Rescue 'before and afters'?

[AZChins]

I'm needing some inspiration today! Yes...I have plenty of chins that have done awesome here and turn out spectacular even though they come dirty, skinny and badly behaved.

Does anyone have any before and after stories and pictures? This time I am going to take pictures of the rescues as befores and we can see what they look like as afters. Normally I just don't even bother with pictures, I just try to put all the sadness and neglect behind us.

I picked up seven rescue chinnies yesterday from four different homes. Most of them look awesome because in the past their owners did their research and fed the chins the appropriate food and gave dust baths. Some of them aren't so great because their owners didn't respect them enough to feed them properly and keep them dusted or occupied. (or, maybe they didn't keep a positive environment around them?)

Anyway...I'd love to see your pictures! Well, I think I will like to see the After pictures, the before pictures may induce a bit of rage.

 

[aznmexaggie]

I know I've posted these pictures in these chins' rescue threads but I'll post them so they're in here as well.

These pictures show how utterly neglectful some owners can be... and how unhappy, unhealthy and stressed a chinchilla can get. These boys were in a cage together with their brothers, sisters, and parents, and allowed to breed with one another. Many of the males fought and they were fur-chewing from the stress as well.

I love the recent pictures of these boys as it shows how much improvement they can make with proper care and attention. These boys are happy and social now... and I know they must feel so much better.

Ok, so here are the pictures. The first pictures were taken when I picked them up in June. The recent pictures are after 5 months, taken at the end of November. Please be warned as the "before" pictures are very, very sad.


Aurum before

Aurum after!

Stratus before

Stratus after!

A little love goes a long way! Good luck with your newest rescues - I know they'll just flourish under your care!

 

[Stackie]

I rescued Felix from a family who had a bunch of chins but just decided they didn't care for them anymore. He and the others were kept in a screened in porch that was scorching hot when I came and got him. The kids drug him out to me in one of those dumb harnesses. He was their last chin that no one would take because he was "mean". In all actuality, he was just scared for his life. The kids would pretty much torture him and drag him around in that harness since he wouldn't let them hold him. They would bang on his cage to get him to move so they could get him out.

Here is when I brought him home. He was a measly 350 grams, severly malnourished. I could feel every vertebrae and spine.

He was severly in need of a dust bath, some good food, and some TLC. He was scared to death of anything that moved and would have barking fits for hours upon hours. After several months of dust baths, good food, patience, a new friend, and a big new Ferret Nation, he began to come around.

Unfortunately Felix is no longer with me, but he will always have a special place in my heart since I was the first one that he let hold and touch him without being scared. I still miss my little "Lucky" (Felix means Lucky) a lot.

 

[AZChins]

Oh man, Sumiko...that's just awful. The sad thing is that there are so many chins that are like that out there. They keep the whole extended family in the same cage. BUT, those guys look GOOD now! You did a great job with them.

Stratus reminds me of soooo many of the chins that have come here. The saddest part of taking in chins that are that neglected is that there is a good chance that the chins won't make it. I had one girl named Silver that was here for six weeks last year, I believe, she gained so much weight and she was doing so well...then she was just gone one day. At the very least it seems like MOST of the chins make it through with flying colors.

Felix is lucky to be out of that. Some chins never completely recover from that type of abuse. I have a new one that is terrified of people because of the same thing that Felix went through. All the rough handling and chasing take a huge toll on the little guys. I HATE feeling their spines like that, it makes me angry for any relatively young animal to have little muscle mass or no fat reserves at all. There are thin chins just because that's how they are and then they are malnourished, neglected chins...you can tell the difference right away.

I'm glad that you were able to take him in. Thank you for doing that!

 

[Carol~Anne]

Sumiko, you've done a wonderful job with those two boys and they are so very fortunate that they found you. Stacie, my heart breaks every time I see Felix's pics; his death was so tragic and did upset me terribly.

