Chinchillas

Chinchillas come in a variety of colors. The original chinchilla fur color in the wild was mottled yellow-gray. Through selective breeding, the most common color now is dark blue-gray (the dominant fur color). Other colors have emerged and include the dominant colors beige, white, and ebony, and the recessive colors sapphire, violet, charcoal, and velvet. Eye color can be black, pink, or red, determined by fur color genes.

The vocal repertoire of chinchillas consists of ten different sounds that vary with the behavioral context. Different sounds are made during exploratory behavior, predator avoidance, breeding behavior, and social behavior, including social contact and agonistic (defensive and offensive) behavior. In addition, chinchillas can raise and lower the tones of the calls they make. All chinchillas have a similar cry that is used commonly from birth.

Female chinchillas are seasonally polyestrous, with an estrous cycle of 38 days. The breeding season is November to May in the Northern Hemisphere. The gestation period averages 111 days. Generally, females have two litters per year, with 1–6 young (average 2) per litter. Young chinchillas become sexually mature at 8 months old. Chinchillas have a long lifespan, up to 20 years.

As with guinea pigs, sexing young chinchillas can be difficult. In females, a vaginal closure membrane seals the vaginal orifice at all times except during estrus and parturition. The vaginal orifice is U-shaped and situated between the anus and the mound-shaped urethral orifice.

When closed, the vaginal orifice is difficult to distinguish; it is indicated by a slightly raised, semicircular area. When the vaginal orifice is covered by its closure membrane, the urethral orifice can be mistaken as a genital opening. The well-developed clitoris of female chinchillas (and guinea pigs) can be manually extruded through the urethral orifice and mistaken for a penis.

During estrus, the vaginal closure membrane dissolves, opening the vaginal orifice. There is no vulvar swelling to indicate estrus; instead, the perineum changes color, from dull pink to deep red. The perineal color increases dramatically at the time of vaginal perforation and remains intense throughout most of the luteal phase of the estrous cycle.

Male chinchillas do not have a true scrotum. The testes are contained within the inguinal canal or abdomen, and two small, movable scrotal sacs are adjacent to the anus, into which the caudal epididymis can drop. The external appearance of the scrotal sacs is similar to the nonpendulous scrotum of pigs and cats.

The chinchilla penis is readily apparent below the anus, from which it is separated by an expanse of bare skin. The penis can be manually extruded 1–2 cm when flaccid. The tip of the erect penis extends to the level of the axilla—a distance of approximately 11 cm.

As with other rodents, in chinchillas the anogenital distance gives the best initial indication of the animal’s sex. The anogenital distance is greater in males.

Extrusion of the penis from the urethral orifice confirms the sex of the chinchilla, provided that the clitoris is not mistaken for a penis. Two major features differentiate the penis from the clitoris: the penis is appreciably larger, and the extruded penis can be separated and distinguished from the prepuce (whereas the extruded clitoris tends to evaginate, and the clitoral prepuce is not apparent).

Chinchillas are very tolerant of cold but sensitive to heat. The ambient temperature range to which chinchillas are adapted is 18.3–26.7°C (65–80°F). Exposure to higher ambient temperatures, especially in the presence of high humidity, can result in heatstroke.

A good general rule is to add the unit values of the temperature (Fahrenheit) and humidity, and consider any value > 150 to be dangerous. For example, 85°F + 65% humidity = 150. Chinchillas develop matted fur if kept in a warm (> 26.7°C [80°F]), humid environment.

Chinchillas are easily housed in either wire mesh–bottom or solid-bottom cages; however, solid-bottom cages are recommended for pregnant females about to have young. Wire-mesh spacing in cages should be narrow, because tibial fractures commonly occur in young chinchillas that catch a hindleg in wide floor-mesh grating.

Chinchillas are shy animals. In the wild, they conceal themselves in rock crevices; in captivity, they need places to hide. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plumbing pipes, especially elbow, Y, and T sections, make ideal hiding places. The pipes should be 10.2–12.7 cm (4–5 inches) in diameter and are easy to sanitize by placing in a dishwasher.

Chinchillas require dust baths to maintain healthy skin and fur. Multiple brands of chinchilla bathing dust are commercially available; most are composed of powdered pumice or aluminum silicate.

To bathe chinchillas, place a dust box or clean litter pan filled with approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) of dust in the cage 2–3 times a week for up to 15 minutes at a time. Dust boxes left in the cage for long periods will become soiled with feces and must be cleaned and the dust mixture replaced.

