New chins started fur biting

[PrimandTeemo]

So I got two sister chinchillas from the pet store and neither showed signs of fur biting when I got them, but a few days after they came home I noticed some minor patches of clipped fur towards their hind legs. It hasn't gotten bad yet and I want to try and fix whatever is causing them to fur bite before it becomes a problem... could it be because I'm not time oriented and they don't have specific times for feeding and when I give them attention? I usually do feeding and cleaning their cage in the morning, and play with them periodically throughout the day while they're in their cage if they look awake and alert.. I also have the tv on until between 12-1:30am with a lamp on, would the light be irritating them? They'll come up and sniff me, and Teemo even let me pick her up yesterday. They seem to be eating, drinking, and playing normally too.

 

[tunes]

Fur chewing usually starts with stress and then becomes a habit it becomes almost impossible to break. I've also been told it's genetic, though I've not seen that personally. The stress likely had nothing to do with you and everything to with their lives in the pet store and then the move to a new environment. You can try and get them into a routine. Feed at around the same time, play time around the same time, keep their area calm and quiet, etc., and see if that helps. I have had people tell me that putting a teaspoon of Gold Bond powder in their dust bath made them stop chewing, but I'm not sure I believe that.