 

[Chub_Chub]

Bowie was pretty healthy as far as a rescue goes, he's got a better disposition now, not as irritated.

Ziggy, on the other hand, was a fur chewer and a little ball of stress from his previous home. Now he is such a lovey dove, loves attention and loves his running wheel. His fur before was so coarse and chewed, he must have felt awful. The first couple times we gave him real dust he almost refused to leave it. It must have felt so much better than sand to him.
Before:

And after:

 

[Carol~Anne]

Ziggy looks good! I love it when chins come to live with me and they start improving; makes me feel so good. I really haven't taken in a chin that was malnourished or diseased or anything b/c most of my boys came from Pam (Alderbrookchins) and even her rescue chins look wonderful after they've been with her for a short while. Still, with all the extra attention, exercise and a quiet environment that I can provide for them, these guys look even better. I love seeing pics and reading stories about how chins improve when they are taken out of their stressful/neglectful environment and placed in a better one. More pics and stories please! =)

 

[Luci]

oh my goodness! all of these pictures make my mouth drop.

the one of stratus really made me sad though, ive never seen a chin look so much like a gerbil.

im so glad these babies found their way to you guys. seriously, round of applause to you who take them in and give them a whole new life!

 

[saphire]

amazing what some TLC can do.

 

[Essentia]

You can't really tell just how tiny Button's was, but you can see just how afraid he was. He was 414g here.

This is him about a month after I took him in. He was burritoed for hand feeding. He wasn't a happy boy at this time. He had a severe upper respiratory infection and the vet didn't think he would make it. After a bunch of breathing treatments, antibiotics, lasix, reglan, and hand feeding every 4 hours he pulled through, much to my vet's surprise.

This is him now. 632g, full of chunk and a whole bunch friendlier.

 

[AZChins]

Crysta - I love his face! Awwww... Thank you for the pictures!

 

[warmice]

Wow.. You guys did a wonderful job! All the chins who are being rescued look so different!

 

[lauralynne]

They all look wonderful thanks to your help, ladies!

 

[mishellyshel]

This is my sweet Zucca, who I lovingly refer to as Zucca Bear! When I first rescued him this summer he only weighed 550g & his fur was a mess.
He now weighs over 700g and his fur is lovely. When I first got him he was skittish and now his temperment in a word "sweet".

this is when i first got him
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7312

this is him last month
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10537

and this is just one where you can see his rolls while he sleeps!!

I wish i could figure out how to post the pix that I previously posted so i dont always have to use links!!

 

[Jill of Beans]

I rescued Jack Voulet from who knows what exactly. He was in sad condition from a fight he was in over 2 weeks ago. He had one eye open when I got him, has numerous bites on his back, ears and his mouth is messed up too...

attacked and after I picked him up we stopped at the vet - for immediate care. He's now in the loving home of Michelle - she's currently fostering him.

Links to my posts:
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3613 (larger pictures)

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3707 (larger pictures)

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3887 (larger pictures)

Maybe Michelle Can post a current photo of this guy for us??

 

[alpayton]

...I wish i could figure out how to post the pix that I previously posted so i dont always have to use links!!

Fixed it for ya.

 

[mishellyshel]

Thanks!!! You can really see the difference when the pictures are larger like that
That's the next tip you will have to teach me. Usually when I attach it's a thumbnail.

 

[AZChins]

Poor little guy! I bet he is so much happier now. I'd love to see what he's like now.

I hate it when they look like that. It's so sad and depressing. I'm glad he made it through.

 

[saphire]

oh my, heartbreaking... at least he's being well taken care of now.

 

[mishellyshel]

I took some pix of Jackie boy the other night, I will post them later. He has gorgeous fur. His lip is a little deformed still, kinda looks like Elvis! He is a beauty. In perfect condition otherwise. Has put on a good amount of weight since he has been with me.
Still a little skittish. My fiance' built him a house with a small opening where he can hide and he stays in there A LOT. This week he has started coming out a little more.