Meet Otto – The Newest Manor Misfit

*cough* It’s all Roman and Jane’s fault. No really, it is. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

At the Southern Show yesterday Roman and Jane were picking up 4 chins which Graziella apparently had dumped on her doorstep (along with 5 others) some weeks ago. In my capacity as “Oooh! Chinchillas with stories, I must go see” nosy person I wandered over to look at the little chinnies. Oh they are very sweet, all 4 of them but Graziella picked up one particular slightly dopey looking male standard who just sat in her hands. That was it, I held out my hands, had a soppy chin deposited gently in them, and was instantly smitten.

Roman just looked at me and smiled, as did Jane – clearly they both knew what I was going to say (am I that transparent?! – when I volunteered to take him home with me – he has bumblefoot and something wrong with his back legs (possible arthritis? – a bit like Gregg) and he is so docile that he will probably go in with Gregg as they are both gentle and very laid back. He’ll fit in with the other Manor Misfits very well

So, currently Otto (long story behind his name but Talie and I were discussing possible names all the way home in the car is in a temporary cage in my bedroom so that he is quarantined, monitored, and generally spoiled before I try and introduce him to Gregg in a few weeks time.

Here is the little fella

You can see he hunkers down and throws his weight onto his front – this will be to relieve the weight from his back legs

Otto Hunkered Down

He even puts his bottom into the corner of the cage so he can balance – Gregg also does this so they can balance.

Otto Sitting Up

His front feet are well muscled and “thick” as in spread out because he throws his weight forward.

Otto

Yes, yes, I know – I’m a sucker for a soft chin and a sob story – I can’t help it.