Need a Hide for 2 chinchillas

Hey all, I have 2 single huts but am wanting one that can fit both in case they want to sleep together. Can someone recommend one?

Behaviour during playtime

Recently my chin has started getting very ’argumentative’ during playtime. Playtime hasn’t changed for a long time but she’s been getting quick to anger when she doesn’t get her way. Something as simple as stopping her from chewing on my pants or picking her up to put her away has been leading to angry outbursts and spraying urine. What should I do?

My Apollo seems unhappy and antisocial

Greetings fellow chin owners,
On March 28th, 2020, I brought home 2 male chins, Apollo ( Black Velvet )and Damien ( poor boy didn't have a name when I got him, Ebony and Ivory Mosaic ). I had been researching chinchillas for months before I committed to them and after much debate, especially during COV-19, I decided to go get them anyways. They didn't have the best living environment, no fleece, no toys, or proper food requirements. Apollo was 8 months and Damien was 4 months. They have...

My Apollo seems unhappy and antisocial

Nutrition Critical Care

Is it beneficial to give critical care to a chinchilla once in a while for a nutritional boost?

Please help: opinions on xray

Dear all,

Our 10-year old chinchilla had dental filings done a few months ago. I'd noticed her wiping her mouth and there was discharge from one eye. As far as I could tell, she was still eating normally. The vet said she has weird teeth on one side (he compared it to a 'moon landscape'). The other side was normal, she probably uses that side to eat. There was also a (small) spur, so he did the filings and tried to get the shape of the teeth as normal as possible. We had xrays done and...

Please help: opinions on xray

New oxbow Critical Care Formula Issues

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone knew of alternatives to the oxbow critical care? I have fed this to my chinchillas for years when they are sick and have had no issues with it. I purchased some new packs and found oxbow has created a new formula. As it was new I wanted to check that my chins would take it when/if the time comes I would need to feed them with it. My chinchillas absolutely hate it and won’t go near it. They smell it and run as far away as possible. I’ve tried mixing...

New oxbow Critical Care Formula Issues

Random Urination

Hey! The chinch randomly urinates during play time there appears to be no rhyme or reason. She is potty trained and will go in to use her potty when she is romping outside her cage during playtime. She went through a stretch where she was peeing on the couch after playing fo a little bit. We pick her up gently and say” no that’s bad”. Should we scold her differently ? I read some people put their animals nose in it and say Bad! Is that a good strategy ? She hasn’t peed outside in months...

Random Urination

Can chinchillas be clicker trained?

If chinchillas can be clicker trained how would you do it? Would you train them like you would a dog or do it differently?

Looking For a chinchilla in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick

Hey, so I really have my heart set on getting a chinchilla but it seems to be nearly impossible to find one for sale in my province or the nearby ones. I tried replying to a few ads i saw on google for Nova Scotia but they were all really old ads that never got taken down and didnt have a post date so thats been a bit discouraging. So I was wondering if anybody knew of or had a chinchilla for sale or a breeder that would be in either Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. If they come with a cage and...

Looking For a chinchilla in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick

Playpen Ideas

What should I put in a playpen? I know I could use chew toys. What else could I use to make it fun for Sage?

Sick Chinchilla?

Hi there!

I have a 2 year old chinny who’s been showing some concerning characteristics. When he breathes you can hear every in and out breath and seems like his chest is expanding more than normal. He sounds really clogged up in his nose and often when playing he takes little breaks to catch his breath. It sounds just like he has a cold and it’s been this way for weeks now. The only thing is he’s still eating like normal and plays just as hard as normal. He does however sometimes go out to...

Sick Chinchilla?

Please please help me!!! I don't know what else to do.

I have already posted on the forum regarding this.
Long story short I got two chinchillas in poor condition and covered in ringworm. Disney passed away and left his brother walt with us.
Walt will be 8 months old the end of the week and in that time he's had ringworm for about 6 of those months.
He was prescribed an oral liquid medication twice for 28 days each time and we have given him sand baths with tinactin powder in them every other day.
Vet did prescribe a thing to wash him with...

Please please help me!!! I don't know what else to do.

Is Oxbow Bad For Chins?

I just read a post of NELA Chinchilla Rescue's facebook page that say's that Oxbow is dangerous for chins because they use cane molasses. I have no idea what to do since everybody else has told me that Oxbow is the way to go and the only pellets I have fed my chin is Oxbow Essentials. I'm so wound up. Please tell me whether I should switch food or not.

❗️❗️❗️ PLEASE HELP! Chinchilla lethargic after overheating ❗️❗️❗️

PLEASE HELP! Chinchilla lethargic after overheating

Last night I was cleaning the chinchillas' cage, as I'm going out of town today. One of my chinchillas was overheating, she was lethargic/unresponsive and warm to the touch. In my panic I put her up to an ice pack, which I now remember is a big no-no. She seems to be recovering well, but is still lethargic. She's been eating and her temp is down, but I don't know why she is still acting off. Can I get any help? I haven't seen...

PLEASE HELP! Chinchilla lethargic after overheating

Arthritis in Chin leg?

TLDR: Chin probably has arthritis, how do you go about alleviating the symptoms?

