Has Anyone Seen This?

[Kawaii_Hedgie_Chin_Love]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChEEhExfGaU&NR=1&feature=fvwp

All I can say is wow...
I've seen so many bad chin owners out there lately, it's unbeleivable. SOO many people are just buying them without doing any research, and the chin ends up suffering for it. I almost wish they had a picture/video of this chinchilla the next day, i'm hoping they did something to help out it's poor fur after being so wet, but I doubt it.

And why would you let your chinchilla run around outside wihtout any restraints? if there was a playpen, sure, but there's a pond/lake and I beleive I could see people walking around in the backround, meaning anyone or ANYTHING for that matter, could come along and kill that chin. And i'm assuming it got wet from going into the pond. Ugh.

 

[chinsmom]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

There's yet another one who needs a good smackin' around!! They make something for chinchillas to bathe in, it's called - oh yeah - DUST!!!! Gee, could there be a reason for it? I sincerely hope that someone takes that poor chin from those A-- H---S!!! Sorry, I get pretty angry about some things - the out and out abuse of an animal or a child is number one on my hit parade. For my next birthday, I would like nothing more than 5 minutes in a locked room with these - ummmmmmmm..........chuckleheads!!!!!:hair:

 

[Kawaii_Hedgie_Chin_Love]

I completely agree. it just makes me SOO mad when I see these things.

 

[starleomach]

I believe this has been posted before. Sadly often there is nothing to be done.

And as much as I disagree with the chinchilla being outside and wet and loose at times. He does run to them when called. They clearly love him and care for him. Perhaps they just aren't educated on chinchilla care. Before I knew the dangers, my first chinchilla had a cage that I would set up outside for the day so he could get fresh air and eat grass, and that was in 90 humid summer, I did not have the internet way back then and treated him like I would my guinipigs. I learned since then but you know what...that chinchilla lived 13 years with me. I have no clue how old he really was

 

[chinsmom]

My Aunt Fannie!!!!!!

You do things like, oh, let me think - research the care of an animal PRIOR to getting it!!!!!! Love and care? It looked more to me like rabid stupidity in action. I'll be willing to bet that the poor little thing gets a really nutritious diet and fresh bedding regularly to boot - NOT!!!!! My birthday is not for a few months yet, I'm a really good person and the last birthday present I got was my little boy. You already know what I would REALLY like for the next one (tee,hee,hee).

 

[starleomach]

I didn't say proper care. People make mistakes before condeming them perhaps you could try to send a nice friendly email correcting them. The problem is often people get attacked when they are doing something wrong, If you attack a person they will become defensive and then the case is lost.

You don't know anything about these people. Maybe they feed oxbow and loose hay, that can be found in any pet store. They might use pine bedding. You know what they say about people who assume right??? Not everyone researches before or even after they get a pet, in fact most people don't. It isn't right but if they want to provide the best care and are willing to change and learn then there is no reason to get angry.

He looks like he needs proper dust, but he doesn't look malnourished and again my point about love and care is it looks like they spend a lot of time with him, that is not a sign of neglect. Perhaps they did research...have you read any of the chinchilla care books out there? There is a ton of misinformation even on the internet.

I am not trying to start any trouble just trying to point out perhaps these people are not the devil incarnate. Perhaps they picked up a chinchilla from a pet store and bought a book. Many of us make mistakes when we start out often luckily no harm comes from the mistakes and we learn. Post a message maybe, a friendly one. No one will listen to an attack. Direct them to the forum perhaps.

There is no point in just complaining about it here if you don't like a situation try to fix it. If fixing it doesn't work at least you tried. But in the end what it comes down to as I have learned in the many years with the chinchilllas and forums and life in general people are going to do what people will do and really other then presenting an argument there is nothing you can do. So learn public speaking skills and learn how to best present an argument and try to keep a calm level head.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I'm going to agree with Kristy here. Posting about these things on here just to complain about common chinchilla misconceptions does not solve any problems. You just end up sending more rabid people after the person who may or may not know they are doing something wrong.

The photos in the beginning are not bad at all...the chinchilla does not look constricted, uncomfortable or stressed. He even looks well dusted in one of the pictures but I think a lot of the greasy looks to his fur are from frequent handling. Yes, the chinchilla should not be outside or wet, but how many of you looking at a chinchilla would not think they are similar to a rabbit or a guinea pig? How many common pet owners would know right off the bat EXACTLY what care a chinchilla needs? And don't go off about "well they should research!!!" because research is fooey. They could HAVE researched and found bad information on the web. Just look at Kawaii's website...even though it is a work in progress people can STILL see it and get bad information off it at the moment.

Not everyone starts out right, but it's up to those of us that are educated to help put them on the right path. Not in a "you're SOOOOO stupid" way but in a "I know you love your chin...here's what to do" way.

 

[AZChins]

I hate seeing wet chins...I couldn't watch after I saw that. Poor little dude. I feel bad for him...and I feel bad that people do think it's okay to do that to a chin. They should know better, but they probably don't. No one took the time to go over things with them....

