Need you guys... On my way to Vet

[hkkjstwcl]

My chin Salvatore (Sal) just died on the way to the emergency exotic animal vet. I'm all alone about a 2/3 way to the vt and
need your support. (I'm on blackberry). Sal and others got out of the playpen and wondered around...I think 1 1/2 - 2 days. They escape some times, and I put dishes of water in the kitchen and bedroom when it happens. Pellets and hay r everywhere on the flkoor near the chin cages, so they would eat them. I find them or chase them and out back to their cages. Today, about 3:45PM, I found Sal. Just sitting quietly on the carpet. I picked him up, but he was limp and was just like a stuff doll. No sighns of injuries or fights. I gave him lots of water with a medicine feeder. I put him in a nest with fleece. He was limp, eyes were open, face was resting... I packed the stuff and started driving off at 5PM. The Vet is 40min to 1h away. He died on the way. Now, I am sitting here all alone in the car, trying to decide whether to go to the vet. He is gone, but they may tel me what happended with $300...
What happened, u think? He was always timid and skinny. Small Sapphire chin boy about 2 year old.
What should I do? I need you guys...

 

[tunes]

First, nobody here can tell you what happened. He could have bit into an electrical cord and it fried him. He could have gotten into a poison or a chemical around your house. He could have been accidentally slammed behind something. There is no way to know without the necropsy to tell you. If you want to know, get it done.

Second, if you KNOW your chins escape, why are they still escaping? If you know that they get loose and are gone for days at a time, this tells you that you need to find a better way to let them have run time. Get a playpen with a top and bottom. Lock them in the bathroom.

I'm very sorry for this probably preventable loss. I'm moving this out of the emergency section, as it obviously isn't one since the chin has already passed.

 

[caiti]

If they escaped into a non-chin proof room they may have eaten something. Were there any other symptoms? Labored breathing? Distended belly? Seizures, loss os appetite etc? Was this a rapid onset thing or did you notice anything before like weight loss etc? A necrospsy may be helpful if it's something that can affect your other chins.

I'm sorry you lost your Sal. I would suggest chin proofing the room that your chins escape to or making the cage unescapable if you haven't already.

 

[Riven]

I'm guessing that since they have bowls out in the kitchen and bedroom... the entire house is not chin safe. I'm going to have to agree totally with Peggy on this one.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Since you don't know what happened, why not take him to the vet and have a necropsy done and find out.
As said, he could have chewed a cord, got into a chemical, etc. You wont know without that necropsy.

Sorry for your loss

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I'm so sorry for your loss. :flowers5:

I think that a necropsy is a must for a sudden, unexpected death.

I know that it gave me peace of mind to find out what happened when Baby died.

 

[Jenn]

I agree with what has been posted above.

I'm so sorry you lost your baby, but now is the time to make sure there are no more escapes so you don't have to suffer another loss.

 

[SmileX3]

I am sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is. Also, necropsy can be expensive so if its worth your peace of mind, then do it. I wish I did with my little guy. As for chiin proofing and what not, I'm sure you know what needs to be done now. Lesson learnt the hard way. Sorry, again.

 

[eroomlorac]

I'm not sure I would have a necropsy done in this case. The chin was loose in a house where he could have gotten into anything and everything. He died from being loose in a house. I know that's vague and I don't mean to be smart aleck but I would only have a necropsy done if one of my chins died unexpectedly and unexplained in it's cage with no apparent cause. If I thought maybe my chin could have died from somehting that could affect the life and health of my other chins. Tunes said it so well and that's why I, personally, wouldn't have a necropsy done in this case. Your chin most likely died due to an accident or injury. t may possibly tell you why your chin died but the solution would be to keep the chins contained in their cage. The chin is gone and there's nothing you can do about it now. That is my personal opinion about a necropsy in this case.

I am sorry your chin died. It is always a heartbreaking loss.

 

[ticklechin]

Whatever he died from won't repeat if the chins don't escape, I would also not bother with a necropsy.

 

[Stackie]

I agree that a necropsy is not necessary. If the death were out of the blue, totally unexpected, and the chin was still in his cage, then I would get a necropsy to see if it were something contagious. In this case it's pretty obvious that the chin got into some household item that isn't safe. The death most likely wasn't disease related and won't be passed on to the other chins. In this case it's pretty obvious the prevention of death would be to keep the chins from escaping. The only reason to have one done in this case is to get a possible idea of what he got into that killed him.

Hopefully this will be a lesson learned for you and you will keep a better eye on your chins and prevent them escaping. Playtime should always be supervised no matter if it is in a playpen, a chin safe area, what have you. I'm sorry for this preventable loss.

 

[starleomach]

I don't understand when this happens. Similar thing on other forums as well people who know their chinchillas escape and do nothing to fix the issue. I am sorry for a loss of life that is preventable I would not bother with a necropsy either. He was loose in an unsafe environment he may have eaten off a bowl, there are many cases of chinchillas eating people food and being dead within hours. He could have chewed a wire, gotten smooshed.even in a chinchilla safe room they should be supervised at all times this you did not do.....and he died as a result

 

[MMMTDF]

I would want a necropsy done, I couldn't live without knowing, I'm sorry for your loss. He will always live on in your heart.

