As a general rule Chinchillas might need to be shaved if 1) Excessive fur shedding 2) Waxy and weak coat 3) Too much greasy fur 4) Bald patches on the coat 5) Matted or clumped fur 6) Fur slip Normally Chinchillas are fantastic pets with soft, lustrous, silky fur, and a thick coat.
Shaved Chinchilla – Can I Shave My Chinchilla?
Can I Shave My Chinchilla? It is the question that can arise in your mind if you own a Chinchilla. The answer is Yes, you can shave your Chinchilla. But before you do that, you need to identify the problem. If your Chinchillas face skin problems that you can only resolve through shaving, then go for it. Chinchillas are fantastic pets with soft, lustrous, silky fur, and a thick coat.
Their lustrous coat makes their favorite pets, especially in the U.S, and if you know how to manage their proper grooming needs, you can have a happy and healthy Chinchilla pet.
Chinchilla’s skin is very delicate and soft, and you must handle it gently. Shaving chinchillas is never the first option in most cases; most of their skin issues can be resolved quickly with several dust baths and grooming.
Shaved Chinchilla – If that doesn’t work out for your Chinchilla, then consult a veterinarian or a professional groomer to get your Chinchilla shaved with caution and care.
Generally, Chinchilla faces fewer problems when it comes to their fur. They are generally neat animals that self-groom themselves. Some conditions can still pose difficulties to the Chinchillas to maintain their standard luxurious coat, full of shine and luster. To better resolve the fur-associated problems in your pet chinchilla, you must know what these are.
What are Common Fur Problems in Chinchillas?
Some of the common fur problems among Chinchillas are:
- Excessive fur shedding
- Waxy and weak coat
- Too much greasy fur
- Bald patches on the coat
- Matted or clumped fur
- Fur slip
Can You Cut a Chinchillas Hair?
You might not like to cut your Chinchilla’s hair due to cosmetic reasons, but you need to do that if some medical condition arises. Such medical conditions can arise due to any accidents where you need surgical interventions.
You need to detangle extremely matted fur, remove any foreign objects from the fur, or treat your pet chinchilla for any bacterial or fungal infections. Some other possible reasons for your Chinchilla to get a haircut might be an examination at the veterinary clinic for a pregnancy diagnosis. For such an examination, the ultrasound probe needs to get direct access to the skin to work in a proper way
Does Chinchilla Fur Grow Back?
Yes, Chinchilla fur grows back and also within weeks after fur slip occurs. The regrowth process starts with stubbly, short hair, but the recovery of a full normal-looking coat in good health may take several months to attain the previous status.
Why Should You Not Get a Chinchilla?
If you are a person that would like to have his pet on his shoulders during hangouts, happy with the snuggles, and enjoy being carried outside, Chinchillas are not the right choice. They need special care and attention from their owner lacking which they can be stressed out quickly facing other health issues.
If you are going to have a pet chinchilla, you need to regularly take care of its cage cleanliness. Besides that, Chinchilla can die of high temperatures and humidity, so you need to check on their cage temperature.
Chinchillas make expensive pets, and they need special vets for exotic pets for regular check-ups to keep their fur up to the mark. If this extensive care is something you can cope with, only then you should think of having a chinchilla as a pet.
Do Chinchillas Need Their Nails Trimmed?
The toenails of some pets grow so long that it even hurts that particular animal. Sometimes they overgrow that much that they bend and place cuts on the toes, ultimately causing infection.
But when we talk about Chinchillas, their toenails don’t grow too long. The toenails get too long in those animals that have thick, strong claws meant for hunting or digging. This strength of the claw is something that prevents them from wearing down and ultimately overgrowing.
Chinchilla’s claws are thin, weak, and flat, which does not allow them to grow too long. Their claws can be so small that sometimes you even can’t see them. I want to mention that a Chinchilla can trim its claws contrary to other pets. They are capable of chewing their nails because of their perfectly pointed front teeth.
If you will try to cut your Chinchilla’s nails, they would become scared quickly. The reason behind the Chinchilla being scared is that they don’t like to be handled, and rightly so because you are much larger than your pet Chinchilla.
Moreover, Chinchilla has fragile rib cage, which you can easily break if you don’t handle them gently and with care. If it is indispensable, you may use a filer to file the nails of your pet chinchilla.
How Do I Stop my Chinchilla from Chewing Fur?
Chinchillas can start chewing their fur as a negative behavior due to boredom, stress, hormonal changes, and dietary imbalances. To avoid such behaviors or vices; you should keep your pet chinchilla physically and mentally engaged and stimulated.
You can give a variety of chew toys made up of wood or a wheel to keep them engaged. The owners should take out time for their pet chinchilla daily. Playing with the Chinchilla, interacting daily, taking them out of their cage for several hours of exercise, and snuggling with them can provide the required amount of attention for the chinchillas to keep them healthy and active.
What Causes Chinchillas to Lose Hair?
Pet chinchillas are famous for their silky, soft coats with various colors, including beige, black, grey, or silver. Unfortunately, these animals can lose their fur due to certain conditions making it look patchy and rough. Some common causes of hair loss in these pet animals may be:
Ringworm infection; is a fungal infection that causes the loss of hair around the nose, ears, eyes, and feet. The affected areas with ringworm infection appear to be red and crusty.
Fur Chewing; Sometimes Chinchillas chew their fur excessively that causing fall out of fur patches. Applying Povidone Iodine to the skin patches helps as recommended by Merck Manual.
Fur Slip; Chinchillas possess a unique defense mechanism when their fur from the back of the neck falls out if some predator attacks them. Chinchillas can have a fur slip also if the owner mishandles them or they encounter other animals.
Natural hair shedding; Chinchillas lose their hair through natural shedding every three months. The natural period of shedding usually lasts two weeks making the skin patches visible. Though this shedding is quite natural and harmless, if the fur is ingested, it can cause health problems. So make sure to keep the cage clean during the shedding season to avoid any mishaps.
How to Groom a Chinchilla?
As a naturally neat animal, Chinchilla’s grooming needs are minimal, as they self groom themselves. A dust bath is the most preferred method for a Chinchilla to be groomed.
The dust baths frequency varies according to season; if the weather is humid and hot, you should provide more frequent dust baths. On the other hand, if there are winter months that are cooler and drier, you can decrease the bathing frequency.
For grooming a Chinchilla, you need to cut down its toenails. Brushing Chinchilla’s fur is also a part of their grooming needs, only if they have extremely matted fur.
However, you can comb your chin every few weeks. You can use a comb that is long-toothed for removing those mats out of the fur. Make sure to do it gently with the best possible care, posing as little stress to the Chinchilla as possible. You can scroll below to know more about the dust bath needs of your Chinchilla.
Giving a Chinchillas a Dust Bath?
For all Chinchillas, dust bathing is an extreme necessity, and it belongs to their natural behaviors. Vigorous dust baths are the best way to help Chinchillas maintain their luxurious coat in a clean and healthy state. It would be best to use store-bought dust and a large, deep bowl or dish to place the dust for bathing.
When Chinchillas take a bath in this dust, it penetrates their skin through their coat; absorbing much of the dirt and oils from the fur; in-turn making their coat healthy and clean.
Providing your Chinchillas dust bath two times every week for 10 to 15 minutes at least will be sufficient enough. If you feel your Chinchilla’s fur seems oily or too rough, you can offer a dust bath more often. Some owners provide dust baths to their Chinchilla’s pets daily. This is fine unless their skin doesn’t get extremely dry.
Final Thoughts
Shaving chinchilla is a matter of need in certain health conditions only. This animal’s fur is designed to protect it, shield it from injuries to the skin, and protect it from parasites. This makes it clear why you should only shave a chinchilla when it is the last available option.
Make sure you do the process in the least stressful and extremely gentle way, else, hire a professional to do the job.
