Chewing Fur?

[Rebecca1122]

I got my chinchilla yesterday, and I have noticed that, today, he has been biting/chewing his fur on his back and stomach, but mostly the fur on his belly.
What should I do? Why is he doing this?

 

[Carleigh]

He could just be grooming himself. However, if he's doing it persistently and you can see that his fur is missing/shorter than the rest of his coat, he's probably scared. Leave him alone to get used to his new home and see if he calms down.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Oh, you're right he might be grooming himself.
I will let him settle and see if it lessens.

 

[Kialana]

Even if he is chewing on his fur, once he becomes comfortable with his new home, he'll stop.

When I first adopted my chin Zidane I noticed that he had shorter patches of hair on his hips (oddly it's the same place they put the designs on a My Little Pony. I also believe that he was stressed out with his first owner. I'm not sure what went on there but he has moments where he's skittish for no reason) but I have noticed that the fur is growing back and there aren't any new shorter areas. I just make sure he has a good variety of stuff to chew on each day.

Basically fur chew is a nervous habit kind of like chewing on nails. They'll stop once they calm down.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Also, at what age are you supposed to start to check for hair rings?

 

[ChinnyMom]

i believe it's 1 year old that hair ring checks need to start, but if you see him grooming excessively or fussing with his penis often i would start sooner.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Okay. Because I noticed that he would duck his head down and it looked like he was grooming or fussing with it.
But I've only had him for a day and I don't want to handle him if it's too soon.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Okay. Because I noticed that he would duck his head down and it looked like he was grooming or fussing with it.
But I've only had him for a day and I don't want to handle him if it's too soon.

Boys and toys, yes they pay to much attention to themselves sometimes, and he will certainly break you in to what little boy chinchillas do! lol

 

[ChinnyMom]

you'd have to have him at least a week to determine if he's fussing with his penis a lot or just normal amounts. i'll be honest, i haven't done hair ring checks on either of my boys yet, and Rhino (my first chin) came home at the end of February. Rhino is about 20 months old and Guss is supposedly a year old they don't fuss with themselves too often, and have no trouble at all peeing, so i'm waiting a bit longer until they are more bonded to me to do the first hair ring check (Rhino is almost there, and Guss will take a bit still to trust me fully).

 

[ticklechin]

Even if he is chewing on his fur, once he becomes comfortable with his new home, he'll stop.

When I first adopted my chin Zidane I noticed that he had shorter patches of hair on his hips (oddly it's the same place they put the designs on a My Little Pony. I also believe that he was stressed out with his first owner. I'm not sure what went on there but he has moments where he's skittish for no reason) but I have noticed that the fur is growing back and there aren't any new shorter areas. I just make sure he has a good variety of stuff to chew on each day.

Basically fur chew is a nervous habit kind of like chewing on nails. They'll stop once they calm down.

Not true, chewers will chew when they want, stop when they want and start when they want. There have been studies that state its genetic, the predispostion to chew.

 

[jbcstratton]

He may not be checking himself either, he may be getting poo out, sometimes they eat it. YUK! But it is something some of them do.