"Grandma" the chinchilla

Many people often think is is great to get a chinchilla as a pet without  much thought to the environment, care,  vet care, genetic problems, food, longevity, etc. this is a sad mistake as many of these wonderful little ones end up in homes left unattended with no interaction from their owners.  The following is a story of my chin "Grandma" who was with me for 19 years and was 29 years old when she went to the rainbow bridge to wait for me. "Grandma" was bought as a young chin for a family as the newness wore off the family decided to pass her off to some one who said they would take care of her. From there the story got very murky as to how many homes she had been thru. I got a call one evening from a parent of a child who had seen Kruisin' Kritters at a school assembly. She explained that some one in her neighborhood had a chin that they no longer was taking care of and she was being kept in a garage. She gave me the address and the next day I knocked on the door. A man answered very gruffly. What do you want, he asked. I explained in my softest voice that I  understood that he had a chin that he no longer wanted and told him who I was. He just grumbled something and pointed to the garage and said take her. I was not prepared for what I found. In the dark hot garage it was 85 outside laided a almost dead velvet black chin barely breathing without food and water. I wanted to run back to the man and start to scream, but I knew I had not time to waste as the little one was critical and maybe beyond help. I gently pick her up feeling every bone in her body and feeling the limpness of a animal also gone. I rushed her to my vet. The prognosis was very critical. I left her over night and called several times to check on her there was not much change from when I left her. The next morning I dreaded making the call about her as I thought the news would be awful. My vet came on the phone as she spoke I was surprised, "were not out of the wood yet but she is sitting up and trying to eat", My heart jumped with joy. My vet cautioned we had to monitor her very closely and get a complete blood and chem panel.  As "Grandma" progressed I  went back to the neighborhood where I got her and asked around about the man and how long he had the chin. Everyone told me it was his wife's pet and she had owned her for 9 years. She moved out and left her chin behind in his care or better, lack of care. so we put her age around 10 years or older. "Grandma" stayed at my vet for 6 day getting stronger each day. Finally on the 7th day she went home with me eating and drinking a little on her own but really liked to be  fed  with the food on my finger so she could lick it off. The techs at the vet had really spoiled her!!! "Grandmas" health returned much faster than anyone thought and she soon started to eat and drink on her own and ran on her wheel  for long periods of time. When I was at home she would get to run all over my bedroom chasing and playing with my 2 cats. She also was very comfortable be held and petted so she became a ambassador for all the chins of the world to teach people about the care of all her buddies out there. "Grandma" was with me for 19 years enjoying her second chance at life and and educating future chin owners of the world. The many lives she touched and educated about her fellow chins will always be her legacy.. If you are thinking about getting a chinchilla as a pet please do your research and check out chinchilla rescues, they are filled to the brim with little ones  looking for educated, committed, long term owners. I work with Cutters Critters in San Diego, Ca. She currently has several beautiful chins available for adoption. Please rescue and adopt if you want to become a chin owner.