Fall from height

[Fete]

After a horrible lapse in judgement on my part my chin Spark suffered a long fall. (Ooooh, why haven't we come out on the balcony before, this is so pleasant...
I know he will need a scan to know for sure, but how can I tell if he's ok? Spark was very still aft landing and made no effort to get away, bit is now sitting on his haunches with his ears up and ate some apple.
Could it have just be in shock, or am I fooling myself? Is there any way to tell if he's badly hurt?

 

[Anna35]

I would say not without an x-ray is he limping or anything or hiding more than normal? I have been told that they are excellent at hiding injuries and illnesses so it will be really hard to tell without an X-ray I would think anyway but I not a vet.

 

[starrynight0621]

How far was the fall? Just to be safe, I would get him to a vet. Chinchillas are experts at hiding injuries.

Just so you know, chinchillas should never be fed fruits or vegetables. Appropriate treats are an occasional plain cheerio or plain shredded wheat, whole oats, or rosehips. Fruits and vegetables can cause digestive issues, and if digestive issues get bad enough, they can lead to a serious illness and possibly death.

 

[Fete]

Thanks for replying. He doesn't seem to be limping (has hopped with both feet, using both paws), but is fairly quiet. I have him in the small cage to keep an eye on him. The fall was at least ten feet.
Now he is nibbling hay and cleaning his whiskers.

 

[Fete]

We will not be going to the vet today, I just need advice or insight or distraction.

 

[ticklechin]

No vet visit, really? If you felt it was enough of a emergency to post in this section, then its enough of a emergency to get this chin to a vet.:wacko:

 

[ticklechin]

And just so you can see what could be wrong, take a look at the chinchilla skeleton and the little pile of bones in the lower left corner, those are the ribs and all that was protecting the internal organs from the fall off the 10+ foot balcony.

 

[Essentia]

No vet visit, really? If you felt it was enough of a emergency to post in this section, then its enough of a emergency to get this chin to a vet.:wacko:

I agree completely with Dawn. A 10 foot fall could have broken bones or caused internal bleeding.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I agree with Dawn and Crysta.

Hey, a fall off of even only a second floor balcony could seriously injure an adult human!!!

Dawn, thanks for posting the pictures of the tiny bones -- it really helps put it into perspective.

 

[starrynight0621]

To add some more information, chinchillas are so delicate that if a small child squeezes them, ribs can break. The breeder I got my chinchilla from had that happen with one of her kits.

So, a 10 foot fall? Yeah, that definitely needs a vet visit...

 

[jess32247]

How he's doing today? Did you make a appointment with the vet yet? If you havn't already, then you should asap.