Hello. New owner with some questions.

[Kristen2018]

Hello. I have a three year old male chinchilla that I've had for about two months now. Everything is great, and I love him a lot. He is the coolest pet ever.

But he seemed to of rolled in some poop, and has some on his back. How can I get this off of him.? I tried to give him a dust bath to see if that would help his coat, but he's still pretty dirty. Any suggestions.?

What are good exercises to get him more familiar with me.? So I can pick him up and everything.?

And I was looking at getting another little chinchilla in the summer, I was hoping for a baby, what is the best way to get them familiar with each other so they can live together.?

 

[Nerk]

I have heard of people water bathing their chinchillas in only extreme cases but right after they blow dried them and made sure they were completely dry, I'm assuming with the fact chinchillas can't be overheated they did it on a no heat setting and it took a long time. But if you have a chinchilla comb(I'm not sure the severity of the poo) but you could attempt to comb it out of their fur.
Here's a video I watched of someone who had a chinchilla with a birth defect and it had to have baths, but only consider this if all else fails. I've never personally had a problem with my chinchilla rolling in her poop, only eating it.
The chinchilla might also just groom it out himself with time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi6Z2fTnB8g

When introducing a chin to another it only takes time and if they accept it, which they might not. You'll definitely need another cage just in case they do fight and monitor them like a hawk. I'm currently trying to do this with a 6 year old chin and a 11 month old chin, but it's taking time because the younger one is not used to me yet.

Anyway welcome to the forum, I hope you can find everything you need!

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

Use your fingers to get the poop out, even if that means a little pulling. He will complain but do it anyway. Then give him a long dust bath every day until his fur looks better. I wouldn't use water unless it is absolutely necessary. Usually several dust baths do it. Make sure his dust bath is NOT the gritting sandy junk but the powdery stuff

 

[javachin]

Just keep dusting him or pick the poops off of him. You'll probably take some fur out, but it shouldn't be a problem. As for getting him more used to you, I have found just sitting at the front of the cage, with the door open, works a lot. You can leave your hand/arm in, and they tend to check you out and slowly gain confidence/trust. I do this with babies and by the time they're weaned, they will climb all over you.

As for introducing another chin, after quarantine, you keep them in separate cages side by side for a while, maybe a few months, so they can get used to them. After that, you can try play time together in a neutral area. Some people have done cage within cage introductions, but I haven't tried that myself.

 

[3CsMommy]

Welcome aboard!

Offer lots of dust baths and keep a cat (all metal) flea or dematting comb handy. Sometimes it's easier to get really stuck-in stuff out with a quick comb, but show combs are kind of expensive for a pet owner, so the substitute does all right.

That said, how did this stuff get stuck in his fur in the first place? Was it peed on poo or is his waste really squishy/mucusy/sticky? If the latter, you've probably got a diet or possibly a parasite issue. There are some good threads in the "Diet" section about what to do with soft poop.

 

[lauralynne]

Just wanted to say Welcome to the Forum!

 

[Kristen2018]

Thank you so much for the quick replies! Sorry I have not been able to reply lately. He does not have soft stools, but it was a mixture of pee and poop that he rolled in I'm guessing. It's on the top of his back, so not where he can clean it himself.

He always seems to use the restroom on top of his igloo, and though I clean it everyday after school, he still has it up there all day. Is there anyway I can stop him from doing this.?

I am going to give him more dust baths to help get rid of it, and try and comb it out. Gently of course. How many dust baths should he be getting now until it is all gone.? And I use the powdery dust bath product, not gritty or sandy.


Thank you for the warm welcome and all the help.