My chinchilla keeps trying to get out of his cage?

So I've heard a good way to pick up your chinchilla and getting him to trust you is to put your hand in the cage and slowly lift him then hold him, my problem isn't that he gets scared when I lift my hand, every time I open his cage door he tries to jump out of his cage I left a crack opened for my hand to make sure he wouldn't get out so when he sat on my hand I slowly lifted him up and when I opened the cage door more it scared him, anyone have any suggestions??

Are these treats safe for my chinchilla?

I bought a bag of treats for my chinchillas and was wondering if everything that is in it is safe for them. I bought it from petco and the brand name is Brown's, the product's name on Petco is, "Brown's Tropical Carnival Fruit & Nut Small Animal Treats", the package also says, " Irresistible Treat for Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Chinchillas, Hamsters, Gerbils, Mice, and Rats!"
The ingredients are:
Raisins,Dried Pineapple, Dried Papaya, Dried Banana, Peanuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Corn, Dried Apricot, Dried Mango, Dried Carrot, Almonds, Dried Apple, Dried Coconut, Dried Sweet Potato, Dried Kiwi, Dried Strawberry, and Sulfur Dioxide

I was alarmed by the last ingredient which is Sulfur Dioxide but when i searched it up a website said it was used as a preservative for dried apricots and other fruits.

Also I know that treats should not be given on the daily and should only be given in small amounts.
Thanks in advance :)

Checklist for letting my neighbor take over while I'm on vacation

Hi,

I'm letting my next door neighbor watch my chinchillas while I'm gone for 5 days. She's met the chinchillas a couple of times before. She has had guinea pigs before, so I think the basic concept of daily care is similar. I made a checklist for her, and I'm just wondering if I've missed or need to correct anything.

Morning:
Check food bowls. Dump out pellet bits or dried hay if needed, and refill.
Refill pellets to 1/3 of bowl, and 1 handful of hay.

Night:
Check food bowls. Dump out pellet bits or dried hay if needed, and refill.
Refill pellets to 1/3 of bowl, and 1 handful of hay.

Daily:
Let out to play for 45 minutes to an hour. (You can let them out multiple times a day. They're most active during dawn and dusk, that's the best time to let them out, but any time works.)(Bathroom is a good spot for playtime)
Change and fill water bowl
Sweep the poop off the ledges, into the pan.
Rearrange toys and house

(To bring them back in their cage, you can open the door and see if any jump in. If not, wear the striped gloves and scoop them up into the cage.)

Every 3 days:
Place 1 spoonful of dust in bath house.


They may bark. It's ok, and part of their way of communication. http://ift.tt/2wTXeog

Chin proofing: Take away anything you don't want chewed on. Place cardboard against the walls. Make all wires out of reach.

Heat: If room temp is above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, place chilled stone slabs on the cages ledges. If a chinchilla is lying down on it's side or stomach and/or it's ears are pinkish red, place it in the fridge or freezer for at least 7 seconds, up to a few minutes.

Humidity: Should be kept at 40-45 degrees.

Water: No water baths please! If a small part of a chinchilla gets wet, rub it dry with a cloth. If a big part gets wet, rub dry then blow dry with a hairdryer set on cool.



She also has 4 dogs... is there anything I should worry about that?

Food and Hay Holders Ideas?

Hi guys! I am looking for some ideas of hay and/or food holders for my one chinchilla, Tessa She had a ceramic 2-in-1 feeder that housed both her pellets and hay, but now its chipped in two laces and I don't want her to get sick from it. Any suggestions?

Is my chinchilla pregnant? Edited Version *With pictures this time*

Hi, so I was wondering if my chinchilla is pregnant. When I bought her I was told it was a he so I put "him" with one of my male chinchillas. Some weeks later
(I decided to wait weeks, until "he" got used to me) I decided to take "him" out of the cage to play and interact with "him" and I decided to check to make sure it was actually a male and when I checked it turned out to be a female!

So now a couple weeks later (maybe 1-2 months later) I've noticed that she is fatter and she has also bitten me once and has tried to bite me again a couple of times. She continues to be super active at night, she like to jump a lot in her cage. I have included three pictures of her, two are of her nipples (one picture is really blurry because she was moving). I've seen pictures of other pregnant chinchillas online and my chinchillas nipples don't seem as long but they do look very "fat". I would really like to hear all of your opinions based on the pictures that I have included. If she is pregnant I do have a cage that would be safe for the baby/babies. Thank you very much :)

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Litter trained. Yes!

So my 2 Chins both fosters that I had to keep. Well I got them a nice critter nation. I put a corner litter box in the cage made all the other corners have stuff. Well I am so happy to say they pee in the corner. I have fleece covering the rest of the cage. The litter box is the only place with wood chips. It works

I am so happy this set up is working. I love it! My chins love it. I never knew how easy it would be.

