Quarantining

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ashley00

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2011
Messages
82
Location
Federal Way, WA
I searched for a thread in chin debate and polls, but I couldn't find anything. I was wondering your stance on quarantining and how long do you do it for? Just curious on everyone's opinions.
 
i haven't had to do this yet, but i will whenever we feel we are ready for another chinchilla.
but i'd do the 30 days quarantine.
 
minimum 30 days/ 4 weeks - not just about health risks/ issues, either - as I understand it, also an opportunity to let new fuzzbutt get settled and for me to get to know them and their behavior (which can be useful later on, when observing for possible issues...)
 
I strongly believe in it, and quarantine for 45 days, but I'm excessive, and also do the same with my birds, and they were 90. I would hate to bring something home to my critters, and stress out the newbie with everything at once.
 
Quarantine is vital! A minimum of 30 days... make sure you wash your hands thoroughly when going between the quarantine barn/room and your chin barn/room. Unfortunately, there are some issues that may not surface within the 30 days, but most issues should present themselves by then.

This is not only important with new animals, but after shows as well, you never know what they may pick up... alot of animals in close proximity of each other.
 
I hate to play devils advocate here and I STRONGLY believe quarantine (30days) has it's place but for arguments sake...

Take show animals for instance, does everyone quarantine ALL show animals from the rest of their herd when they bring their OWN animals back from a show?

What if you purchase two animals from the same breeder...say 10 days apart...do you just quarantine them until the first one is done or do you quarantine them each 30/days...or do you quarantine the first for 40days and the second for 30 days?

What if...you purchase one animal from breeder A...a week later you purchase three animals from 3 different breeders at a show...do you quarantine the animals from the show in one room...the animal from breeder A in another room...for a total of (at least) 3 different rooms (room 1 breeder A) (room 2 show animals) (room 3 your herd room)?

Just saying, I don't think ALL people quarantine every animal that comes in. I'm pretty meticulous and have only ONCE transferred illness from one chin to another due to poor quarantine. This was when I first started out in chinchillas.

I purchased one chinchilla from breeder A. I then purchased another animal from breeder B. About three weeks later I purchased a third animal (again from breeder B). Assumed since first animal from breeder B was healthy that second animal was as well. Wrong to assume. Second animal from breeder B was placed in cage with animal from breeder A. That's a lot to take in but long story short...quarantine DOES have it's place but each breeder needs to determine the best way to do it for individual circumstances.
 
I keep hearing shows are different, a load of chins together in one room stressed out for upwards of 24 hours is fine, a play date (which is stupid but its my point) is not, because EVERYONE at the show is honest and would not bring a sick chin, UMMM incubation periods where there is no symptoms happen and there have been problems at shows but its a secret and those involved clam up.
 
Quarantines are vital, in my opinion. Regardless of where, when or who the chin came from. Not only do they give you time to bond with that chin and learn its quirks and personality, but it also gives any illnesses time to manifest, if they are going to. And 30 days is the minimum that should be done. I can not remember if it is was on here or another forum, but I heard that an ideal quarantine is upwards of 90 days and that to do a true quarantine, you would have to have a separate building or room, with its own ventilation system and filtration system where only that chin would stay. And you would have to change clothes before and after going into this room, to avoid cross contamination from any other sources that you may have touched before coming into contact with the chin that is in quarantine. Washing of the hands would be a must before handling the chin, both before and after, as would other sanitation practices.

But you bring up a good question though. I know I have bought chins from a trusted rescue, but I have always done a minimum of 30 days quarantine, regardless. Not because I do not trust her, because I do, but because you can never tell what the stress of moving to a new home can do to a chin. Not too mention, the new water, new hay, new food ( though that has never been a problem ), etc.
 
And 30 days is the minimum that should be done. I can not remember if it is was on here or another forum, but I heard that an ideal quarantine is upwards of 90 days and that to do a true quarantine, you would have to have a separate building or room, with its own ventilation system and filtration system where only that chin would stay. And you would have to change clothes before and after going into this room, to avoid cross contamination from any other sources that you may have touched before coming into contact with the chin that is in quarantine. Washing of the hands would be a must before handling the chin, both before and after, as would other sanitation practices.

Isn't that a little overkill? I mean does the average pet owner have a set up like that? You have to be aware that anything coming in from the outside could potentially be carrying some sort of illness. I don't just mean new pets, I mean humans coming and going, dogs going out to pee etc... Do we quarantine after one pet goes to the vet? I'm going home for Christmas, do I quarantine my chins away from my boyfriend's chin because they haven't been living in the same house? I think the key is to take precautions and use common sense. I do a 30 day quarantine on new animals, but I've come to learn that I can't keep my chins in a plastic bubble. I take precautions, but I can't micro-manage everything they're going to be exposed to.
 
