My chinchilla is skinny, eats, and falls when jumping. Should I worry?

Question

My chinchilla Noah is 1 year and 1 month (roughly), ever since i’ve had him (since march) he’s been super skinny but i know for definite he eats. He also doesn’t seem to jump right as he never jumps high enough and falls pretty much every time he jumps, although he can get to the second level of his cage by climbing up the cage. could this be due to sight problems as he is albino or is it something to worry about? he lives with another chinchilla in the same cage (in one of the pictures). Pet's info: Exotic | Unknown - Exotic | Male

Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM · Accepted Answer

If Noah is fairly thin, he likely has a decrease in his muscle mass. This may contribute to his falling behavior that you are describing. Alternatively, there may be something that has affected his nervous system that is causing the imbalance. When animals appear to be eating well (either adequate amounts or even excessive amounts) and are thin or losing weight, we worry about underlying diseases. These may affect their organs, or could also result from an anatomical abnormality (such as tooth malalignment). I would recommend taking Noah in for a check up - at the visit your vet will ask questions about husbandry and diet to see if any adjustments may be needed due to Noah’s current state. They then can perform a thorough examination and see if they can find any obvious reason for him being thin. Depending on what they find, they may recommend diagnostic testing such as radiographs (x-rays) to look at the body as a whole and to examine the teeth, and blood work to evaluate his systemic health and organs. I hope that gives you a place to start!

My chinchilla is skinny, eats, and falls when jumping. Should I worry?

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