Is flash photography safe for my chinchilla's sensitive eyes?

Unfortunately these are signs that are likely to be due to a moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to an infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. No effective home remedies seem possible at this stage. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Dogs, just like people have different sensitivities to light, so some dogs may not like or feel comfortable when the flash goes off. Flash photography will not affect a dogs vision in a permanent way. I hope this helps and I wish you and Florence the best!

Poor Mr.chew. I would recommend taking him to a vet for assessment of his eye. I would be concerned that a corneal ulcer has developed. A corneal ulcer happens when their is injury to the eye. This can be from a scratch or any type of trauma. If the eye is infected or has an ulcer then mr.chew will need antibiotic eye drops. I would recommend warm compress with a wash cloth to keep the discharge removed from the eye and it will help keep the eye open.

It is not recommended that they live together. They have different environmental and dietary needs. Different species of animals will require different types and amounts of food. Some foods that are safe for one species may be unsafe to another. Rodents who are fed foods that are not formulated for them can develop health problems over time due to too much or too little of certain nutrients. If one animal is dominant over the other, they may not allow the passive animal to eat at all. Toys and supplies that are safe for one type of rodent may pose a hazard to others. The best example of this is dust baths. They can be used for chinchillas and larger rodents but are not considered safe for hamsters/mice/rats because the dust can cause respiratory problems. It is my opinion that you do not co-mingle them at all. You are just asking for trouble. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi and thank you for this question, The eye needs to be examined closely by a vet. It is not uncommon for them to have conjunctivitis but it is not possible to diagnose it from a picture. Please make sure that she only gets her dust bath for an hour every other day and not constantly. As to her eating oats only, it is best no to make sudden changes in their diet. Since you've only had her for a short time, I recommend that at first you offer her some of the things she was used to eating before, and then gradually over a month or so you reduce those that you want to discontinue and replace them with healthier food. You can try two or more types of chinchilla pellets as she might prefer a certain type. Oats I would not give at all, or perhaps only in very small amounts.

Steward is very cute! IT can take a while for these guys to feel comfortable with people. They are usually hiding and running from other animals. I would recommend trying to find a treat that Steward really likes. Than you can hand feed him the treat a few times a day. I would only allow you to give this specific treat. That way he can start associating you with a positive yummy treat. I would recommend getting him neutered. You are correct that anesthesia on Chinchillas can be higher risk than dogs/cats but if you find an experienced vet who does the procedure often you will most likely have a great outcome! hope that helps

Hi and thank you for this question, There are a few options why this could happen. A common cause would be irritation from the dust in the dust bath. Please make sure to put the dust bath in the cage for only 1 hour 2-3 times a week. Do not leave it there constantly, Other options include bacterial infection, so if removing the dust bath does not help, getting Izzy to see a vet is indicated.

The transport of animals on an airplane is subject to many different rules and regulations, and ultimately depends on the airline that you choose. Some airlines are more lenient than others. I would speak to the airline you would like to take and also to the TSA to find out any special regulations in terms of what will be needed for transport. In terms of your animal's health, depending on where you are traveling you will likely need a certificate of health stating that Chachi is in good health and free of any contagious diseases. Chinchillas are also very high stress animals in new situations. It would probably be beneficial to offer some sort of sedative during this type of journey in order to keep the anxiety level to a minimum. Speak to your veterinarian about this so that he can come up with an appropriate drug and dose. For very small animals, sometimes these drugs will have to be specially made at a compounding pharmacy.

Congratulations on your new pet! Here is all the info you should need about getting started with your chinchilla. https://www.petco.com/shop/PetcoContentDisplayView?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&path=/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/chinchilla.html To address some of your other questions, you should not need to cover her cage at night and try to avoid spraying perfume/air fresheners around her as it could irritate her respiratory tract. Best of luck. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Yes, this will not be harmful and at-most mildly disturbing to them. It's actually good to get them used to such things at a young age, so I would not worry too much if they do seem somewhat disturbed. I hope that helps and all is well with the kittens.