Were did you get your Chinchilla?

[LuvMyFuzzyButts]

If you own a petstore chinchilla, have you had any health problems with them? I'm just curious. Gizmo was purchased from a petstore and has never had any problems. I have read that petstore Chins end up having more health problems then lets say breeder chins.

[lianhua]

I got both of mine from FAOM (http://furryanimalsohmy.com).

I'm not sure about petstore chins, but I had a hedgehog from a petstore back in high school who was very healthy, but not socially adjusted at all -- aggressive, huffy, biter, the works. I would think that in a lot of cases it would be the same deal with petstore chins... I mean, in some cases it's just personality when a chin or hedgie is shy or even mildly aggressive, but I think being socialized at a young age helps contribute to preventing the majority of the shyness and aggression.

As far as health problems, I'm completely in the dark on that one. :dunno:

[ponchobubu]

i got bubu from a petstore, the condition they were keeping the chinchillas in was horrible! thats why i got her she was the runt of the litter, but so far no problems, she was pretty well socialized too. but i have heard that too, about the petstore ones having more health problems, but who knows for sure

[bryan071108]

I got two of my chinchillas at a petstore, there were babies crammed in a small cage, I felt so bad for them!!!! Both of them have never had any health issues!!!

[ChilisMom]

I have both a rescue and a breeder :)

[dawn]

I have had 5 petco chins, two died from severe malocclusion, the three I have now are healthy large chins, two are 7 and one is 5 years old. I have two chins from "breeders", one is healthy, one is a genetic mess, the rest are rescues.

[sinfulcindylou]

I chose other because I have one of every option. I got Draco (indirectly) from PetCo, Griffin from The Dust Bath (used to be a rescue here), Gizmo from Ashleigh here and Roo from a home here that could no longer keep him.

[chincolores]

Breeders, breeders, breeders!! :)

[neekobandit]

Neeko, my very first chin, came from Petsmart. The only health problems I had with him was an eye infection a month or so after I got him. He was an otherwise very healthy chin and died of unnatural causes.
Smudge and Roo both came from breeders.

[chins rule]

i have gotten mine from a petstore and they have not been better then ever. they are healthy and happy and cute.