Chinchilla care while I am pregnant

[Ivy Hall]

Hello everyone!

Henri has been with us since February and we are having a wonderful time together. I always wear a mask when I play with him (my allergies to dust) and changing his cage (in addition to gloves when cleaning).

I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and I have been reading some things about chinchilla passing on Listeria to pregnant women. I haven't been able to find anything conclusive and I am starting to be a little anxious.

My husband got Henri from Petsmart and the little guy seems perfectly healthy. He eats good, drinks good, plays a lot, chews galore and is very excited when we interact with him - I have read that it doesn't mean that he isn't sick.

Despite cleaning the cage with gloves and mask and playing with him with a mask, I am still worried (must be one of those pregnant woman things ).
We are new to the area where we are and I don't know any vet. In addition, the doctor couldn't answer me when I asked the question.

Any suggestions, websites to check or official numbers to call?
I'm thinking of asking my husband to clean the cage for me and I'll keep on being extremely careful when playing with him (mask, double-washing my hands etc...). Can I still feed him treats in the palm of my hand?

Thank you in advance!
Ivy Hall

 

[Newt]

I fed, cleaned out, and played with my Rosey all the way through my pregnancy, with no problems. So long as you wash your hands afterwards, I'm sure everything will be okay. Hot soapy water washes for a min of 30 seconds should be sufficient to kill off any bad bacteria

Congrats on your pregnancy! Your first bub?

 

[saphire]

Many hobby breeders have taken care of their chinchillas while pregnante.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

I took care of my breeding herd while pregnant with no ill effects. You should be fine, just use caution (which you already seem to do).

 

[Ivy Hall]

Thank you all very much for your testimonies and your advice!
Henri and I are still having a blast. My husband played with him one evening because I was feeling too tired and Henri refused the treats I was offering him the following day. He was apparently mad that I didn't play with him. He is so adorable and has such a strong personality. Thanks again!