Lost our beautiful little Mochi last night
My wife and I lost our chinchilla for just 1.5 years, after a fatal accident yesterday.
Her room is also my study, and we made it "chinchilla-safe" by having nothing but empty space to zoom around, a big cardboard maze I built with a few hidden treats, and then my work station where I will be sitting whenever she's out.
She had a floor to ceiling window which she would use as her daily observation deck for the outside world. Whether I was on my chair working, or on the floor she would always come sit with me, and every time I extended my arm she would walk it like a plank.
We played for around 1-2 hours every day. Mochi would always sit near me and observe me work from a vantage point, but mostly sit on my chair with me.
Cause of death
There is a tight gap underneath the seat designed for comfort and suspension. She would often squeeze into this spot, so I always had to be careful.
Last night, I didn't pay attention and sat down slowly not knowing she was there. I felt her underneath my seat, got up immediately, and she jumped out and walked with a limb while oinking in pain.
She looked up at her cage door, I opened it, and she jumped in. Moments later she fell to her side in her tray fighting for her life, which she lost on her way to the emergency vet.
I'm absolutely devastated, and still in shock, by the loss. It is a mix of guilt and grief, constantly wondering if she thought I was intentionally trying to cause harm on her in her final moments.
Chinchilla's are incredibly fragile, and as mortified as I am now, she should have lived a long and healthy life had I been more cautious last night.
Please take good care of your chinchillas, and cherish the your time with them.