Fur Chewing/Biting
This is a subject in which I am very controversial, as I will explain later in this section. First, let me explain exactly what is meant by fur biting, and how several chinchilla breeders have told me they deal with the problem. In this condition, the chinchilla will quite happily chew it's own fur, or that of another animal caged with it, down to the skin. I have had one chinchilla that had a coat in perfect condition, not a mark on it, ruin the coat of another chin placed in with it in a matter of minutes. It has been linked to several causes including stress, either from a change of cage location, noise to name but a few.
Now this is where I get controversial. In the past, chinchilla breeders have tried to remove animals that have shown a tendency to fur bite from their breeding herds. The idea being that fur biting is a genetic disorder that is passed on from one generation to the next. There is quite a bit of evidence to back up this conclusion, most of which unfortunately I do not believe. Let me ask you, the audience a question. Do the children of people who smoke or bite their nails copy the habit of the parent through experience or is it a genetic trait ??? There is a phrase in genetics which you have probably heard of, it is 'nature versus nurture'. This is a subject which is of particular interest to me, and with chinchillas, one that I have placed a great deal of time and effort. I tend to believe that fur biting is a habit that baby chins tend to pick up at their parents side as they mature, not one that they are born with.
The only possible genetic link would be that chins that tend to fur bite are by nature possibly very nervous animals. It must be noted that this is not always the case. These chins might bite their fur in the same way that nervous people chew their finger nails !!
Boredom, overcrowding, small cages and aggression may all cause fur chewing. Cages that are kept in draughts predispose towards to the problem, as does a high temperature. At higher temperatures, chinchillas mould more easily and are more likely to be stressed. They may also chew themselves in an attempt to keep cool.
Chinchillas on a balanced diet with a healthy coat are less likely to chew. If the diet is deficient in vitamins or unsaturated fatty acids the fur will be poorer, and chewing more likely. A monotonous diet may lead to boredom and increased chewing. A diet that includes plenty of roughage and some variety (without causing upset stomachs !!) may also help prevent chewing.
Chins removed from their parents and placed with adopted parent (with no history of fur biting) do not develop the habit, I know that to be a fact as I have tried it on several occasions with 100% success so far. Adults that have already developed the habit by the time that I get them are another matter unfortunately. The habit has by this time become solidly ingrained, and can be very difficult to overcome. I have had some success ( approx. 65%) using a spray designed to stop dogs and cats chewing on furniture and wounds called Bitter Bite. This needs to be sprayed onto their coats over several days, but does seem to stop the habit, at least while it is being used, sometimes a chin will return to biting it's coat after the use of the spray has been discontinued.
Alternatively, or in combination with the above, try using an Elizabethan collar to prevent the chin being able to chew the fur at all. This may succeed in breaking the cycle of fur chewing for long enough for a full recovery to take place.
In other words, depending on it's age, it is possible to re-educate a chin, to stop it fur biting. I can understand the reluctance of the big breeders to try these techniques. To them it is a business, not a hobby. They have an income riding on each animal, they cannot afford a fur biter in their herd ruining the coat of another animal, or passing on the behavior pattern to one of it's offspring. The average pet owner though is in a totally different situation and owes it to their pet to try to find the cause of the chins fur biting, and eliminate the problem
I must point out that it is not uncommon for young animals to fur bite, but they soon grow out of the habit. Pregnant females or nursing females will also bite their fur, though once again this habit often soon disappears.