A softness in your heart for a chin

[ChinChin2k9]

Hello Everybody,
I just joined this forum a few days ago, after acquiring my new Chin on Sunday. I have to say, this is the best chin forum that I have seen!

Anyway, I got him from a woman who had him and his brother for about a year. She told me that his brother died not too long ago, and she wasn't sure why, but he stopped eating, acted very lethargic, and just laid around, being very lazy.

I didn't know what to think of this, as I have never owned a Chin before:dance3:, but I have read books, read articles all over the internet, and called a few pet stores to ask which products are better than others, because I wanted to be prepared!:thumbsup:

I brought the Chin home on Sunday, and he wasn't really acting normal, but I thought maybe he wasn't sure of his new surroundings or anything. I topped off his food bowl, put some timothy hay in his cage, and rearranged the levels so he could have more freedom to jump and romp around.

The following morning, I noticed that he hadn't really moved from his house. His bowl wasn't touched, the hay wasn't eaten, and he didn't eat his raisin that I put in the food bowl as a little snack. (And I know they can only get 1 raisin a day, so that was his raisin.)

I just shrugged it off, thinking that he was still getting used to his new home. I got off of work, and came home, and he still hadn't moved. I got him finally to come out of his home, and he didn't want to move around or anything. He just laid on top of me on the couch, and went to sleep.

I put him back in his cage, put him in front of the water bottle, and he just looked at it. I had to feed him water, and he wouldn't eat food.

So yesterday, I went online to maybe find a solution. Depression, or needing a buddy, or something. But all that I found was information on illnesses causing partial paralysis, not eating, not drinking, over heating, ring worm, etc.

I was very worried when I saw that all of the symptoms he was having was very severe. Actually, I was quite worried when we had a friend who brought over his daughter to see our Burmese pythons and the chin (they are kept in separate rooms and NEVER handled at the same time), because he acted VERY lethargic. This is when I started to FREAK

I had him in my arms, calling vets at 10 pm to see who would take him, and who had a vet that specialized in exotics. I didn't have any luck, the only place that I could go was 45 mins away, and it would cost me at least $5000 just for the emergency. Sorry, but I don't have that kind of money.

So, I read on the internet that sugar water can help, and I turned his food into a liquid and used a syringe to feed it to him. No improvement. His breathing was getting slower and slower, and he was getting limper and limper, and he died in my arms :cry3:

I LOVED :heart4:this little chin! I thought I was doing something wrong, but I think the woman just shrugged off the fact that her other chin died and didn't take him to the vet or anything. I think she knew he was going to die, because she explained to me the exact same symptoms that he had.

My heart is broken, :broken: and I am burying him today, and putting a dog wood tree over where he is getting buried. He was my little ChinChin, and I'm going to miss him very much!

 

[alli713]

I'm so sorry for your loss. But, really this was not your fault. It sounds like whatever his buddy had, he got it too and the lady didn't take them to the vet.

I'm sorry you had to go through this with your first chin


(and btw, raisins aren't good for chins, one a day is too much, for future reference if you do decide to get another chin. The sugar in them is really bad for their digestive system. I don't give them to my chins at all.)

 

[6Dusters]

I'm very sorry for your loss. But let your heart be lifted knowing you provided a safe, comfortable, loving home. No matter how short. I tell you this out of experience with a litter of kittens I brought home about 8 years ago from a nasty loud kill shelter. One was in very bad shape. Dirty and very ill. I bathed her and put her in a warm quiet box for the evening. The next day I took her to be put down. Any amount of compassion we give the innocence is love at it's best.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

That's really too bad, I'm sorry. I hope if you decide to get another that you have a much happier experience. Stick with the forum, there is so much misinformation on the internet and from pet stores and here you get lots of varying opinions but usually great advice in the long run ). Welcome to the forum.

 

[Rickman]

Welcome to C+H, and sorry for your loss.
As others have said, it's not your fault - you did your best, and his passing away could have been from many things!
If you're considering another chin, you'll find many breeders on this forum, some who also have rescues, [from people who couldn't keep them] that are healthy.
I'd "sanitize" the cage - 50-50 mix of water/vinegar and scrub EVERYTHING! Let it dry, do it again with water/peroxide, let it dry, and rinse it with plain water and let it dry.
You'll find, in the supplies for sale section, people on here that sell recommended feed, chew toys, stick, etc. that are all chin-safe. There are also 'stickies' you can read in every section that will help in your understanding of these wonderful little critters!
Good luck!

