Periodically we receive reports of chinchillas who suddenly exhibit symptoms of loose, watery, or mushy stool with no known obvious cause. If your chinchilla has not experienced a change in environment, change in diet, too many treats, a switch in food, or a new food source, medical intervention may be necessary.

Please keep in mind that a stool sample which is deemed "negative" for parasites does NOT necessarily imply that your pet is free from harmful invaders. All that implies is that the stool sample tested reveals no obvious parasites. Because chinchillas tend to be extraordinarily sensitive animals, a conservative approach may actually lead to its demise.  

Regretfully, we had to learn this lesson the hard way.

By experience we have learned that mushy stool or reoccurring loose stool requires an aggressive treatment. Home remedies like offering shredded wheat cereal may firm the stools temporarily, but ultimately only masks the symptoms and can actually exacerbate the problem when a lethal number of harmful bacteria grow in the chinchillas' digestive system. 

Years ago, in a fit of desperation, our local vet prescribed a wide spectrum antibiotic to treat some chins who were wasting away and did not respond to more homeopathic measures. This last-ditch treatment actually halted the death toll and cured the sick chins. 

In recent years we have seen similar outbreaks in chinchillas both in our herd and those not associated with us. On rare occasion, fecal tests have revealed coccidia, cryptosporidium, and clostridium; all waterborne parasites. Albon and Panacur became the prescription of choice and once again quickly relieved the symptoms, even though the majority of the chins showing symptoms tested negative for infection. 

If you are already using reverse osmosis water, please keep in mind that washing the water bottle in tap is still enough exposure to pass on to your chinnies. Certain parasites that are usually relatively harmless to healthy humans can cause illness in chins. You can boil your water bottle to sanitize it, but some parasites are resistant to even the harshest chemicals such as bleach! 

As an added precaution against waterborne parasites, we have started using a UV-C sanitizing wand to kill harmful bacteria that may have gotten through the city filtration system. Sunshine is also another germ fighting resource excellent for helping to disinfect cages and accessories. But for instances of obvious loose stool, we do not hesitate to administer our treatment of choice.  Please share with your local vet the information we have gleaned about the administration of Albon and Panacur as treatment for loose stool/diarrhea that has no obvious cause. 

We all live in hope.

We can be blinded by this.

For pet owners, knowing when to seek vet care and knowing when to let go are very, very, difficult decisions. With chinchillas, they mask their symptoms for as long as possible, but certain biological symptoms cannot be hidden. If a chin refuses to eat, drink, is lethargic or has unusual bowel movements or activity level, those are all cause for concern.

Many times treatment can be effective if intervention is provided before the point of lethargy. A slow, sleepy or wobbly chin is not normal. It is a downward spiral that will not get better on its own. This is true IF the cause of lethargy is not overheating. If the chin is overheated, the immediate course of action is not to force feed or medicate, but to cool. Don’t fool yourself into seeing improvement that isn’t there. If there is the least bit of nagging suspicion that all is not well, please trust your instincts and get veterinary help right away. 

Having experienced just about every chinchilla ailment with the hundreds of animals that have come through our doors, we have a fairly accurate sense of knowing when a chin is not going to pull through. There are certain characteristics that chinchillas show when they have reached the point of no return.

A chin can be lethargic, which is usually the kiss of death, but if they accept hand feeding and medications by mouth, they still have a fighting chance. Even the most radical medical emergencies can succeed if we gauge the chin’s behavior and act accordingly. A chinchilla with a spark of hope will fight hand feeding, chew or lick whatever comes in contact with their mouth: the more vigorous the movements, the better the prognosis. But it is important to get help while the chinchilla is still strong.

A lethargic chin who simply drools out is not likely to have the fight to survive. As painful as it sounds, it is at this point we should prepare to say our good-byes.

Not to be rude, but when I receive emails or calls from people asking basic chinchilla care questions, I wonder if they are truly prepared to own an exotic pet. Questions such as, "How much does it cost each month to own a chinchilla?" are impossible to answer.  Much of that depends on where you purchase your supplies, how diligent you are about the health of your pet, how far are you willing to go to support a healthy life, and if you have severe financial constraints. 

Other questions regarding temperature requirements, housing requirements, treats, food, life span, health problems etc., etc. are available ad nauseam all over this site... and on the Internet in general. To address those questions in an easy-to-find, streamlined manner, please visit our Questions & Answers page (previously FAQ). Also coming soon, a handy quick guide to chinchilla ownership available for download in the Documents & Forms section. 

