Things just don't match up?

[KennyFace (:]

I am a new-er owner of two chinchillas. I got my first one on september 25th and the second about a month and a half/two months later. The newer one, Zappa, has always, and still does, makes this CONSTANT grunting snorting noise almost as if he were a pig of chinchilla size snorting around. In the beginning some people told me that it was just a noise that chinnies made while exploring yet all the other links they sent me to that played chinchilla sounds none of the sounds matched up with the noise that Zappa makes. I wouldn't be AS worried about this noise if he didn't make almost a sneeze/hiccup noise usually while he sleeps. He will be sleeping fine and then have a very loud sneeze....almost like he lost his breath for a second and was gasping for air? In addition to these noises he hates his back being touched he cries if you touch if your not holding him, but if your holding him he's fine. I think he was in the pet store ( Petsmart ) that I got him from for a long time. The lady said they have had many shipments of chinchillas since him and they sell but he just doesn't :heartbreaking:. His behavior is fine, curious runs and bounces, no crust around his eyes or nose, he eats well and drinks lots of water. Also my other chinchilla, Kenny, is fine and hasn't picked up a cold or anything like that from him. I do have an exotic animals vet near me but his prices are very high and I wanted to see if any of you could help me out here, otherwise I'll go get him check out :/.

 

[Ash]

A sneeze hiccup? It's totally fine, it's a warning call. My chins do it all the time. He could be doing it because he's scared, or because of a new scent, or because there was a noice outside. Also, most chins don't like their back being touched. Mine run, for the most part, when I do it.

 

[tunes]

The sneeze hiccup noice is barking. In the wild, chins would use that to alert the herd. Even when there's only one chin around, instinct is still there for the chin to warn the herd if something upsets him or scares him.

The snorting noise I am not as sure on. If it was something new, I would be worried about some type of illness. In a chin though, they go downhill so quickly that it just doesn't seem possible he could be sick for that long without him being deathly ill to the point of, or past, death.

Are the two chins together in one cage? If so, is one more dominant than the other? Is it possible that the noise he is making is because he's warning the other chin off or is upset at his presence? It might even be an allergy. Does he do it more often after a dust bath or is it just a constant thing?

 

[mishellyshel]

my one chin makes that snorting sound, like a pig, actually i have heard 2 of mine do that. it is usually when they are not happy with what i am doing, like trying to get them out of the cage for playtime or cage cleaning and they are not ready. it is sort of like a snorting sound.

the same chin that makes that sound also makes a whining/crying sound that i have never heard any of them make. he is my handfed chin and when i put him back in the cage and he is not ready or if i leave the house and he is awake by the cage, he cries.
it is sort of heartbreaking. no one believed me that he cried for me until my fiance' heard him do it when we were in a rush to get out of the house.

he also makes some weird sounds when I put him back in the cage and he tries to rile up the chin next to him (they are in the same cage but vertically split & separated by cage wire). its like he is taunting him and then they run up and down their cage like maniacs.

i would say if he isnt constantly sneezing, does not have a runny nose, eats, drinks, pees & poops fine that he is probably okay and is just makes strange sounds like mine!