The little chinnie with the amputation is doing very well! Her incision is nearly healed up, but her fur is very slow to start coming back in to cover the scar. She's eating on her own and has even managed to get to quite a high shelf in her enclosure. I'd say she's adjusting to being a tripod quite nicely.

Also, thanks to all who have supported the menagerie in the past couple of weeks, we've been able to bring in $500 toward paying off Kismet's surgery fees! 

Another happy bit of news is that 6 and a half chinnies have found new homes so far this month...

(The half being a chin on maternity watch who is not ready to rehome yet).

And....Karen and Adam are the second family to take us up on the FN for CN cage trade. Thanks Karen and Adam, I can't wait to show off your new split cage tomorrow!

Before I post today's update, please take a moment in remembrance of the victims of 9/11/2001...

It has been a very difficult past couple of weeks. A rescue hamster here developed a particularly aggressive form of cancer. What we thought was a perpetually full cheek pouch, turned out to be a tumor. For the first time ever, we had to have a critter put down. It was a very sad occasion.

Less than two weeks later, one of the chinnies broke her leg. Yesterday (Friday) she went in for surgery to have it amputated. The vet says the surgery went well and we can bring her home this morning.

Now this is where we need some help. The original estimate for the amputation was $1500! (Gasp!) Fortunately for us, our back-up exotics vet had pity and worked a fee that was much, much more within our grasp...but we still need to come up with $600.

If you've been considering upgrading a cage, adopting a chin, or showing your monetary support, now would be a perfect time to do so.

Please keep Kismet in your prayers as she heals up and gets used to being a tri-pod. 

Hello friends.

We need your help.

For anyone who feels so inclined, we have a rescue chin who needs a tail amputation. She has nerve damage that has not resolved. We would like to schedule her for surgery and have her spayed at the same time so that we may introduce her to Bucky, an unneutered male. This is elective at the moment, but we have noticed that she is starting to fuss with her tail. The vet says we should be concerned if she starts to chew it. Well... she's starting to chew.

Donations can be made via our PayPal button (on the Donations page), OR to Banfield Veterinary Clinic with Dr. Peake in Virginia Beach. Please notate any donations made to the vet as "for help with Whimsy's Menagerie & Chinchilla Rescue".

On a more positive note, I want to thank Kelly and her family for coming to visit the Menagerie! It was a pleasure meeting them and "talkin' chinchillas". We had a wonderful time finally meeting in person after several emails and phone calls about concerns with her chinchilla named Doll Face. Thanks again Kelly for the bale of hay and the huge bag of pine bedding! Folks like you make rescue work a pleasure. :)