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Health / Chinchilla Sneeze
« on: October 16, 2012, 09:35:31 PM »
Hi! i'm new to the thread 
My chin, Bullet, is probably around 1.5-2 years old. He has been very healthy, likes to nibble on his sticks, always has access to hay and pellets, a lava stone, a wheel, and house, water of course, and a chinchiller... I've never had any problems with him. I am being a bit paranoid because I recently lost my gecko Smaug 2 weeks ago and I am just a tad worried (just because I'm being paranoid and EVERYONE seems to think because a chinchilla sneezes 3 times over the course of 3 days, he's going to die...)
I noticed the other night after he had had a long dust bath that morning about 8 hours before he sneezed twice, moved on and was fine. NO discharge, No crusties, no eye problems...
The the very next night he sneezed once, wiped his little nose, no crusties or anything. He's been fine ever since, that was probably 3 days ago. Everyone I've read about states that he has a URI and will go downhill very fast?!
Is this true, or do chinchillas really never sneeze unless they're sick?
(I am a vet assistant and one of the vets at my clinic is very good with ferrets and rats, she says she's never worked with a chinchilla, and when I got bullet around 8 months old, he hadn't been petted or loved much, so although he will come up to me on his terms and sit next to me, he doesn't really like to be held, so I really don't want to actually take him into the clinic to be held and have his chest listened to because he will end up very cranky and lose all of his fur to stress I'm sure..)
My chin, Bullet, is probably around 1.5-2 years old. He has been very healthy, likes to nibble on his sticks, always has access to hay and pellets, a lava stone, a wheel, and house, water of course, and a chinchiller... I've never had any problems with him. I am being a bit paranoid because I recently lost my gecko Smaug 2 weeks ago and I am just a tad worried (just because I'm being paranoid and EVERYONE seems to think because a chinchilla sneezes 3 times over the course of 3 days, he's going to die...)I noticed the other night after he had had a long dust bath that morning about 8 hours before he sneezed twice, moved on and was fine. NO discharge, No crusties, no eye problems...
The the very next night he sneezed once, wiped his little nose, no crusties or anything. He's been fine ever since, that was probably 3 days ago. Everyone I've read about states that he has a URI and will go downhill very fast?!
Is this true, or do chinchillas really never sneeze unless they're sick?
(I am a vet assistant and one of the vets at my clinic is very good with ferrets and rats, she says she's never worked with a chinchilla, and when I got bullet around 8 months old, he hadn't been petted or loved much, so although he will come up to me on his terms and sit next to me, he doesn't really like to be held, so I really don't want to actually take him into the clinic to be held and have his chest listened to because he will end up very cranky and lose all of his fur to stress I'm sure..)