Hello!
This is my first post to the forum, though I've been a lurker here for quite some time. I'm generally just wanting opinions on the situation that I'm having with Chinfella's behavior.
I've had Chinfella for over 5 years. I have him in a Critter Nation cage for the entire 5 years (a double stack) with wooden ledges and fleece tubes. He is a single chinchilla because I'm too terrified to introduce anyone else because I will never forgive myself if I cause him any sort of trauma.
Chinfella has never had issues with fur chewing until the past two years. I've tried to move things around the cage every month (ledges, etc.) to try and mix things up so that he doesn't do it anymore. I purchase new toys (mostly from Petsmart because it's the most convenient) and mix them into his habitat. I've tried to limit his dust baths to every other day instead of daily, thinking that it was allergies or something.... Yet, we still have the chewing.
I will admit that I don't have enough time to let him out everyday, since getting him 5 years ago, my life has changed drastically--and I don't offer that as an excuse, just to level-set. I travel most days every week, so its very difficult to get him out of the cage. Not to mention, he's never been a "touchy-feely" chin, the owners that had him previously never handled him much, and he was a bit older when I got him. We're definitely comfortable with each other, but he's more 'I'll come to you, let you pet me and give me a treat, then leave me alone' so I let our relationship consist of that.
I'm not giving him up because I made a commitment, not to mention that it's extremely comforting knowing that he's gotten all of the food, water, and chew toys that he needs--and lord knows what could happen anywhere else.
He's a pretty chill dude, and he doesn't require much attention. I'm just concerned about the fur chewing. I'm not sure if it helps, but he's also barking frequently in his sleep (though I read once before it could just be a bad dream). I'm considering tossing the cage for a "Quality Cage" habitat in hopes that it will be new and exciting.
TL:DR (because who has time to read long threads?)
--> I've had my chinchilla for 5 years
-----> I've only had issues with the fur chewing / barking in his sleep the past 2 years
--> He was ~2 years old when I got him and wasn't handled much. He seems to like it that way, tbh, but I'm not the chinchilla whisperer. (He's like a grumpy old man since day 1.)
-----> We have a good relationship, he basically wants a short pet, treat, and then to be left alone and it's worked out for us
-----> And for me to never. EVER. try to pick him up "no-matter-what-dr.-phil-psycho-analysis-you-try-to-use-on-me"
--> The temp in my condo is ~69 degrees, if that's helpful.
--> We have 3 dogs, but I've put a baby-gate-thing around his cage in case that's what has been bothering him. Problems persist. (I also work from home when I'm not traveling--though not too often--so I have a decent understanding of the noise level, which is minimal.)
--> I'm not able to let him out too often because of that whole "traveling for business" thing I've got going for me.
--> Getting rid of him isn't a good option because I want to make sure he's still getting fed, watered, and toys (I can stomach not knowing what could happen to him). I'm pretty committed to sticking with the old grump because he's basically my spirit animal these days.
--> He lingers A LOT at the top of the cage, I'm not sure if that's useful
Questions:
1) Would getting rid of his old cage help the situation?
2) Does he have anxiety? How would I be able to test that? I've looked for the common things I've seen here on the forum (noise, heat, animals), and am not sure if there was anything I could have overlooked?
2B) Would switching up his cage make things worse?
3) I switch things up monthly-ish to try and combat the bored, but it's getting more difficult cause his tubby-but keeps breaking the bars on the Critter Nation.
4) I'm debating on taking him to the vet--the most logical option, I know--but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find a vet in the area that takes chinchillas. Not to mention that whole grumpy-old-man thing I mentioned earlier. (he seems overall healthy aside from the fur, sleep barking, and top-cage lingering)
Any ideas what I could do here? I think that the cage is the right way to go, and I'm pretty sold on it unless there's anything I should consider.
This is my first post to the forum, though I've been a lurker here for quite some time. I'm generally just wanting opinions on the situation that I'm having with Chinfella's behavior.
I've had Chinfella for over 5 years. I have him in a Critter Nation cage for the entire 5 years (a double stack) with wooden ledges and fleece tubes. He is a single chinchilla because I'm too terrified to introduce anyone else because I will never forgive myself if I cause him any sort of trauma.
Chinfella has never had issues with fur chewing until the past two years. I've tried to move things around the cage every month (ledges, etc.) to try and mix things up so that he doesn't do it anymore. I purchase new toys (mostly from Petsmart because it's the most convenient) and mix them into his habitat. I've tried to limit his dust baths to every other day instead of daily, thinking that it was allergies or something.... Yet, we still have the chewing.
I will admit that I don't have enough time to let him out everyday, since getting him 5 years ago, my life has changed drastically--and I don't offer that as an excuse, just to level-set. I travel most days every week, so its very difficult to get him out of the cage. Not to mention, he's never been a "touchy-feely" chin, the owners that had him previously never handled him much, and he was a bit older when I got him. We're definitely comfortable with each other, but he's more 'I'll come to you, let you pet me and give me a treat, then leave me alone' so I let our relationship consist of that.
I'm not giving him up because I made a commitment, not to mention that it's extremely comforting knowing that he's gotten all of the food, water, and chew toys that he needs--and lord knows what could happen anywhere else.
He's a pretty chill dude, and he doesn't require much attention. I'm just concerned about the fur chewing. I'm not sure if it helps, but he's also barking frequently in his sleep (though I read once before it could just be a bad dream). I'm considering tossing the cage for a "Quality Cage" habitat in hopes that it will be new and exciting.
TL:DR (because who has time to read long threads?)
--> I've had my chinchilla for 5 years
-----> I've only had issues with the fur chewing / barking in his sleep the past 2 years
--> He was ~2 years old when I got him and wasn't handled much. He seems to like it that way, tbh, but I'm not the chinchilla whisperer. (He's like a grumpy old man since day 1.)
-----> We have a good relationship, he basically wants a short pet, treat, and then to be left alone and it's worked out for us
-----> And for me to never. EVER. try to pick him up "no-matter-what-dr.-phil-psycho-analysis-you-try-to-use-on-me"
--> The temp in my condo is ~69 degrees, if that's helpful.
--> We have 3 dogs, but I've put a baby-gate-thing around his cage in case that's what has been bothering him. Problems persist. (I also work from home when I'm not traveling--though not too often--so I have a decent understanding of the noise level, which is minimal.)
--> I'm not able to let him out too often because of that whole "traveling for business" thing I've got going for me.
--> Getting rid of him isn't a good option because I want to make sure he's still getting fed, watered, and toys (I can stomach not knowing what could happen to him). I'm pretty committed to sticking with the old grump because he's basically my spirit animal these days.
--> He lingers A LOT at the top of the cage, I'm not sure if that's useful
Questions:
1) Would getting rid of his old cage help the situation?
2) Does he have anxiety? How would I be able to test that? I've looked for the common things I've seen here on the forum (noise, heat, animals), and am not sure if there was anything I could have overlooked?
2B) Would switching up his cage make things worse?
3) I switch things up monthly-ish to try and combat the bored, but it's getting more difficult cause his tubby-but keeps breaking the bars on the Critter Nation.
4) I'm debating on taking him to the vet--the most logical option, I know--but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find a vet in the area that takes chinchillas. Not to mention that whole grumpy-old-man thing I mentioned earlier. (he seems overall healthy aside from the fur, sleep barking, and top-cage lingering)
Any ideas what I could do here? I think that the cage is the right way to go, and I'm pretty sold on it unless there's anything I should consider.
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