Chinchillas have a unique defense mechanism that allows them to “release” their fur. This allows a chin in the wild that is being chased to leave a predator with a mouth full of hair instead of dinner. Occasionally your chinchilla will do this, whether or not its because they are frightened of you, or another chin in the cage. Building trust with your chin and making sure cage mates get along will help prevent this. For the most part, you will not see the spot where fur has slipped, but occasionally a big enough patch is lost to be noticeable.

Anytime that you see a bald spot on your chin, make sure you check it for fungus or any other type of irritation. Most times it will be a harmless fur slip, but its always a good idea to inspect instead of assume.