ears down

[maeryn.k.b]

hey y’all, my boy Mochis ears go down a lot and i read it’s because they’re protecting themselves because they’re vulnerable due to a health condition. i’m very paranoid. anyone able to explain?

he also, at night once every week or so, does the barking sound VERY loud and for about 2 minutes.

 

[Unicorn777111]

hey y’all, my boy Mochis ears go down a lot and i read it’s because they’re protecting themselves because they’re vulnerable due to a health condition. i’m very paranoid. anyone able to explain?

he also, at night once every week or so, does the barking sound VERY loud and for about 2 minutes.

Sweet Sweet Does something similar. When she's sleeping in her hut her ears go back and they are warm. A minute or two after she wakes up they are normal temperature a little cool to the touch. And she behaves normally. She does not bark in the way your chin does. She will run on her wheel quite a bit at night. But no vocalizations. She does not vocalize much to begin with. An occasional puff (quick exhale) when she's disgusted or frustrated. A few chirps when she's exploring and curious. A sharp loud bark when she startled or in pain.
If anyone knows why their ears go back and become warm please let us know. I'm assuming it's normal because her ears return to normal temp and position when she's awake.
Thank you,
Mary and SWEE

 

[Unicorn777111]

 

[HeatherLouWho]

hey y’all, my boy Mochis ears go down a lot and i read it’s because they’re protecting themselves because they’re vulnerable due to a health condition. i’m very paranoid. anyone able to explain?

he also, at night once every week or so, does the barking sound VERY loud and for about 2 minutes.

For the first question, all chins will put their ears down sometimes, especially during the day when they are sleepy. I wouldn't worry about it if that is the only symptom.

As for the barking, my male does it, too. We have had him for 9 years now, and it seems to happen when he is sleeping. Like he is having a bad dream and barking (alarm calling) at a situation in the dream. Once he wakes up, he is fine. Your chin may be dreaming. Chinchillas also have very sensitive hearing, and can hear sounds we cannot hear. They also react differently to sounds that are normal to us. For example, our chin was really stressed out for a long time every time we ran our new dryer. We finally realized it is because the sounds the dryer makes must be in the "predator growl" range, and his instincts told him to be afraid. He has gotten over that, but we still make sure the dryer is off if we want him to come out of his cage for playtime (he will NOT come out if it is on).

My advice is to spend some time with him and see when it is that his ears are down: is he asleep or sleepy, or is it even when he is awake? Also, find out what is going on around him when he barks: is he waking from a dream? Is there a low vibrating noise going on? Is there some other "threat" he is hearing that you don't?

Best of luck!

 

[ChocolatPocky]

When I first got my chin Mr B, I didn't know he had molar spurs that were hurting him. I started noticing him keeping his ears down like that, but he was also eating less/pooping less which led to weight loss (I didn't have a scale at the time and could't tell bc he's so poofy). After observing him more closely, I noticed sometimes he rubbed his mouth bc that's where the pain was, and sometimes he'd "brace" himself with his ears flattened.

If your chin is losing weight and is eating/pooping less + the ears are down, it would be worth taking him to the vet. But if his weight/eating habits are good, then yeah maybe he's just sleepy?

 

[maeryn.k.b]

For the first question, all chins will put their ears down sometimes, especially during the day when they are sleepy. I wouldn't worry about it if that is the only symptom.

As for the barking, my male does it, too. We have had him for 9 years now, and it seems to happen when he is sleeping. Like he is having a bad dream and barking (alarm calling) at a situation in the dream. Once he wakes up, he is fine. Your chin may be dreaming. Chinchillas also have very sensitive hearing, and can hear sounds we cannot hear. They also react differently to sounds that are normal to us. For example, our chin was really stressed out for a long time every time we ran our new dryer. We finally realized it is because the sounds the dryer makes must be in the "predator growl" range, and his instincts told him to be afraid. He has gotten over that, but we still make sure the dryer is off if we want him to come out of his cage for playtime (he will NOT come out if it is on).

