Biting herself

[andyv2k14]

My chinchilla bites at her stomach, sides, paws, etc. This has been going on for the month or two that I've had her and nothing else seems to change (good appetite, energy at the same times of day, etc). She is a little bit low energy maybe, but she has always been the same for 2 months, except when the cage door opens, then she is all energy and escape attempts....

Anyway, the biting worries me. She'll go and dig her mouth into her fur for about three seconds, then sit there normally. Is this normal itching or grooming? I had the vet check her for mites about a month ago and nothing. When she is eating or playing, she seems fine.

 

[addictedtochins]

Seems like normal grooming to me. Examine her skin by blowing on her fur, they don't like it so just do it once as needed, not every week/month just to look for no reason. Is she a fur chewer? Can you post pics of her? Does she get weekly dust baths for a few minutes? Dusting to often will cause dry skin

 

[Amy555]

She'll go and dig her mouth into her fur for about three seconds, then sit there normally.

This sounds like normal grooming to me. Think of it as her brushing her hair, and pairs do it to each other!

 

[andyv2k14]

OK, thanks. I dust bath her about once a week for ten minutes. She seems to lose interest at this point and just urinates in her dust bath (made the mistake of leaving it in for fifteen minutes and she came out with caked dust and urine on her coat).

It's weird. She's very eager to climb all over me and say hello, but she absolutely hates being picked up. As soon as I try to scoop her, I get an indignant noise and she runs away, but if I put my hand down she'll climb on without complaint ( I found this out when trying to weigh her).

Anyway, I do not think she is a fur chewer, her coat seems complete to me. I will try to post a picture, but am not sure how u do that.

 

[andyv2k14]

The only thing I can think of that would make her fur chew is the recent food change. I was feeding her Mazuri pellets and ran low. None of the pet stores in my area carried Mazuri anymore (seriously, three just stopped). Not thrilled with the stores around here, that they would just change food types so suddenly just to turn a profit or something. Not many seem to care that much about pets, but meh, whatever. I know a good place to get chinchilla stuff, but it's over 2 hours away from me and I can't drive that far on a regular basis.

 

[Amy555]

Also, I think it's fairly common for a chinchilla not to want to be picked up. Mine will climb all over me, and are now tolerating me petting them but still squirm when scooped up. Think of it from their perspective with their ingrained prey instincts - I'd get a shot of panic too if I felt like a giant bird was snatching me up, or a huge bear carrying me away. Earn her trust and she may become cuddlier.