Debbie

Some male chins are more prone to hair rings than others. Breeding males should be regularly checked - especially if they are "novice breeders".

However, males that are not used for breeding can still get hair rings too - and should periodically (monthly) be briefly examined.

Usually the first symptom of a hair ring will be that the penis will look rather swollen, maybe a red or purple colour too (congested). The foreskin may not be covering the penis in the usual way either and the male may be licking at himself more than usual, and in severe cases he may sit hunched up, reluctant to eat or move. A normal looking penis will be the usual skin-colour for your chin, and will look "pointy" - this this the foreskin completely covering the penis.

To perform a full examination ...............

1. Two pairs of hands are easier than one - unless you are experienced at doing this.

2. Restrain the chin in a suitable way - wrapping in a towel can help

3. Application of cold water can help reduce any swelling prior to checking - but do be careful not to cause freezer-burns by applying ice directly onto such a tender anatomical part!!

4. Liberally apply a water-soluable lubrication to the penis - such as KY

5. Gently push the foreskin back

6. Whilst holding the foreskin back - gently pull the penis out of the sheath - it kind of "telescopes" outwards

7. If no fur ring is visible - then apply a little more lubrication - and gently push the penis back in-situ.

If you do see a fur-ring - then GENTLY remove it with your fingers - by gradually "teasing" it apart. This is safer than using scissors. Be very careful when removing a fur-ring and use plenty of lubricant.

8. When you are sure that there is no fur-ring. Carefully pull the foreskin down, back over the penis - making sure it is fully covered - and "pointy-looking" again.

ALWAYS PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE WITH THE UTMOST CARE OR SERIOUS DAMAGE CAN RESULT

Some breeders do not retract the penis after removal of the ring. Instead they prefer to allow the penis to retract itself - and that way they know all is well.

However, if it does not retract then assistance (and veterinary advice) is needed - as some damage has obviously resulted. If a chin is suspected of having a fur ring - it should never be left - as it can restrict the blood-flow to the penis - causing it to atrophy - which is extremely painful and requires major surgery and can even be fatal.

Many of you - at some point - may have to administer eye drops to a chinchilla.

I have had to take a photo of this procedure (to be published elsewhere) - but I thought I may as well post it here too - as Polie posed so patiently!!

I hope it may be useful.

I do not wrap chinchillas in towels to restrain them (just my own preference) - but instead, I hold the chin close to my body - facing outwards. With the same hand - I use my thumb to hold the eye open.

With my free hand I give the required dose.

I use a similar technique for giving oral medications.

Calpol 6+ (for those who have not heard of it) - is a liquid paracetamol suspension that is manufactured for children. It is available in chemists. It also tastes very fruity and sweet - so should be palatable to chinchillas.

In a veterinary textbook it is recommended for pain relief and says it is particularly useful with cases of pneumonia in chinchillas.

Now - I am not saying you should treat your chinchillas yourself (especially with cases of pneumonia) - any illness should be referred to a vet as soon as possible!! Delays in professional treatment could cost a chinchilla its life!!

However, Calpol may be useful if you wish to give your chinchilla mild pain relief after surgery (such as dental surgery or castration). (Please note - most vets give pain relieving injections anyway (Rimadyl) but these are only effective for 24-48 hours in some cases).

The correct and safe dosage is as follows:

100mg per kilo of body weight.

Calpol 6+ contains 50mg per ml.

So, if my maths is up to scratch (probably not ) an "average" chinchilla weighing 500g would only need 1ml of Calpol and a larger chinchilla weighing in at 1 Kilo (1000g) would require 2ml of Calpol.

The book recommends giving this dosage of Calpol twice a day orally by syringe (DONT GUESS THE AMOUNT GIVEN!!!)

Once again - I cannot stress highly enough - the importance of taking a chinchilla to the vets if it is unwell - I am only recommending giving Calpol as a supportive treatment to professional veterinary care!!

This is a very useful vitamin when dealing with poorly chinchillas. It can be of assistance when a chinchilla is recovering from an illness and/or has little or no appetite.

You can either ask a vet to give your chinchilla a vitamin B12 injection (if you are having to take the chin to the vets anyway).

I now use 1ml of Cytacon (from chemists) once a day for a couple of days.

No bad side-effects have been noticed by myself - and it does seem to "pep-up" a poorly chinchilla!!

Dental overgrowth (malocclusion) – as we all know – affects the grinding surfaces of the teeth, causing them to over-grow, misalign and form spurs and sharp edges that cause the chinchilla much discomfort and difficulty eating. This can affect any teeth, incisors, pre-molars and molars.

The usual treatment for the affected grinding surfaces is to have them filed or clipped down whilst the chinchilla is under anaesthetic.

However, malocclusion can also affect the roots of the teeth too (this shows up well on X-rays). With the upper teeth – they over-grow upwards into the skull and towards the eye orbits - firstly occluding the lachrymal ducts and causing weepy eyes. With the lower teeth, they can over-grow downwards, into, and out of, the lower jaw.

The lower tooth roots grow much faster than the upper ones.

Understandably this root elongation may cause the chinchilla to suffer from chronic “jaw-ache” which may prevent the chinchilla fully recovering, even though they may have had surgery to correct the grinding surfaces.

Until very recently this root condition was untreatable in chinchillas and only rabbits were operated on to correct it – but now some vets are attempting a pioneering new operation that, until now, has only been used successfully on rabbits.

It is called an apicectomy.

It involves making an incision under the chinchillas chin – and then using a tiny drill – drilling out the roots and pulp of all the lower teeth – thus effectively "killing" the teeth and stopping them from continuing to over-grow. Unfortunately it is only the roots/teeth in the lower jaw that can be operated on in this way – and not the upper roots.

Once the apicectomy has been carried out - the teeth stay in place (and not fall out) and the chinchilla can go back to a pain-free life and can eat a normal diet again. In time, the chinchilla will form new bone that was exposed during the procedure.

There is one minor drawback, because the teeth have been killed by this surgery and no longer grow and renew themselves – they will eventually wear down. But that can take some years – and in the meantime the chinchilla's quality of life is greatly improved.

So far only a handful of chinchillas (that I know about) have been operated on using this new procedure – most of which have survived.

Although the long-term prospects are unknown as yet – it really does look like there will be some hope now for chinchillas with chronic dental problems involving lower tooth roots as well.

As far as my vet knows there are only a handful of vets in the UK (I cannot comment on other countries) that are performing this new surgical procedure. It may be hard to find one that is willing or able to carry out an apicectomy on a chinchilla.

It is a fairly hard operation on the chinchilla - and requires a high level of post operative care and pain relief.

have divided this list into sections and have listed the items, where they can be sourced and what they are useful for - but I have not listed dosages.

It is based on what I have in my kit at home - but those people with just a few chinnies will not need such a large kit - but I hope this list may help people to "pick and choose" what items may be useful.

However, I cannot stress highly enough that most problems will need professional treatment from a vet - and certain items are only available by veterinary prescription

A first aid kit is useful in emergencies - and if treating minor conditions - provided that the owner is certain they know what they are treating and only as a COMPLIMENT to professional veterinary care.

All treatments have been tried and tested on my own chinchillas - with the full knowledge of my vet.

Digestion

Milpar - chemists - useful for treating digestive conditions such as bloat

Liquid Paraffin - chemists - for treating constipation (not to be confused with castor oil - which is harmful to chinchillas digestion)

Syrup of Figs - chemists - for treating constipation (milder than liquid paraffin)

Paediatric Kaolin - chemists - for treating diarrhoea

Pro-biotics - vets or specialist suppliers - balances the intestinal flora

Eyes

Golden Eye Drops - chemists - for treating minor infections

Optrex - chemists - for flushing eyes and removing foreign bodies

Skin and Fur

Evening Primrose Oil - chemists/health food shops - excellent for a wide range of skin/fur problems

Baby Oil - chemists/supermarkets - excellent for treating "flaky ears"

Athletes Foot Powder - chemists - for treating possible fungal conditions

Wounds/Injuries

Hibiscrub - vets - use diluted for bathing wounds

Intra-Site Gel - chemists - applied to large open wounds to assist healing and form a protective barrier

Ster-Zac Powder - chemists - a powder that can be used on injuries for preventing Strep. infections.

