starrynight0621
Well-known member
Well, I didn't think I'd have to post in this part of the forum for awhile.
http://petoftheday.com/archive/2012/January/06.html
We brought Orville home six weeks after he was born in May 2011. He was unusually friendly and social for a chinchilla. He was curious and fearless. If he heard a noise he didn't recognize, he would run to check it out. He was also very loving and would groom our fingers and hair. He even tried to eat my hair, haha. Whenever we walked by the cage, he would run to the door and beg for a treat or to come out. We got his cagemate Wally a week after we got him. Orville was meant to be a social chin, and he wasn't happy living alone. Wally was more fearful than Orville and much less curious. So, Orville's bravery made Wally feel safe. And in turn, Wally provided Orville with company and a much needed cuddle buddy.
And we loved them both. We have hundreds of pictures on facebook of them.
They were such a blessing in our lives and we enjoyed their chinchilla antics and unique personalities.
Two nights ago, we noticed Orville wasn't running on the chin spin like he usually does. The next day, he was sleeping, but he usually sleeps during the day. That night when I got home from work at 10pm, I saw he hadn't pooped. His poops were small and hard. I figured he was constipated and dehydrated and gave him some critical care. But I also noticed his activity level. He just sat there in his cage. He didn't seem to care where he was in the cage; he didn't pick his favorite corner or seek out Wally. He just sat there, his breathing unusually rapid. I picked him up and held him close. He made no effort to get away from me. I sat and held him for half an hour, scritching him and trying to figure out what to do by calling vets and my fiance and posting on here. We decided to take him to Avian Exotics on the north side of Indianapolis, nearly two hours away. We got him there at 3am and took Wally with him for company. The vet put them both in an oxygen cage and gave Orville subcutaneous fluids. She wanted to xray him and do blood work, but not until he got hydrated and more stable. She listened to his heart and it sounded fine... no wheezing or anything. She said his condition didn't seem too bad. We got a phone call at 8am saying he passed away in the night. It breaks my heart to picture Wally nudging his buddy, wondering why he won't wake up...
We requested a necropsy and found out his lungs were filled with fluid. Pneumonia. How did he get it? We don't have a clue. We have bleached his cage every day for the past two months. Prior to that, we bleached it every other day. He had fresh food and hadn't had a change in his diet. We wash our hands before we pet any of the chinchillas. His cage is away from drafts.
Rest in peace, Orville. Our hearts break for the loss of such a young life, and we are sorry we couldn't give you more. We have nothing but good memories of you, and we feel the constant depressing emptiness of not having you in our lives.
:cry3:
http://petoftheday.com/archive/2012/January/06.html
We brought Orville home six weeks after he was born in May 2011. He was unusually friendly and social for a chinchilla. He was curious and fearless. If he heard a noise he didn't recognize, he would run to check it out. He was also very loving and would groom our fingers and hair. He even tried to eat my hair, haha. Whenever we walked by the cage, he would run to the door and beg for a treat or to come out. We got his cagemate Wally a week after we got him. Orville was meant to be a social chin, and he wasn't happy living alone. Wally was more fearful than Orville and much less curious. So, Orville's bravery made Wally feel safe. And in turn, Wally provided Orville with company and a much needed cuddle buddy.
And we loved them both. We have hundreds of pictures on facebook of them.
They were such a blessing in our lives and we enjoyed their chinchilla antics and unique personalities.
Two nights ago, we noticed Orville wasn't running on the chin spin like he usually does. The next day, he was sleeping, but he usually sleeps during the day. That night when I got home from work at 10pm, I saw he hadn't pooped. His poops were small and hard. I figured he was constipated and dehydrated and gave him some critical care. But I also noticed his activity level. He just sat there in his cage. He didn't seem to care where he was in the cage; he didn't pick his favorite corner or seek out Wally. He just sat there, his breathing unusually rapid. I picked him up and held him close. He made no effort to get away from me. I sat and held him for half an hour, scritching him and trying to figure out what to do by calling vets and my fiance and posting on here. We decided to take him to Avian Exotics on the north side of Indianapolis, nearly two hours away. We got him there at 3am and took Wally with him for company. The vet put them both in an oxygen cage and gave Orville subcutaneous fluids. She wanted to xray him and do blood work, but not until he got hydrated and more stable. She listened to his heart and it sounded fine... no wheezing or anything. She said his condition didn't seem too bad. We got a phone call at 8am saying he passed away in the night. It breaks my heart to picture Wally nudging his buddy, wondering why he won't wake up...
We requested a necropsy and found out his lungs were filled with fluid. Pneumonia. How did he get it? We don't have a clue. We have bleached his cage every day for the past two months. Prior to that, we bleached it every other day. He had fresh food and hadn't had a change in his diet. We wash our hands before we pet any of the chinchillas. His cage is away from drafts.
Rest in peace, Orville. Our hearts break for the loss of such a young life, and we are sorry we couldn't give you more. We have nothing but good memories of you, and we feel the constant depressing emptiness of not having you in our lives.
:cry3:
