Inca-bink
Well-known member
Hi everyone,
I'm noticing that there is a significant amount of callus on my chins' hind feet (spreading horizontally from the main foot pad, like a little lip). One looked quite dry and cracked, so I've been putting some neutrogena chapped hand lotion on all their feet, just to see if that would help.
They have wood shelving (pretty smooth, although the edges are pretty rough from their chewing) and fleece bedding/accessories. Their wheel is smooth metal (chinspin).
It does not seem to be getting better or worse, as far as I can tell. I don't want this to turn into bumblefoot or anything else that is difficult to clear up. My question is, what regular foot care would you suggest to resolve this/prevent this kind of problem? I have read elsewhere to use a nail file on the callus to keep it from getting too big, but I am a little nervous about doing this since it seems like there would be a good chance of injuring the foot itself.
Also, I know that bird bumblefoot actually develops due to a lack of appropriately irregular or coarse surfaces (counter-intuitive, right? But it has to do with putting pressure on different parts of the foot - smooth surfaces put pressure on exactly the same part of the foot all the time, no matter where the bird stands). Is this a similar process in chinchillas? If so, what types of surfaces should I introduce into their cage? We use astroturf/rope a lot with birds, but I would not want to give my girls plastic or long strands.
Thanks for your input!
I'm noticing that there is a significant amount of callus on my chins' hind feet (spreading horizontally from the main foot pad, like a little lip). One looked quite dry and cracked, so I've been putting some neutrogena chapped hand lotion on all their feet, just to see if that would help.
They have wood shelving (pretty smooth, although the edges are pretty rough from their chewing) and fleece bedding/accessories. Their wheel is smooth metal (chinspin).
It does not seem to be getting better or worse, as far as I can tell. I don't want this to turn into bumblefoot or anything else that is difficult to clear up. My question is, what regular foot care would you suggest to resolve this/prevent this kind of problem? I have read elsewhere to use a nail file on the callus to keep it from getting too big, but I am a little nervous about doing this since it seems like there would be a good chance of injuring the foot itself.
Also, I know that bird bumblefoot actually develops due to a lack of appropriately irregular or coarse surfaces (counter-intuitive, right? But it has to do with putting pressure on different parts of the foot - smooth surfaces put pressure on exactly the same part of the foot all the time, no matter where the bird stands). Is this a similar process in chinchillas? If so, what types of surfaces should I introduce into their cage? We use astroturf/rope a lot with birds, but I would not want to give my girls plastic or long strands.
Thanks for your input!