How to tell the difference from fur chewing and grooming

[shubbles]

Ok so i walked into my room today and my chin was, what it looked like, chewing or nibbling on his fur in a specific spot for a few seconds. No fur was popping off or anything, but im just wondering. Ive seen him do this a few times. I don't know if i'm being paranoid, but i might as well ask.

 

[jags]

Grooming will not leave the fur chopped shorter than the rest of the fur around it. With grooming it will still look normal when dry.

 

[Riven]

If you're chin doesn't have problems with chewing then it's just grooming. They get itches too!

 

[shubbles]

thanks. yeah im pretty sure it was grooming because the fur was a little pushed in different directions but no fur was missing.

 

[Carol~Anne]

He's probably just grooming himself. If you start to notice patches of fur that is much shorter than the rest and it looks like a bad haircut then that is fur chewing. My boy Zeke is a definite chewer but since he's been here with me for about nine months now his fur is slowly but surely growing back. I believe he chewed his fur b/c he was stressed out being around females; at least that is what I was told. In this pic you can see his back end where his fur hasn't grown back yet.

 

[shubbles]

ok ill look out for that.

 

[shubbles]

Now i think he might be fur chewing. Am i doing something wrong though, he's not a rescue, i don't think he has any thing to stress him out, although his cagemate did die 2 years or so ago, he has plenty of chews, a ferret nation 142. He seems happy. Jumps around, eats, i give him a dust bath 4 times a week, i'm at school during the day so he can rest peacefully. I don't want him to be stressed. Any suggestions?

 

[Ash]

Some chins chew just to chew. I have one girl here who chews when she wants to, usually on her cagemates. Just how she is.

 

[alli713]

You can always post a picture of your chin and we could tell for sure if it's fur chewing.

I have one girl that does it on occasion. Some just do it on and off. Sometimes it's stress related, sometimes it's boredom, and some just do it. There's nothing wrong with your chin if he does it.

 

[shubbles]

It doesn't seem very bad, i just don't want him to be stressed out. If he'll stay still for a sec than i'll try to take a pic of him.