Fur bitting?

[MRevelo]

I'm trying to see if my little stickshift is chewing his fur. I normally see him moving fur around in this area & whenever I pet him I feel matted/knotted fur.


I give him sand baths 3 times a week & he doesn't like being brushed in the area where the fur is messed up. Is there anything I can do to remove the matted/knotted fur?

 

[Cuddlebug]

It's kinda hard to tell from the picture. What looks like chewed fur could just be the mats. You can gently tug on the mats and they will come out. It doesn't hurt them since they naturally slip fur. You might have to do it a little at a time if your chin gets annoyed by it.

 

[MRevelo]

Thanks, I will definitely have to try that.

Do you know why it gets matted or is it just from them chewing it?

 

[Cuddlebug]

He may have got it wet by leaning up against the water bottle and it dried that way. Or, his fur may just grow funny, leading to mats. What brand of dust do you use?

 

[DevnChip]

My Chipper would get what I would call a habit matt on his hip. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it in his fur. I think it was caused by his habit of laying on his left side almost exclusively. He would kak at me when I got close to it or touched it. I switched to Blue Cloud dust, the forum favorite, and got a show comb. The first time I used the comb he struggled and kak'd up a storm. I got a tuft of matted fur off him that was almost the size of the end of my thumb and he looked like he could move better when I let him go. After that, the combing sessions were much shorter and calmer and there were no more tufts or matts pulled. I just combed out a small tangle once a month.

I hope that helps. Let us know how it goes getting that matt out.

 

[MRevelo]

He may have got it wet by leaning up against the water bottle and it dried that way. Or, his fur may just grow funny, leading to mats. What brand of dust do you use?

I just switch to Kaytee.

 

[MRevelo]

My Chipper would get what I would call a habit matt on his hip. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it in his fur. I think it was caused by his habit of laying on his left side almost exclusively. He would kak at me when I got close to it or touched it. I switched to Blue Cloud dust, the forum favorite, and got a show comb. The first time I used the comb he struggled and kak'd up a storm. I got a tuft of matted fur off him that was almost the size of the end of my thumb and he looked like he could move better when I let him go. After that, the combing sessions were much shorter and calmer and there were no more tufts or matts pulled. I just combed out a small tangle once a month.

I hope that helps. Let us know how it goes getting that matt out.

All matts are out! Took a while but he is a happy chin again!
His fur looks a lot better (minus the uneven areas the matts were. but that will grow back in soon enough)

 

[Cuddlebug]

I just switch to Kaytee.

Kaytee dust is not a good brand. It is more like sand than dust and it just doesn't work as well.

 

[MRevelo]

Thank you for letting me know, I will have to check another pet store near by for another brand.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Look for Blue Cloud. It is the best one out there.