Dust bathing too often causes irritation of the eyes, resulting in conjunctivitis without associated clinical signs of upper respiratory infection. Excessive dust bathing can result in pulmonary epithelial hyperplasia and granulomas.

Chinchillas have a high requirement for dietary fiber. Their diet should consist mainly of high-quality grass hay. Pelleted chinchilla diets are readily commercially available and should be used to supplement the diet. Guinea pig or rabbit pelleted diets have also been used successfully with chinchillas; however, pellets made specifically for chinchillas should be prioritized over these.

Like rabbits, chinchillas produce two types of fecal pellets: nitrogen-rich pellets intended for cecotrophy, and nitrogen-poor pellets eliminated as waste.

Urinary calculi, urolithiasis, metastatic renal calcification, and nephritis are occasionally reported in chinchillas. Calculi are typically composed of calcium carbonate. Unlike rabbits and guinea pigs, chinchillas have a stable calcium content in their urine even when dietary calcium increases (1). It remains questionable whether decreasing dietary calcium content in chinchillas diagnosed with urolithiasis can help prevent recurrence.

Polygamous breeding colonies are common among chinchilla ranchers, and a system of individual female housing has been devised that enables a single male to serve up to 12 females. A variety of breeding techniques have been used successfully, and mating is facilitated by observing changes in the vaginal closure membrane and performing vaginal cytology. Pregnant females do not make a nest.

Male chinchillas possess well-developed and anatomically elaborate accessory reproductive glands. The secretions from these glands form a hard plug that remains in the female tract after copulation. The vesicular gland provides the bulk of the male accessory gland secretions, and the fluid hardens or gels when mixed with prostatic secretions. An irregularly shaped, firm, waxy plug 5–7.6 cm (2–3 inches) long and 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter is often found in the female's cage after mating.

During physical examination, a chinchilla’s overall appearance and behavior should be noted. Signs of disease include weight loss, hunched posture, abnormal gait, scruffy fur, labored breathing, lethargy, and unresponsiveness to stimulation.

Chinchillas should be handled calmly and gently to minimize stress. Docile, nonpregnant animals can be removed from a cage by grasping and lifting the base of the tail while supporting the body with the opposite hand. Routine restraint can be accomplished by wrapping a towel around the body. Small chinchillas may be grasped gently around the thorax, taking care not to restrict breathing.

Pregnant females should not be handled unless necessary. Pregnancy is detectable by palpation at 90 days gestation and can be determined by regular weighing. At approximately 6 weeks of gestation, weight gain in pregnant chinchillas begins to increase rapidly.

In a protective reaction known as fur slip, chinchillas release of a large patch of fur, revealing smooth, clean skin underneath. Fur slip can occur with improper handling, fighting, or situations that overexcite a chinchilla. The fur can take several months to regrow, and the new fur frequently is a different shade. To prevent fur slip, chinchillas should always be handled gently, with minimal stress.

Nearly all reports of major infectious diseases of chinchillas since the mid-20th century have come from colonies of chinchillas raised for fur, and most reports of bacterial disease in colonies are ≥ 30 years old.

Reviews of chinchilla disease often give the false impression that these animals are highly susceptible to infectious disease. However, the incidence of infectious disease in pet chinchillas is low.

Crown and root abnormalities of the cheek teeth are common in chinchillas. Abnormalities related to subclinical dental disease have been reported in one-third of apparently healthy chinchillas presented for routine physical examination (35). Nutritional causes (eg, less abrasive diet in captivity) and genetic causes have been proposed as predisposing factors for the development of dental disease. Tooth elongation and its secondary complications, affecting the reserve or the clinical crown or both, are the underlying cause of most clinical signs.

Chinchillas are often able to eat and maintain good body condition until severe complications such as soft tissue trauma from sharp dental spikes or periodontal abscessation have developed.

Signs indicative of dental disease in chinchillas include the following:

• history of decreased food intake

• change in food preferences toward more easily chewed feed items

• weight loss

• decreased fecal output

• saliva-stained skin and fur with crusting and alopecia of the perioral area

• wetting and crusting of the chin (“slobbers”) and forefeet

• epiphora

• poor fur condition

• fur chewing

• palpable irregularities of the ventral borders of the mandible

• overgrown or irregular occlusal surfaces of the incisor teeth

A thorough examination of the oral cavity under general anesthesia is recommended, because 50% of intraoral lesions can be missed when examining the mouth in a conscious chinchilla (36). Endoscopic-guided intraoral examination is the preferred method.

