How To Select The Right Vet For Your Chinchilla

When an owner is looking for the right veterinarian for their exotic pet, they want someone who can relate to their pet's special needs. They must also have the available resources to take care of their pet on an ongoing basis.

Just because they may like exotic animals doesn't mean that they're qualified to take care of them. They must have special training to medically care and treat them. You will probably have to do a "Sherlock Holmes" number in searching for the right one to treat your chinchilla. It's best to search for a veterinarian that specializes in exotics and exotic animal medicine or one who is board certified in it). You can ask veterinarians what kind of training they've had.

You can also check through certain organizations, such as the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) and the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV). If you still need assistance, try a regular veterinarian with an interest in exotic animals that can consult with an exotic animal specialist. It's better if they're experienced, but if not, this would be the route to go.

You can also try finding one through recommendations. You can ask people that you know or search out some breeders. You can also try other organizations that are into exotic animals. Search for forums online that discuss chinchillas and exotic animals. Try the yellow pages, your state veterinary directory or on the web to look for local veterinarians that specialize in exotic animals.

You should try to find one as soon as you can. It's not best to wait until your chinchilla has an emergency where you'll need someone right away. Then you'll be taking more time away trying to find someone. It could be a matter of life and death for your pet.

When you do find one that specializes in chinchillas and other exotic animals, set up an appointment. Check to see how the veterinarian handles your pet and see if your pet takes to the veterinarian. That's very important in establishing a relationship. If there's not bonding between the two and yourself, then that's probably not a good match and may not result in a quality relationship.

A good veterinarian will sit down and talk with you about your chinchilla's care, health and diet. This is also important because they should be comfortable in talking with you as well. Besides, it's your pet and you are the owner.

During the visit, you should evaluate the facilities to see if they are up to standards for taking care of exotic animals. Find out how frequent do they have exotic animals for patients. Do they have special equipment or facility to accommodate them? Have they had much experience with exotic pets?

What kind of training was involved? If your veterinarian can answer these questions, then you may have yourself a winner. It's not easy to find the right person to fit the bill. Even though looking for one may be a challenge, when you find the right person, it will be worth it for you and your chinchilla.

Water And Supplement Treats For Your Chinchilla

Like humans, chinchillas need water. Their water should be fresh and changed daily. This is crucial because if this is not followed, bacteria can grow and it would affect the chinchilla's health. It's not a good idea to have them drink from standing water in a bowl. They'll be sure to catch bacteria that way. Also, they may accidentally tip the bowl over and then you have a wet mess. A preferred vehicle for drinking water would be a water bottle. The bottle should be placed on the side of the animal's cage.

If you do use a water bottle, it should be cleaned thoroughly to avoid any germs or bacteria. Clean the entire bottle with hot water and have another one on stand-by. The chinchilla will drink the water more if nothing has been added to it. So, if you want your pet to drink plenty of water, it should stay as it is.

Since a pet chinchilla is special to their owner, it's not surprising that they would want to reward their animal with a treat. However, the owner must know that this can only be done in moderation. Too many of these can cause the animal's sensitive digestive system to go out of whack. Not only will they gain weight, their lifespan would be short-lived.

If you're going to give your chinchilla treat, give them raisins. This is something that chinchillas love to eat. They should only be given three to four raisins a week. If the chinchilla is a baby or a young one, half a chinchilla will do. Dried fruit, without sulfite preservatives, is fine. Examples of this are a blueberry, a grape or a tiny apple slice. If your chinchilla has diarrhea, you can give them wheat (spoon shredded size) or rolled oats minus the preservatives. Raw, black oil sunflower seeds that are used for feeding birds are good for the animal's outer coat. You should not feed your animal cabbage, corn or lettuce. These would be heavy on the digestive system.

When feeding them, the treats should be fed separately from anything else, including pellets. If you mix them, they will not eat the pellets and just go for the treats instead. If you give them something to gnaw on, let it be white pine or apple wood. These wood types are good for their teeth and won't cause damage. Pine boards can also serve as a bottom platform for a chinchilla's feet when they're walking on a wire mesh material in their cage. Any other type of wood may not be suitable for them.

Stay away from cedar, plum, plywood, cherry, fir, spruce and any other wood that can be harmful to their teeth. If you're not sure which wood type is good for them and which isn't, check your local pet store. They can assist you with your animal's needs.

If you have a young or expectant chinchilla, their diet will have to be altered from the normal regimen. If you're not sure on what to feed them, check with your veterinarian or chinchilla breeder to get more information. As you get acclimated to what your chinchilla needs, they can be assured of an uneventful and healthy lifestyle.