Anal gland problems. References. Typically when a chinchilla screams, it sounds like a high-pitched squeakingsoundsthat can sometimes frighten a chinchilla owner the first time they may hear it. The primary cause of bumblefoot is pressure sores. 1. Learning all you can about potential health issues will allow you to provide your chin with the very best care, ensuring you and your companion share as many years together as possible. The vet can remove the blockage with a simple, in-office surgical procedure. Your email address will not be published. Another possibility, albeit rare, is that your chinchilla had a seizure. (And How It Actually Works). Once pressure sores develop, the skin can be further damaged by scrapes and cuts. Eventually what happens is that fluid builds up underneath the callus called serous fluid. If they are doing this to your fingers or skin with little nibbles, it means they are just fine. WebFemale chinchillas that are having a vaginal discharge need attention right away. To prevent dental issues, feed your chinchilla lots of grass hay, and provide wood and chew toys so your chinchilla can wear down its teeth. This quiz features questions on every topic of chinchilla care, from behavior to nutrition. Having the wrong kind of bedding can damage a chinchillas feet. If there is blood in your chinchillas cage, you must determine the cause and talk to a vet. These can also occur after heart attacks. Female chinchillas do not go in heat like dogs. In some cases, it may also be from behavior thats a neurotic problem. These can burst and cause a large pool of blood. If there is any, take your pet to the vet. Or do you need a handy chinchilla reference guide? Take our quiz and find out! WebWhen a chinchilla has bad diarrhea or constipation its rectum may become red, swollen, and protrude. Fluid develops underneath them and can rupture the skin, or the skin can crack when dry. Cheese is far, far too fatty for chinchillas. If you use a cable tidy, your chinchilla will just switch to chewing that instead. Rarely, two dominant chinchillas will not get along no matter what. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 12,540 times. 2023 The Pet Savvy. If your chinchillas feet have become infected, then your pet will need antibiotics. In others, pairs can fall out for unknown reasons and fight seriously. However, theyre unique animals with unique veterinary needs. This hastens the death of skin and tissue and the formation of blisters. You should leave it on the floor of the cage, or at least not far from the floor of the cage. Or do you need a handy chinchilla reference guide? Think you know everything there is to know about chinchillas? But its best for the safety of both chinchillas to keep them apart, for now at least. If you'd like to chat about chinchillas, contact me through our contact form! Your goal is to get its temperature between 99 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit (37 to 38 degrees Celsius). They may also be red. Dont expose your chinchilla to temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) or higher. If enough tissue dies, it cant be replaced. Are they dry, cracked and bloody? When it comes to products they get used to, it takes gradual changes that are not such a shock for them to handle. A big change, like a new pet (dog, cat, etc.) Bacterial infections such as Salmonella, and infectious diseases such as Feline Panleukopenia (FPV) can cause blood in the poo. This article has been viewed 12,540 times. These chinchilla sounds arent exclusive to other chinchillas, since bonding with an owner will include this form of contact communication. Let's say you've had your chinchilla a while now. WebThe reason is that you can't really put pressure on it or do anything to control the bleeding. Common Chinchilla Health Issues Did you know that National Chinchilla Day is March 23rd? Blood on chinchilla feet can result from cracked and bleeding skin. In instances of diarrhea the fecal pellets may be accompanied by or covered in blood. This will require having a second or third cage to control these issues. Disorders of the Rectum and Your chinchilla will therefore move around even less than it did before (if thats possible). If you dont have access to it, thick moisturizers made of things like beeswax may work in the same way. Other random signs include not eating or drinking water, or extreme lethargic activity. The female has no space between the anus and the base of the urethral cone. This is a behavior called 'popcorning', and wild chinchillas display it when they play with each other. It can mean that your chinchilla is severely injured. Only in this case, this means your chinchilla is not very happy to be bothered. Its true: a simple infection because of dry feet can kill your chinchilla. Chinchilla Mansion Chinchilla Cage - Handmade in the USA! This is an adaptation thats the same as how our skin forms calluses. The female chinchillas reproductive system is different to that of a person. They particularly attack the ears. Some of the answer explanations contain links for further reading, which you can click and open in a New Tab. Bear in mind, though, that some chinchillas stand like this even if they dont have bumblefoot; so its only an issue if your pet displays other symptoms, too. why is my female Doesnt like dust bath powder This is mainly a grooming characteristic that a chinchilla likes to do for its owners. This stops your chinchilla walking. Thats because the same issues (rough flooring, nothing to soak up urine, etc.) Discover the joys of owning a small pet and get started on your journey today! Scratching under their chin will also trigger this smile. Drooling, discharges, difficulty eating, reduced appetite, and bald patches around the eyes and mouth are also signs of dental issues. The vet can find latent heart conditions, find any injuries, and make their best guess at why your chinchilla died. Dried blood around the chinchilla cage. Gently set it on the scale and, without touching it, hold your hands around it so it stays in place until you get a good reading. You will see signs she is pregnant with mood swings and more attitude-behavior changes. The tips below are toassistyour chinchilla in recovery alongside surgery, wound dressing and antibiotics, for which youwillneed a vet. This can cause: Believe it or not, but bumblefoot can get worse still. This is a common misconception! Why is there blood in my chinchillas cage? Pine and apple wood are good choices. This stops your chinchilla from eating or going to the toilet, and is fatal. Advice on dry chinchilla feet Wild chins eat watery foods on rare occasions, storing tiny bits of succulent plants in their burrows for when water is scarce. I am Eddie, animal journalist and founder of ThePetSavvy. Certain antibiotics only work against certain bacteria, so your vet will need to diagnose the kind of bacteria thats infecting your chinchillas feet before they prescribe more. Chinchillas simply haven't undergone this process, so don't understand collars in the same intuitive waylike tugging the leash to the left means 'move left'. Trauma can also result in rapid hematoma, which is where a large amount of clotted blood forms underneath the skin. Chinchillas are supposed to have calluses; theyre just not supposed to rupture and cause infections. Where should you put your chinchilla's exercise wheel? If the wound becomes infected, it becomes a painful open abscess. You should also stop giving your chinchilla dust baths until the condition has healed. But on its own, this isnt a major issue. Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter! It therefore collects in your chinchilla's guts and forms a blockagea condition known as gastrointestinal stasis. Dont try picking them up at this point. When you enter the room and your chinchilla sees you, if they are jumping it means that they are excited to see you. Take our quiz and find out! These foot pads get hard when the chinchilla walks on solid or rough surfaces. Treats are a good way of telling a new chinchilla that you're friendly. Lack of movement can cause bumblefoot or make it worse, while exercise on a suitable surface helps prevent it. As a veterinarian, I have seen cases of chinchillas with injured and even broken ears. Take any cage accessory that has blood on it and wash it in hot soapy water. WebMy wethers are a little aggressive especially with all my 6 does in heat. Every one to two weeks, check its teeth, eyes, ears, nose, fur, and droppings for signs of illness. The infection can even reach deeper into the foot, affecting muscle, tendon and bone. In normal circumstances, these form useful calluses. Your chins may talk to each other, bark, run on their wheels or anything else to keep themselves entertained. If there is a vaginal discharge or swelling in the lower abdominal cavity, she may have developed a pyometra, a condition where the entire uterus is filled with pus. Thats because the chinchilla has to strain to produce them. Its also something that males will do around females who are ready for mating as a part of a mating ritual. You will also see general symptoms of pain such as hunched posture. You may find that in some cases, your chinchilla is lonely and that is the reason some owners make chinchilla-shaped pillows to keep their chinchilla company, especially if they do not have another chinchilla to bond with. This is a bad sign that can be from dental issues or perhaps from a respiratory problem. A scream means theyre either in distress, in pain, or have been scared by something (a nightmare, loud noise sudden outside, a fire alarm, etc. As it gets worse the infection