. Her body language is more stressed than the others too. I want to make life happier for her but I don't know how.

13

Q & A / Re: IS it normal for hay to be a greenish color?

« on: June 05, 2012, 07:22:37 PM »

Green hay is fine, it all starts out as some sort of grass after all.
It can mean darker poos but I find that my rabbits and chinchillas much prefer the greener hays.

14

General Chat / Re: Other pets?

« on: June 05, 2012, 07:19:57 PM »

Also some prey species like chinchillas can become very agitated and scared when there are predators in the house. A cat moved into my house, long story, but two of my chinchillas were so scared of her. It can cause them to stop eating and worse, not even from the animal physically injuring the chinchilla, but just through fear. So I would think carefully about what pets you get and what temperament your chinnie is.

15

Q & A / Re: COncerned about Raisin

« on: May 31, 2012, 03:46:13 PM »

I think if you're worried you should always get them checked by a vet.

It could be teeth or something else.