For the month of July, thirteen (13) chinchillas were adopted and eight (8) chinchillas were surrendered. Sounds good, right? Well...we've received an unusual number of medical cases lately. Roo, a chinchilla with bumblefoot was surrendered when her owners became overwhelmed by her condition and their life situation. Toast, an emaciated ebony girl came to us on death's door. She has since started eating and now has a little female friend to keep her company and encourage her to eat. Ginger, a fur chewed girl came in as part of a mixed group from a home without air conditioning! Her prognosis was also very grave, but has perked up, stopped chewing her fur and littered a sweet baby boy and girl. We’ve also received some of our most aged couple. A 15 year old brother/sister pair were surrendered when their owner was admitted to an assisted living facility. The brother/sister were not housed together and we were told do not get along. We have since found a male friend for the brother and are still working on finding a compatible friend for the female.

While we do generally have excellent community support and response to our search for just the right homes for these recycled pets, we still have many who have been waiting their turn for the perfect home. Some of the more troubled chins have been here for months, if not years. Our adoption fees cover but a small portion of our expenses necessary to care for the chinnies who come to us.

It's our store that makes it possible for us to continue doing the work we do to help families find new homes for their chins and help with medical expenses whenever possible. While we do not like to solicit donations, we're more than excited to offer new store items for sale. So with that in mind, we'd like to officially introduce our two latest chinnie chew toys!!!! Whoo hoo!!!!

First is our Jacob's Ladder, made with 6 different kinds of chin-safe woods. While not technically "new" anymore, we never did an official release. *cough* My bad, sorry about that.

And finally, the one you've all been waiting for.... The one Whimsy has been so secretive about.... Our newest.....Chinchilla Piñata! This Whimsy original is a giant oversized willowball stuffed with the choicest hays, herbs, flowers and treats. Check out our store for more details and ordering information, and stay tuned for more future releases. ;) 

Babylon, one of the chinnies here at Whimsy's, suffered a rectal prolapse.  A rectal prolapse is an emergency situation. The exposed intestine must be kept moist or you will risk tissue death. As quickly as possible the rectum and exposed intestine must be cleaned, moistened and reinserted before it strangulates or dries out.  It should not be forcefully pushed in or poked with a dry cotton swab. The intestine, rather, is gently rolled and massaged, with plenty of lubricant to help it retract.  Below is a video clip showing Babylon's prolapse and Whimsy easing the intestine back in place. During the filming we were much less concerned with a sterile field than we are with getting the exposed intestine back where it should be.

Babylon re-prolapsed dozens of times while waiting for the emergency vet to attend him to sew a purse-string stitch around his anus, where it remained in place for two days. A week later he prolapsed twice, but has since stabilized without the need for another stitch.

It took nearly two weeks for Babylon to pass a normal stool during which time he has been on a regimen of Critical Care hand feeding formula, subcutaneous fluids, antibiotics, metacam for pain, simethicone to dissipate the gas buildup, and antiparasitics. Throughout this ordeal, Babylon lost over 100 grams of body weight!

We are happy to announce that Babylon has survived this radical situation. He is now eating and drinking on his own and continues to get healthy and strong. If you are faced with this situation, please know that it is not automatically deemed a no-win case. With quick intervention, the outcome can be successfully treated.

This intervention was subsequently utilized when a second baby chin prolapsed 6 weeks after Babylon's ordeal. After inserting the exposed rectum, Whimsy also quickly administered antibiotics and continued to reinsert the prolapse as needed. Within an hour the little girl stabilized and did not prolapse again. She is currently receiving antibiotics and has shown no further signs of distress.

We hope that this post will inform and give hope to anyone who finds their chinchilla in this situation. 

Periodically we receive reports of chinchillas who suddenly exhibit symptoms of loose, watery, or mushy stool with no known obvious cause. If your chinchilla has not experienced a change in environment, change in diet, too many treats, a switch in food, or a new food source, medical intervention may be necessary.

Please keep in mind that a stool sample which is deemed "negative" for parasites does NOT necessarily imply that your pet is free from harmful invaders. All that implies is that the stool sample tested reveals no obvious parasites. Because chinchillas tend to be extraordinarily sensitive animals, a conservative approach may actually lead to its demise.  

Regretfully, we had to learn this lesson the hard way.

By experience we have learned that mushy stool or reoccurring loose stool requires an aggressive treatment. Home remedies like offering shredded wheat cereal may firm the stools temporarily, but ultimately only masks the symptoms and can actually exacerbate the problem when a lethal number of harmful bacteria grow in the chinchillas' digestive system. 

Years ago, in a fit of desperation, our local vet prescribed a wide spectrum antibiotic to treat some chins who were wasting away and did not respond to more homeopathic measures. This last-ditch treatment actually halted the death toll and cured the sick chins. 

In recent years we have seen similar outbreaks in chinchillas both in our herd and those not associated with us. On rare occasion, fecal tests have revealed coccidia, cryptosporidium, and clostridium; all waterborne parasites. Albon and Panacur became the prescription of choice and once again quickly relieved the symptoms, even though the majority of the chins showing symptoms tested negative for infection. 

If you are already using reverse osmosis water, please keep in mind that washing the water bottle in tap is still enough exposure to pass on to your chinnies. Certain parasites that are usually relatively harmless to healthy humans can cause illness in chins. You can boil your water bottle to sanitize it, but some parasites are resistant to even the harshest chemicals such as bleach! 

As an added precaution against waterborne parasites, we have started using a UV-C sanitizing wand to kill harmful bacteria that may have gotten through the city filtration system. Sunshine is also another germ fighting resource excellent for helping to disinfect cages and accessories. But for instances of obvious loose stool, we do not hesitate to administer our treatment of choice.  Please share with your local vet the information we have gleaned about the administration of Albon and Panacur as treatment for loose stool/diarrhea that has no obvious cause. 

We all live in hope.

We can be blinded by this.

For pet owners, knowing when to seek vet care and knowing when to let go are very, very, difficult decisions. With chinchillas, they mask their symptoms for as long as possible, but certain biological symptoms cannot be hidden. If a chin refuses to eat, drink, is lethargic or has unusual bowel movements or activity level, those are all cause for concern.

Many times treatment can be effective if intervention is provided before the point of lethargy. A slow, sleepy or wobbly chin is not normal. It is a downward spiral that will not get better on its own. This is true IF the cause of lethargy is not overheating. If the chin is overheated, the immediate course of action is not to force feed or medicate, but to cool. Don’t fool yourself into seeing improvement that isn’t there. If there is the least bit of nagging suspicion that all is not well, please trust your instincts and get veterinary help right away. 

Having experienced just about every chinchilla ailment with the hundreds of animals that have come through our doors, we have a fairly accurate sense of knowing when a chin is not going to pull through. There are certain characteristics that chinchillas show when they have reached the point of no return.

A chin can be lethargic, which is usually the kiss of death, but if they accept hand feeding and medications by mouth, they still have a fighting chance. Even the most radical medical emergencies can succeed if we gauge the chin’s behavior and act accordingly. A chinchilla with a spark of hope will fight hand feeding, chew or lick whatever comes in contact with their mouth: the more vigorous the movements, the better the prognosis. But it is important to get help while the chinchilla is still strong.

A lethargic chin who simply drools out is not likely to have the fight to survive. As painful as it sounds, it is at this point we should prepare to say our good-byes.

Not to be rude, but when I receive emails or calls from people asking basic chinchilla care questions, I wonder if they are truly prepared to own an exotic pet. Questions such as, "How much does it cost each month to own a chinchilla?" are impossible to answer.  Much of that depends on where you purchase your supplies, how diligent you are about the health of your pet, how far are you willing to go to support a healthy life, and if you have severe financial constraints. 

Other questions regarding temperature requirements, housing requirements, treats, food, life span, health problems etc., etc. are available ad nauseam all over this site... and on the Internet in general. To address those questions in an easy-to-find, streamlined manner, please visit our Questions & Answers page (previously FAQ). Also coming soon, a handy quick guide to chinchilla ownership available for download in the Documents & Forms section. 

As an adoption facility, shouldn't we be the ones interviewing to find if the potentially adoptive home is properly prepared? We believe so.