Cheek teeth in chinchillas often show coronal elongation, formation of sharp spikes or points buccally on the edges of the occlusal surfaces, and widened interproximal coronal spaces containing feed and fur. Loss of tooth substance or brown discoloration of occlusal and interproximal tooth surfaces is common. Erosions of the buccal mucosa, gingival hyperplasia, and gingival pocketing are common secondary findings.

Radiography is a helpful tool for checking tooth position and overgrowth of the roots. CT scans of the skull are useful in early diagnosis of malocclusion.

The prognosis for chinchillas with dental disease depends on the severity of the disease, the animal’s general condition, and owner compliance with veterinary recommendations. Repeated intraoral examinations and treatments under general anesthesia are necessary to control complications and to maintain an acceptable quality of life for the animal.

Treatment of dental disease in chinchillas consists of removing points (small rongeurs work well for this), decreasing elongated crowns, and removing impacted debris in gingival pockets. Instilling doxycycline gel in deep gingival and periodontal pockets promotes gingival healing (35).

Chinchillas with substantial periodontal infection can be treated with penicillin G benzathine (50,000 IU/kg, SC, every 5 days until complete resolution) (35). Extraction of cheek teeth should be limited to teeth that are severely diseased and mobile.

Analgesia is essential after any dental procedure in chinchillas: buprenorphine (0.2 mg/kg, SC, every 4–6 hours until resolution [37]), meloxicam (0.3–0.5 mg/kg, PO or SC, every 12–24 hours until resolution [21]), or gabapentin (3–5 mg/kg, PO, every 12–24 hours until resolution [21]).

Chinchillas in advanced stages of dental disease should be fed soft, leafy grass hay; vegetables; moistened pellets; and critical care formulas offered on a dish or via syringe.

Like other rodents, chinchillas cannot vomit. Choking might be observed when the entrance to the trachea is occluded by a large piece of food or bedding or in postpartum females that eat their placentas. Aspiration of tiny particles from the foreign body can irritate the lower respiratory tract and precipitate a suffocating, edematous response leading to drooling, retching, coughing, and dyspnea as the chinchilla attempts to dislodge the foreign body. If untreated, choking can lead to asphyxiation and death.

Megaesophagus, which leads to regurgitation and aspiration pneumonia, is described in chinchillas. Affected animals show recurring pneumonia despite treatment. Contrast radiography is used for diagnosis.

Gastric ulcers are common in young chinchillas and are frequently caused by feeding coarse, fibrous roughage, or moldy feeds. Animals with gastric ulcers might be anorectic or subclinically affected. Lesions might be noted only at necropsy, with gastric mucosal ulcers and erosions covered by thick, black fluid. Prevention includes decreasing dietary roughage and feeding a commercial pelleted diet.

Bloat, or tympany, can result from sudden dietary changes, especially overeating. Bloat has been reported in lactating females 2–3 weeks postpartum and might be related to hypocalcemia. Gas production from the bacteria in static bowel loops rapidly accumulates within 2–4 hours.

Chinchillas with bloat are lethargic and dyspneic, with a painful, distended abdomen. They might roll or stretch while attempting to relieve their discomfort. Treatment might require passage of a stomach tube or paracentesis to relieve gas buildup. Lactating females might respond favorably to calcium gluconate (25–50 mg/kg, IV slowly, once to effect (38).

Diarrhea and soft feces are common clinical signs in chinchillas. Possible etiologies are infectious agents (eg, parasites, bacteria), inappropriate feeding of fresh greens, high-carbohydrate diets, or sudden changes in diet. On clinical examination, the chinchilla might show no signs or, in severe cases, show anorexia, dehydration, and depression. Infectious causes are excluded on the basis of history and appropriate diagnostic testing (eg, fecal cytological and float testing, fecal culture, fecal PCR assay).

If predominantly gram-negative opportunistic pathogens are found, if an infectious cause is suspected but unconfirmed, or if the animal is in a compromised general condition, the occurrence of diarrhea or soft feces in chinchillas should be treated with systemic parenteral antimicrobial therapy (enrofloxacin 10 mg/kg, SC, 1:5 dilution, every 12 hours until resolution) (7).

Oral drugs should be avoided because their absorption and effectiveness are decreased when GI function is abnormal. Once the affected chinchilla is eating and GI function has improved, the oral route can be used.

Intestinal secondary yeast overgrowth, caused by Cyniclomyces guttulatus (formerly Saccharomycopsis guttulata), often occurs in chinchillas with soft feces. However, increased numbers of this yeast are considered a secondary effect promoted by underlying GI disease rather than caused by a primary pathogen.