Dermisol Cream - vets - an antiseptic cream also removes necrotic tissue

Hydrogen Peroxide - chemists - use to flush and clean wounds according to instructions ** ONLY USE DILUTED - UNDER VETERINARY RECOMMENDATION **

Iodine - vets/chemists - thoroughly cleans wounds, skin infections etc (stings though)

Colds

Sudafed Liquid - chemists - suppresses mucus

Calpol 6+ - chemists - although a pain relief is very useful when treating colds too

Pain Relief

Calpol 6+ - chemists - as above

Metacam - vets - excellent pain relief

Also in kit…..

Loads of cotton wool and cotton buds - chemists - variety of uses

Carnation milk - shops - just in case need to hand-rear

Food replacement - vets/specialist suppliers - for feeding sick chins

Curved Scissors - vets - for trimming fur away from injuries or removing soiled fur - curved to prevent injury to chinchilla

Cohesive Bandage - chemists/vets - sticks to itself - not the chin

Vitamin B12 - chemists/health food shops - stimulates the appetite and acts as a tonic

Milton Fluid - chemists/supermarkets - used to sterilize pretty much anything from bowls, water bottles - to hand feeding equipment and syringes.

Dioralyte - chemists - rehydration treatment

Different sized syringes - vets - variety of uses

Pipettes - vets/specialist suppliers - for hand feeding

Many people (including myself) have come across the odd kit that appears to have been born dead. It may not be breathing and appear to be rather chilled and lifeless. Usually, our first reaction is to pick up the poor kit - examine it for signs of life - and when we find none - give it up for dead.

However, if the kit has only recently been born - you can try to revive it.

Here are some tips:

You need to keep the kit warm and stimulate it's breathing and blood circulation.

The easiest way to do this is to rub the kits (fairly vigorously) in a soft towel - starting with it's head down to help drain any birth fluids from it's lungs.

You can also try gently swinging the kit - with a straight arm - to try to clear it's lungs of fluids - but DONT shake the poor thing.

If it is chilled - some breeders recommend immersing the kit (not it's head though) in warm water - to raise it's body temperature.

I have found the towel method is better - as you also need to get the kits circulation going as soon a possible.

Keep going - don't give up after 5 minutes. Alternate between the warm water and firm but gentle towelling if you wish.

DO NOT try breathing into it's nose or mouth - we have much much bigger lungs than a tiny kit - and will only do damage.

As a last resort you can try blowing at it's nose from a distance of a few inches.

DO NOT try to feed it any brandy either!!

Many breeders have successfully revived kits that have appeared to be stillborn - and it is always worth giving it a try.

Rotation-Feeding

This is only an option if the dam is producing milk. On occasions when triplets (or more) are born, the larger, stronger kits feed well, but the smaller kits (runts?) do not get a look-in and are fought off by the larger kits.

This is where rotating them is very useful. I remove the larger well-fed kits for up to two hours at a time, allowing the weaker kit/s to suckle undisturbed. The larger kits are placed in a secure, warm box with a soft towel to snuggle into, whilst the smaller kits take their turn with mum, unmolested.

The kits need to be rotated very 2 hours or so during the day and at least 2 or 3 times at night for the first fortnight (always remembering to return the larger kits when the smaller ones have had their allocated time with mum).

After the first fortnight you can gradually cut down on the nightly rotations. Then over the next few weeks (until they are weaned around 8 weeks old) you can gradually reduce the daily rotations.

If the kits are not fighting, then the weaker kits can be left in with the dam all the time and only the stronger kits are removed. If there is continual fighting, then the weaker kits need to be removed when the stronger kits are returned, for their own safety. This is when you may need to hand-feed the weaker kits with some additional feeds yourself, a few times a day, in order for them to thrive.

The Pros:

The dam does all the cleaning and looking-after of the kits for you.

There is no equipment to sterilise and prepare.

There is no milk formula to make up.

The Cons:

You still may have to handfeed the kits yourself a couple of times a day.

Rotation only works if the dam has milk.

You still have to get up during the night.

Not much good if you have to work full-time.

There is much debate as to whether to provide extra calcium for our chinchillas - for healthy teeth and bone development - or not. Some owners do decide to suppliment - in the form of cuttlefish, vitamin and mineral supplement, calcium block or mineral water etc etc.

However, many people cannot understand why chinchillas can still get dental problems when they have always received adequate amounts of calcium in their diet - so hopefully this topic may go a little way to explain why (disregarding genetic or hereditary causes).

