Owning chinchillas can be a challenge to those who suffer from allergies and/or asthma.  It is not unusual for a person to develop allergies after having been exposed to a trigger. But just because a person is exhibiting an allergic reaction to their chin, does not necessarily mean the beloved pet has to go. With chinchillas, the majority of allergy triggers stem from the bathing dust, hay or cage bedding. Rarely is it a result of being allergic to the animal itself. 

Whimsy is allergic to all animals, dust, pollen, molds AND has asthma. Therefore, when people contact us to surrender a chin because of allergies we are able to offer firsthand knowledge and options to those who are seeking a solution, rather than an excuse.

Normal chinchilla dust bath is highly irritating, especially for those with respiratory problems.  Our allergy and asthma friendly dust is a lifesaver (literally!) Instead of the microscopically sharp, angular volcanic dust, our bathing dust is made with a mixture of microscopically flat hypoallergenic cosmetic clays and minerals. It’s soft and gentle, and much easier on the lungs.  But please keep in mind, switching dust takes at least 30 days to work its way out of your home and mixing our allergy friendly dust with regular dust is totally worthless.

Timothy hay is a dietary staple for chinchillas, but the heavily pollinated seed heads are also highly irritating. There are easy options to give instead of loose timothy. Orchard grass and other quality, weed-and-seed-free hays are much less likely to trigger an allergic reaction in pet owners. In a pinch, you can provide hay cubes instead of loose hays. 

Sometimes the cage bedding is the culprit. Dusty or dirty bedding is a breeding ground for bacteria, molds and spores. The cage should be cleaned at least once per week. This should include not only emptying the bedding, but wiping down all surfaces with a chin safe cleaner. A water and vinegar solution works well. Some people choose to use a fleece liner instead of dusty loose bedding. Those should be washed at least every 3 days.

There is a workable solution to owning chinchillas and having allergies and/or asthma.  It all depends on how much one is willing to commit to make it happen.

For the month of May we had an eerily quiet month for both surrenders and adoptions. One (1) chinchilla was surrendered and two (2) chinchillas were adopted. May tends to roll like that, although we have had to convince some potential surrenders that turning their chin(s) in to us will in no way guarantee that they will get the "time and attention they deserve." To be brutally honest, some chins are with us for years before they finally go to an adoptive home. 

And speaking of adoptive homes....

Questions regarding food have come up quite a bit recently. Pet chinchillas with access to an adequately sized cage rarely need limits placed on the amount of food they consume. Growing chins are especially prone to low blood sugar, and chins in general are at risk of gastric stasis if they do not have food available at all times. Therefore, chinchillas need unlimited access to high quality pellets and hay.

A school of thought exists that advocates chins be given a measured amount of pellets. This is a dangerous practice and is generally used with ranch chins that are in very tiny breeding runs with little to no exercise.

A chinchilla should be naturally "blocky," not thin. If your vet tells you that your chinchilla is overweight, consider the foods you provide. Are you plying your animal with high calorie foods they should not eat in the first place? Raisins, nuts, colorful pet store mixed treats and other processed foods are perfect examples of how to "kill your pet with kindness." 

Instead, consider the natural habitat of the chinchilla. Chinchillas come from a place where the vegetation is high in fiber, low in protein with no fats and very little natural sugars. Think about it. Do coconuts and bananas grow naturally in the Andes Mountains high desert biome? Of course not! Then why do people believe these foods are ok to feed chinchillas? Be smart, people.

Still not sure what foods are safe? Check out our store for more information about different treats, chews, supplements and food staples.

This is Whimsy and I approve this message.

When people come to adopt, Whimsy has an entire spiel on chin care and handling she gives regardless if they are newbies or long time chin owners. We have found that often, there is at least one or two misconceptions that people carry regarding the fussy needs of chinchillas. 

One of the most important chin care items is chew toys. No, they are not cute little decorations for them to bat around like a kitten would. Chew toys are meant to satisfy their chewing needs. Some people complain that their chins just destroy any toy placed in front of them. Um...that's the point. Chins are SUPPOSED to destroy chew toys. Think about it, they're called chew toys for a reason. If your chinnie simply nibbles on a toy and largely ignores it, this is not the right toy for him or her. Or, the placement is wrong. 

Just like puppies need toys to ease them through the teething stage, chinchillas have a continuous need to work those pearly oranges. Because chinnie teeth are constantly growing, the need for attractive chew toys is a must if you want to avoid malocclusion.

Over the years we have carefully designed each of our chew toys with several things in mind. Some nervous chins prefer the softer, shreddable type of toy. Others have super hardcore chewing needs and greatly appreciate lots of pumice stone and harder woods. 

Chins' teeth and preferences do, however, go through stages. So what turns a chin on one week, may elicit a snub the next. Our best suggestion is to have a wide variety of chew toys ever available for your chinchilla so that they may nibble and gnaw at will.

Because chew toys are so important, Whimsy's is now offering a free chew toy, of our choice, with any order of $50 or more (price before shipping). 

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.