Just adopted my boy. A couple of questions

[RunRunRocket]

Hello! I've had one chin before but I'd gotten her as a baby from a breeder. Today I adopted a 3 year old boy off of craigslist. I remember the basics of care, but never dealt with health problems, so I'm not sure if my new boy has any.

His previous family obviously had great intentions with him, but his care wasn't ideal. (sub-par products, one of those ball things to run in, plastic toys, scented dust) well his fur isn't in great condition. He's got tufts offer sticking out longer on his haunches, and while I don't feel any mats his fur is separated in spots. How should I get that in better condition?

I'm also concerned with his teeth. While he's eating I hear a sort of tapping or clicking of sorts. Not terribly loud, but I don't remember that with my previous chin. Is this normal or should he see a vet?

Any help you can offer is appreciated.

 

[tunes]

The quickest way to remove the fur would be to either groom him with chin combs or just gently tug the tufts of fur out. He may be priming and that's why the fur is all uneven.

My chins don't generally click when they eat. They will crunch and make noises, but that's generally coming from what they eat, rather than from them eating it. How does he look overall (other than the fur)? Does he have wet eyes, wet chin, wet front paws, wet chest?

 

[RunRunRocket]

Thanks for responding Tunes. After having read other threads I was hoping you would. Overall he seems healthy, though he's onlybeen here a few hours. He's dry in all of the right places, clear eyes, clean nethers and feet. He's incredibly curious and really very friendly. I'm not sure if he knows how well he should be able to hop since he was in a small guinea pig cage and had used the ball before. I've got him in a 5 level house now and let him have full free run of my room while I was upstairs to supervise.

 

[Jenn]

Maybe you could post a few pics of your chin so others could get a better opinion of how healthy he looks? To see his fur and his face, and just so we can go awwww!

 

[tunes]

I would just monitor him then. Weigh him a couple times to make sure he's holding steady or gaining (which he might if you have him on a better food than what he was on), and check to see that he's peeing and pooping like a normal chin would. If it seems like everything is okay and you don't see any issues with him otherwise, he's probably fine.

It only occurs when he's eating though? It's not a breathing issue, correct?

ETA: If you have him in a large cage, and he's used to a smaller cage and doesn't seem to have his hopping down to a fine art yet, you will want to be sure to hang some hammocks or something in the middle of the cage so that he doesn't fall. Some chins that come from a very small cage and are put into a larger one get confused by the sudden expansion of their world and you wouldn't want any injuries to occur requiring a vet visit.

Welcome to CnH, BTW.

 

[RunRunRocket]

Thanks for your input! I'll try to get a decent picture, but the camera on my phone kind of sucks.

tunes, no it's not a breathing thing. It's only when he's eating and it seems intermittent.