With the softest fur in the world, Chinchillas are more prone to baldness or shedding. Your favorite pet can lose large patches of fur even with the slightest mistake in handling. There are other reasons for your chinchilla losing fur too. So, if you ask, why is my chinchilla losing fur?
The most common reason behind chinchillas losing their fur is holding them improperly. They can also lose fur because of excessive stress or anxiety. Chinchillas even chew their own fur, which can be a big reason if your chinchilla is bored.
Let’s find out why your chinchilla is losing fur.
What Causes Your Chinchilla Lose Fur?
Losing a big tuft of hair, known as the ‘Fur Slip,’ is pretty common in chinchillas. They tend to do this to escape from their predators, especially when living in their wild habitats.
But this also happens even if you hold your pet too tightly. This is completely natural, and you don’t need to worry about this at all. But there can be other reasons behind this.
Environment
Chinchillas need to live in cool environments. And the humidity also should be low to make them comfortable. If you keep your chinchillas in a hot and humid environment, their fur may start shedding.
It will also help fungus and bacteria grow in their hairs.
Infection
Though infection isn’t a big reason behind fur slip, ringworm, a fungal infection, is often responsible for your chinchilla’s hair loss. Ringworm can be caused by an improper living environment or contact with other people or pets.
Improper Handling
The most common reason behind fur slip in chinchillas is improper handling. If you hold your pet too tightly or in the wrong place, fur slip can happen. Chinchillas often release patches of fur when they get threatened by predatory pets living in the home.
Chewing Own Fur
This is a common issue with chinchillas. They start chewing their own hair when bored. The boredom usually happens because of improper living conditions, which may include an improper environment, shortage of living space, or the presence of other animals.
Chins can be bored even if you don’t spend enough time with them.
Dietary and Hormonal Imbalances
This is what chinchilla owners notice at last, or many even don’t notice at all. But if your chinchilla is facing issues with dietary or hormonal imbalances, it can lose fur more than usual.
Improper Handling Causes Fur Slip
As we have already mentioned, fur slip is a natural defense mechanism in chinchillas to protect themselves from their predators in the wild. But when in captivity, they can still release fur patches to escape from what threatened them.
Holding chinchilla by far is one of the biggest mistakes new pet owners do. It would help if you never did this with your cute little pet. Rather, you should hold them under the chest or tummy.
It’s best to keep them on your palm so that they feel comfortable and relaxed. Grabbing them too tightly will cause hair loss. Even when you put the chinchilla inside the cage or take it out, you shouldn’t scare it.
Be very gentle with these little creatures. If you have predatory pets at home, you should take extra care of your chinchilla to make it feel safe. Even if your cats or dogs don’t attack the chinchilla, they may feel threatened at the presence of these animals and release fur; as a result, causing baldness.
Fur Loss Due to Stress and Travel
Chinchillas are very delicate in nature. So, a bit of stress can be heavy on them. If your chinchilla isn’t getting a proper diet or a good time enjoying your care and attention, it will become stressed quite easily.
As a result, it can lose a lot of furs. Though maintaining a proper environment is possible at home, people often ignore this for chinchillas while traveling.
Chinchillas are very sensitive, and they need a lot of care while traveling. As the temperature and humidity can’t be controlled outside, your chinchilla will be more prone to stress and anxiety.
So, it would help if you weren’t traveling frequently with your chinchillas. If you do, make sure you aren’t traveling a long way. Reach their safe habitat before they get too stressed and start releasing fur. Severe hazards like heat stroke can also happen if they are exposed to adverse conditions for longer.
Be Careful About Playtime Stress
Your chinchillas can get scared even when they are playing. Until you gain the trust of your little pet, they can feel threatened by the slightest change in your behavior and circumstances.
So, make sure you create a very good bond of love and trust with your chinchilla. Don’t approach them aggressively. Be soft and gentle towards them when you take them out of the cage.
While playing, make sure no other pets or child approaches the chinchilla all of a sudden; otherwise, it could get scared. The same should be applied when putting back the chinchilla in its cage.
Making a lot of fun interactions will gradually build up its trust in you.
How To Keep Your Chinchilla’s Fur Healthy?
Pet owners usually try to prevent fur slips after they notice unusuality in their pet’s fur. But it is way better to take precautionary steps to keep those soft furs healthy. Make sure you are following these tips.
Give A Balanced Diet
A poor diet can result in many different issues, including fur slip. To prevent shedding caused by dietary imbalance, you need to ensure good quality hay and clean water for your pet.
If they have a problem with digestion, make sure you contact a vet as soon as possible.
Dust Bath Can Be Effective
Dust baths can be very effective in keeping chinchilla’s fur dry and free from fungal infection. As their hairs catch a lot of moisture, a dust bath reduces the chance of moisture getting stuck between their furs and causing bacterial or fungal infections.
But don’t overdo it. Giving your little pet a dust bath 2-3 times a week will do the job.
Handle With Care
Make sure your chinchilla isn’t threatened. Handle them with the utmost care and arrange a stress-free, happy life to prevent fur slip.
Closure
Your furry friends can be vulnerable to many issues. Most pet owners have the same question in their mind, why is my chinchilla losing fur? Now that you know why it happens and how to take care of your chinchilla properly to prevent the loss of fur, your pets are supposed to get a better life.
Show them you love and care so that they trust you. Give them what they need to be healthy. This is the best way to keep your chinchilla from losing fur.
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