Instructions
Improper Handling
Let go of your chinchilla immediately if it is frightened and tries to flee. If you grasp the chinchilla to keep it from running away, "fur slip" is likely to occur, and it will shed a patch of fur to more easily escape from your hands.
Avoid grabbing at your chinchilla's hair. The fur comes out very easily, and will cause a bald spot.
Play with chinchillas on the floor or near a safe surface. Chinchillas have a tendency to flee. When you know your chinchilla is fleeing into a safe environment, you will be less likely to fight its desire run away, preventing "fur slip."
Groom your chinchilla properly and gently. Do not pull hard while brushing the chinchilla. While you are grooming, some patches of fur may fall out, but they will grow back in time if you leave them alone.
Stress
Make sure your chinchilla is eating a well-balanced diet. You will need to purchase food specifically for chinchillas. Chinchillas should not be fed food meant for other small animals, such as rabbits or mice. If your chinchilla does not like its food, that may be a source of stress.
Play with your chinchilla on a regular basis and show it love and attention. Chinchillas will become stressed if they are lonely, sad, or bored. Chinchillas can also enjoy interacting with each other, but must be housed in separate cages.
Check on your chinchilla on a regular basis and make note of strange behaviors such as scratching or biting itself. Chinchillas gnaw at their own fur when they are bored, dirty, or have an improper diet. If this is the cause of your chinchilla's baldness, adjust its environment to make it more comfortable, and the hair should grow back in several months.
Injury
Support your chinchilla when holding it by placing one hand near the base of its tail and the other on his belly or shoulder. This will help the chinchilla feel safe and secure, and it will be less likely to be frightened and quickly flee, which can cause injury and "fur slip."
Give your chinchilla a dust bath every week or every other week. When the chinchilla rolls in the dust, it is cleaning and strengthening its fur. Attempting to bathe your chinchilla with water may cause injury to the fur or skin, and the wet hair attracts fleas.
Leave the bald spot alone if it is the result of physical injury, such as a fight with another chinchilla or animal. A vet will be able to tell you how to care for the injury, and once it is healed, the hair will grow back.
Ringworm
If your chinchilla has ringworm, treat it with powdered shampoos or topical ointments for eight weeks or more. Your vet will be able to provide a personalized plan for your chinchilla to get rid of the ringworms.
Wash your hands each time you handle and/or treat a chinchilla with ringworm. You may also want to wear examining gloves to further protect yourself. The fungus is contagious, and you may catch it if you aren't careful.
Check for bald spots around the nose or eyes. Ringworm fungus usually begins there and next spreads to the front feet or genitals.
Sterilize and clean the cage thoroughly and get rid of any dust the chinchilla had been rolling in. Sunlight and high temperatures can destroy fungus, along with a solution of Clorox or Novascan. Use gloves when cleaning the cage and rinse with water if chemical solutions are used.
How to Get Chinchillas' Hair to Grow Back
Chinchillas are fragile animals, and it is not uncommon for them to shed or lose some of their fur. However, it may not just be a minor annoyance or injury that is making your creature go bald. There are a variety of situations, diseases and injuries that can cause this troubling symptom. While you may be able to discern the cause of the hair loss, it is very important to take your ailing chinchilla to a veterinarian. The vet will give your pet an official diagnosis and treatment that will allow your chinchilla's hair to grow back within several months.