It causes hair loss and scabby red lesions on the nose, feet, and around the eyes. This is a very serious problem with fur ranchers due to the damage to the chinchilla's hair coat. Treatment involves the use of griseofulvin as prescribed by your veterinarian. This condition is characterized by drooling of saliva onto the fur under the chin. Mineral imbalances as well as poor dental alignment lead to overgrown and maloccluded teeth.
Temporary treatment involves clipping of the affected teeth and proper mineral supplementation.
Providing wood or mineral blocks for the chinchilla to chew may aid in prevention, but many cases have a genetic basis. Fur Slip Chinchillas often lose patches of fur when roughly handled. Another common cause is fighting among the chinchillas. This condition does not injure the pet but ruins the pelt of animals raised for fur. Some of the underlying causes of this behavior include boredom, dirty fur, dietary imbalances and hereditary factors.