Chinchillas are hardy creatures, having adapted to live in the rugged terrain of the upper Andes slopes in Peru, Chile and Bolivia.  But, like any animal, they do occasionally fall prey to certain ailments and diseases.

Scrupulous hygiene, and a good balanced, high-fibre diet do go a long way in preventing illness and disease - as prevention is far better than cure, in many cases.

It is the intention of this article to provide a very basic and brief symptomatic guide to spotting some of the more common ailments, it is NOT comprehensive by any means.  It is also not intended to be of any veterinary value, and I have deliberately not mentioned any treatments.

**Before I continue further, I cannot stress enough the importance of taking your chinchilla to the vets for professional treatment as soon as you feel the chinchilla may be unwell.  Any delays in treatment can cost a chinchilla its life.**