Blind??

[cintistatern2005]

How can you tell if a chin is blind?

 

[AZChins]

Put the chin on the floor and come up behind him quietly. You can tell because most chins try to run away, but if the chin can't see you he may be blind. I've also come very close a chin's eye with my finger...a normal chin will probably close the eye and a blind chin won't notice.

 

[Spoof]

If it's one of those that freezes when it's scared you can literally poke it in the eye. It can see you, it's just scared stiff.

If it's a normal, keep-moving-about type the above works. I have no idea how to test the scared stiff ones.

Regardless, it doesn't impact the chin overly much. They're so perceptive to sound it's hard to surprise even a blind one.

 

[EveningChin]

When I got my first chinchilla I wondered if she was going blind. As it turns out, IME, that they have horrible depth perception, and although enjoy exploring new areas they are clumbsy and tend to bumble. So if the chin is still judging distances (as in from one perch to another) before it jumps I wouldn't be worried.

 

[tunes]

Don't count on either sneaking up or poking at. It might work, it might not. Beep has no eyes at all. He's not just blind, he's eyeless. His other senses have taken over with a vengeance. If you so much as move your hand near him, he knows. Not always, but most of the time.

If you're truly concerned that your chin is blind, have your vet do an evaluation of his eyes. He should be able to tell you.

 

[AZChins]

Chins can't see all that well anyway. They don't seem to depend on their sight all that much when they are running around.

Maybe this chin is just really near sighted?

I don't know. I am sure that there are blind chins out there and no one even knows that they are blind.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

Don't count on either sneaking up or poking at. It might work, it might not. Beep has no eyes at all. He's not just blind, he's eyeless. His other senses have taken over with a vengeance. If you so much as move your hand near him, he knows. Not always, but most of the time.

If you're truly concerned that your chin is blind, have your vet do an evaluation of his eyes. He should be able to tell you.

Don't know why but the name "Beep" makes me laugh :laughitup:

 

[cintistatern2005]

My vet thought he may be blind but as you can see the run of vets i've had who knows. She put a carrier on the ground and put him down and he didnt run straight for it so she thought he may be blind. Also his one eye is constricted which means it doesnt dilate to light. He has never fallen from a shelf like to misjudge a jump.

 

[Sandi]

She put a carrier on the ground and put him down and he didnt run straight for it so she thought he may be blind.

Just speaking on my experience with my chins, but none would run straight into the carrier, unless it had a dust bowl in it.

 

[cintistatern2005]

Yea i know mine like to explore EVERYTHING!!

 

[whiskers387]

I think Snowball is blind in one of her eyes but im not really worried about it because she gets around and does stuff just fine. But back to topic, i think if you really wanted to know the vet is the best way.