Tank Update Thread

[Essentia]

I feel like we've taken up enough of the classified ads section so I decided to make a thread for him here. This way anyone who wants to know how he is doing can see, and you are able to comment as much as you would like without being a rule breaker in the classifieds.

Ok, we all know what he looked like before.

This is him when Orlando Chins picked him up.

http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showpost.php?p=200624&postcount=43

 

[Essentia]

This is him now. This is only one day, though a whole bunch of work. He is COVERED in mats. They weren't small mats either. These are what's covering his body. This is only about 1/4 of them.

That's my hand to give you a size reference. I don't have small hands. I wear a size 9 1/2 wedding ring to give you an idea.

Now, this is absolutely uncalled for. I don't even know how to respond to this other than anger.

To give you a better size reference.

This was on his hip. It's the size of his head. It took me 45 minutes to get it off and that was with both of us upset about it. He has another on the other hip that is literally twice this size. I'm not sure how to go about that one just yet.

 

[Jenn]

wow, what a lot of work! He will be soooo much happier with all your dedication to him! He is lucky to have you

 

[Ash]

Poor Tank! But he definitely looks better already, Crysta!

 

[chinchillalover0927]

is that him in the pic?? OMG what a beautiful difference!!

 

[Essentia]

Oh, and he's such a tank that he can't fit through the door of my regular houses. haha. This is why he has the igloo. He looks like Winnie the Pooh trying to get into Rabbit's hole (though I think a lot of that width has to do with the very large mats on his hips).

 

[greychins]

Poor Tank. It amazes me that he could even get that bad! What horrible care he must have been receiving... So happy he's in good hands now...

 

[Ash]

So what is the weight on Mr. Tank, anyway?

 

[Mikayla]

He's a very pretty little chunker

 

[Essentia]

Yes ma'am, that is him. He isn't greasy anymore but we have a long way to go. The skin under the mats is red and flakey so he is going to start tinactin baths. Not only that, but the fur around the back of his neck is very sparse. I'm not sure what is causing it, but his skin is very flakey there as well (though not red). I'm hoping with a better diet his skin will start to get better.

Any idea what would be causing the thinning fur on his neck?

 

[~SG~]

WOW He looks SO much better already!!!

 

[StevieP]

Wow. I can't believe all of that fur was matted and there's more! He is looking better already. He looks quite hefty on top of the igloo

Edit: I attached his original pictures so when they get deleted from craigslist we will still have them

 

[Essentia]

So what is the weight on Mr. Tank, anyway?

816 as of tonight.

 

[Ash]

816 as of tonight.

Awesome! I hope he keeps it!

 

[Essentia]

My very first stink eye.

He's not a happy boy right now. I'm sure that at least that one leg feels better though. Right now he's jumping around his cage, which makes me happy because before you could tell his movement was restricted. The other one isn't as tight as the one I removed, it just takes up an area about the size of a small fist (not child small, adult small). Dust your chinchillas people! It isn't that hard. It really isn't.

Awesome! I hope he keeps it!

Me too. He was on Kaytee Fiesta and his favorite treat was sunflower seeds, so he may actually lose a bit of weight now that his new favorite treat is apple wood.

 

[RDZCRanch]

The thinning fur around his neck could be from a previous matt that got so big it fell out on its own and the fur is now attempting to grow back. It also just could be that he's so hot from all the matts everywhere that he's blowing fur where he can.

I can't wait to see what he'll look like with all the matts gone and normal fur grown back in.

 

[Essentia]

With the dry skin all over his body, what wold you recommend in terms of bathing? I'm starting him on the Tinactin tomorrow after I attempt to remove this other super large mat. I don't want to dust him too much and make the dry skin worse, but I don't want to not dust him enough and the Tinactin not be able to do its job.

 

[RDZCRanch]

If you're using blue cloud for his dust, it should be fine. Kaytee dries them out a ridiculous amount, and you can always put some bag balm on his feet and ears to give him a bit of relief from all the dry skin. Otherwise, it'll just take time for him to get back to normal after everything he's been through.

 

[mishellyshel]

great job crysta. i am sure it was difficult getting those huge mats out.
i look forward to his updates. thank you all who were involved in saving this big boy!

 

[Essentia]

Thanks Tab. I know it won't be instantaneous, I'm just trying to make it as painless as I can for him. That dry skin all over his entire body just looks itchy (though I really haven't seen him scratching too much).