 

[hkkjstwcl]

Thanks you everybody.

I would want a necropsy done, I couldn't live without knowing, I'm sorry for your loss. He will always live on in your heart.

Thank you everyone.
I didn't go to the vet, instead I went back home, burn candles for him to burry him in the next day.
I also decided to open a bathroom for chins. I used to have a chin bathroom in the previous place that I lived. But, chins just chewed on the wall and everything. They even chewed threw a cabinet and made a hole as a hideout. So, that's why I started buying playpens after playpens.

I bought seven different kinds of playpens. I put tops on all of them. I probably spent abuot $1,000 only for these playpens. But, no matter what I used, my chins found a way to escape.

Recently, I bought a new kind of playpen, and I was happy about it for about two-three weeks. And then, this happened.
I am not trying to justify myself. I am just desperate to be a better chin mom, and I keep failing. You may say that if I can't keep them safe and alive, I should not own chins. But, how can anybody be the perfect chin mother? I would like to hear from you. I try my best to spoil my chins. I spend as much time possible with them and spend so much money every months to buy them the best chew toys, wheels, shelves, and all, on top of the playpens that I have purchased.
At this point, I am very sad that my chins came to me. I am responsible to their lives, and they don't know anything but depend on me. And I couldn't fulfill my responsiblity.
Sal died because he came to me. He couldn't chose which person to be adopted to. I miss him so much, and he will be gone for ever. I feel like I'd rather die.

I cleard my bathroom. It might have been the only place that I should have let my chins play in the first place. My pre-teen son would visit me some weekends from his dad's place, and to tell you the truth, I wanted to keep the bathroom clean and nice for his visit. But, I was wrong. Also, there is no ventilation at the bathroom. So, it gets a bit too warm inside. I will buy a fan or something to adjust ventilation.

As to wires in the hosehold, I will recheck if all are chin safe.

Do anyone feel the same way? My precious chins' lives are on my hand, and I was too selfish to have adopted them in. I was the one who cut Sal's life short.

 

[eroomlorac]

A good rule is to NEVER leave a chin unattended that isn't securely locked in it's cage. If you sit in the bathroom with them or in whatever room they are in when they are in a playpen, there would be no unnoticed escapes or chewed woodwork. A chin would have to be left alone a pretty long time in a bathroom for it to chew through a cabinet to make it a hidey. When my chins are loose in the bathroom, I either read a book in there or just sit and watch them. After 45-60 minutes, playtime is over, they go back to their cage and I go on to do the things I need to get done around the house. It's a perfect excuse for us humans to take a break from our chores. If you watch them romp in the playpen, you would notice and be able to thwart any escapes. It sounds like your chins are left unattended while they are our of their cage for playtime, which is almost always a recipe for disaster, as it seems you have found out numerous times........the last time being deadly to one of your chins.

 

[tunes]

I had some of the worst escape artists on the planet, and not one of them ever got out of the playpen when I used a bottom for the top. It fits so tight, you can barely get it on and off. I don't know where or why you would spend $1000.00 in playpens, but the one I am talking about, the pen itself, extensions, extra large top and bottom would probably run you about a grand total of $150.00.

I also agree with Carol that play time should never be unsupervised. If your chins are out of their cage, then you should be right there monitoring them, especially if they have a history of getting out of the cage.

ETA: http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Products-No-40094-Ferret-Playpen/dp/B0006L2VZK It's even cheaper than I thought. Right here with a playpen and a top you're looking at maybe $65.00 if they don't include free shipping.

 

[Stackie]

I agree with everything Carol said about supervised playtime. They should absolutely never be left alone no matter what the circumstances. There's no way they could destroy your bathroom that badly if you were there to stop them. Basically if you don't have a safe place for them to play where you can be with them the whole entire time, don't give them playtime. Chinchillas do not have to have out of cage time, especially if it is going to be under unsafe and unsupervised conditions.

 

[mishellyshel]

my only other suggestion is to sell all the useless playpens that you have purchased and they have not used and maybe get an extra large extra cage that they can use as a play area. that way if you are unable to supervise than they are still in a caged environement.
otherwise if you are unable to stay with them the whole time while they are out of their cage, they should stay in.

 

[Riven]

I also decided to open a bathroom for chins. I used to have a chin bathroom in the previous place that I lived. But, chins just chewed on the wall and everything. They even chewed threw a cabinet and made a hole as a hideout.

I didn't understand this either. I don't know of any chin who can chew through a cabinet in 20 minutes... especially while being supervised. They don't need an hour out, and with wheels and stuff they are more than happy, healthy, and safer, not being out.

There is no reason a bathroom can't be kept nice and clean for your son, even though chins play in it.

And there is no "chin safe" wires... the only chin safe wires are ones that aren't by chins.

 

[mishellyshel]

ETA: http://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Product.../dp/B0006L2VZK It's even cheaper than I thought. Right here with a playpen and a top you're looking at maybe $65.00 if they don't include free shipping.

i think this is the one or very similar to the one i have. i dont need the cover as my guys have not jumped out but i am right there next to them, cleaning their cages and chitchatting with them.