I need help!

[sov]

Hello! This will be a fairly long post because I have a lot of questions. Thank you in advanced for reading it, I really need people’s help!

Here’s some background - I’m not the owner of a chin currently but I’ve temporarily adopted one, Bella, for the weekend. It was my art teacher’s former student’s but the student went off to college so her parents gave the chin to my art teacher. My art teacher has had her in her classroom (I go to a private school so it isn’t overly loud and busy, but I’m sure it’s more than a chin should handle) for the past month and I’ve really bonded with her. My parents have told me they don't want another pet in our house, so I can’t adopt her for good. My friend is most likely to adopt her. She has two younger sisters who, to be honest, can be rough with animals.

I’m worried about a couple things. I’ve been doing a lot of research about chins for the past couple weeks and I feel like I’ve learned a lot about them. However, this chin is not mine and I’m concerned her new owner won’t treat her as she should. My art teacher didn’t know how to take care of her properly and neither did her previous owners, and I’m worried my friend will treat her like a guinea pig or gerbil.

Her previous owners bought her a cage with plastic ledges, a plastic wheel and a plastic food bowl. She’s also been fed a ton of raisins because she’s been in a classroom. To give you an idea of how my art teacher treated her – she didn’t have any extra dust for the chin (I went out and bought some Blue Cloud dust yesterday), no hay, raisins all the time, and Bella was constantly being held (although she didn’t seem to hate this). She’s lost a portion of her coat from stress and from people handling her roughly. She chatters her teeth a ton for no apparent reason (when I’m not around her) and she won’t chew on any of her chew toys. If you have any idea why please, please let me know. I want to tell my friend who is going to adopt the chin how to treat her but I’m afraid she will get offended and won’t want to buy another cage and wheel for the chin, but adopt it anyways. I’m also worried her two younger sisters will handle her roughly.

Bella is a really sweet chinchilla and I really wish I could have more time with her to treat her properly. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thank you very much!

 

[obcsed]

Congratulations on trying to do the right things for the chin. You sound truly concerned for its well being. The very best thing you can do is to surrender it to a good chin rescue. They will have it see a vet and deal with any possible health problems that may have come about due to its earlier improper care. They will work on finding it a good new home with a knowledgable owner. Let us know where you are and we can help you find a good rescue for it.

 

[partygirlha]

if you are unable to find a good home then at lest make suer that when your friend picks her up she
s going with good food, hay and dust and try to replace what you can in her cage ith wood and other things that cant be chewed (new food dish, glass bottle etc). and then direct your friend to this or other good sites and explain to her that they do need special care and to be treated gently.

and while I'm not a fan of laying you might wabt to tell her younger sisters something to scare them off like how big their teeth are.

 

[Riven]

Why not express these concerns to your parents and ask if they would consider letting you keep her on a one month trial basis with the stipulation that if it doesn't work out then you will find her a GOOD home. Apparently you already have pets and I'm hoping that your parents believe in proper pet care.

 

[sov]

I'm located in Portland, Oregon. I think I'm going go tell my friend about how the chin should be treated. If she gets offended in any way or if it makes her feel uncomfortable I'll see if I can adopt her, and if that doesn't work out I'll look into chinchilla rescues in my area. Thank you!

 

[partygirlha]

I think if she really cares she'll be open to taking good care of Bella. I truly beleive most people really wanr ro do the best they can by their pets, they just need education.

 

[dayofhope]

She’s lost a portion of her coat from stress and from people handling her roughly. She chatters her teeth a ton for no apparent reason (when I’m not around her) and she won’t chew on any of her chew toys.

I'm not sure about the teeth chattering, but try giving her a finger trap. My chin doesn't chew very many of her chews, but she ripped a finger trap up right away. I think it's really just finding her toys that she likes. And when you say she's lost a portion of her coat, do you mean she chews her fur? With time and proper care, that can grow back. It doesn't always if it's genetic or habit, but it can.

Don't worry too much about offending your friend. Really, this chin sounds like she deserves a good home and it wouldn't be too great for your friend to adopt the chin and later realize the best way to take care of her. Maybe you could put together some care sheets for her to read? That way she'll learn the best ways and not feel offended by it. And after she reads the care sheets, if she feels like a chin is too much responsibility, well, at least then you can see if you can keep it or give her to a shelter.

 

[sov]

I don't think she chews but I may be wrong. People were handling her roughly and I saw a lot of fur coming off of her so I assumed that's what caused the patches, although chewing could be a cause too - I just haven't seen her chewing on her fur so far.

 

[Godofgods]

sadly, its possible that chins started to become slightly used to being scared all the time. Hopfully she will become a lot calmer and happier in a good home with good care. My first chin was like that. He would snap id you even walked near his cage. Now hes the friednlyiest little guy ever.

As for offending your friend; simply put, if they get an attitued about someone explaining how to properly care for a pet, then they shouldnt have a pet to begin with.