Constipation is more common than diarrhea in chinchillas. Chinchillas might strain to defecate and produce no fecal pellets or have a decreased output of smaller, thin, hard fecal pellets that might be stained with blood. Abdominal palpation reveals firm cecal ingesta and a tense abdomen. Intestinal intussusception is a critical differential diagnosis for absence of fecal pellets accompanied by tenesmus in chinchillas.

A sudden change in diet, a diet insufficient in dietary fiber and roughage, or infectious causes can result in dysbiosis, gastroenteritis, ileus, and, consequently, decreased fecal output in chinchillas. Dehydration, anorexia, dental disease, and uterine compression in gravid females can also result in decreased fecal output. Decreased fecal output should not be confused with true constipation. Chronic cases of true constipation in chinchillas with tenesmus can lead to rectal prolapse, intestinal torsion, cecal impaction, or colonic flexure.

To promote fecal output, the GI tract should be rehydrated. Parenteral fluid therapy (100 mL/kg/day, SC or IV, divided into equal doses administered every 8–12 hours) will stimulate the gastrocolic reflex and rehydrate dehydrated ingesta (39). Chinchillas with abdominal pain might resist enteral fluid therapy; in such cases, buprenorphine (0.2 mg/kg, SC, every 4–6 hours as needed [37]) and parenteral fluid therapy are required.

Pathologists often see fatty liver without clinical signs or other histological lesions in routine necropsies of chinchillas. These findings are most likely due to prolonged anorexia before death.

A few cases of apparent type II diabetes mellitus have been described in overweight chinchillas (40, 41). Clinical signs can include poor appetite, lethargy, and weight loss. Diagnosis is based on a history of polyuria/polydipsia, hyperglycemia (≥ 200 mg/dL), and glucosuria.

Chinchillas and other hystricognath rodents (eg, guinea pigs, degus, tuco-tucos) are unusual in that their insulins exhibit a very low biological potency relative to pig insulin, yet the receptor-binding affinity is markedly higher, indicating that the efficacy of their insulin on receptors is approximately 2-fold lower than that of pig insulin.

Hypoglycemia is always a great risk in chinchillas when treating diabetes with recombinant human insulin or porcine insulin, so insulin therapy is generally not recommended as first-line treatment for diabetes. Instead, treatment involves decreasing obesity and feeding a diet high in protein, low in fat, and high in complex carbohydrates.

Systemic disease or painful conditions in chinchillas can result in secondary GI problems with nonspecific clinical signs such as anorexia, decreased fecal production, and lethargy. Identifying the underlying cause is critical to improve the outcome and decrease the chance of recurrence.

The initial diagnostic evaluation of secondary GI problems in chinchillas should consist of whole body radiographs, fecal examination for parasites, fecal cytological testing, and fecal culture for enteric opportunistic pathogens (eg, Escherichia coli, P aeruginosa). Urinalysis, plasma biochemical analysis, and a CBC help to diagnose non-GI and coexisting metabolic disorders (eg, hepatic lipidosis, ketosis, renal disease) to determine the prognosis and treatment.

In addition to specific treatment for the primary underlying GI disorder, general treatment guidelines for secondary GI problems in chinchillas include replacing fluid deficits and maintaining normovolemia with parenteral and enteral fluid therapy, nutritional and caloric support, and analgesia (buprenorphine at 0.2 mg/kg, SC, every 4–6 hours as needed [37]) if a painful condition is suspected.

The chinchilla's predator avoidance mechanism known as fur slip, in which the animal releases a large patch of fur, thus enabling it to escape, should not be confused with the vice of fur chewing.

Chinchillas sometimes chew their own or each other’s fur (a behavior referred to as barbering), resulting in a moth-eaten coat. Clinically, hair loss occurs along the shoulders, flanks, sides, and paws. The affected areas appear darker because the underfur is exposed. Mothers often transmit this vice to offspring. The higher incidence of fur chewing in commercial herds might be evidence of displacement behavior.

During breeding, bite wounds that abscess often occur in group-housed chinchillas. Culture of the abscesses often yields Staphylococcus spp.

Female chinchillas are larger than males and more aggressive. They are highly selective in their choice of males for breeding and keep "unsuitable" males at bay by urinating, kicking, and biting. Bite wounds often result in the loss of pieces of ears and toes. Older females commonly kill young males housed in the same cage.

