Chin shedding & Allergy

[MHrouda]

Do mosaics shed more than the standard grey or black?

I am allergic to cats and trying to see how that would. W.

For me, education before purchase!!

 

[tunes]

Chins don't "shed" per se. They do prime, but it isn't really a shed like a cat or dog. Most people find that they aren't really allergic to the chins, but to the stuff that comes with chins - hay, shavings, etc. I guess the only way to know for sure is to be exposed to chins.

And in answer to your question - no, it has not been my experience that any chin mutation sheds more than any other chin.

 

[MHrouda]

I went and held one at a store today, pets plus, just to see how my allergy would be. I seemed fine but this mosaic started to shed a lot.

Of course, , I wouldn't buy from there but I just wanted to see.

 

[Amethyst]

Mosaic is just color, it's no different then asking if a brown tabby cat sheds more then a black cat. That being said, they do "shed" twice a year, called priming, they don't shed all the time. Even during a prime most of the fur ends up in the dust bath not all over the place. However, when scared (new person touching it and in a pet store) they will release fur as a defense, it's called fur slipping. The idea is that the predator, or in this case, new unknown human only gets fur and the chin can get away. Once the chin gets use to normal gentle handling (realizes it's not going to get hurt, grabbed, chased, poked, or eaten) and use to it's new home and you the fur slipping should stop. Most chins don't ever like to actually be held though, some get use to it but mostly you just pet them (chin and belly scratches) and let them use you as a jungle gym during playtime.

As said people tend to be allergic to the hay, dust bath, or litter shavings, not the actual chinchilla (though an allergy to the fur is possible, just uncommon). Chinchillas clean by taking baths in fine dust (which does get everywhere), so they don't have dander like a cat of dog which clean by licking.