Chinchilla & rabbit

[kr2013]

I do apologize if this isn't the area where I can ask a question but I am new to this site and have a few questions.

I have had my chinchilla since february, she's gorgeous! Today I went out and got a rabbit. She came from a home before but the child had allergies. She is two and a dwarf. Ever since I brought her into the house she has started sneezing, probably every half hour and 4 or 5 times in a row. Is it the stress of moving? What is causing this?

Second question, I have a two part cage for my chin with two levels in each part, there is a way that you can close the two parts and have them separate cages, would it be safe to put my rabbit in the 2nd part of the cage and my chin in the first part? I'm not looking to home them both in the same cage just in two different parts!

Please help!

 

[becky12883]

Rabbits and chins shouldn't be housed together. Rabbits can carry a bacteria called pasturella, which can be deadly to chins. There's more explanation in this thread. You can also use the search at the top of the screen to search for other threads about rabbits and pasturella.

 

[PetoftheDay]

Definitely get the bunny to the vet ASAP. Sneezing is not a typical reaction to stress, shedding fur is, and other things are but sneezing is something medically wrong.

 

[Stackie]

One of the side effects of pasteurella is sneezing and other respiratory issues. A move such as the one she just went through can cause stress and weaken the immune system, causing them to come down with an infection easier. Many rabbits are carriers of pasteurella, and when their immune system is weakened, it gives pasteurella an opportunity to cause infection. I would definitely keep your chin and rabbit separated (not just now, but always), and get your bunny into the vet. It can be spread through respiratory droplets through the air (sneezing). Pasteurella is nasty and they can quickly go downhill fast from it.

 

[ticklechin]

Pasteurella will kill your chin, there is no treatment or cure for a chinchilla.

 

[Magyk]

Is there nasal discharge? There IS a possibility of allergies. Is the rabbit on shavings? What type of hay does it have availible?

Regardless, always keep the bunny seperate from the chin, it's just too risky for the chinny.