Quarantining a chinchilla and mishaps.

So for those that may not know when you bring a chinchilla home from a different environment, whether it be another persons home, breed or store, that new chin needs to be put in quarantine for at least 6 weeks but optimum is 8 weeks. The reason for this is partially to allow the chin to settle to a new environment and smells but more importantly is a long enough time for any diseases or viruses to make themselves present and therefore limit the exposure to your other household chins. The only time would not bother is if the chins are coming from the same place home together (e.g. Leeloo and Eva came home from the same breeder and their house cages were in the same room, they had the same exposures). Ideally this has to be in a separate room and you must wash hands and not transfer items between the cages during this time (no sharing dust baths either). It is for the best though not always achievable. Luckily for myself I have the space to accomodate. Munchkin came in the Pets at home cage which wasnt an ideal design with the door at one end and with treatments it made it stressful for everyone in question. Unfortunately for me the quarantine time effectively ended short on an escape from the newbie in question. Learn a lesson from me here! Munchkin decided last weekend to gain some confidence and bypassed me out the cage door, out of the room and beelined up to the girls cage. Curious Eva then got a shallow bite to her nose and although me and hubby acted quickly, it was a gloomy night for breaking quarantine and Eva having a small bite on her nose. Galens green cream really is wonderful and helped the bite overnight, but a quick trip to the vet confirmed nothing more serious as a big worry is chins have huge jaw strength and can seem worst than it first appears. After panic and advice from a chin guru, I was helped to know well it wasnt best it happened but at least we stopped anything worst. As quarantine had effectively been broken, I decided to start the first stages of introducing. Might as well!