Bald patch on chinchilla

They are not injured. This is a natural reaction to stress. Make sure that the bald area looks smooth and clean. As long as the area seems healthy and not irritated, there is not much you can do.

Mostly, keep an eye on the area. The fur should grow back in a few months. But, if you notice a bald spot without seeing the fur slip occur, pay special attention to this area. While this was still probably caused by a fur slip, it could be related to an infection. If the bald area seems inflamed or irritated, you may need to take your chinchilla to the vet for an exam.

Just remember, sometimes fur slips are unavoidable. These are a natural way that chinchillas deal with stress. But, there are ways you can help reduce the number of fur slips your pet chinchilla experiences. But, a regular fur slip does not need to be treated by a veterinarian.

Instead, try to use these tips to prevent fur slips from happening. And, if a fur slip occurs, keep an eye on the bald spot and wait for the fur to regrow within a few months. This technique allows chinchillas to easily escape predators. But in the beginning, they have adapted to their environment or come to fully trust you, they may be reluctant to go back to the cage. Do not try anything crazy to get them in the cage, such as grabbing at them, chasing them, or any other tactics.

Take it slow and remain cool and relaxed. Otherwise, a fur slip, stress, bald spots, and other issues are likely to occur. Not to mention, it can be damaging to the relationship for your chinchilla to fear you or gain an association that you are trying to trap it or capture it, every time you interact with it.

What helped me greatly to build the trust and return my chinchilla to the cage easily was using a playpen to interact with her. This allowed us to interact closely in a small space which built the trust faster. It also eliminated the need to struggle to get her back in the cage. You can read my post about using the playpen technique here. I have been using it for 5 years and it still works great. It has plenty of space for your chinchilla to interact with you freely, allowing it to climb and be itself.

I cannot recommend this playpen and the playpen technique enough, but ultimately that is up to you. In summary, learn to get your chinchilla in and out of the cage and do not rough house, corner, or chase it during playtime to avoid hair loss, fur slips, and bald spots to the best of your ability. Ringworm and dermatophytosis are less likely to be the cause of a bald spot or fur loss on your chinchilla, but they are a possibility and worth mentioning.

If your chinchilla has dry skin or fur or lives in a dry environment, ringworm can survive several years on your pet and cause hair loss. I also run 3 de-humidifiers to ensure the air quality is as good as I can get it. The last cause of concern which is also extremely rare could be fleas.

If your chinchilla is around other pets such as dogs that may have fleas, it is possible that these travel onto your chinchilla. If you believe this may be the scenario, you need to consider making an appointment with your vet to double-check.

Better safe than sorry in these situations. One possibility we have not covered is your chinchilla destroying their own beautiful fur coats causing fur loss and bald spots. Under stress, anxiety, or fearful conditions your chinchilla may chew and pull at its own hair, as we have already discussed. However, boredom could also cause the same result. Although a chinchilla can technically bite or chew off their fur anywhere on the body, this location is the most common that you will see in most circumstances.

The best way to avoid bald spots and fur loss due to boredom is to ensure you do a few things. First, ensure you are spending plenty of time with your chinchilla. This ultimately keeps them happy. They are social pets and need this interaction. Secondly, realize that you only spend a limited amount of time with them per day so ensure you provide one of the best chinchilla cages for them.

Not only a great cage but load it with plenty of great chinchilla accessories and toys. Chewing occurs most often over the back area down to the tail but can occur anywhere on the body.

Theories about why chinchillas chew on their hair include stress, hormone imbalances, dietary deficiencies, underlying dental problems, boredom, the presence of other parasitic or fungal skin infections, and a genetic predisposition. The most widely accepted explanation is that fur chewing is a displacement behavior in response to stress in the environment, such as from an overcrowded cage, the presence of aggressive cage mates or other predatory pets such as cats and dogs , too frequent handling, or other anxiety-inducing circumstances.

A veterinarian can diagnose fur chewing by performing a thorough physical examination, including an oral exam, to rule-out dental disease, as well as a series of skin tests to eliminate the presence of skin infections such as ringworm. Proper diet must be assured, too, to rule-out dietary deficiencies. The cause of fur chewing may be difficult to pinpoint.

Treatment may simply involve elimination of possible stressors by providing a larger cage, handling the pet less often, removing other pets or aggressive cage mates, and ensuring a proper diet. Offering other, more appropriate things to chew on, such as hay and wooden toys, also may help. A chinchilla owner who notices areas of hair loss in his or her pet, and who is not aware of a traumatic episode leading to the release of hair, should have the animal examined by a chinchilla-savvy veterinarian.

The veterinarian can help ensure that there are no underlying skin infections requiring medical treatment, can help pinpoint behavioral issues that could lead to fur chewing, and can prescribe any necessary treatment. If, however, an owner knows of a particular incident that involved rough handling that was followed by the hair release, no further examination is warranted as long as the remaining areas of hairless skin are clean, smooth, not inflamed, and show the beginning of hair regrowth within a week or two.

Home Diseases A-Z. If you spot any causes for concern, work with the vet to accurately diagnose and treat an illness or emergency condition. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings.

Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Method 1. Every one to two weeks, check to make sure teeth are straight, uncurled, and unchipped. They should also be yellow to orange in color, as white teeth in adults is a sign of calcium deficiency. Drooling, discharges, difficulty eating, reduced appetite, and bald patches around the eyes and mouth are also signs of dental issues.

Look for signs of respiratory infection. Check its nose for discharges and listen for labored breathing. Improper ventilation, high humidity, and spraying air fresheners can cause respiratory issues. Anorexia and loss of appetite can also indicate respiratory infection and other health issues.

Monitoring its eating and weighing your chinchilla regularly can help you spot changes in its appetite. Invest in a digital gram scale to weigh your chinchilla.

Gently set it on the scale and, without touching it, hold your hands around it so it stays in place until you get a good reading. If you have trouble, try offering verbal praise or a treat to keep it still. Make sure feces are healthy in appearance and quantity. Feces should be dark brown, firm, plump, somewhat moist, oval, and odorless. Pointy or strangely shaped feces are a sign of constipation.

If you can see strands of hay in the droppings, your chinchilla might have dental issues. Bring your chinchilla to the vet immediately if you see mucus-covered droppings or air bubbles, which are both signs of serious illness.