Chinchillas actually require either 2 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus or equal amounts of calcium to phosphorus in their diet for healthy bones and teeth. Lots of extra calcium alone is not as beneficial as we think (may also predispose some chinchillas to calcium deposits in their urinary system).

Hay, Readigrass and Supa Forage Excel (SFE) are all naturally calcium to phosphorus balanced - and most quality chinchilla pellets are too.

So how is calcium absorbed?

The body does not easily absorb calcium. It needs to be ingested in an ionic form and have vitamin D present for it to be fully absorbed. Some sources of calcium are more ionic (absorbable) than others.

Calcium is absorbed through the intestinal wall (duodenum) into the bloodstream. Vitamin D assists with this - and that is why adequate vitamin D is also needed in a chinchilla's diet (generally included in the pellets).

When levels of calcium in the bloodstream become low, various hormones are released and this triggers certain functions that remove and deposit calcium to and from the bones when needed.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates uptake of calcium into the bones - but the absorption of calcium also requires the activity of specialized cells: osteoblasts. These osteoblasts also make the bone-structure, upon which the calcium can be deposited (stored). Removal of calcium from the bones (to where needed) requires the activity of cells called osteoclasts.

Obviously the removed calcium has to be replaced again - via the process described above. If the diet is deficient in calcium then the stores in the bones become depleted.

Daily calcium supplementation confuses this process - and can actually cause similar symptoms to calcium deficiency. Here is why..

If more calcium is absorbed into the bones, from the bloodstream - the production and activity of both osteoblasts and osteoclasts is increased. If lots of calcium is absorbed, then lots of calcium is also removed (as excess is only stored in the bones temporarily) . But 50 to 70% of the composing osteoblasts die during this exchange activity.

The more their activity is stimulated, the more they die.

Because the number of times any cell can reproduce is fixed, the reproduction capacity of that cell will be exhausted sooner if too much calcium is absorbed into the bloodstream and then skeletal structure, on a regular basis.

If the reproduction capacity is exhausted, there will be a lack of new osteoblasts. And since only osteoblasts can make bone-structure, too little new structure will be made. Without this, the calcium cannot be deposited, and new bone cannot be composed, because there is a lack of structure upon which to build and replacement cannot occur.

As with all minerals - the body normally only absorbs just as much calcium from the food and bloodstream as it needs regardless of how much calcium is given.

But if calcium is given too regularly then the body has to do something to prevent the blood-calcium level from rising too high - so, in order to save life, excessive dietary calcium is ONLY TEMPORARILY stored in the bones, prior to excretion.

Since all this extra calcium is absorbed due to the action of osteoblasts, (as already explained) these osteoblasts die sooner, leaving you with too little new bone-structure!!!

After the excess calcium has been absorbed into the bones, two hormones stimulate deportation of calcium from the bones, and the third one stimulates excretion of calcium into urine.

So..... bones CANNOT hold on to extra calcium - so all that calcium eventually gets excreted anyway.

Therefore it is only recommended that calcium supplements are added to the diet once or twice a week (if needed) and NOT DAILY (unless there is medical reason)!

So what is the best way to ensure chinchillas can make the best use of the calcium they get?

1. Only give a calcium supplement once or twice a fortnight and not every

day!!!

2. Make sure the chinchillas diet contains adequate amounts of vitamin D

by feeding fresh chinchilla pellets.

3. Try to ensure that the chinchillas diet is calcium to phosphorus

balanced.(by feeding a simple diet of pellets and hay - and ensuring

any supplements are correctly balanced)

4. Remember Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamins D, A and C -

are the nutrients needed TOGETHER - in the RIGHT BALANCE that help

keep bones and teeth healthy!

I hope that this is of interest.

Debbie.

Note: Info taken from a website (cannot credit as cannot remember URL). Has been slightly re-written and altered by myself.

I have deliberately not mentioned the calcium-phosphorus-D3-magnesium link in detail.

This is just a quick guide for new CF members who are thinking about buying a chinchilla. This is not intended for "veterans" and "addicts". I hope that it is useful.

As with with any animal, a degree of thought should be given as to whether or not a chinchilla is the right pet for you.

