# unknowledgeable pet owners



## kimdj86 (Feb 14, 2011)

I am so upset and angry at the moment I had to rant, so here it is.....

On Wednesday Night I finally found a female chinchilla, I got very excited and went to collect her, the owner had told me she was 6 years old and they just didn't want her any more (poor thing). When I turned up I was horrified, The cage she was is was just about twice her length there was nothing really for her to chew, no hay and the food in her bowl was not chinchilla food. She was about to cost me £60 with cage ect, I knew she was going to cost me a lot more after the vets but I couldn't leave her.

When I got her home I put a blanket over her cage and left her to calm down, the following day I went to the pet shop and got her some chew sticks.

As I watched her I realised something...my worst fears were true, the poor thing had overgrown teeth, I had a look and rushed her to the vet. her teeth had grown so long they had curved up and were pretty embedded in the roof of her mouth, the vet weighed her while we were there and she was little over half the weight she should be. 

The previous owners were not horrible people and they did care about her...but they did no research on how to keep this beautiful animal and she has suffered for 6 years because of it.

Chi chi is in the vets today having x rays and an op to sort it all out, I have put a nice pile of timothy hay in her cage and filled her bowl with good quality chinchilla pellets, unfortunately I am having to leave her in her small cage for now so as not to stress her too much. In a few days once she has settled down I will move her into a bigger cage.

I just wish people would do the proper research before buying any animal.

Thank you for reading.


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

whats worse is when you get the people who did no research but thought they could make money breeding whatever the animal is, despite having no knowledge of the species in question :devil:

glad the chin has a good home, bet the poor girls thanking her lucky stars :2thumb: pics would be lovely whe shes settled, hint hint :lol2: i love chins but dont have the space for the size of cage they need


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## angelgirls29 (Jul 10, 2010)

If you find you don't have the time to cuddle them both.....
I'm just round the corner :whistling2:
:lol2:


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## EVIEMAY (Mar 6, 2008)

Poor little thing - I really wish you well with her.

Thankfully she is with you now.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

I've had all kinds of animals dumped on my doorstep over the years and it never fails to amaze me how ignorant some people are. Good luck with this little one and I hope she makes a full recovery for you.

Nix


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## Amy2310 (Feb 28, 2011)

It's awful people do this, I know they mean to do well but lack of research is a bit no no.
However, on the flip side, at least there are people out there willing to take on pets and 'nurse' them back to full health, no matter what the cost!


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## kimdj86 (Feb 14, 2011)

To give you an update, chi chi has come out of the vets and it is very positive, She is a little fighter. Saw the xrays and the teeth had grown into a full 360 degree circle. her back teeth were also trimmed but there is perminant damage there as her teeth started growing down as well due to mal nutrition. She is now bouncing around her cage and she has managed to eat two rasins, she hasn't tried hard food yet, but then I dont think I would after a mouth op and teeth trim. 
She can also now breath properly and no longer making gurgling snorty noises.
I will keep you updated and post pics in a few days.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Thats very similar to what I went through when I got Cinders although mine had a gut problem caused through neglect. I hope your story has a happy ending too

Well done for helping this girl


http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/other-pets-exotics/408080-baby-chin.html (read the posts were I start to comment)
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/other-pets-exotics/621714-cinders-chinchilla-update.html


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

porr girl, her mouth must be very sore after all that,
if she`s still not eating you can get some food from the vets to syringe feed her to keep her going from the vets, think science selective make it?
its only a few squids


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

kimdj86 said:


> I am so upset and angry at the moment I had to rant, so here it is.....
> 
> On Wednesday Night I finally found a female chinchilla, I got very excited and went to collect her, the owner had told me she was 6 years old and they just didn't want her any more (poor thing). When I turned up I was horrified, The cage she was is was just about twice her length there was nothing really for her to chew, no hay and the food in her bowl was not chinchilla food. She was about to cost me £60 with cage ect, I knew she was going to cost me a lot more after the vets but I couldn't leave her.
> 
> ...


could not agree more. after she has time to settle down and in her new abode you can bring her into an active and expressive way by introducing a steel flying saucer (not cheap btw)to utilise. i kid you not but anyone who has a lazy beast will see a new lease of life when they excercise on one of these :2thumb:. positive feedback is well known for chin's with this "wheel"