As an adoption facility, shouldn't we be the ones interviewing to find if the potentially adoptive home is properly prepared? We believe so. 

Wow! The month of June just flew past! If you are one of our Facebook fans, you know the daily happenings have kept us busy, busy, busy!

*cough* But I digress....

For the month of June, nine (9) chinchillas were surrendered, and nine (9) chinchillas were adopted. We are also currently boarding nine (9) chinchillas here for summer vacations. 9, 9, 9....creepy.

It was an interesting month where the number of adoptions looked like we were finally winning back some elbow room, then, 4 more chinchillas came in on the very last day. (Party crashers.) :P 

But we have some exciting news!

The girls of the mass surrender from the Montgomery County Humane Society have passed their maternity watch and are now available for adoption! Of the 14 females, only 5 actually littered. Several other females showed initial signs of pregnancy, but we suspect the impact of the changes in their little furry lives caused the kits to be reabsorbed. This is actually a blessed relief.

Animal shelters all across the country are having a difficult time placing unwanted animals into homes. Even we have seriously started thinking it may come to the point where we would have to turn away those inquiring about surrendering their pets. We have NEVER in the past had to do this, but our moderately sized home, even with the chinchilla room extension, is unusually swollen with chinchillas waiting for new families. So I have an offer for you. Yes, you!

Like the McRib sandwich, like Shamrock Shakes, like religious freedom in America, for a limited time, anyone willing to adopt 3 or more of the Montgomery county girls, and promise to keep them together, we will give a totally free, (albeit ugly) cage large enough to house a group.

Hear me out. It is just as easy to care for a group of chins sharing the same cage as it is to care for one chinchilla. Plus, our very low-cost supplies make chin ownership cheap enough for even a child paying for upkeep with their allowance. 

We strongly prefer chins in groups and these girls are perfect for someone looking to adopt a herd of their own.  In the event something happens to one of them, the remaining chins still have each other for company. See the logic? I hope so.

Yes, we are available on nights, weekends, most holidays, etc, etc, etc. We only ask that potential adopters follow the guidelines listed on the Adoptions page and email to set up an appointment to meet the chins. We're looking forward to hearing from you. :)

For the month of May, seven (7) chinchillas were surrendered, and four (4) chinchillas were adopted.  Ouch! It's been an especially low month for adoptions, but we've gotten many, many inquiries from people who are waiting for summer break to adopt. 

We've also had the privilege this month of helping three families find a new fur friend for their chinchilla(s).  Introducing chins is not for the faint of heart! Sometimes, unknowing newbies get lucky when they toss a couple of chins together and they get along right away. Many times, however, the results are disastrous. Chinchillas, if not properly introduced or socialized, WILL fight to the death. A chinchilla introduction can be quite unnerving and risky.

With the countless numbers of single chinchillas who come through our doors, we've had plenty of experience with bonding the lonely ones. A rare few are determined unsafe to put with other chins. For this reason, we don't often have single chins available to pair with those seeking a friend for their chinchilla.

Lately we've had the opportunity to accommodate those requests now that the Maryland mass surrender from Montgomery County is becoming available. Of the nearly 30 chinchillas that came to us back in March, all of the young males have gone to new homes. Of the females, five of them have littered so far and with their exceptionally long gestation period, we may still see more. The first two babies have gone to new homes with the third one spoken for already! 

In the meantime, we still have roughly 100 chinchillas here who are in our care. Some of them are on maternity watch, some are undergoing medical care, others are under quarantine and observation while still others are simply waiting for their new families to find them.  Please remember, your donation and/or store purchase helps us keep our ministry to these exceptional pets strong. 

Which reminds me!...

Before I forget, thank you Shawn, for the kiwi wood donation and the exercise wheel.

Thank you, Denise, for the flowers and cookies. 

Thank you, Ann, for your never-ending supply of donuts and all the volunteer cage cleaning, chin scritching, and rant listening. 

Thank you, Ken, for the cage donations and pear wood. 

Thank you, Jay, for the new computer and camera!

Thank you, Jamie, for including us in your new song/video and your unfailing extra monetary support. 

And thank you to everyone who has rounded up the payment on their store purchases!

The outpouring of community support and all around goodwill has us overcome with joy. It's been a pleasure serving the chins and all our new and old friends.