SA Chinchillas

17/10/2024

I would pay good money for a box of chocolates that looked like this.

08/10/2024

08/10/2024

08/10/2024

08/10/2024

If your teacher is an educator in animal science, agriculture, animal care, or any related field, and they suggest sending you home with animals or ask you to collect animals for a breeding assignment:

- Do not contact animal rescues for animals.
- Do not go to pet stores for animals.
- Do not browse Craigslist for animals.

Breeding animals should come from pedigreed lines, be evaluated by a judge, and be carefully paired to complement and improve their traits—not just to create a flashy color.

When teachers encourage students to source animals for breeding from anywhere else, they are fostering the next generation of backyard breeders and carelessly ignoring the welfare of the animals involved.

Do better.

As educators, you understand the importance of strong foundations—apply that knowledge to animal breeding as well.

16/08/2024

08/05/2024

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE...

Do your research before buying a chinchilla from any breeder, or that breeder should provide as much info as possible so that you can make the right decision..
And do not support pet shops, back yard breeders or most rescues, WHY? Because the rescues come mostly from back yard breeders and so you keep the demand going for back yard breeders to keep doing what they are doing.. Please be aware of this..
As well as rescues and back yard bred chins have a very short life span due to inbreeding and incorrect feeding..

Reputable breeders take extra care in their breeding programs to avoid health issues and to ensure to the best of their ability better quality and healthier chins..

Make sure they can give you lineage and correct colouring of your chins, so many back yard breeders don't know how to identify the actual colours..

And make sure you do research in what quality is supposed to look like, and if the chins are not of good quality, do not buy..
You are not only going to sit with vet bills and heartache, but you are creating a reason for backyard breeders to carry on..
If you are wanting to rescue, some breeders can point you in the right direction, as many back yard breeders end up becoming rescues because they weren't selling as breeders, so the next best thing is becoming a rescue..

So please take caution and make sure you do your research and reach out to reputable breeders..

Kind regards,

SA Chinchillas..

14/03/2024

Sugar gliders are increasing in popularity every year! There are a few things you should know before taking the plunge on these cute little marsupials. These little guys need a high protein, high calcium, varied diet; insects, eggs, BML diet, fruit, veggies, as well as proper calcium supplementation are all crucial to a healthy glider. Unlike the name suggests, they do not primarily eat sugar. They will eat sap when it is available, but also devour lots of insects and will even eat parrots in the wild (we obviously do not recommend feeding parrots to captive sugar gliders!). These creatures are very social and do not do well alone. Make sure you keep that in mind when doing research. They are also exclusively nocturnal and eat, play and interact at night. With the right research and preparation, sugar gliders can be fun, interactive pets that can live over 10 years.

13/03/2024

February is Veterinary Dental Month!
Regular dental exams (ideally twice a year) are especially important for our rodent and rabbit companions.

Did you know that ALL of the teeth of rabbits, chinchillas, and guinea pigs grow continuously throughout their lifetime? These species use their front teeth, the incisors, to slice their food. One side at a time, they then use their premolars and molars (“cheek teeth”) to grind their food. It is extremely important for these species to eat an appropriate diet consisting primarily of hay to maintain their teeth’s appropriate shape, length, and alignment.

Common causes of dental disease are inappropriate diet, metabolic bone disease, congenital/genetic disorders, infections, and previous injury. These dental issues can be very difficult to recover from, and the damage can be permanent if left untreated for too long. If the cheek teeth overgrow, they can block the nasal passages or nasolacrimal duct. Common signs indicative of dental disease include drooling, wet fur or matting on the face or front legs, dropping their food, losing interest in their regular diet, eating or drinking less, less f***l production, change in weight, reduced activity, poor coat condition, pain (teeth grinding, hunched posture), ocular discharge, facial swelling, or f***l matter sticking to the rear. Other health disorders can cause similar symptoms, so an exam (and often diagnostic imaging) is necessary to confirm dental disease is the problem.

A thorough oral exam is always part of our routine wellness exams at CBEAM. Please call our office at 425-486-9000 if you would like to schedule an appointment.