Is my chinchilla pregnant? Pictures included

Hi, so I was wondering if my chinchilla is pregnant. When I bought her I was told it was a he so I put "him" with one of my male chinchillas. Some weeks later
(I decided to wait weeks, until "he" got used to me) I decided to take "him" out of the cage to play and interact with "him" and I decided to check to make sure it was actually a male and when I checked it turned out to be a female!

So now a couple weeks later (maybe 1-2 months later) I've noticed that she is fatter and she has also bitten me once and has tried to bite me again a couple of times. She continues to be super active at night, she like to jump a lot in her cage. I have included three pictures of her, two are of her nipples (one picture is really blurry because she was moving). I've seen pictures of other pregnant chinchillas online and my chinchillas nipples don't seem as long but they do look very "fat". I would really like to hear all of your opinions based on the pictures that I have included. If she is pregnant I do have a cage that would be safe for the baby/babies. Thank you very much :)

Chinchilla cage??!! (Critter nation/ferret nation cage dupes) - Feisty ferret cage?

Hi guys! :wave:
I was wondering if there were any dupes for the Critter Nation or Ferret Nation cage available in Europe (there is no shipping for CN or FN to Serbia from United Kingdom on ebay, and on amazon the shipping is $1.000+).

Do you have any opinions on the Feisty Ferret cage? Is it suitable for two chinchillas? Is it hard to clean? Is the hole in the middle annoying? Is it noisy?

Thanks to who ever helps out :heart3:

-dupes - very similar to the original, but not the original.

Critter nation add on unit NJ

Hello! I am looking for a used critter nation add on unit. I am located in northern NJ, but would be willing to travel a bit to pick up (ex PA/NY)

Help! What is wrong with his ear?!

Ok so Oscar had started to get a little crusty after we used different dust emptied it out and changed everything.. - we clean the poo out every day and empty clean and new bedding 2-3 times a week- over the weekend Oscar somehow escaped and spend the night on our back deck. But now his ear is worse!! I had cut some of the dried crusty fur off under the ear. He's not favoring 1 side or constantly tilting to one side and it's not really red or anything it's just crusty and gross looking!! What can I put on this to clear it up??? And how do I get an URL for a picture?!

Need ideas for a DIY saucer. (And a question for a mesh? Wheel)

Hi,

I'm wondering if it's possible to DIY a saucer, and if so, what I should be buying.

I also saw this wheel http://ift.tt/2vbkV7H (latest post)... And was curious if it would be safe for the chins if i used some sheet metal or something and lay it in the wheel.

Problem with a female Chin and digging

We recently got two female chinchillas that are both just over a year old from a breeder. They both get on fine, but the elder of the two constantly turfs out all the food from the dish they share. We feed them pellets so there seems to be no incentive for her to be doing this. We have tried moving the dish to a different location, giving less food in the bowl and nothing seems to be working. Do you have any ideas as to what might be causing this? And if there is anything we can do to discourage his behaviour coming from her?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Chin in bad conditions - what to do?

Hi
I recently visited a place called Cannon Hall Farm in Leeds (UK) and witnessed that they have a chinchilla living in a cage outdoors - that also has no shelves or ledges!
Is there anything that can be done to help the poor guy/girl? Can I report a farm for just one animal? I dont want to go over the top but I also don't want a chinnie suffering. I've added pics below.

Thanks


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When is it time to say goodbye?

My little guy is 14-15 I'm not sure exactly though. For the last couple of years we had to go in about every 8 months for a teeth trim but now we have hit the 2-3 month mark. How much longer should i go before i say its time and let him go peacefully, the vet I go to is only in it for the money and he is the only vet around who will do the teeth trim.

Self Mutilation or Bite Wound?

I have two chinchillas, a male and a female. They have been bonded for nearly a year now and have not had any problems up until this point.

Bea is my female, she is about 3 years old. Poro is my male, and he is 2.5 years old. Bea is the dominant of the two, they live in a double critter nation.

I had a friend stay with me for about 2 weeks, and she interacted with Poro a lot, not so much Bea because she does not like new things or new people. Bea has been a fur chewer ever since I got her. She does it over weird noises, when you turn off the fan, when you move the cage an inch to the left... So, I would not be surprised if she chewed her fur because of my friend's presence. However, this is significantly different. She has a large scab/wound on her hip, where she usually would chew at her fur.

It is not swollen, red, pussing, or anything of that nature. I have been cleaning it with saline and applying Lamisil just to be safe, but I do not think it's fungal since her fur is intact around her eyes, ears, and nose/mouth. She had a stand off with Poro this morning for the first time ever, over some hay. They stood on their hind legs and chased each other, but there was not any biting. Just some barking.
I have since separated them, but this has made Bea very restless and Poro very depressed (or so he looks). She is completely active, eating, drinking, pooping, peeing.

