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kiltbunny

kiltbunny

Active member
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
39
Location
Atlanta, GA
I just received a call from my vet that the local shelter had a chinchilla turned in today. They thought of me since I just lost Izzy and I'm the only chinchilla owner they know of in the area. The vet can't take it - they don't have a place to keep it and supplies for it. The shelter didn't really know what it was and was going to call Wildlife Rescue to take it until they called the vet to ask what it was and how to feed it and care for it. It was an owner surrender apparently with no information given about it, no cage and no supplies turned in with it.

I guess I'm going to pick it up later this afternoon. I have extra cages and a place to quarantine it for a while... a long while. The vet has offered free care for it if it needs it and the shelter just wants it not in their care since they have no clue. They were feeding it guinea pig/rabbit food and had given it some greens and they have it in the cat intake area in a cat cage. Age and sex unknown. Hopefully the poor thing isn't traumatized to death. It's said to appear healthy and uninjured - the owner just didn't want it anymore.

I'm definitely not a rescue, but I can't stomach the idea of the poor baby sitting there like that. Any advice?
 
Well i think you are doing the right thing by taking it in, as you have had a chinchilla before.

I would say get the poor chin on a proper diet as soon as you get him/ her.
Thats a good starter.
Check the poo and food intake to make sure he/she is going well.


goodluck:)
 
Good for you! I wish I had more room to take in some more! I'd start fostering and/or adopting in a heartbeat. He/she is lucky to have you. Be sure to post pics! :D
 
I just took in 7 from a local shelter. I am a foster for a rescue so that helps with expenses. I have two other surrenders from the same shelter so I'm now fostering 8. I adopted one of them myself because he stole my heart. I think you will find it a rewarding experience. All of my guys seemed to know they were going to be OK here from the very start. I usually try to leave them alone for a day or two and then start getting them used to me. They have all responded to my attention and affection. Just take it slow and he will come around. Set a dependable routine. Watch for problems eating and pooping because all the changes can be a little stressful. Oh and I spoil my fosters just a rotten as I do my own. Bless you for taking him in. They don't do well in shelters.
 
It's a girl! Haha, I couldn't resist.

She seems no worse for wear. They had found a rabbit-type cage for her and put a cardboard box in it for her to hide. They tried.

She is a standard, darker than my Tifa. She let me hold her after checking gender. I didn't feel any lumps or scrapes of any sort. Her fur around her neck does sort of... I don't know? It's like it clumps together and you can see right down to her skin. Almost like maybe she has slipped fur a bit around her neck/shoulder area? Her fur isn't bad, it looked like she had proper care in her past. I'm just unsure why it does that around her neck? I didn't see any scars under that fur (thought maybe she had been attacked at some point?) I gave her some dust in a pan and if a chinchilla could smile she was grinning ear to ear. She dusted for probaby 20 minutes straight - at one point just laying flat on her belly, front legs extended with her nose buried in a pile of dust. I put her in my extra cage and she immediately was in love with apple sticks. She probably ate 5 of them while I was sitting there... grabbing them and bouncing around the cage with one in her mouth before settling and nom-ing down on it. She scattered her hay around, ate a couple of pellets of food and then took up residence in a fleece tube. I left her alone for a few hours and came to check again before I went to bed and she was already aware of the "begging to come out" face and doing some bar chewing. Handed her a plain cheerio, a couple of mulberry chews and a pumice toss toy and let her be. She was still fine this morning - had definitely partied in her cage last night!
 
That's awesome! Congrats again!

This may be a dumb question, but is it possible that the fur was shaved off? I just had blood drawn from my oldest the other day and they shaved a pretty big section of fur on the left side of his neck, under his chin, to clear and clean the area. It looks similar to what you're describing. Just a thought.
 
Awww! That is so great that you were able to take her in!!! I bet she is feeling like the luckiest chinchilla in the world!! Post pics when she is a little more settled in! :D
 
Airyn said:
That's awesome! Congrats again!

This may be a dumb question, but is it possible that the fur was shaved off? I just had blood drawn from my oldest the other day and they shaved a pretty big section of fur on the left side of his neck, under his chin, to clear and clean the area. It looks similar to what you're describing. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't look intentional/professional. It's hard to describe. Clump isn't the right word because her fur looks fine and not matted. It's just like a cowlick? something. It's only when she stretches out or bends her head down it shows the "gap" in her fur. Like she has more skin than fur? Chinchilla stretch mark? LOL I'll try to get a picture of it. She let me take a few last night but I didn't get a chance to upload.
 
kiltbunny said:
No, it doesn't look intentional/professional. It's hard to describe. Clump isn't the right word because her fur looks fine and not matted. It's just like a cowlick? something. It's only when she stretches out or bends her head down it shows the "gap" in her fur. Like she has more skin than fur? Chinchilla stretch mark? LOL I'll try to get a picture of it. She let me take a few last night but I didn't get a chance to upload.
Click to expand...

*lol* Chinchilla stretch mark! Pics would probably help some of the more experienced members to ID it. That was all I had unless it's fur slip. :D
 
Congratulation on the new girl. The rescues always seem to know when they have hit the jack pot. It is fun to watch them explore the new cage and wolf down the treats. Her neck fur could just be from infrequent dusting or dusting with crappy stuff. One of mine gets it if he doesn't dust regularly. Its like the fur separated into bands. A few good dustings may fix it right up.
 
What a great story!!! I'm so happy you could give this chin a good home :))
It's possible she could have slipped some fur, what with the stress of leaving home and going to the shelter, plus being handled by new people.
 
Oh, any pictures? That always helps with names, unless you wanna name her Annie as in li'l orphan Annie!

Or Johnnie or Joanie, because she loved the apple sticks so much reminded me of Johnny Appleseed!
 
A couple of photos... the flash washes out a bit.
 

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