Hi, I’ve posted before regarding this particular chin of mine, but I would love it if anyone can give me more tips and pointers.
I previously wrote about how Mimi chewed her left inner thigh open. I had finally gotten her to stop, helped her get over GI stasis (that was scary!) and was getting ready to reintroduce her to her cagemate, when she started CHEWING AGAIN. It’s been a good, 3-4 months since she...

Arthritis in Chin leg?

Patchy/Itchy Chin

Hi everyone, I hope all is well. Does anyone have any experience or expertise on itchy chins resulting in patchy fur? My 3 year old boy has been scratching a lot lately, in a mood (nipping at hands, easily frustrated, and stand off-is) and has had a change in his fur on his right arm and right leg. He is a standard grey with a white tummy and now has a patchy grey right leg and a slightly bare upper right arm. I can't figure out why he keeps doing this. I've been monitoring the temperature...

Patchy/Itchy Chin

Chinchilla for sale near Bradenton Florida

Hello! I’m looking to rehome my one year old black velvet male chinchilla. Looking to sell him, all supplies, toys, and cage for around $250 OBO. I found out I’m really allergic to Timothy hay and that is why I am looking for a new forever home for him.

Chinchilla Wheel

Chinchilla wheel for sale in Burbank/Los Angeles, CA area!

Fatty Lump

My chin Ernie has developed a fatty lump under his forearm that is getting quite large. He can still maneuver pretty good but I'm worried that it may start to impede his movements. He's an older chin at 12 years. Anyone else have this issue with your chin? Any suggestions?

The Ferret Nation Club

We can all post our FN's here, to give people ideas on how to set up the interiors!!
Here's my Rodent Room:

Both cages are laid out basically the same, here's the top:

and bottom:

So, what did you do with YOUR Ferret Nation?

Chinchilla has fleas

I brought my chin with me to my parent’s house for a few days and she ended up getting fleas, is there anything I can do for her to get rid of them? My parents have some high quality flea drops for cats(not the cheap stuff from Walmart) and suggested putting just one drop on the back of her head, would this be safe?

Chin eating habits

Hi! So, my chinchilla, Boots, has been eating a lot faster than normal. I give her around 1.5 tablespoons of her pellets at 8:00 pm every night (the time she plays out of her cage), and by 1 pm the next day, they're all gone! I don't fill the bowl when it's empty, though, to prevent her from overeating. she normally leaves some pellets in her bowl, but now it's completely empty. She has a fresh and constant supply of hay and water, as well as a lot of play time (3.5-5.5 hrs), so I'm not sure...

Chin eating habits

General Grooming and Knots

Hello, my chin gets regular dust baths and I change her bedding every day but over the years she does have some knots in her fur on her hind quarters. She's around 16 y.o. The knots don't seem to ever grow out but I also don't think they are causing discomfort. But Chinchillas don't talk so of course I am not sure.

What do you guys do to react to fur knots? Do you have a secret to working them out, I have tried gently pulling but they pull her skin so I worry it might tear and cause...

General Grooming and Knots

Making new shelves for cage: help!

Hey guys! Today we got our first ferret nation cage for our chins. It was pre-owned by my niece and we got it for free from her. We cleaned it three times thoroughly, and then started construction on it to make it "chin-safe" and "chin-proof" because my chins are EXTREMELY good at escaping
I have one homemade shelf and a set of 4 homemade climbing pegs, and one of the original ferret nation plastic shelves (that we're going to cover in anti-pill fleece.
We made a false bottom out of wood...

Making new shelves for cage: help!

Can I use this?

I found this paw butter in the shops and I was wondering if I could use it as a moisturiser for my chins feet? I can only get bag balm online, which is fine but I was just wondering if this could be another option. It has no antiseptic properties so I wouldn’t use it on bleeding feet etc but as a moisturiser...
It does have a scent but it is not too strong (sort of oatmealy scent, the chins seem to like it!)
It doesn’t specify what animal it’s for but looking online people mainly use it for...

Can I use this?

Boxes

My husband wants to build a hay box for me is there some kind of glue that safe or do people usually just use screws?

Hairball?

We have 3 chinchillas and one of them maybe is chewing fur (although we haven't seen this, and my son spends time with them every day) because for the second time in about a month he has found what he first thought might be a hairball (?) in the cage. This seems really big to me, considering the size of their poop. They all act normal and healthy. Could this be a miscarried early kit?

Are Mahogany Wood/Pods chin safe?

I saw these toys on Etsy: Short Stack Poly Rope Bird Toy Palm Coins Mahogany Chunks | Etsy

and am wondering if they're Chin safe? The seller says they are and people have bought them for their chins in the review section, but I rarely see Mahogany listed as a chin safe wood. I've seen Cherry Mahogany listed as unsafe.

Shedding for a few months, is that normal?

My chin Mr. B started shedding a few months ago with the visible U-shaped hairline on his back, and even a few tufts on the ears etc. It's been a few months and he still has little fur tufts on his butt/rump area. I read that shedding can take a few months or even just a few weeks, but I feel like it's been a long time?

