Hands

[ljiayi]

Gary was born on the 23 Feb of this year. I just got him from a local pet store one week ago and it's only until I brought him home that I realised his hands seem to have some defect compared to my previous chin. Is this a defect or are his hands still growing? If it is a defect, what could have caused it and is there anyway to prevent such accidents from happening in the future (if I decide to breed)? One last question, can this be inherited?

 

[ljiayi]

Just FYI, my other chin had hands that were like this. This photo was taken when she was about almost a year old.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

It looks like through an accident or perhaps during the birthing process Gary lost a toe. As long as it looks like it is healed and otherwise fine I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

If what you are referencing is a missing or partial toe that's OK as mentioned above. It is not genetic. Either he lost it while being born or another chin bit the toe off fighting. This is a common injury and usually heals by itself just fine. If part of the bone is left sticking out then the toe needs a vet to remove the bone that is sticking out.

 

[ljiayi]

Everything is healed. How can a chin lose its toe during the birthing process?

 

[EMSChins]

Everything is healed. How can a chin lose its toe during the birthing process?

Sometimes when the mother is giving birth, one of the hands (or feet if the kit presents breech) comes out first or alongside the head. The joints of the fingers and wrist are very loose so if the mother pulls on the kits fingers, toes, hands or feet in an effort to pull the kit out, it is common for them to lose a digit or the whole hand. Sometimes they will pull a kit out by the ear or tail in which case you have a deformed or partial ear or tail.

In most instances, these injuries heal cleanly with very little human intervention as the mother keeps them clean and clear of infection but as mentioned, if bone is showing, it needs to be evaluated by a vet.

For many breeders, this type of injury will present at least once if not several times during their career as a breeder. It appears to cause very little distress to the animals and generally causes them to look all the more endearing as pets. I have had a couple of tripods (missing a hand) born here and they get along as if they have no issues at all. I have shown them as well and they do as well at a show as a normal animal.

It can happen later as an injury if kits are fighting and one bites off a finger or toe in a fight for milk or other small fight while being weaned. Sometimes it is never even noticed by a breeder as there is very little blood when this happens.

 

[javachin]

If what you are referencing is a missing or partial toe that's OK as mentioned above. It is not genetic. Either he lost it while being born or another chin bit the toe off fighting. This is a common injury and usually heals by itself just fine. If part of the bone is left sticking out then the toe needs a vet to remove the bone that is sticking out.

Agreed.

 

[halfstache]

One of my males must have had a bad bit of luck before I got him. On one of his front paws he's missing all but one toe. The one toe he has left is the longest one right in the center of his paw. Basically whenever he's pressing his paws up to the cage door he looks like he's flipping me off.

 

[ljiayi]

One of my males must have had a bad bit of luck before I got him. On one of his front paws he's missing all but one toe. The one toe he has left is the longest one right in the center of his paw. Basically whenever he's pressing his paws up to the cage door he looks like he's flipping me off.

Hey, if that's the case, does your chin have problems holding on to food and what not?

 

[halfstache]

He doesn't seem to have any ill affects due to missing toes.