I have listed some general pros and cons on chinchilla keeping, based on my own experiences, but please remember that there are exceptions to every rule!!

Is a chinchilla a suitable pet for you?

* Chinchillas can be a little nervous and highly-strung, hence are not always suitable pets for very young children or very busy, noisy households (although they are able to adapt if given peace and quiet at times).

* They can take a long time to settle down into a new home and over-come their natural fear of people, and need time and patience when settling them into a new home.

* Chinchillas can live for over 20 years - although 10-15 years appears to be the average life-span, so future considerations need to be taken into account.

* Chinchillas do like company and are social animals, therefore ........

* If kept alone, they require plenty of daily attention (and reasonable exercise) to avoid boredom and loneliness.

* If kept in male/female pairs, it must be borne in mind that breeding is generally inevitable and spare cages will be required for weaning litters and to separate the female from the male periodically, to avoid over-breeding her. Of course, castration can be considered as a final option (bearing in mind that all operations carry a risk).

* Same-sex pairs can be kept together, provided they have been slowly introduced to each other (preferably as juveniles). Caution should be taken when caging males together, as they have been known to fight when they reach maturity.

* Although chinchillas can adapt to your life-style to a certain extent, they are generally crepuscular by nature, and can be noisy during the night if kept in a bedroom.

* Their diet of hay and the need for a regular sandbath can prove to be problematic for asthmatics.

* Chinchillas are not always compatible with other pets. For instance: Noisy parrots kept in the same room can cause stress-related behavioural problems in chinchillas.

* They can be very destructive if allowed free-access around the house for exercise, as their instinct is to chew on hard objects (including chairs and tables). Therefore chinchilla-proofing an area of the house is recommended to preserve your furniture. (Remember to keep those toilet seats down too!!)

Where to buy a chinchilla

I, personally, recommend buying privately or from a breeder (although there are some very good pet-shops out there - and don't forget the rescue-centres if you only want a pet!!!). This way, you can usually ensure several things:

* You may be able to get some background history with your chinchilla, which is important if considering purchasing breeding stock, as some problems can be genetic/hereditary.

* You should be able to get an accurate age of the chinchilla you intend to purchase.

* You should also be able to get some experienced advice on their care and husbandry requirements.

* If possible, purchase a quantity of the food the chinchilla is used to, thus saving a sudden change of diet. (accessories and equipment may also be available at "cheaper-than-petshop" prices)

* You can also take your time to evaluate and look-over the chinchilla more relaxed in its familiar environment.

What to Look For

* Bright, wide-open eyes, with no signs of discharge or flattening of fur around them.

* Clean ears, held erect (unless chin has just been woken up!!)

* Nose - clean and dry.

* Genital/anal regions clean and dry and free from soiling.

* Fur should be velvety and plushy-looking with no matted or bald areas.

* The chinchilla should feel firm and solid and certainly not bony when handled.

* The front incisors should be even and chisel-shaped, and a yellow to orange colour (if the chinchilla is adult).

* Droppings should be of normal appearance (dark, smooth, plump and oval - like a small cavy dropping).

Normal Chinchilla Behavioural Responses

Chinchillas may be nervous around strangers, but don¡¦t let that put you off. A healthy chinchilla is a naturally curious animal and if you place your hand quietly in it's cage it should eventually come forward to gingerly sniff your hand, eventually!!

There are few differences between males and females, and both make suitable acquisitions as pets, with regard to their general behaviour.

A chinchilla that spray's you (females spray urine when feeling threatened), or rears up onto it's back legs, baring teeth and "growling" at you, (a threat display more commonly associated with fear, rather than aggression) is obviously not used to much human contact. They may still make good pets eventually, with time and patience, but some people may prefer to start off with a chinchilla that is slightly less intimidated by people.

Transporting your new chinchilla home

* Always bring a suitable chew-proof container to transport your new pet home in. However, some breeders will allow you to buy a small show-cage from them, which doubles as a carrying cage.

* Flimsy cardboard boxes are not suitable for long journeys, as chinchillas are quite capable of chewing large holes in them, in a relatively short period of time.

* Although most chinchillas will not eat during transit, a handful of hay and a slice of apple should at least be offered if the journey is likely to exceed 2 hours.

