Priming ? Hair/fur tufts - Due to prior diet ?Or just normal this time of year ?

[grace]

Statement and question ......
Statement: I just read a thread about Chin dietary issues as I was looking for an answer to my questions on "Hair/Fur Tufts" - HUGE debate over "Hay or No Hay" - The anger in these postings upset me - Is there not a book by a knowledgeable "Chin person" that can satisfy questions for Ranchers and Hobby/Chin pet Owners ? (I understand the needs of a Rancher differ from someone like myself with few Chins). Don't want to upset anyone, just asking.

And my question: I have a Ebony Male/Female pair purchased from a breeder - Their coats are fantastic !
I have my two rescue boys (Which were on poor feed and many treats) As well as my rescue of (Don't worry people, they are seperated now ! My Black velvet male and standard female (Who were also on poor diets, few baths etc.
The female is now showing fur/hair "tufts", as well as one of my standard boys. Could this be due to prior diet ? Or just the time of year ?
For the whole "Gang", I feed Mazuri (No soft poos), Timothy hay, Orchard grass, Alfalfa & Timothy hay blocks.
Thank you, Grace

 

[AZChins]

No, it's not poor diet. It just happens. The only way to help prevent them is to dust more and comb the chins out when they look like they have loose fur or tufts. That's all. The tufts are bits of loose fur that just needs to be removed.

 

[starleomach]

could be just the time of year. A good combing and a few more dust baths and they should be fine

 

[grace]

Thank you,
I dust 3 times per week - I don't believe I should dust more ??? So just combing ? Gosh ! They are going to hate me !

 

[Riven]

Unless it is humid there I would just dust when they look like they need it. Dusting too much can draw oils away from the skin and it can get dry and itchy.

All animals shed, even "nonshedding" dogs and humans! If the tufts aren't from someone pulling, then they're probably old fur trying to come out, if there is some tufting out, there is probably more underneath! I'd order a #4 or #3 comb and give them a good combing, they'll probably feel so good when you're done they'll forgive you!

 

[grace]

Oh Gosh ! She HATES Me !
Tried combing, VERY unhappy kid ! I could feel "Matting" under her fur - (Female, from black velvet/standard pair now seperated)- These two were very neglected, (Food and hygene) - And I have just been going easy with them. Up until a week ago, their coats had seemed to improve 200% - However, I "Feel" now, that was not taking into consideration what was going on "Under" her coat (His fur still looks terrific). AGH ! So what about "Matting" and how did this occur ? H-E-L-P

 

[aznmexaggie]

Here is a thread with a picture of a chin who is priming: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1326

I normally just comb chins who I will be taking to show but this year I decided to comb out everyone once it started getting cold here and they all blew their coats. I combed out a ton of fur which I am saving in bags in the freezer. There is woman who goes to our chin shows and buys combed chin fur to spin into yarn blends for knitting. The chins all looked so much better - I'm sure some of them felt a lot better too. It did take a long time though...

 

[AZChins]

LOL Sumiko...I went to that thread because I though that maybe you were pointing her to one of my chin pictures I have posted! LOL The chins are out of prime in 70% of my pictures!

Is there a reason why you store the bags of loose fur in the freezer? I should start saving all the fur here again. I used to, but then I stopped because no one asked for it for awhile and I threw the bag of it out....

 

[grace]

Thank you aznmexaggie,
Before I posted this question, I did a "Search" and found your photos - That is where I heard of the word "Priming" - The "Tufts" that I write about are a little bit all over.
Right now, I am concerned that I set myself back a month as to the trust of this animal - I am angry at myself. Although I was soft spoken and kind to her, I feel I breached her trust (In someone new). I do not know what to do about the underlying matting of her fur...

 

[AZChins]

I wouldn't worry about her, she will get over it. You didn't hurt her! Most of my chins act very angry if I comb them out...but they get over it in about a half hour. A treat may be given as a peace offering. I hope she snaps out of being too angry very soon.

 

[aznmexaggie]

LOL Sumiko...I went to that thread because I though that maybe you were pointing her to one of my chin pictures I have posted! LOL The chins are out of prime in 70% of my pictures!

Is there a reason why you store the bags of loose fur in the freezer? I should start saving all the fur here again. I used to, but then I stopped because no one asked for it for awhile and I threw the bag of it out....

LOL, Susan. It's hard to catch pictures when they're actually in prime. Almost all of mine started looking like that this fall so I broke out the grooming combs and combed all that fur out. If I don't, it will just end up all over the room... "How did all this fur get on top of this light fixture?"

Here is Donna's website if you would like to contact her: http://thespinnerswheel.com/. I also have a few pictures of her and some of her chinchilla fiber yarns in the West Coast Affair thread: http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9054&page=4. If you want to save your fur for Donna, I believe she will accept it through the mail and she'll send a check. She pays by the ounce for clean combed fur from the body (no belly or tail hair). I don't have a ton of chins so I normally save the fur until I have a larger amount. Since I don't see her too often, Donna told me to keep the fur in paper bags separated by color, and store it in the freezer so it doesn't start to break down. I would contact her first though for more details. I usually just see her at the shows!

ETA: No chin enjoys being groomed. Some just sit there and deal with it and others bark and squeal or cry like they're being tortured. I'm very careful since the teeth on those combs are so sharp but I remember when I was young and my mom would comb tangles out of my hair, I complained too with every pull of the comb! It hurt! They do get over it though... besides, it isn't a process that is needed to be repeated often.

 

[Riven]

Very few chins just "put up" with being groomed, especially if they're not used to it. You do however need to be sure that it's not painful for them. If you're pulling on the comb, you need a different comb or to take smaller chunks.

The matting you're talking about is probably just areas of dead fur, if it is actual mats it usually comes from having thicker fur, not enough dust baths, being in dampish conditions ( I have some girls who like to sit and pee in the same corner and they'll get some little mats on their butts from time to time), the type of fur also affects it. Cottony or fur that's not straight or is weak will matt much more easily than straight stand up fur.