Chinchillas Flashcards
Genus species name for chinchillas
Chinchilla langier
Habitat
Cold and rocky slopes
Average life span
10-20yrs
Up to __ hairs can come from each individual root
90
Short front legs function
To support and hold food
Large powerful back legs function
Jumping
Dental formula
2(I 1/1, C 0/0, PM 1/1, M3/3)
When do chinchillas go into their first heat?
3-4 months old
Gestation period
110-138 days
Newborn chinchillas are precocial. What does that mean?
They look like mini mes of their mother and they are relatively mobile right away.
Important husbandry tip for chinchillas
-Intolerant to heat and humidity
-Dust baths daily
-Chew toys
Do chinchillas teeth have open or closed roots?
Open, teeth constantly growing so need ample chewing objects
Nutrition
- unlimited hay (roughage)
- pellets
- coprophagic: consumption of feces
- SMALL amounts of fruits, veggies, seeds/grains
- fresh water at all times; bottle preferred
List the common diseases for chinchillas
- Dental disease
- Skin diseases: poor husbandry, fur slip, ring worm
- GI diseases: choke, bloat, hairballs, enteritis, consipation
- Respiratory diseases: pneumonia
- Neurological diseases: listeria monocytogenes
- Penile disorders: fur rings, balanoposthatitis, parasphimosis
Clinical signs of dental disease
Drooling, pawing at mouth, weight loss, poor coat, anorexia, decreased stool, constipation, lethargy
Clinical signs of dermatophytosis (ring worm)
Scaly circular areas of hair loss on face, feet, and ears
Define Dermatophytosis
Ring worm
Clinical signs of choke
-salivation
-anorexia
-dyspnea
Clinical signs of bloat
- Distended/painful abdomen
- dyspnea
- reluctant to move
Clinical signs of Trichobezoars (hairballs)
- Lethargic
- Reluctant to move
- Anorectic
Clinical signs of enteritis
- constipation
- impactions
- intussusceptions
- rectal prolapse
Clinical signs of pneumonia
-depression
-dyspnea
-nasal discharge
What is a fur ring?
Accumulation of fur wrapped around the penis
What zoonotic diseases can chinchillas carry?
- Baylisascaris procyonis
- Dermatophytosis (ringworm)
- Salmonellosis
What type of wire should you use for caging
WELDED wire only
What does BAR look like in a chinchilla?
Twitching nose, tail alert and erect, thick, soft, and smooth hair coat, normal breathing
How should you hold a chinchilla?
Hold the base of the tail and hind legs in one hand while the other supports the chest and shoulder
Weight
400-600g (females>males)
Temp
97-102ºF
HR
200-300 bpm
RR
40-80 rpm
Chinchilla teeth have _____ roots
Open - grown continuously, correct position is crucial
Describe the external genitalia of a male chinchilla
No scrotum, very small cone shaped urethra/penis
Describe the external genitalia of a female chinchilla
No labial folds, the urethra terminates outside the vagina
Are chinchillas coprophagic?
Yes, they at times they eat their own feces
What are some reasons why chinchillas might develop a skin disease?
-Inadequate access to dust bath
-Fur slip
-Secondary to dental disease
Which veins are commonly used for venipuncture
-Jugular
-Cranial vena cava
Which direction should you insert your needle into the vena cava?
At ~45º in the direction of the opposite back leg
What gauge needle would you use for a chinchilla?
25-28 gauge
Which bones can you use for an intraosseous catheter?
-Femur (preferred)
-Tibia
Where can you do IV catheter for a chinchilla?
Cephalic (extremely difficult due to size of animal)
Where would you give an IM injection?
-Semimembranosus
-Quadriceps
-Semitendonosus
<0.3 ml/site
How often does a female go into heat if not bred?
q25-30d