* DO NOT be tempted to travel with a chinchilla if it is a hot day. Chinchillas are very susceptible to the heat and even a short journey can increase the risk of heat-stroke. If you have a car air-con - then put it up on full - and screen the windows to block out any direct sun.

Some settling-in tips

* DO NOT put your chinchilla straight in the same cage with an existing chinchilla. Chinchillas are territorial, and may fight, with sometimes fatal results.

* It is wise to keep a new chin quite separate from existing chinchillas, for at least a fortnight. This is to ensure that your new purchase is free from any contagious ailments that may be passed onto existing stock. Quarantining new pets is something often over-looked by pet owners.

* Give your new chinchilla plenty of time to settle into its new environment. A happy chinchilla should feel safe and secure in its new cage and this will help the chinchilla to become more confident. A nestbox placed in the cage will give the chinchilla somewhere to hide away in if it feels frightened.

* Try to keep the new chinchilla on the same food that it has been used to. Any change of diet should be done slowly to avoid possible stomach upsets.

* Introduce potential cage-mates to each other very slowly (by initially caging side-by-side, then allowing the chins to exercise together on neutral territory, supervised at all times). It can take weeks before they accept each other well enough to be caged together.

Once settled into its environment, a chinchilla makes an enchanting and intelligent pet. They are not overly-demanding, and may long outlive a domestic cat or dog!! They cannot harbour fleas, do not smell and do not require vaccinations or daily walks. Their dietary requirements are easily and inexpensively catered for too.

As they spend most of their time asleep during the day they make excellent pets for people who have to work full-time.

They certainly get my vote - and I am sure everyone here will agree!!

Debbie.

Nutritional “First-Aid”

There may be times in a chinchilla’s life, when during a period of illness or surgical procedure they may suddenly refuse to eat voluntarily.

This can have a detrimental knock-on effect on the overall health of the chinchilla, and may adversely affect recovery times.

Many breeders and pet owners provide little in the way of specialist nutritional support during this time, if any. But this article aims to discuss the importance of syringe feeding (when appropriate) and how it can aid recovery.

Why is Syringe-Feeding of Use?

During illness or surgical recovery most animals have increased nutritional requirements, yet may have no appetite or actually physically cannot eat.

This can cause their metabolic rate to slow down, which can slow healing, impair normal gut motility and depress certain organ functions.

During long periods of inappetance, all fat reserves are mobilised and the chinchilla’s own tissue (muscle) protein is utilised to sustain it.

The metabolism of fatty acids to provide energy produces ketones, which would normally be excreted, but during periods of anorexia can cause a serious condition, called ketoacidosis. Syringe feeding may prevent this under certain conditions.

Syringe feeding also helps to stimulate normal gut motility, provides fluids and helps to stimulate the appetite.

Syringing glucose water alone may be adequate in the early stages of inappetance (to prevent hypoglycaemia) but it can be detrimental in cases of long-term anorexia as it can interfere with the liver’s fat metabolism.

When is Syringe-Feeding Appropriate?

Syringe feeding is often recommended when there has been a lack of food intake for about 2 days or there has been a recent loss of weight (useful if you know your chinchilla’s normal weight prior to illness).

However, in my experience, it is best to commence syringe-feeding as soon as a lack of appetite or weight-loss is noticed, in order to prevent digestive shut-down and total anorexia, as well as providing essential nutrients as soon as possible.

A word of caution though ... Do ensure that the chinchilla does not develop bloat (caused by gastric stasis and over-fermentation of food in the gut). This is characterised by lack of droppings, abdominal pain (stretching, rolling and pressing belly downwards) and a bloated, hard-feeling belly (we all know how painful trapped wind can be!!). Veterinary advice is essential if bloat is apparent.

If early symptoms (similar to that of bloat, but not as severe) of gastric stasis are treated early - it does not always progress to bloat!!! But it does mean that peristalsis has been impaired to some degree. Gut motility does need to be restored before over-fermentation (bloat) occurs. Veterinary advice is also recomended - as drug treatments are available to improve peristalsis.

Although, gastric stastis can sometimes improve on it's own with no veterinary intervention. (A little extra exercise can help with this condition too.) I always feel it is better to be safe than sorry - and liaise with a vet if abdominal pain is noticed - as it is not wise to just ignore the symptoms.

What Types of Food can be Syringed?