The chinchilla’s large, delicate ear pinnae are easily traumatized, most often from bite wounds. Treatment includes cleaning the traumatized area and applying topical antimicrobials. Suturing large ear lacerations is usually not effective and is not recommended. If damage is severe, ear tissue might require substantial debridement or partial surgical removal.

Trauma to the pinna in chinchillas can result in rapid hematoma development, with blood and serum filling the space between skin and cartilage. Hematomas should be lanced, and contents gently removed, to avoid further damage to the ear. The skin over the hematoma must remain in contact with the underlying cartilage and should be immobilized by sutures if necessary.

Traumatic fractures of the tibia are common in chinchillas; they are associated with the animal catching its hindlimb in a cage bar. The tibia is a straight bone that is longer than the femur, with little soft tissue covering; the fibula is virtually nonexistent. Tibial fractures are either transverse or short spiral and generally are associated with bony fragments.

The tibia of chinchillas is thin and fragile, and surgical repair can be difficult; complications are common. Soft, padded bandages and lateral splints usually do not provide adequate stability for tibial fractures to heal. External fixation and intramedullary pins, alone or in combination, have been recommended for surgical stabilization of tibial fractures in chinchillas. Restricted exercise in a single-level enclosure, ideally without cage bars, is necessary.

The prognosis for chinchillas with tibial fractures is guarded. Complications after surgical fixation are common and include bone-pin loosening and infection, nonunion, necrosis of the distal limb, and self-mutilation. Hindlimb amputation should be considered if surgical fracture stabilization fails or is not indicated. Chinchillas usually adapt very well after amputation.

In chinchillas, the fine structure of the interhemal membrane of the placental labyrinth is hemomonochorial, consisting of a single layer of syncytial trophoblasts separating the maternal blood from fetal capillaries. In this respect, the placental labyrinth is similar to that of the guinea pig, which is also a hystricognath rodent. Female chinchillas can experience an unusual puerperal disorder of trophoblastic emboli, resulting in pulmonary embolism.

Chinchillas usually give birth early in the morning, and only rarely after midnight. Dystocia is usually associated with the presentation of a single, oversized fetus or malpresentation of one or more kits. Uterine inertia has also been reported as a cause of dystocia. Chinchillas recover well after cesarean section.

Male chinchillas can develop a condition known as fur ring, in which a ring of hair wraps around the penis and under the prepuce and can eventually cause paraphimosis. This painful condition can cause urethral constriction and acute urinary retention. Chronic paraphimosis can also result in infection and severe damage to the penis, affecting breeding ability.

The most common cause of fur ring is fur transfer from a female during copulation; however, the fur can come from other males or even from the same animal. Male chinchillas should be examined for fur rings at least 4 times a year; active stud males should be examined every few days.

Fur rings can be cut or gently rolled off the penis after application of a sterile lubricant. Occasionally, sedation or anesthesia might be required for removal.

In some cases of paraphimosis in chinchillas, the etiology is not fur ring, but rather sexual excitement brought on by separation from a mate or sexual exhaustion resulting from the presence of too many females in the same cage.

Despite a reported lifespan of up to 20 years, chinchillas rarely develop neoplasia, according to case reports:

• Reports of postmortem examinations of 1,005 fur-ranched chinchillas before 1949 and another 1,000 fur-ranched chinchillas ranging in age from < 6 months to 11 years between 1949 and 1952 did not list neoplasia as a cause of death (42, 43).

• Between 1994 and 2003, 325 chinchillas were presented for clinical investigation at a major university veterinary hospital. Tumors were diagnosed in only 3 animals (1%). During the same period, the incidence of neoplasia was higher in rabbits and in other rodents than in chinchillas (guinea pigs, 7%; rats, 34%; rabbits, 6%) (44).

Single reports of tumors in chinchillas include neuroblastoma, carcinoma, lipoma, hemangioma, malignant lymphoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, mammary adenocarcinoma, hepatic carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, and lumbar osteosarcoma.

The major zoonotic risk from chinchillas is potential transmission of Giardia. Studies have indicated the existence of eight genetic groups (or assemblages) within Giardia (19), two of which (A and B) are found both in humans and in animals, whereas the remaining six (C–H) are host specific.

Most chinchilla infections caused by Giardia occur with assemblage B. However, genotyping within assemblages A and B of animal-species Giardia to determine zoonotic potential has not been done. Therefore, Giardia-infected chinchillas could be a potential reservoir of zoonotic transmission.

• Also see pet owner content regarding chinchillas.

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