Hair Ring Checks

[Tagna]

Until I started to rescue I never had to deal with this but now with male rescues around I have had to learn how to do hair ring checks. While not as bad as I always thought it did get me wondering as to how often this should be done.

I've seen people say it has to be done monthly, others as needed and even some that have never done it and don't feel it's necessary. So what is everyone's opinion and why?

As well is there a difference between breeding males and pet only males?

I do it on a "needs to be done basis" and to show new owners how to do it.

As well shouldn't a chin be of a certain age before doing a hair ring check?

 

[Spoof]

Once they hit sexual maturity they have the possibility of getting them - as early as three months for some, as late as 10 months for others. I don't check but have had four bad ones over the last 10 years. No lasting harm from any of them, granted I do know people that have had an issue and a partially lacerated penis resulting from an unnoticed one.

 

[ticklechin]

My youngest pet only chin was 11 weeks, he would get them two or three times a month until he was PTS at 4 years old. The rest of the pet only chins get them in spurts, sometimes several times a month, sometimes they will go months without getting them. I check monthly during the wellness check I do on all healthy chins.

If you do have a malo chin, they need to be checked weekly since they cannot clean themselves, they get some really stanky hair rings with semen and crud and things. Two had the penis attach to the chest hair with semen glue and the hair had to be clipped to release the penis, so definately check them often. I have also had them have the urethra exit plugged with semen.

 

[pants567]

My guy is 6 months old tomorrow, I do a monthly check just to be safe. I'd rather check and know that he is ok and know what is normal looking than someday have him get one and not know how to do it or not know if he has one due to not knowing his normal anatomy.

 

[ChinnyMom]

My guy is 6 months old tomorrow

totally off topic, but your chin's 'un-birthday' is my birthday! (for those not familiar with 'un-birthdays', it is the date exactly 6 months away from your real birthday. an excuse to celebrate twice a year, lol)


as for hair rings, i'll be honest - neither of my boys have had a check done yet. i never see them having any peeing issues, and they don't clean themselves excessively.

 

[Shooper]

I check monthly and usually remove at least some hair/crud every single time!

 

[pants567]

Chinnymom- me and my chin have the same birthday, so it is my un-birthday too.

On-topic: I have yet to have to remove anything when I do hair ring checks.

 

[Christina Noraas]

I usually do it every other month unless if I notice them excessively cleaning, then I do it once a month or every two to three weeks.

 

[mark miller]

I try to check all my breeding males once a month consistantly. I have one young male in breeding I have to check about every 2 weeks. He is very prone to having hair rings and does not clean himself. It definitely can hamper breeding if a male has a hair ring that goes undetected. I have seen extreme cases where a male has been unable to ever breed again because the hair ring was not found and removed in time.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

totally off topic, but your chin's 'un-birthday' is my birthday! (for those not familiar with 'un-birthdays', it is the date exactly 6 months away from your real birthday. an excuse to celebrate twice a year, lol)


as for hair rings, i'll be honest - neither of my boys have had a check done yet. i never see them having any peeing issues, and they don't clean themselves excessively.

Actually, you have 364 unbirthdays per year, since only one day is your birthday!!!

Remember Alice in Wonderland??? The Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse were having an unbirthday party. Alice was confused, so they explained it to her quite clearly!!!

Our family has celebrated MANY unbirthdays over the years as an excuse to give an unexpected gift.

 

[arf2184]

I check when I think I need to check. Not regularly...just if something seems amiss or if I just happen to have a boy out that I haven't checked in a while. I rarely find any, never had a bad one or any issues. My boy that has tons of fur and sheds a lot seems to get hair in his sheath more than my other boys but not wrapped around his penis.

 

[LeoMonster]

If you see them "mouthing" themselves does that automatically mean hair ring? I checked him 2 days ago and he was fine. I've heard it both ways: this means that he has a hair ring,; they do that every once and awhile to clean themselves.

I'll probs check him anyway tonight to be safe.

 

[ChinnyMom]

male chins do self pleasure themselves, so that is one of the reasons they 'mouth' their penises. i got the most evil stink eye once from Rhino when i walked in and caught him in the act, lol!

 

[LeoMonster]

male chins do self pleasure themselves, so that is one of the reasons they 'mouth' their penises. i got the most evil stink eye once from Rhino when i walked in and caught him in the act, lol!

Haha I've heard about it but never seen it till today. Should I still check him for a hair ring? Like I said earlier he was checked on Friday and everything was hunky dorey.

 

[Brittany85]

I did see a past chinchilla pleasuring himself! Too funny...
My Tiko is 10 months old, what would be some sure fire ways to know he has a hair ring? Also how do you check them, I have read up on it but trying to find the easiest way as he still doesn't love being handled (only had him 2 weeks)

 

[ticklechin]

I did see a past chinchilla pleasuring himself! Too funny...
My Tiko is 10 months old, what would be some sure fire ways to know he has a hair ring? Also how do you check them, I have read up on it but trying to find the easiest way as he still doesn't love being handled (only had him 2 weeks)

Here is my video of a hair ring check

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUfmBoighpA

 

[Brittany85]

Thanks so much!!

 

[Khammy]

Haha... My Tatter-Tott is only 5 months old and I read a few places that you don't need to check til 10 months or 1 year so I figured I had some time before I had to worry about it.

But... I caught him pleasing himself a few weeks ago and thought he might have had the dreaded hair ring. I watched tons of videos and fumbled my way through my very first ring check and realized that he was more likely just reaching that curious age. If it was hair, he got it himself.

This post helps me a lot too. Thank for posting and sharing everyone.