Health Check and Basic First Aid Kit
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As prey animals, chinchillas will try to hide any signs of illnesses as much as possible, as in the wild any weakness would make them an easy target for predators.
Therefore to ensure you spot any problems as soon as possible, you should check your chinchilla appears healthy on a daily basis, as well as keeping a close eye out for any symptoms that could indicate a problem with their health. It’s important to keep a chinchilla first aid kit in your house so you can react quickly if your chinchilla does become poorly. Time is absolutely crucial when a chinchilla is ill and being able to administer basic first aid before your chinchilla is seen by the emergency vet could save their life. |
This rescue chinchilla is in an extremely bad condition, most illness however is more subtle than this
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Daily Health Check
Spend a couple of minutes observing your chinchilla each day to check they they appear healthy.
Ensure you weigh your chinchilla on sensitive scales at least once a week, any weight loss (typically more than 40g) is a cause for concern and you should visit the vet.
A healthy chinchilla can weigh anything from 500g - 1000g +, with females typically being bigger and heavier. It is important that you know your chinchilla's normal weight so that you can pick up any signs of weight loss quickly.
Ensure you weigh your chinchilla on sensitive scales at least once a week, any weight loss (typically more than 40g) is a cause for concern and you should visit the vet.
A healthy chinchilla can weigh anything from 500g - 1000g +, with females typically being bigger and heavier. It is important that you know your chinchilla's normal weight so that you can pick up any signs of weight loss quickly.
A healthy chinchilla should have:
Dry mouth and chin
Bright, alert eyes with no signs of watering or discharge
Ears and nose should be clean and dry
Poos should be plentiful and dry, plus solid and brown in appearance
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Coat in good condition free from wet, grease or bald patches
Is alert, inquisitive and lively and moves around freely without any sign of discomfort or injury
Teeth should be orange coloured
Maintains regular, healthy weight
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Signs of a poorly chinchilla
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These symptoms can relate to a number of serious health conditions which can be life threatening. Always take your chinchilla to the vet straight away.
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Wet nose, mouth or eyes
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Missing fur on face
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Drooling
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Excessive grooming of genitals
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Pawing repeatedly at nose
Sneezing
Seizures (may look like jerky, uncontrolled movements)
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Hunched back and appearance
Belly press movement (where chinchilla appears to press stomach to the ground)
Red ears with veins visible and inflamed
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Lack of interest in food
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Limping, dragging limb or moving abnormally
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Weight loss
Lack of stools (poos) or abnormal consistency such as bubble like texture, small and pointy, runny or change of colour
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Appears quiet, listless or just acting out of character
Being unresponsive to movements and sounds
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First Aid Kit
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This is fairly cheap to put together but absolutely vital. Illness in chinchillas can appear to come out of no where, it is not uncommon for a chinchilla to appear perfectly fine, then seriously ill a few hours later.
The First Aid Kit means you can react straight away and start basic treatment for your chinchilla as you take them to the emergency vet. The First Aid Kit is not a replacement for vets treatment but an important tool to ensure you can act straight away in case of illness. Take a look at the where to buy chinchilla accessories page to find these items. |
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First Aid Kit Items:
Infant gas drops
Infant Gas Drops (no dye and sugar free) to be used for suspected bloat. In the UK use Infacol sufar free and in the US and Canada use Simethicone dye free drops such as Major Infants Gas Relief or Mylicon Gas Relief.
For Infacol the recommended dose is 0.5ml every 8-12 hours and for Simethicone 0.3ml every 8-12 hours. Bloat can quickly become fatal so book an appointment with your vet as a matter of urgency.
For Infacol the recommended dose is 0.5ml every 8-12 hours and for Simethicone 0.3ml every 8-12 hours. Bloat can quickly become fatal so book an appointment with your vet as a matter of urgency.
Oxbow Critical care
Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores (anise or apple banana* flavoured) to be used when the chinchilla is not eating properly themselves and losing weight or not pooing normally as a result. Follow the instructions as directed on the packet to make up the mixture using warm water.
Critical care can be syringe fed, spoon fed, or self fed in the form commonly known as "critical care cookies." A chinchilla who is not eating at all needs 60ml of critical care daily, whilst a chinchilla who is eating a bit on their own can be fed 30ml daily. See the administering medicine and hand feeding guide for more help with this. Ensure you monitor carefully to make sure your chinchilla is eating the critical care and book an emergency vets appointment to determine why your chinchilla is not eating independently.
Critical care can be syringe fed, spoon fed, or self fed in the form commonly known as "critical care cookies." A chinchilla who is not eating at all needs 60ml of critical care daily, whilst a chinchilla who is eating a bit on their own can be fed 30ml daily. See the administering medicine and hand feeding guide for more help with this. Ensure you monitor carefully to make sure your chinchilla is eating the critical care and book an emergency vets appointment to determine why your chinchilla is not eating independently.
*Fruit and vegetables are never safe treats to give to your chinchilla. However, the apple banana critical care is just added flavouring to encourage your chinchilla to eat it, as loss of interest in food is common in sick animals. The anise option has a lower level of fruit flavouring should you be concerned about this, however some may be more reluctant to try this flavour.
Pineapple and papaya are listed as ingredients in critical care because pineapple helps to break down any blockages in the digestive system (such as fur) and papaya is a natural sweetener helping to bring the chinchilla’s sugar levels up when they’ve not been eating. Critical care is a life saving formula containing just the right level of all the nutrients your chinchilla needs in this situation (you just add water).
Pineapple and papaya are listed as ingredients in critical care because pineapple helps to break down any blockages in the digestive system (such as fur) and papaya is a natural sweetener helping to bring the chinchilla’s sugar levels up when they’ve not been eating. Critical care is a life saving formula containing just the right level of all the nutrients your chinchilla needs in this situation (you just add water).
SYRINGES FOR hand feeding
Syringes for hand feeding - vital for hand feeding and measuring out dosages such as gas drops. These typically come in 1 ml sizes for small rodents. Larger syringes are available for hand feeding such as 5 ml or 10 ml, however these should be used with caution as there is a choking risk if you accidentally feed your chinchilla too much or too quickly.
Never feed young chinchillas (6 months or younger) from a syringe any larger than 1 ml as this is likely to be too much for them.
If you are feeding critical care to an adult chinchilla, you want to aim for 60ml a day if they aren’t eating at all, or 30ml if they’re eating a limited amount independently. Check out the administering medicine and hand feeding guide for more information. Hand feeding chinchilla babies (kits) under 8 weeks is different again, please see the caring for a pregnant chinchilla guide for help with this.
Never feed young chinchillas (6 months or younger) from a syringe any larger than 1 ml as this is likely to be too much for them.
If you are feeding critical care to an adult chinchilla, you want to aim for 60ml a day if they aren’t eating at all, or 30ml if they’re eating a limited amount independently. Check out the administering medicine and hand feeding guide for more information. Hand feeding chinchilla babies (kits) under 8 weeks is different again, please see the caring for a pregnant chinchilla guide for help with this.
BAG BALM
to be applied in the case of dry skin, such as on the ears or the feet to avoid cracking.
BLU Kote
Blu Kote (with dauber cap) antiseptic and anti fungal liquid used for treating ringworm as well as any minor injuries
Tinactin or Scholl
Athletes foot anti fungal powder to be added to the chinchilla’s sandbath (3 tablespoons) to treat ringworm
Metal carry cage
to transport the chinchilla to the vet or to place them in whilst waiting for an appointment in case of an injury, to prevent them from hurting themselves further.
Traditional cardboard carriers provided from pet shops should not be used as the chinchilla can easily chew a hole and escape. Plastic carriers should be avoided as the chinchilla can quickly chew these and when ingested plastic can cause fatal blockages.
Traditional cardboard carriers provided from pet shops should not be used as the chinchilla can easily chew a hole and escape. Plastic carriers should be avoided as the chinchilla can quickly chew these and when ingested plastic can cause fatal blockages.