Basically you need to provide something that can be sucked up into a syringe relatively easily, and is in-keeping with the normal diet, contains adequate nutritional ratios and has a good fibre content.

I have tried several “formulas” over the years, here are some of the best …

Oxbow Critical Care

Available from some veterinary surgeries.

It contains:

Timothy Meal, Oat Groats, Soybean Hulls, Wheatgerm Meal, Wheat Middlings, Soybean Meal, Molasses, Monophosphate L, Ascorbic Acid (Vit C), Vitamin A, D3, E, K, B1, B6, B12, Biotin, Sodium Chloride, Calcium Pantothanate, Calcium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Menadione Dimethyl Pyrimidinol, Magnesium Chloride, Lactobacillus Sporogenes, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus Plantarium, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Streptococcus Faecium, Papaya, Pineapple and Natural Flavourings.

It says on the packet - "A complete syringe-feeding formula for convalescing small herbivores. Timothy Grass Hay - the main component in Critical Care, contains the fibre necessary for re-establishing proper microbial balance and stimulating peristalsis".

It is simply mixed with water and syringe fed as necessary, and any left-over mix can be refrigerated until the next meal.

Supreme Science Recovery

Available from vets and some retail stockists.

Is available in easy to use one-feed sachets. It includes a probiotic that re-colonises and assists growth of caecal flora. It also contains essential B and C vitamins, fenugreek (an appetite stimulant), anise (for palatability), plus high levels of fibre to encourage gut motility.

Home-Made Formulas

Using a coffee-grinder you can grind chinchilla pellets and hay (and/or wheatgerm and oats) into a powder, to which you can simply mix with water and syringe-feed as required.

OR

Powder alfalfa tablets (from health food shops), then mix with water (1:1 or 1:3) and syringe.

OR

Fruit baby food is often liked by chinchillas, but it is a bit sticky and lacks fibre and protein (you can add a little wheatgerm to it).

(Probiotics are a useful addition to syringe-feeding formulas, as they help to re-colonise the gut with beneficial micro-flora, which is often unbalanced during periods of illness and medication)

How much can be given??

I have always aimed for about 30ml-40ml a day (for chinchillas), divided into about 3 feeds daily. This seems to sustain an average chinchilla, but you may need to increase or decrease this amount according to how the chinchilla is responding.

Dilute @ 1 part powder to 1 to 3 parts water (depending on product).

Syringe-Feeding Techniques

1. Get everything you need easily to hand (all equipment, food and plenty of cloths!!!)

2. RELAX!!

3. Fill the syringe with the food - removing any air-bubbles.

4. Hold the chinchilla close to you - and wait until it stops struggling and settles.

5. Put the tip of the syringe into the mouth - from the side - behind the front teeth.

6. Depress the syringe - and allow a TINY AMOUNT of food to go into the mouth.

7. IMMEDIATELY remove the syringe from his mouth - and give the chinchilla time to swallow.

8. Repeat 6. and 7. until food has been eaten (mopping up any spillage as you go).

9. Whenever the chinchilla struggles - just stop what you are doing and hold gently until it settles down - then try again.

The trick is to ensure that the chinchilla does not feel "force-fed" or that it is choking down the food. A tiny, tiny bit of food at a time helps make chins feel less panicked.

You also need mountains of patience, as it is a very time-consuming procedure.

Any food inhaled can cause aspiration pneumonia, so syringe slowly and carefully and if necessary ask your vet to show you how it is done correctly.

Recovery

During the period of recovery that chinchilla should be kept in as stress-free conditions as possible. If the ailment is not contagious then keep a bonded companion in with the chinchilla, as this can often provide psychological support.

Ensure the chinchilla is kept warm (but not too hot) at all times. Reptile heat pads are ideal for this as long as the chinchilla cannot chew them, and they are the type that provides a very gentle heat (always ensure the chinchilla can move away from them, if necessary).

Make sure that the chinchilla is getting adequate fluids, this encourages renal excretion of toxins and maintains hydration. If necessary, fluids can also be syringed, if the chinchilla is not drinking voluntarily. Plain water should always be provided in the usual receptacle at all times, but non-citrus fruit juices (such as pineapple) are usually eagerly taken via syringe.

Ensure you have a calm routine to minimise stress and upset during syringe feeding.

