My chins fur is falling out?! Help!!

[Rachael777]

I used to have chinchillas years ago and my husband surprised me with one the other day. I have had for a couple days and I have been giving him time to warm up so I haven't really gotten him out of his cage or anything. Yesterday was the first time he let me pet him in his cage. I guess the person who had him before left his dust house in his cage because he was sleeping in it when he got here and he had soiled most of the dust in the bath. I took the dust bath out of the house and gave him an igloo to sleep in. I gave him a dust bath last night and tonight I noticed some fur in the dust... It wasn't that much hair I'm just wondering if its normal for them to shed some of their fur.... he has fresh water, food and hay.... Is this something I need to be worried about. Also how often should he take a dust bath?! From what I have read it says twice a week but the dust says everyday?!

 

[halfstache]

they do shed some fur normally, but I'd be interested in seeing a picture of him in order to know for sure if its normal shedding or fur chewing. Dusting twice a week would be fine, even once a week is okay in my opinion, but every day is just being excessive.

 

[Zoaea]

The dust can dry out their skin if they have it too often, but I give my chins a duster everyday when its really humid (I used to live in florida, and now im in washington). normal humidity I give them more like 2-3 times a week, esp in winter when air is always drier.

If its just a small amount of fur I dont think you should panic, they do shed their coats on occasion. I'd keep an eye out for ring worm because he's new to you though.

 

[Dragonflye]

I dust once a week during the drier winter months and twice per week in the more humid summer months. Ignore the packaging instructions, they just want you to go through more dust. Every day is too often.