 

[Kawaii_Hedgie_Chin_Love]

I'm not trying to say that they are not taking care of them, i'm just a little disturbed by the fact that he's outside in a public place, and jumping in lakes at free will. He does look well fed, well taken care of, and he obviously loves his owners very much to come running back to them like that. I have a few chins that would be gone in an instant. I'm not worried at all about the outfit or whatever they put on him in the beginning, I just hate the fact that he's soaking wet, since anyone that does any research on a chinchilla will find out that they shouldn't get wet.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I just hate the fact that he's soaking wet, since anyone that does any research on a chinchilla will find out that they shouldn't get wet.

This is not true. We even had a member recently who was giving her chinchillas wet baths regularly because she didn't know that chins bathe in dust. While this is common knowledge in the chinchilla community, you seem not to grasp the amount of misinformation available to the general public. Rabbits, Guineas, mice, rats, and hamsters can all be bathed in water or play in water with no ill effects...why is it so dastardly for someone to assume a chinchilla is the same way? It is NOT common for an animal to have ill effects from water...especially a rodent.

 

[jessica]

Ugh why would anyone free willing let their chin get wet? It's so much work to get them dry again. I read through all the comments on there. The guy says that the chin jumps in the water on his own and there is a huge debate going on there because he's being accused of not caring for his pet correctly. Well he isn't but it's no point to argue you can't make a person change.

 

[lilchinchilla]

I have to agree with Tabitha and Kristy. I personally know of someone local here who had a chin and gave the chin water baths frequently because her vet told her to do so. She trusted her vet and thought they knew everything. I was able to talk her out of it after we had a lengthy discussion.

So it isn't unheard of nor shocking to see people letting their chinchillas bathe or such. Some people don't realize there is online forums with better information to go to than the cheap pet owner manuals in the stores or a local vet or pet shop.
Some people listen to whomever they think knows what they are talking about(i.e. a vet or someone in a pet care related job, etc... they trust.). It's sad to see, and you can only hope the person reads the comments and changes their mind. You can't change it for them.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Wanted to mention...I've contacted the person and he DOES give dust baths. He says that a wet chinchilla is not a death sentence and is very frustrated with a lot of the people commenting on the video calling him names and questioning his intelligence. His chin is dried completely and totally as he's aware of the problem with fungus and other health problems. The chinchilla is in good health and doesn't appear to get unhealthy treats or anything like that.

 

[ChinchillaSteve]

I don't have to watch ... I knew this vid.
That chin must be very friendly/loyal not to run away I mean he's like in the open.

Some people don't think before they act

 

[GliderChillaLove]

well from the video you can tell the chin is loved and that they love their owner but love isnt everything. The main things I see wrong is that fact that its running around outside freely, and that it was soaking wet. With being outside there are way too many ways for the chin to get hurt, it may come when its called or whatever but whos to say that a dog playing in the park isn't going to see the chin and attack it? With it being wet it is possible that it just fell in the pond... but that just leads right back to the fact that it shouldn't be running around freely.

 

[Linda]

While this is common knowledge in the chinchilla community, you seem not to grasp the amount of misinformation available to the general public. Rabbits, Guineas, mice, rats, and hamsters can all be bathed in water or play in water with no ill effects...why is it so dastardly for someone to assume a chinchilla is the same way? It is NOT common for an animal to have ill effects from water...especially a rodent.

This is not correct -- at least as far as hamsters are concerned. There are five hamster species commonly kept as pets, and *none* of those hamster species should be bathed in water. The rule is the same for hamsters as it is for chinchillas.

Linda

 

[RDZCRanch]

This is not correct -- at least as far as hamsters are concerned. There are five hamster species commonly kept as pets, and *none* of those hamster species should be bathed in water. The rule is the same for hamsters as it is for chinchillas.

Linda

That's wonderful...but all that information does is support what I said. That may be common knowledge in the hamster community, but me being part of the chinchilla community I wouldn't know that. If you just keep the animal as a pet...most people don't bother to immerse themselves into that community and learn as much as they can about that animal. They simply choose to enjoy the animal and care for it as they see is proper.

Also, the rule appears to be the same for five species of hamsters as it is for ALL chinchillas. They are still not the same thing.:thumbsup:

 

[Linda]

That may be common knowledge in the hamster community, but me being part of the chinchilla community I wouldn't know that. If you just keep the animal as a pet...most people don't bother to immerse themselves into that community and learn as much as they can about that animal. They simply choose to enjoy the animal and care for it as they see is proper.

I think you'll find that people, including your "typical" chin pet owner, are hungry for good information on how to best keep their pet. Not all know to seek out forums, but they certainly come to events like the Pet Expo in our area and the various fairs and ask how to better keep their pets if there is someone there to help disseminate good information. That's the reason you'll see so many small animal clubs with educational booths where they answer questions and give out flyers at the various events that draw the general public -- events like the Pet Expo which draws literally thousands of people over one weekend in So Cal or the local county fairs or 4H educational events.

I have helped individuals at the pet store or elsewhere when they have chin questions -- just helped another person last week after I watched the pet store employee tell her to buy all of the fruit treats for her chin. She welcomed some information and resources (and I pointed her to PPBN for good products), but we just can't reach all of the people hungry for information if we try to do it one-on-one at pet stores, on Craigslist, or on you-tube. There are more effective channels out there.
Linda