Chinchillas are generally energetic creatures. When they are ill, their energy level drops so it is important to watch for this sign. A change in the amount of water and food consumed can also be a sign of illness. Whenever you suspect there may be problems, examine your chinchilla's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth for clues as to the underlying ailment.
Eyes
Healthy chinchilla eyes are clear and lively looking. However, since chinchillas spend time in wood shavings and in dust baths, they sometimes suffer eye irritation. Signs of such irritation include an eye being held shut, constant pawing, and excessive tearing. A vet will be able to determine if there is something physical causing the irritation or if there is an infection that will require eye ointment.
Ears
Chinchillas don't often have problems with their ears. However, if you notice fluid coming from their ears, if there is repeated scratching, or issues with balance, you should seek the advice of a vet. Also watch out for ears that are unusually warm and red. This can be a sign of a fever and may be the beginning of pneumonia.
Nose
Believe it or not, chinchillas can get a cold just like people. Signs of a cold include a runny nose. The treatment for a cold is one of patience and ensuring that the chinchilla has enough water and is kept warm. Make sure to keep the chinchilla warm and that it is drinking well. Monitor the situation to make sure it doesn't get worse. One other thing, while a chinchilla's nose is runny, you should avoid giving it a dust bath.
Mouth
Chinchillas need to be constantly chewing on hard objects like wood or pumice stones to keep their teeth trimmed. If a chinchilla's teeth grow too long, there can be some serious health complications. Symptoms of teeth problems include:
- Repeating pawing of the mouth.
- Dribbling or drooling when eating.
- A dramatic reduction in food consumption.
- Significant weight loss.
- Watery eyes that can be caused by excessively long molars.
A chinchilla's teeth should be yellow and not white. White teeth could mean calcium deficiency. This condition usually only affects nursing female chinchillas. You can read more on the importance of tooth health.
Sources:
Bettina's
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas by Audrey Pavia
Entries (RSS)
We have two chinchilla's and one of them seems to be sneezing and seems to have a stuffy nose, no visulal signs of mucous. She does wipe her mouth/nose frequently. The other one does not have any of these symptoms. It has been going on intermittently for about 2 months i think she is allergic.
I have tried to keep the Alfalfa hay and Timothy hay away and now I think she may be allergic to Almonds.
She has not lost her energy, still very active and curious.
Are you familiar with this?
I wanna know what they look like.
What are some physical characteristics of a chinchilla? Please tell me, because this is for school.
Recently i felt a round lump near the left side of the cheek in my chinchilla. any advise to what i should be wary of in regards to that lump?
My chin keeps scrating himself as if his skin in his fur is itching. He either uses his teeth or his paws. It's frequent and I want to know if it's because it's from too much bathing in the dust. Because of the summer weather I leave the dust bowl in the cage to keep from overheating. I also have the marble tablet as well. Please let me know if it's another underlying issue.
yes your chin most likely has dry skin, from like you said to many dust baths. Limit your chin to having 2-3 dust baths per week.