He seems healthy/happy otherwise, doesn't seem stressed, eats regularly, and I give him a few dust baths a week. Is it normal for chins to shed for that long?

Chin Post Tooth Extraction - Grinding Teeth

Hey, all. I noticed a change in the smell of my chin's breath and the size of his stool. I took him to the vet ASAP and she anesthetized him to get a good look at his teeth. One of his teeth had broken and the fragments were poking his cheek. She pulled the fragmented tooth and ground down the spurs that had grown because of it. It has been 1 week and he is doing SO much better. He started eating again on his own the day after the extraction. Vet prescribed Metacam for 7 days and antibiotic...

Chin Post Tooth Extraction - Grinding Teeth

How many pets do you have?

Some people believe there is no such thing as a person with too many pets...only a person who can not care for all of the pets they have.

I (meaning my full support) have 5 chinchillas and a dwarf hamster.
I am also fostering 3 chinchillas (2 of which may be leaving very soon) and a rabbit. (recovering from spay)

My parents have 3 dogs. All are, and I hate to say it, very old. The oldest being 13-14 with severe cushings that they are trying to maintain.

Now there is a dog at the shelter I...

How many pets do you have?

My Chinchilla Ellie

Ellie will be 1 later this month.

she is my first chin and she’s so incredibly sweet and smart.

Would you buy a chinchilla you knew was a fur chewer

I have heard chewing isn’t detrimental and they can regrow their hair and live a healthy active life.

Has anyone ever bought home a chewer before and how’d it turn out?

Weight loss? I'm stumped

Hi everyone, I was wondering if any of you have ever encountered a situation like this and if you have any guidance for me. I'm sorry this is a bit long.

I have a 9 yr old female chin named Echo. She was a bit sick a few months ago. She first went in to see the vet on 5/15 because she wasn't pooping. They did tell me she was having some digestive distress - a small bubble - and gave me some meds and some just in case critical care. At the time Echo weighed 716g. The vet also...

Weight loss? I'm stumped

Pellets + Hay vs. Pellets only

Is a Good high quality pellet Alone like Modesto Millings good enough For a chin to live on or must you add timothy hay, too?

Hello new Chin owner

Hello from Florida! I love dogs especially of the short snout variety ie boxers, bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers.. I have owned hamsters and gerbils ages ago, I recently took an interest in chinchillas, I did my research I bought my girl chin a week ago. I look forwArd to learning and sharing her on here with you all.

Chin safe air fresheners

Hi so I need to find a chinchilla safe way to get rid of odor in the room she is housed in. Ik candles and air fresheners are terrible for their respiratory systems. Ik chins aren't really smelly animals but their are others animals in the same room that can cause an odor. I keep my window open as it starts to cool down so my room does get aired out and stays nice and cool but there is still a lingering smell from the others pets in the house. Is there a chin safe air freshener I can use or...

Chin safe air fresheners

Chin not acting like himself :(

Hello, this is my first time posting here so I’m not really sure how it works here but I think I would need some help with one of my chins (Ray) because I noticed he started behaving strangely (?) and it’s starting to worry me.

I don’t know how much information I should provide but..Me and my sister have two chins, brothers, both around 2 years old. They used to get along just fine, they cuddled and played together although sometimes they got a bit aggressive and fought but trimming their...

Chin not acting like himself

Chinchilla not eating

My chinchilla Xan is about 2 or 3 years old. He has no prior problems or anything. I've noticed he either does not eat or barely eats. He has lost weight but he was a tank so he is not skinny but lost some chunkiness. He will eat oats and alfalfa hay all day if I let him. What is going on? Should I switch to a new food? I currently feed him oxbow chinchilla food, its just pellets for those who don't know, and occasional oats and cheerios but he was never that fond of the cheerios. He is...

Chinchilla not eating

Regaining trust

Any advice on how to regain my little boys trust after having to force feed him and give him medicine. Before all of this he loved being pet but now every time I open his cage he hides in his bed and bites me. We are currently still having to give him critical care via syringe and it's heartbreaking when I have to get him out of his cage. Is he going to hate me forever or are chinchillas pretty forgiving once they start feeling better?

Needed to separate bonded pair- worried about Depression

Hello!
My three year old bonded pair of males needs to be deprecated. The larger male named Spock has started to violently attack our other chinchilla Kirk . It was so bad that Kirk managed up escape the cage. I have no idea how. Nothing was open. I’m worried he literally shoved himself between the bars to escape.
Anyway, Kirk has always been super affectionate with his brother. I’m worried that since I need to now separate them, Kirk will be lonely and acquire depression. Should I get and...

Needed to separate bonded pair- worried about Depression

Chin ate a thin, metal wire, help!

So, I have these fairy lights with very thin, metal wires connecting the lights. Well, I let my chin out to play (always under my guidance) and had to step out for a minute. I always ‘chinchilla proof’ my room, so she can’t get anything harmful. This time, however, the lights fell while I was gone, and she began chewing away. They weren’t on, in fact, they don’t really even work. But she ate the very thin, metal wire, and a good portion of it (maybe an inch and a half), too!! I genuinely...

Chin ate a thin, metal wire, help!