My advice is to spend some time with him and see when it is that his ears are down: is he asleep or sleepy, or is it even when he is awake? Also, find out what is going on around him when he barks: is he waking from a dream? Is there a low vibrating noise going on? Is there some other "threat" he is hearing that you don't?

Best of luck!

it’s usually at 3 ish in the morning bc it wakes me up so it’s probably dreams. he puts his ears down sometimes at night when he’s just walking around or eating, not sleeping

 

[Unicorn777111]

When I first got my chin Mr B, I didn't know he had molar spurs that were hurting him. I started noticing him keeping his ears down like that, but he was also eating less/pooping less which led to weight loss (I didn't have a scale at the time and could't tell bc he's so poofy). After observing him more closely, I noticed sometimes he rubbed his mouth bc that's where the pain was, and sometimes he'd "brace" himself with his ears flattened.

If your chin is losing weight and is eating/pooping less + the ears are down, it would be worth taking him to the vet. But if his weight/eating habits are good, then yeah maybe he's just sleepy?

Swee does the same thing with her front feet. She rub s her mouth and knows vigorously and then pulls on her whiskers in a downward fashion. And then she turns around and does some grooming. I assumed that this was grooming behavior. That there may be scent glands in or near the whisker follicles and that she was rubbing a scent onto her whiskers and her coat. She eats and poops fine. However she's losing. I can feel her skeletal structure when I pet her. She is not drooling from the mouth nor is There any discharge from her eyes or nose. She does have a tiny membrane at the front of her left eye. I often see these membranes on dogs and cats when they are sick. I am worried that she may be masking something that I can't identify. Does anyone know what I'm talking about when I mention the membrane in her left eye ? Also where can I get an authentic supply of Critical Care? I hesitate to order online because of internet sales scams.
Thank you

 

[Unicorn777111]

Swee does the same thing with her front feet. She rub s her mouth and knows vigorously and then pulls on her whiskers in a downward fashion. And then she turns around and does some grooming. I assumed that this was grooming behavior. That there may be scent glands in or near the whisker follicles and that she was rubbing a scent onto her whiskers and her coat. She eats and poops fine. However she's losing. I can feel her skeletal structure when I pet her. She is not drooling from the mouth nor is There any discharge from her eyes or nose. She does have a tiny membrane at the front of her left eye. I often see these membranes on dogs and cats when they are sick. I am worried that she may be masking something that I can't identify. Does anyone know what I'm talking about when I mention the membrane in her left eye ? Also where can I get an authentic supply of Critical Care? I hesitate to order online because of internet sales scams.
Thank you

Nose not knows.... talk to text error.

 

[Dragonflye]

I am not sure that having their ears down is necessarily indicative of illness. Mine tend to have theirs down when sleepy.
I have had a few chins with dental issues and they typically paw at the mouth, have dampness under the chin (drool), or weight loss and small poos. If there is any question, I bring my guys to the vet.
I would have a scale on hand and check weights every couple of weeks- sooner if you suspect something is wrong or notice the chin isn’t eating or eliminating normally.

 

[HeatherLouWho]

Swee does the same thing with her front feet. She rub s her mouth and knows vigorously and then pulls on her whiskers in a downward fashion. And then she turns around and does some grooming. I assumed that this was grooming behavior. That there may be scent glands in or near the whisker follicles and that she was rubbing a scent onto her whiskers and her coat. She eats and poops fine. However she's losing. I can feel her skeletal structure when I pet her. She is not drooling from the mouth nor is There any discharge from her eyes or nose. She does have a tiny membrane at the front of her left eye. I often see these membranes on dogs and cats when they are sick. I am worried that she may be masking something that I can't identify. Does anyone know what I'm talking about when I mention the membrane in her left eye ? Also where can I get an authentic supply of Critical Care? I hesitate to order online because of internet sales scams.
Thank you

That sounds like malocclusion. Please take Swee to the vet!