Help! Chin is chewing fur and refusing to eat

[fufu&button]

My boyfriend and I recently (about a week ago) adopted two wonderful little female chins. For the first portion of the week, both of them seemed to be doing extremely well, considering the large amount of stress they were under. Then, one of our chins suddenly became extremely lethargic. We caught her chewing her fur a few times and she has nearly stopped eating. Both my boyfriend and I are first-time chin owners and we're very scared that this problem will eventually worsen until she dies. So we were wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what we should to to save our little Fufu

It should be noted that the two share a very large cage, so overcrowding isn't a problem. They were also from the same litter and get along very well, and we made sure we used the same pellets, hay, and dust that our breeder used for them. We've basically been stumped as to what could be causing her such stress...so if anyone could help that would be great. Thank you!

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

The first thing I would check is the water bottle. Are you using the same type of water bottle as the breeder? Are they both drinking water?

 

[tunes]

Second question would be the pellets. Are you using the same type of food as where they came from, and what type is that?

What's the environment like where the chins are? Are they in a high traffic area with lots of noise? Is it cool enough where they are (under 75 degrees, and I prefer under 70)? Did they come from a place where they were in a very small cage?

Lastly, lethargy in a chin equals really bad. If she's truly lethargic, regardless of whether her water bottle is working or what she is eating, she needs to see a vet. When a chin is at the point of lethargy, they most likely need subcu fluids and hand feeding.

 

[addictedtochins]

Just wanted to add, I hope no one is feeding them unhealthy treats, a large amount of junk food could make her sick. Search here for healthy treats. Good luck, I hope she feels better soon.

 

[ticklechin]

Fur chewing can be triggered by pain also, the not eating and lethargy lead me to think gut issues, the chin needs a vet asap.

 

[fufu&button]

Thanks for your advice she seems to be doing fine now =)