I would just like to have some opinions on if her wound looks like a fighting wound, or her just fur chewing/ripping/over grooming.

This is her wound: https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...dd&oe=59930AC8

Picking up 4 chinchillas safely in heat

Tomorrow I am going to be getting 4 chinchillas a mom, dad and two two-week old kits.

We would have preferred to meet them in the evening because our air conditioner isn't working but the people that we are buying them from can't meet in the evening.

They said it has to be late afternoon 1-3 it will be 79 degrees.

My question is how to I transfer them safely without them having a heat stroke?


Ideas on how to keep them cool and try to make it as pleasant for them as possible?


Thank you

Chin making unusual noise?

My chinchilla has been sick the few days. It started out with his eye becoming red and swollen so I took him to the vet who prescribed antibotics and also a fluid to help increase his appetite (she said he isn't gaining enough weight) and Kaytee critter care to help with the weight gain and to help him get more normal poops (they've been becoming smaller recently). He's been doing a lot better the last day or so but then today during playtime he hurt himself and scratched his face. It bled minimally and I read that I should just let it heal on it's own since it's small. But now he is making an odd noise almost like a deep bark when he breathes. He did this for about 5 minutes after I put him up and then stopped. He's asleep now so I don't know if he will continue making that sound, but I'm worried about why he's making it. Could it be a sign of illness or it is just another chin noise?

He pushed me.

I tried to rub my chinchilla on his chin because I have seen videos of others doing it and the chinchilla looks so happy. Well mine takes his little front paws and pushed my hand away. It is too funny.

Any others with chins that push you away? Almost like a little kid saying "stop pinching my cheeks." It is too cute. Wish I could get a video.

Looking for Top Show Quality Chin (Michigan)

Hey, everyone, I'm looking for a "top show quality" standard gray Chin male or female. I have been looking into breeders near me (Michigan) chinchillas.com but I would love some first-hand recommendations for breeders (preferably in Michigan or the midwestern states) that have top show quality chins available.
I see there are a few MCBA and/or ECBC member breeders in Michigan, and would love any assistance in getting in contact.


New to the forum, thank you in advance, I look forward to hearing your responses!

Should I get a wheel?

I am going to keep 2 of the 40 rescue Chins I am finding homes for. There were all in a breeding herd. They did not live as pets. So they have never had a wheel. I would like to get one but I am not sure they would use it. These are older chins. Would it be worth it to get them a wheel and if so what kind?

30 Chins need a home.

Hi I am new here. I came here to help find homes for rescue chinchillas.

Our Aunt was a chinchilla and horse breeder. At one point she had 100 Chins. Before she passed away I offered to find the chins home. They said it was too soon. I was mad because I knew these animals were going to suffer as soon as she passed. Well She lost her fight with cancer oct 2016. The poor chins have been neglected ever since. They have not had a bath or clean cages in forever. SO I took 18 home with me. I have placed all but my 2 favorites.

I still have 30 that need homes I do not know the age or health of the rest. 2 of the 18 I got had to be put down due to malocclusion. I am doing this rescue mission with the help of my family only. I contacted my closest rescue and they ignored me. SO here I am with 30 sad Chins.

It is a shame. Our aunt knew everything about these animals. She knew how old they all were, who the parents were, if you bred this to that you get this. She loved these little animals. I know it would break her heart to see them now. Well The ones I got are doing well and are getting dust baths 3 times a week. I change the cages once a week. I cleaned the water bottles so they have clean water. I give them hay everyday they were not getting any now. Before they were just kept alive. I also go in and say hi to them everyday. I have been taking a few out in the bathroom for some explore time (something they never had before.)

Most are pretty tame some get spooked easy. I have gotten really good at sexing them now. So if you know anyone that can help let me know. I can only take 15 chins at a time.

I live in South Lake Tahoe, CA They are coming from a ranch outside of Sac, CA.

This is the one I am keeping.

Alfalfa after a year old

Hello, our two chinchillas both turned a year old recently. We've been feeding them timothy hay with Mazuri pellets. We would now and then give them some loose alfalfa hay along with the timothy, and we would put a couple alfalfa cubes in, replacing them once they were all eaten (usually a few a week, sometimes less depending on how quickly they ate them).

I sometimes think I maybe played it "too safe" with the alfalfa because of the stories of chinchillas getting stones. I was reluctant to give them TOO much, but maybe I should have given them more, seeing as the more I read about it, the more it seems that chins getting stones can be pretty rare. Our boys have grown, but maybe aren't quite as big as some chins I see, I hope that's not because I was somewhat conservative with alfalfa. I did read somewhere that non-standard colors actually take longer to grow, like up to 18 months? Is this true? Our boys are black velvet and medium ebony.

