Removing Mats

[mishellyshel]

The new little girl I am temporarily caring for until I can rehome her came with very bad fur. lots of visible tufts. today was the first day i was able to hold her. i was able to put on many of the tufts but as i pulled some of them were mats and they came out fairly easy.
This was the largest of the mats to come out. Is this normal? and how often should i comb and tug on those tufts of fur??? immediately after i gave a nice dust bath. i let her dust often because her fur looked so bad.
Her name was chinchilly but i just call her Chilly. or Chilly Pop or Silly Chilly or Chilly Willy! lol



here is the thread with her photos

http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23690&highlight=chinchilly

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I would do a little each day until they are gone. Those large mats aren't 'normal' but neither is a chin with mats. It is a sign of neglect. Keep up the good work

 

[Cuddlebug]

Lots of dust baths and pulling out the mats a little at a time is the way to go. Just keep plugging away at it.

 

[mishellyshel]

Here are 2 recent pics of Chilly. they are from my new phone so one is black&white???

i put a hammock in her cage and she loves it so so much. :heart4:

 

[Godofgods]

looks infinitly better in those two pics then the other ones. Glad to see shes being taken care of! Its hard to look at those other ones

 

[Sandi]

She looks beautiful Michelle! Great job!

 

[mishellyshel]

WHY?

I pulled a ton more out. every time I pulled on a small tuft, out would come a mat. there were 2 that i could actually feel, they felt like little knots. she let out a few little whimpers. but ever since i did it this weekend, she seems so much nicer to me. lol

I do have a question. what exactly causes mats?? I have had chins in my life for over 6 years and I have never had one with a mat. ever. Most of my guys are rescues with average fur. they have been treated well by me with regular dusting and good food and hay. minimal treats. But I have never really combed any of them except Richie when he was handfed. I have never done anything to them to really groom them.

Why does this poor girl have SO many mats??? Diet? Lack of Dusting? No soft place to lay? Just curious as this is my first experience with such bad fur.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Her previous owners probably did not give her dust baths and/or keep the cage clean. When their fur is clean, it usually will not mat.

 

[Pikaia]

Tribble is almost 6 months old and developed a mat on his belly. I noticed him "cleaning" his male part yesterday and this morning I felt a mat about the size of my pinky nail on his belly. Do I just pull this out? I am kinda confused about how to do this and don't want to hurt him. I checked some other posts and people say the fur just "slips" out, like it does when they try to get away from you.

I did see him trying to "groom" the mat out. Could it be possible he gets it out before I get home today or no?

 

[Essentia]

Since it's a fairly small mat I would just grab it and pull. They usually just release it. Some make a quick kack, but most don't make any noise at all.

As for him getting it himself, he might. I would give him until you get home today. If it isn't out you can just remove it then.