Always encourage normal eating by providing the usual diet, fresh every day. I have also found that a small pile of fresh, clean hay or alfalfa placed directly in the cage, may inspire a reluctant chinchilla to take a nibble or two.

Perseverance and patience are the key-words and your dedication will often pay dividends and may ensure a greater chance of the chinchilla making a reasonable recovery!!!

Finally, I cannot stress enough, the importance of liaising with your vet before commencing any syringe-feeding regime. It is imperative that any sick animal gets professional veterinary care, first and foremost.

Female chinchillas always seem to have their litters in the early hours of the morning. You may first notice that her chest and forepaws are soaking wet, this is due to the waters breaking. The female will also be licking repeatedly at her undercarriage too.

Contractions are usually quite visible. During these, the female may arch her back, strain a little and even cry out. The kits are delivered headfirst and the female reaches down and uses her teeth to pull them free.

Because of this, big kits that have got a bit stuck in the birth canal, may get terribly mutilated by the females teeth. If you see this happening - then call a vet immediately!!

Veterinary assistance is also required immediately if you see any fresh blood during the birth. A normal chinchilla birth is clean and blood-free (the only blood coming from eating the afterbirth afterwards).

There may be a couple of hours between kits being born - BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A FEMALE BE ALLOWED TO STRAIN OR LABOUR IN VAIN FOR LONGER THAN 3-4 HOURS WITHOUT PRODUCING ANYTHING!!! If she does - then IMMEDIATE veterinary advice should be sought!!

When the birth is over, within an hour or two the female will start expelling the afterbirths (there may be over two hour delay, so just keep an eye out). There is usually 1 per kit, but occasionally kits share a placenta, so this is not a hard and fast rule.

If you do not witness the expulsion of the afterbirths, the usual evidence is a bl00dy snout, forepaws and a bl00dy patch in the cage (there should be no fresh blood running from the mothers gential opening).

Within a week or two after the birth, if the female produces tiny droppings (gets constipated), goes off her food, shows signs of abdominal pain (stretching and pressing belly on the cage floor) or has a discharge from her genitals - then, once again, do not delay in calling a vet!!

All this said, most females do not have any problems, so try not to worry, just keep a calm head and let the female get on with things as undisturbed as possible (especially if she is first-time mother). Only act if something seems amiss.

The word "cold" is a bit of an erroneous term TBH - my experience is that chins tend to suffer from respiratory infections - rather than a chinchilla equivalent of a human cold.

"Colds" can kill a chinchilla if left untreated - so veterinary attention is always recommended first and formost. However, there is supportive treatment that you can give - to compliment veterinary treatment.

There are a few things to note first of all - you can get both upper (affecting the nares/sinuses) and lower (affecting the trachea and/or lungs) respiratory infections .... Lower respiratory infections tend to be more serious - but both need prompt treatment.

Symptoms of Upper Infection

Temperature (signs - hot, flushed ears)

Nasal discharge

Excessive sneezing

Poor appetite

Snuffling/noisy breathing

In advanced cases the chinchilla may start to "mouth-breathe"

Symptoms of a Lower Infection

Temperature

Laboured breathing (in serious cases they may even start coughing)

Rattling/wheezing noises in chest

Poor/no appetite

Generally off-colour and lethargic

A vet will more than likely prescribe antibiotics and possibly an anti-mucosal drug - such as Bisolvon - but in advanced cases oral medication may be hard to administer so it is preferred for the medication to be administered by injection.

The owner of the chinchilla can support veterinary care - by doing the following ....

• Keep the chinchilla warm and out of any drafts - a heatpad is ideal.
  
• Withold sandbaths - as they will irritate the nasal passages.
  
• Ensure the chinchilla is drinking enough fluids and keep tempting the appetite if the chinchilla is not eating normally.
  
• You can put a few drops of Karvol infant descongestant on a tissue near or under the cage - where the chin cannot reach it.
  
• In cases of emergency (and only if the vet has NOT given an antimucosal) you can give a little Sudafed Liquid - but please use caution. Correct dosages are as follows: 0.2ml per adult chin - twice a day
  

Chinchillas usually respond well to treatment provided it is started as soon as possible - do not delay in taking the chin to the vets if abnormal breathing is noticed.