Dawn, I hear ya! and at shows, it's not just the show animals...it's any animal brought there. There are a TON of chins that aren't even shown. A LOT of them are by pet people that just happened to hear about the show and figured it'd be a decent place to sell or previously arranged to transport an animal there.

Regardless, I had a chin once...sent to a show via RR transport. It wasn't to be shown, just taken to the show and picked up (to go to it's new home) from that show. En route the animal became sick. We're talking...dying sick. No joke! None of my animals were sick. None. Still don't know how it happened but I trusted the transporter and there were several at the show aware of the situation.

Point is, shows are no different...if anything...they're worse. For instance, I do not regularly allow people in my chin room. Too much issue with contamination (for one thing)...but at shows everyone is around all chins...as well as any disease and contaminant on them!
 
Isn't that a little overkill? I mean does the average pet owner have a set up like that? You have to be aware that anything coming in from the outside could potentially be carrying some sort of illness. I don't just mean new pets, I mean humans coming and going, dogs going out to pee etc... Do we quarantine after one pet goes to the vet? I'm going home for Christmas, do I quarantine my chins away from my boyfriend's chin because they haven't been living in the same house? I think the key is to take precautions and use common sense. I do a 30 day quarantine on new animals, but I've come to learn that I can't keep my chins in a plastic bubble. I take precautions, but I can't micro-manage everything they're going to be exposed to.

No, it's not overkill. That's what a true quarantine is, which is why I don't bother with quarantining. I recommend it, sure - but when I recommend it I don't expect that anyone will keep their chins in two separate rooms with separate air flow/filtration and ventilation systems, and change clothes (including socks and shoes) and shower before and after entering each room.

For me, when I recommend quarantining to new owners and what I practice myself, the most I hope for is they keep them in separate cages, preferably in two different rooms but that's doubtful, with no physical contact, and wash hands inbetween handling for 30 days before introductions begin.
 
I would say this is true of birds, more so than say Chinchillas. Your more inclined to come across nasty diseases with birds vs the chinchillas, that are life threatening and there are a lot of them, and they are air borne, so yes, true quarantine would involve all of those things, and a minumum of 90 days since this is when most disease would surface.
With chins, at least in my opinion, there aren't as many nasties, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful. If I take a chin to the show, I'm sorry, I'm not as trusting, and will quarantine, and give a bath with some sulfur in it to hopefully prevent fungus. I went to a show once, and chins where put up on the show table, and the judge looked at a couple and pulled them because they had fungus! Take no chances, it's only 30-45 days, and if your seriously already committed yourself to the next 10-15+ years of this animals life. They are worth it!
 
Someone I know lost half their herd because they didn't quarantine ........ they gave up chins after that........
*puts on devil's advocate hat*
Why is quarantine even a discussion point?
 
No, it's not overkill. That's what a true quarantine is, which is why I don't bother with quarantining. I recommend it, sure - but when I recommend it I don't expect that anyone will keep their chins in two separate rooms with separate air flow/filtration and ventilation systems, and change clothes (including socks and shoes) and shower before and after entering each room.

I understand that that is the true meaning of quarentine. I'd be curious though if anyone actually practices it, because of how impractical it is for the average pet owner/small breeding operation?

Don't get me wrong if my chins caught something I would be devastated. However, since most of us don't have the option of quarentining in separate buildings, we can only take precautions and hope for the best. For me that includes keeping them in a separate room, washing hands, and changing clothes if I've been holding the new chin. Personally my biggest concern is some sort of communicable disease. Prior to getting two of my chins I knew they had been exposed to a fungus. I took the extra precaution of adding tinactin powder to their dust, but I wouldn't do that in a normal quarentine situation. Given the situation I felt it was necessary with those animals. Luckily neither of them developed anything.
 
I personally don't think most do. I couldn't afford such an operation. I think we all do the same as you Brittany. Separate area of the house, washing hands, not sharing things, etc.

It's not perfect, but still better than doing nothing. :)
 
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For anyone that has ever had an illness go through their herd, I guarantee, they now consider the quarantine process as a vital step. I picked up an illness at a show last year and it was one of the worst experiences of my life: the expense, the tole it takes on your animals, and the time investment to eradicate is awful... And once you have something spreading through your herd, it can spread like wild fire, and typically by the time you realize you have a problem it is way to late.

I previously was very lax about the quarantine process, and I know alot of other breeders that still are. This doesn't make them "bad breeders", but it potentially opens them up to alot of unknowns and heartache.

I am with Claire D and curious why this is a discussion point. Quarantine is like anything else we do in life, do we wash our hands before we eat? A lot of people don't, but that doesn't mean they get sick everytime they eat..... however, the risk is still there.
 
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