 

[eroomlorac]

I am so sorry for the loss of your new pet and I'm also sorry you got put in this situation. How sad. Give yourself some time then maybe you will consider trying it again with a healthy animal.

 

[addictedtochins]

I am so sorry, RIP Chinchin. When you are ready give a yell out with your location and I'm sure we on here can lead you to a reputable breeder and/or rescue. In the meantime please spend time on here learning and chatting.
:hug4:

 

[Sandi]

It sounds like you would have been a wonderful chinparent. I am so sorry for your loss that happened in such a short amount of time As everyone has stated, it was not your fault and that lady put you in a terrible position. It doesn't take long to fall in love with these tiny furballs. Please come back when you are ready.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Sorry to hear
especially when it's your first and only chin!
I couldn't stand the thought of Stevie dying in my arms

 

[InkedupTara]

I am very sorry for your loss. I am also sorry to hear that vet bill! How high! My emergency clinic is 100 to walk in the door and exam, and then add to that anything else.

I am glad you found the forum, even under such sad circumstances. Chins can go downhill fast, and if you ever have another chin that is that lethargic I would call a vet rather then wait it out.

Hopefully your next chin experience will be a more positive one.

 

[ChinChin2k9]

Thanks everyone! I will definitely be getting another chinchilla. I have been searching around everywhere for a Pink White, which is the color that just passed =(

I think I found one though. And, about the raisins, I read in an Animal Planet Chinchilla book that they are ok to have raisins, just one a day, and no more.

 

[lauralynne]

So sorry to hear about ChinChin. You did everything you could, and it was no doubt more than his previous owner would have done.

 

[alli713]

I think I found one though. And, about the raisins, I read in an Animal Planet Chinchilla book that they are ok to have raisins, just one a day, and no more.

Unfortunately most books and things of that nature are wrong. A raisin a day is way too much.

Here is why..

If you look at the basic biology of how a chinchilla digests it's food, it would only make sense to stay away from sugary treats like raisins and other fruits.

Chinchillas are hindgut fermenters meaning that they need bacteria in their cecum to assist in the digestion of their food. Without these bacteria, a chinchilla could not digest their food properly. Chins need these bacteria to process their food.

The bacteria in the gut that are responsible for fermentation are sensitive to diet changes. Under normal circumstances there's a balance of bacteria in their gut some of which digest sugars and others that digest the rest of the food. When you introduce sugar into this system, it causes the sugar and starch loving bacteria to grow rapidly and causes the normal gut bacteria to die off. Now you have a chin who's gut is way out of whack.

The beneficial bacteria that under normal circumstances digests their food has been replaced with sugar loving bacteria. So now your chin is going to have issues with digestion.

So, if you only give say, on raisin or half a raisin a week, at that time, the chin's gut is going to get out of whack from trying to digest all those sugars. Their body is just not meant to digest sugars, it's made to digest plant matter and fibrous material.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

I agree about the raisins, great info Alli. There is a lot of misinformation about chinchillas in books and on the internet. Reading it on a forum doesn't make it necessarily true either, but having a large group of people who have lots of experience with chinchillas agree about it makes me more comfortable about following the advice ). Even vets can get it wrong because they have so little training on chinchillas and exotics in general, if any. They will tell you that themselves.

 

[Shawn Fitzsimmons]

Welcome, and sorry.

I'm so sorry about your loss, I know how hard it is too lose a beloved pet, especially when you've only had it awhile.
It's not your fault AT all, you did what could by trying to find it a good and permanent home with you.
All you can do now is try and learn from the lady's IGNORANT mistake and start.
Before so, make sure you scrub the cage with extremely hot water, or wipe them off with clorox wipes and then wash them off to get any bleach off.
Make sure your new chin gets good food(mazuri, panr, etc) and oxboy hay, and plent of apple twigs and distilled/reverse osmosis water and you will do good.

Good luck, and sorry for your loss. I'm sure everything will work out in the end!:wink2: