Fur Chewing - Genetic?

[Kiki's Mom]

I've heard both sides of the argument. It's genetic, don't breed them. It can't be genetic, it's a learned behavior if anything. I don't have enough experience or knowledge to form an opinion. I was told it can be genetic by many people when I first joined here so that is what I believed. I'm curious to hear what others have to say about this. And I am aware that fur chewing can be caused by stress and boredom and skin conditions also. But I'm strictly interested in the genetic argument.

"Edited" - I better add this: I'm not asking because I have a fur chewer I want to breed. This is strictly for my own information and curiosity.

[Brea]

I agree with both ideas. If you see someone smoke to release stress you are more likely to do so. But instinct still plays a major role. When horses get penned in too small of an area they are going to chase one another. It is instict to defend their space. Is fur chewing a natural instinct from wild chins? I don't know. If your parents get say, stomach ulsers due to lack of calcuim in the diet. If you lack in calcuim you are more likely to have the same problem, stomach ulsers.
Just my 2 cents.

[JoElizabeth]

I agree with both. As what Brea said, like, if ur parents do not handle stress well, u probly wont either. not always, but sometimes. But you can handle stress badly without the help of genes as well.

[ladove]

I have one girl who has chewed herself twice, usually for a period of 2 or 3 months and then stopped. I bred her once before the chewing started and both her kits were CHRONIC chewers. They never stopped, they were compulsive about it. One pulled his hair right out leaving bare skin showing. So it's definitely genetic.

I'm sure the environment can play a huge part to it as well...I don't have the history on that chins parents but considering she has chewed and stopped twice I'm guessing that she's more environmental chewing.

[Arf2184]

I think fur chewing could be genetic and environmental/learned.

I can not remember who did it, but a number of fur chewers were autopsied and all or almost all were found to have enlarged adrenal glands. Sorry I don't have all the details, but I pretty sure it was Chris Woods of Whitewoods that told me.

The enlarged adrenal glands could be genetic. It could also be caused by stress (the enlarged adrenal and the chewing) and how easily the animals are stressed could be genetic. Stress could also be environmental. It could also be a learned behavior. It could also start out as stress brought on by the chinchillas environment, then turn to habit.

I've got a chewer here who chewed herself bald and is now working on chewing her cagemate bald.

[heidi55529]

I agree it can be a genetic or learned behavior. I have two girls, a mom daughter rescue pair that I adopted. When I adopted them, it was just Peanut Butter and Jelly. Both of them were pretty bad fur chewers, PB ended being pregnant and gave birth to Ham. I got Jelly neutered and the three of them lived together and still chewed. When Jelly passed away, the chewing did get worst though. I've pretty much tried everything, big cage, chew toys, etc to try and get them to stop chewing. But I've had no luck so I just let them be. As long as they're healthy, eating good, and happy I still love them. They're one of my first chins and pretty special to me. =)

Here's a picture of the girls, I still think they're pretty cute with their fuzzy hair cuts that they give each other.

[SilverMoon]

Here's a picture of the girls, I still think they're pretty cute with their fuzzy hair cuts that they give each other.

Haha, you're right, they still look adorable ;)

[HedgeMom]

Some of each. My rescue, Liberty Belle, came in a fur chewer. Her tail looked like a kid had taken blunt nose scissors to it. Six months after she arrived here, her tail had grown out, she wasn't chewing on either herself or the new roomie she got. Since she had lived the last year before I got her in a basement alone covered up and neglected, one could safely assume environment was the reason she chewed. Obviously moving her here and giving her a roomie changed her behavior.

But if it were that simple, we would be able to "cure" chinchillas by destressing and changing their environment and we can't. And why would chewing run in bloodlines? If it didn't have a genetic component, why would ranchers cull their chewers? Because if an animal is just used for breeding, wouldn't matter if their fur was in good shape or not. If it's not genetic, their kits wouldn't chew.

So both. And you can't say which since there isn't a test for it. Under the right circumstances, Libby just might go back to chewing (although since she lives with the Diva Chin of all Diva Chins, I can't imagine anything more stressful could happen to her) :)