Chins Buns & Cavies ?!

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PaperMoon

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Okay, I've read here somewhere about chins and bunnies...but I can't seem to find the thread anywhere....I'm looking into adopting a bunny sometime in the future but of course, before that I must do some extensive research.....so, some questions for those who have buns as well....please give any advice, links, info, whatever about chins and bunnies!!

- diseases? can/cannot keep in the same room?
- same feed as chinchilla (Mazuri? PANR?)
- treats? I read on a bunny forum about papaya tablets for bunnies, are rose hips okay for buns?
- playtime, I would think that you'd have to separate playtimes, can someone confirm?

Now for Chins and cavies (guinea pigs) ....

I can't find ANY information about do's/don'ts for keeping chins and cavies....so ANY information is welcome!!

Thank you guys!!!!!!!!!! :hug2:
 
I remember reading concerns about rabbits' powerful legs being quite dangerous to a chin if they share play time if one or the other gets a little feisty...
 
Rabbits and Chins must be kept in different areas of the house due to risk of (I believe) pastuerella. No cross-contamination, therefore different playtime areas, etc.
 
Yeah I wouldn't keep them in the same room.

From our Bordatella thread:
In rabbits, it is a normal bacteria for the respiratory tract, so they always carry Bordatella. It only causes disease in rabbits when there is another pathogen like Pasteurella on board.

However, Bordatella has been shown to remain in heating and cooling ducts in shelters, causing reinfection even after removal of all previously sick animals.

Can it be transferred on non-living items such as feed, dust, cloth, etc.?
- Absolutely, that is why husbandry is the most important part of chinchilla health. Cleaning vigorously, getting duct work cleaned routinely, keeping animals in areas with good ventilation and proper temperature and humidity, and washing your hands/changing your clothes/etc. are keys to healthy chins.

http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3539
 
I have both, they should not be kept together or IMO even the same room. Rabbits have Pasturella multocida. It may not be pathogenic (had the opportunity to cause disease), but the risk isn't worth it. They also should not be in the room with cavies either. I can not remember the specific disease, but the buns have one that is lethal to cavies. As far as cavies and chins, I would feel comfortable with them in the same room, but I wouldn't allow them to play together.
 
Rabbits and chinchillas should not be kept in the same room. It would seem that with the risks involved - rabbits are best always housed away from other small animals.

I've heard from someone at work that they have caged their chinchilla and guinea pig in the same cage - I would advise against this obviously!! But they are ok to be in separate cages in the same room.
 
awesome!! thanks guys!! do you know weather the cavies can eat mazuri or rosehips?
 
They can't eat the SAME food, but they can eat the same brand. I'm not sure which you're referring to. My chins and my pigs are both on Oxbow, but the chins eat the Oxbow chin food and the pigs eat the cavy Oxbow. It's made for specific animals so it meets the requirements they need. I'm not sure if Mazuri makes pig food, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do.


awesome!! thanks guys!! do you know weather the cavies can eat mazuri or rosehips?
 
Guinea pigs need additional vitamin C, some of which is usually contained in guinea pig specific food.
 
i see i see....I was reading on some guinea pig forums and i can't really find a "good" food.....I saw on one of the forums that Mazuri for piggies gave them soft poo? What are some "good" foods that are available out there?
 
Oxbow Cavey Performance for pigs 6 mos and younger. Cavey Cuisine for pigs over 6 mos.
 
That's what I feed mine. They're babies, so obviously they get the former. They were actually rescues and the Oxbow helped cure the one who came to me with diarhea.

Mazuri gave my chins soft poo when I had them on it, long ago. Switched to Oxbow and never looked back. I love it.


Oxbow Cavey Performance for pigs 6 mos and younger. Cavey Cuisine for pigs over 6 mos.
 
Like already stated, buns and chins cannot share the same space...or food. the only thing that my chins and my bunny have in common is hay. I have seperate treats for them as well, but that's because I have very picky pets.
 
but since the pasturella (sp?) can get to the chins via air or clothing, how do you play/care for your chins? Do you use an air purifier? Does that work? I would assume that you'd have to get a complete change of clothing too.... o_O
 
Generally it isn't contagious unless it is in pathogenic form, if the rabbit has snuffles, or head tilt or another form of disease caused by it. It is in rabbits nasal passages, and ears, but it is only airborne if it is causing disease. If the rabbit was stressed, had ear mites, etc. then the rabbit is likely to become sick from it. Under normal circumstances the rabbit has no problem with it. It still is there, which is why IMO they should not be kept in the same room.

I do wash in between handling my rabbits, and my chins. If I held the rabbit then I will change clothes. It is unlikely that the chins will get sick, but I do it anyways.
 
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Ok this may be very bad for me, i knew that rabbits were in risk of it, but not that they were constant carriers of it, i have had Kishi(my chin) Howie(my rabbit) and clarrissa(my guinea pig) in the same room together since febuary, i have even mentioned that Kishi and howie shared space before(i did this on the RO forum,i do not remember wether i did here or not) and noone mentioned this to me, howie has been in the same room with clarrissa since october, and in the same room with Kishi since febuary, should i move howie or kishi? or can they stay in the same room, since they have been together this long? they do have different playtimes, and i keep the cages very clean.
 
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What about rabbits and hedgehogs? I no longer keep my hedgehog in the same room as the rabbit, but do you know if a rabbit can pass anything on to a hedgehog?
I have not noticed anything out of the ordinary yet...
 
Leowydemi, move the rabbit to it's own room, and count yourself lucky that no one got sick. I can not remember the disease that kills cavies, but they should not be kept with rabbits. I'll have to look it up, it may actually be bordatella. Yes, Pasteurella multocida is always present in rabbits.

As far as hedgies, off the top of my head I don't remember ever learning they couldn't be housed together. I'm not that familiar with hedgies though.
 
Pasturella in chinchillas is fatal, the symptoms are URI, goopy eyes, runny nose, abscesses internally or externally especially in the mouth and along the jaw line. The abscesses lead to osteomyelitis which is also fatal in chins. Many animals carry it silently which is why we keep chins away from other species-meaning unable to have access to body fluids such as saliva and nasal discharge.
 
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