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## CMonkey (Nov 20, 2010)

that's terrible how she was kept before!! but now at least she's in a better home, good luck with her!!!:2thumb:


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## PETERAROBERTSON (Jul 2, 2008)

kimdj86 said:


> I am so upset and angry at the moment I had to rant, so here it is.....
> 
> On Wednesday Night I finally found a female chinchilla, I got very excited and went to collect her, the owner had told me she was 6 years old and they just didn't want her any more (poor thing). When I turned up I was horrified, The cage she was is was just about twice her length there was nothing really for her to chew, no hay and the food in her bowl was not chinchilla food. She was about to cost me £60 with cage ect, I knew she was going to cost me a lot more after the vets but I couldn't leave her.
> 
> ...


Hope all goes ok with the animal...
Poor thing...
Its even more upsetting when the people are trying there best.
Always found that even bad ethics and keeping of animals can be passed on to newcomers..
Gaining basic knolege should always be a must as its the animals that suffer.
Not seeking the advice whilst you have already purchased.
But some of us get shot to bits for having that opinion...
I see it all the time with small primates..
All the best and keep posting on its progress.
Just sad to think what the outcome would have been if you hadnt came along..


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## kirksandallchinchillas (Sep 29, 2009)

A couple of years ago I collected a pair of female chinchillas who were kept in a garden shed (it was a hot summer too). They looked like they had not seen a sand bath for ages and their cage was disgusting.

I took the chins and told the person who was looking after them that I was not paying for them, and I was going to report them to the RSPCA. I was amazed I said this, and even more amazed when they let me take take them:devil:

After a few months the chins were unrecognisable - proper food, care and TLC can work wonders.


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

kirksandallchinchillas said:


> A couple of years ago I collected a pair of female chinchillas who were kept in a garden shed (it was a hot summer too). They looked like they had not seen a sand bath for ages and their cage was disgusting.
> 
> I took the chins and told the person who was looking after them that I was not paying for them, and I was going to report them to the RSPCA. I was amazed I said this, and even more amazed when they let me take take them:devil:
> 
> After a few months the chins were unrecognisable - proper *food, care and TLC can work wonders*.


I agree 100%, its amazing to see how they change  Just makes everything worth wild.
Oh and to the OP I'm glad that she is now going to be in a good home where she will be properly cared for! I used to breed chinchillas and the amount of people that rang up asking for one, then after I asked a few basic questions they would either sit there thinking sh*t, google it (could here the keys :devil or just disconnect the phone call. Its not just chinchillas it happens with a lot of animals, and its one of the reasons there is so many in rescues and a lot that have to be put down sadly :whip:


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## PresqueVu (Jul 27, 2008)

That is an upsetting story, I'm so pleased she is getting a happy ending!


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## kimdj86 (Feb 14, 2011)

Update for everyone...she ate her first proper solid food yesterday! she had had a few raisins and chewed a bit on some hay but yesterday her hunger caught up with her and she ate pellets and hay! 
She has gone quite skittish now and doesnt like comming near us, but then she currently see's us as the people that puts her in a box and causes herpain (the op). So a little bit of time and patiance and she will hopefully get over that.

I also think she is getting an eye infection due to wet eyes from the teeth problem, the dust bath sand keeps sticking to her eyes and one has now gone gunky!
I have stopped the dust bath for a few days and wiped her eyes with warm water hopfully she wont need antibiotics.

I have pics on my camera, I will try and load them tonight.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

I hope she is up to full speed soon.


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

That's awful but i'm glad she has a good home now. 

Can't believe it's malnourished considering they have such a basic diet. Do you know if they let her out for a run around at all?


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## EVIEMAY (Mar 6, 2008)

Glad she is doing well


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## kimdj86 (Feb 14, 2011)

Ok I can not attach pictures so if you want to see chi chi, I have now posted pics to my profile.


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## geckocider (Nov 22, 2010)

It seems a common thing for people to keep them in SHEDS????? WHY???

The lady I got mine from rescued a few adult pairs and babies that had been locked in a shed and not seen any day light - she helped them all fed them all up, and then re homed some of them, thats how I got my two lovely babies (well they are 3 years old)

I had chinchillas from the age of 2 my dad used to breed them we had about 20 of them - I used to play wih some of them and watching them gallop about their play room was fab my dad still has chinchillas and I left home 7 years ago and found that I really missed them..
My 2 go on hunger strike if I try feeding them pellets OR they throw their metal coop cup about the cage untill they get their charlie chinchilla lol.. 

Am I right in thinking when my female has a baby I need to remove the sand bath? my dad said he used to but that was 20 years ago ish.. and i do occasionally feed mine a grape or raisen but as they have very dodgy tummys I dont want to upset the in balance too much so 1 raisen a week each but they get monkey nuts if they are good when i let them out in my room... Any idea what I could give them as a treat? my dad said loads have changed since he got them and was best to ask what has been 'proven' lol ... ohh mine like bread sticks my male stole one off me :'( 

The OP you have done a fab job paying for her aswell!! takes alot to pay for a animal knowing its gonna cost you more in vets bills... 





kirksandallchinchillas said:


> A couple of years ago I collected a pair of female chinchillas who were kept in a garden shed (it was a hot summer too). They looked like they had not seen a sand bath for ages and their cage was disgusting.
> 
> I took the chins and told the person who was looking after them that I was not paying for them, and I was going to report them to the RSPCA. I was amazed I said this, and even more amazed when they let me take take them:devil:
> 
> After a few months the chins were unrecognisable - proper food, care and TLC can work wonders.


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## kimdj86 (Feb 14, 2011)

To be honest they dont really need treats as somone once told meanything other than pellets and hay just makes us feel good about ourselves! however saying that, if you go into pets at home you can get chinchilla salad, I think its by willows or somthing, all it is is dried grasses flower heads and some oats, but my guys love it, I have a seperat bowl in there cage just for the salad and I will often come in and find them running to the bowl, putting there hands on it and giveing me the look of...you havent fed me in days please give me salad, even though they have hay and pellets left! the only other treats mine get is the occasional rasin or bit of carrot. 
I will be honest with the sand bath question though, I have never had babies as mine have had rough pasts so I can not answer this question.
But I will say you can not take a dust bath away for more than a few days as its bad for the chinchilla. Chichi has got an infection in her moth since the op which has given her watery eyes and a runny nose, I am having to reduce the amount of dust baths she gets to stop her geting dust in her eyes and causing eye infections, but I can not stop it completly, thats like you being told you cannot have a shower!


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## protheroe (Nov 14, 2010)

My two little fellas love mini shredded wheat which i was told 1 a day each is fine for them  
Well done for rescuing the poor chinny im sure she will be so happy with you once shes totally settled and feeling 100%


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

Yeah mini shredded wheat (not shreddies) are a great treat, my little fella loves them. I don't feed raisins too much sugar, any nuts because of the fat, or fresh veg or fruit as it can cause bloat.

Alfalfa stalks and other hays make a nice treat but should only be given a couple of times a week. They love dried apple rings, I also give some crunchy apple cubes and dried banana (not the crunchy ones coated in honey) that i got from a health food shop, all of those should only be given once a week.


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## EmmaLock (Nov 10, 2010)

How awful. 
It makes me so sad to see animals in a state through human ignorance/indiffference. 

I had two cats (huge persian male and female kitten) dumped on me last weekend and I found out the little girl is pregnant - shes not even 9 months!

Im so glad you have taken her and that she will have a better life. Its never easy to hand cash over to people for an unhealthy animal, but it will make a world of a difference to that little chin.
Lets hope they think twice before buying any more animals!

Goodluck - Pics please!!


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## Stacey010884 (Mar 7, 2009)

It's terrible that she suffered a dull life of neglect and pain due to her previous owner's laziness, but she sounds like she's found the perfect home with you.
Sounds so cute, chinnies putting their little hands in the dishes waiting to get some chinnie salad. How can you resist? They're gorgeous animals with biiiiig beautiful eyes!
I considered chins in the past but never did get any. Lovely animals though!

I look forward to hearing her progress and hope she comes round soon and learns that she can trust you. ^_^


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