Scrubbing, Baking and Boiling

I've seen on here where people harvest their own chin safe wood and boil, scrub and bake it, to make it chin safe. What do you use to scrub it? how long should you boil it and how long do you bake it for?

I have some people around me that have pecan trees and I was wanting to make some toys out of the pruned branches for my chin, along with some other wild fruit trees we have around. Also, I know that fruit trees that bear fruit with pits in them ( peaches, etc ) are poisonous to chins...

Scrubbing, Baking and Boiling

Chinchilla not eating new food

So my chin, Boots, doesn't like her new food. It's the exact same kind I always get (Oxbow essentials), but for some reason she hates the new bag I bought. I first bought a new bag because the old one was running low, but she refused to eat it. So I kept giving her the old food mixed with the new one but she would just pick/throw out the pellets she didn't want. It's been about a month and now I'm out of the old bag. I thought maybe the new bag I bought was faulty or something, so I bought...

Chinchilla not eating new food

Hedgehog on Norfolk, va craigslist

I wasn't sure where to post this. There is an add on the Norfolk virginia craigslist for a free hedgehog with all its things. I just though if someone who has hedgies is near there they could get it. Owner doesn't even know if it is a boy or girl.

Identifying two chinchillas

Hi! We just picked up a pair of related chinchillas (3mo) and would like to confirm their sexes!
The buyer thought they were both female, but upon looking, we believe they're different - given size differences, one trying to mount, and space differences in genitals.

Here is the first one:


And here is the second one:


Would appreciate help in this. Thanks!

Rehoming 2 male chins, bonded pair. Charleston SC

CHARLESTON, SC - Two sweet males, unsure of exact age. Took them in the avoid them going to a shelter but the time has come for them to find their permanent home. Was advised when they came to me that they were probably 3 and 4 respectively but I believe that the white one is probably older. Grey male (younger) is more of the wild child of the pair. The white male is much calmer and more timid, but sweet and will let you hold him for extended periods. Hoping to re-home to someone with chin...

Rehoming 2 male chins, bonded pair. Charleston SC

Antibiotic prescribed: first time

My chin Timmy was just diagnosed with crystals in his bladder. My vet prescribed .85ml antibiotic twice a day, and it looks like a HUGE amount, but he's never had meds before. I'm just asking if you may have given that much to any of your chins. I have nothing to compare it to. Thank you.

Hair matting

My chichilla is a rescue from an animal shelter. He is 4 to 5 years old and used to chew his fur quite a bit until I changed his diet from a harvest blend type food, to mainly Mazuri pellets and timothy hay. However, it now seems that he's developed several hair mats on his right haunch. He hates to be picked up and vibrates in fear when held. He will let me scratch all around his head, ears and chest, and down the middle of his back. I am wondering how I will be able to remove these mats...

Hair matting

Safest hay management options

Hi all! I have another question. Currently I use a ceramic dish to hold the hay, but it is not very effective at keeping the cage tidy.I have been looking at all the different hay feeder options, but I read how bad hay balls are because they could get their head stuck, and now I am terrified to buy any hay feeder my chinchilla could maybe possibly get his head stuck in. Does anyone have any opinions or suggestions? I have been looking at these two different options on Etsy...

Safest hay management options

Cat Herpes

Hello!
So my cat has cat herpes and since I have to keep my cat quarantined from the others, my chinchilla hasn't gotten a lot of out of cage time...

Does anyone know if chinchillas can catch cat herpes?
I don't want to continue making him stir crazy!

How to get chinchilla to playpen?

I am trying to bond with my chinchilla but he won’t let me pet him let alone pick him up. I know playtime is important but I can’t get him into the playpen unless I trap him in his dust bath. And even then I have only been able to do that once or twice a week. He has started getting more wary of the dust bath now though so I can’t take him out at all. I don’t know how to progress.
His cage is in my bedroom and I don’t think I can chin proof it so I can’t just open the door and let him...

How to get chinchilla to playpen?

Help! It’s been two months and I still can’t touch my chinchilla.

I really need advice from experienced owners. I got my chinchilla two months ago now and have made very little progress. He will eat treats from my hand and let me touch his nose but that’s about it. I’ve tried to take him out for playtime by trapping him in his dust bath and carrying him to his playpen but he is very skiddish and trapping him again to put him away is so difficult. And I certainly can’t pick him up because if I try I will have to chase him all over the place and he just gets...

Help! It’s been two months and I still can’t touch my chinchilla.

Hay-nger Strike

Wow, I'm so friggin funny. That title...

Anyway, my guy Pedro kinda stopped eating hay. He's been acting normal. He looks about as normal as he can get. I don't know what happened. I know hay is essential in their diet. Is there something that might have caused him to stop, and maybe a way to get him to start eating his hay again? Has anybody been through this before?

Anything you can suggest that might work, I'm willing to try, just so long as Pedro wouldn't be put in danger...

Hay-nger Strike