My main question is, should I continue with this amount of alfalfa (now and then some loose hay, and a couple to a few cubes a week)? Or should I ease off?

Shrimpie

Today marks one month (I wanted to write this sooner, but I had hoped to let her breeder know privately before posting it here) since my sweet baby girl, Shrimpie, succumbed to worsening congestive heart failure. Shrimpie was born with a severe murmur, and was originally predicted to only live two years, but with proper medical management and a lot of love, she almost doubled that! I miss her like crazy, but am so thankful for all of the extra time we had together.



Shrimpie was always my little cheerer-upper. As I was mourning the unexpected loss of my young boy chin, Alfie, a breeder offered me a dwarf "male" that had been born into her herd. This little "boy" had been handfed, was a fraction of the size of "his" brother, and could not run or jump properly. It almost felt as if this little chin had been sent my way to take my mind off of my loss and cheer me up, so of course I accepted. I had no idea how much cheer this little chin would bring.

Just hours after arriving at my house, "Shrimp" learned to popcorn. A week or so later, the vet discovered that my "Shrimp" was actually a Shrimpie, and that she had a significant heart murmur. At that point, I vowed to give her the best possible life I could for however long we had together. In the following months, Shrimpie learned to run, use a wheel, and balance on cage shelves. It was such a joy to watch her blossom into a real chinchilla!

Shrimpie was always a baby and a drama queen. She squeaked and whined like a baby her entire life. If there was ever a mouse in the house, she would shreik and shreik. Having been handfed as a baby, she willingly took to a syringe and was the easiest chin ever to medicate. After one very brief incident, she held a lifelong grudge against her water bottle and insisted upon being syringe watered for the rest of her life. She was most certainly a high-maintenance pet, but her adorable demanding ways never failed to bring smiles through many tough times.

Despite, her heart condition, Shrimpie enjoyed a typical chin's life for almost all of her days. During playtime, I was her favorite toy. She loved to balance on the top of my head. She loved to burrow under blankets and fall asleep next to me. As her condition worsened, she sometimes slowed down, but a quick trip to the vet for a medication adjustment always brought her back to her playful self.

On our final trip to the vet, he maxed out her medications, which again brought her back to herself. She was doing well enough that I was comfortable going out of town for the holiday weekend. The day I was coming home, my mom told me that Shrimpie seemed very weak. I hoped and prayed that she would hang in there until I made it home. At each layover, I called Shrimpie, and my mom said she perked up at the sound of my voice. When I finally got home, Shrimpie mustered up every bit of strength and energy she had, and flew out of her cage into my arms. What a welcome!! We had one final playtime, where she somehow managed to jump up on my back, and as I was cuddling her to put her back in her cage, she took her last breath in my arms.

Shrimpie was my only remaining chinchilla. I am chinchilla-less for the first time in 13 years. I miss her like crazy, but I am so glad I was chosen to be her mom.

Love you forever, baby girl!

Chin Behavior - Should I Worry?

I've had my chin for about a week. I got him from a pet store (I know, groan, but there weren't any adoptable in my state that I could find). He seems pretty happy, running in his wheel and climbing into my hands any time I open the cage, but he just started pushing himself against his cage corner, standing against the bars with his head pushing through them, and just sits there. There's nothing by that side of the cage, and it's not like there's anything on the other end that he'd be running from. He doesn't chew on the bars. Is this a sign of a health issue?

Flaky bald spot on Chinchilla tail?

A few days ago I noticed a bald spot on my chinchilla's (Taro's) tail. The spot is near her butt and it seems to be flaky on the borders of the spot. No redness or cuts. The base of the bald spot seemed to be covered with a layer of her skin (white color) with a bit of pink as well.
-------
I waited a few days to see whether or not she was just chewing her fur or it was something else.
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I checked her tail today again, the bald spot has spread a bit (From a dime to a nickel size). It is still flaky on its borders and the bald spot is a bit pink/white. I noticed a few hairs grew in the middle of her bald spot, but the spot did get bigger.

What is the cause? What can I do to help her? How can I prevent it in the future?

Attached are some pictures for reference as well as a link to a video of her tail.

http://ift.tt/2vx4vcS

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Used Critter Nation Metal Pans

Hi

I am selling my used critter nation metal replacement pans. I got a new custom cage for my chins so I have no need for them. The bottom pan measure 34.5 x 22.5 x 2.5 and top pan measure 34.5 x 22.5 x 2.5 with a cut for the ramp. They are galvanized steel.

I am asking for $30 and prefer local pickup unless you want to pay for shipping then I can ship them to you. I am in North Jersey. Thanks

http://ift.tt/2hrSj7D

http://ift.tt/2hswmpd