will spread further into the foot. The microbiome refers to billions and billions of microscopic living organisms (e.g. Lack of fibrous foods andappropriateenrichmentchewitemsmayresultin abnormal growth of teeth,malocclusion (imperfect positioning of the teeth),and potentially other types of dental diseases. If the infection isnt treated, it can spread around the body and cause sepsis, which is where the infection attacks the organs. Listen to how they are breathing and if it is difficult for them. fed the right diet). Whether throughreductionofperistalsis (physicalmovement of theintestinesto push food material through via contraction and relaxation)or dysbiosis,lack of dietary fiberis closely linked toGI stasis.Signs ofGIstasisshould be heavily monitored for at all times. Its eyes are half closed. Morgan has been a professional copywriter for over five years. Look closely. WebIt is designed for cow's udders when they get dry and cracked from too much milking. Because bumblefoot is linked to dry, cracked skin, you can fix that with an appropriate moisturizer. This can include bushes, grasses,leaves, twigs, roots, and stems. They involve the sudden loss of control over bodily movement and function, and make your chinchilla kick and jerk. Female chinchillas dont have periods whether theyre in heat or not. A) it might chew through and access the wires anyway, and B) these are made of plastic, which your chinchilla shouldn't ingest. This can stop you wondering about any lingering what ifs, and can help you improve your level of care for any other chinchillas you own. Seizures are not common in chinchillas, even though they are in other small pets. Diagnosis A diagnosis can be made by the clinical signs observed. PetMD This could either be 'sleepy ears', or it could be a symptom that your pet isn't well. Chinchillas dont have periods, so you should never see blood around or coming from your female chinchillas rear end. Why If you check your chinchillas feet, you may see the slightest of swellings in its foot pads. Damage to the ears is most common, followed by the tail, face and feet. It may be impossible to get rid of deeply dried blood stains, particularly in wood, so dont worry if you cant. For these reasons, their digestive tracts are not equipped to properly digest high levels of starch and sugars. Treating the condition early can help prevent cases of metritis in female chinchillas. Compared to their native diet, the most nutritionallyakinfoodwe canand shouldprovide isa diversityofgrass hays,which should always be the stapleofa chinchillas diet. Repeat this over and over again, and eventually your chinchilla will associate its name with getting a treat. Bumblefoot isnt a problem for wild chinchillas because they have a variety of surfaces to walk on: soil, rock, and light grass. For more in-depth information on dental issues in chinchillas, refer to our previousDental Disease blog.Gastrointestinal StasisBeyond the physical ramifications ofa dietlackingindietary fiber, serious physiological issues can arise from these inappropriate diets. These are known as ulcers or abscesses if theyre infected, and they are extremely painful. Have Questions About Any Chinchilla Sounds Or Chinchillas? Web a female goat will start its oestrus cycle more or less as soon as it becomes sexually mature. While most male chinchillas make wonderful dads it's best to separate the male if it's time for mom to get a break. Localized heat, pain. It commonly occurs when the placenta and fetal membranes remain in the uterus leading to bacterial infection. This constantmovement of the GI tract and the cycle of ingestion and defecation is key to chinchilla health. What was formerly only a blister now becomes an infected ulcer, a.k.a. Do Chinchillas Pee It can be mistaken for blood even if there is none. Can Chinchillas Free Roam Around the House? Sepsis can kill. What Do You Need for a New Chinchilla? The actual delivery should be finished in under 30 minutes. This could be a sign that they dont have anything good for gnawing. The bacteria in a bumblefoot infection can be transmitted from one chinchilla to another. The problem can start with a cage that is too small for them to move around. This is part of their bonding that allows you to know when theyre listening to your voice. Females are surprisingly aggressive in a group with other females. All rights reserved. This is a bad sign that tells you that a chinchilla is full of anxiety and has neurotic issues. They tend to hide signs of illness, so examining your pet regularly is the best way to catch an issue before it becomes serious. More and more tissue can die and/or become infected. Or, they can injure themselves when running on exercise wheels. This will be the basic first aid until you can get your chinchilla into a Vet with experience with small exotics.