Rehoming 3 chinchillas in Upstate NY

I am looking to find great homes for my chinchillas. My boyfriend was the primary caretaker since I had no time and when we broke up, he completely neglected them. I can now say I'm not doing much better. I really only feed them, and I am unable to give them the time and attention they desperately need. I am an over full time student and I work. On top of this, in a few months I have to move down the East coast and will be unable to keep them where I am moving (grandparents' house--they offered to let me keep them only in their non-a/c garage, in summer heat). Also, 14 hours in a car also without a/c? They wouldn't even make it there.

F is around 4, a mosaic chinchilla and is housed alone. He is great with people, but had proven twice that he should not be paired with another chinchilla.

Chubs is around 5, chubby and dark grey, and loves to chew. I have him alone just because he has a lot more energy than my other.

Patch is an unknown age, but I think he is around 5 also. He is white with a tan patch on his back, red eyes, and pink freckled ears. I rescued him from a woman who had no idea how to care for chinchillas properly. Hee is pretty calm.

They will all come with whatever food I have left for them at the time (currently a month's worth each) but I have an FN and am borrowing another cage from someone for F,

so I may not be able to supply a cage unless you take two together. I am located near Binghamton, NY. A small rehoming fee may apply, mostly to cover their food and gas if I travel. Please please someone help so I'm not forced to try craigslist or anything else!

Chin cried like a real baby???!!

I was just at home on my off day from the Uni. The house is quiet, just me and the chins. Loki's cage is across the gallery from me, and I have her room door shut during the day because my dad is sleeping and works nights.

I was sitting in my room, and I almost fell off of my bed - that's how much it scared me- when I heard what literally sounded like a human yelling "WAAH, WAAH, WAAH" three times for about 2 seconds each.

My first thought was that someone broke into my house from the window in her room, so naturally, I grabbed my hockey stick and ran over.

But when I flung the door open the poor thing jumped so high she almost hit the roof of her cage. She was just sitting in the corner, and I think I may have woken her up...

I looked her over, let her out of the cage, she ran around, popcorned, wall surfed, and ate a raisin. She seems totally fine.

So what on earth was that noise? It sounded like a person! I've never heard it before! But she wasn't hurt? She's galloping on her wheel and doing laps around the cage as we speak...

Hello from Ohio

hi everybody...just wanted to take a minute and say hey and introduce myself. I wish I had cute pics to post of my fur baby - but we are in the process of getting a new chin. I have had a chin in the past - Claire - but she passed a little over a year ago from pyometria. So in the meantime I am planning a new cage set up and getting all the info I can to make sure we get a healthy happy chin. thanks for letting me join the forum. and I LOVE seeing all the pics and getting all the great info!!

New Chin... water on fur and chewing cords

I have literally every cord covered but the little one got into it and nibbled at it. Didnt go thru it or anything and was not plugged in. Since shes new i dont know her normal eating habbits but im wondering if she'll die from it?



There seems like a drop of water somehow got on her forehead that dried. I dont know for sure. I hooe not. Will a drop of water cause her fur to rot?



I just dont know how to tell if shes ill or healthy I've had her two weeks and feel like a terrible owner. Makes me sad to think anything might happen to her

.:cry3:

Hiyya!

Hello there :) My name is Amy. I have owned a Chinchilla since June 2014 (He has to remain as an only chinchilla because he is Highly aggressive towards others, even his own brother who he was never split from who unfortunately didn't make it. This happened before I got him)

His name is Ryu, he is a Standard Grey colour. He is my first chinchilla (Yes, I did research prior to getting him)



Aside from him I have 2 Hamsters, a Jenday Conure, a Dog and a Green Cheek Conure will be landing come the End of April/May ^-^



I was told about this Forum by someone on a Chinchilla Group. ^-^



Thanks for having me!

Clear fluid from genital area

My chinchilla suddenly has clear fluid coming from her genital area. It is not odorous, or thick. It is not pee. It looks just like water. Her belly and bum are now wet from it. She seems to be examining her bits down there every so often but did not appear to be in distress. She was eating shortly after I first noticed it and now a bit more came out and she appears restless. It is 3 am where I am and a vet visit isn't possible at this time. Her movement is becoming irregular at times but she's continuing to eat hay and drink water. I'm very concerned and don't know what this is or if there is anything I can do until I'm able to take her to a vet.

Do you take apart your entire cage every time you travel?

Hi! I'm a college student and I live about and hour and a half away from home (not that bad i don't think) and i have a two story feisty ferret cage and I drive a honda civic. does anyone else have any experience with this situation? Are most people able to transport the cage without completely taking it apart?

Crusty Fur?

Hello chinchilla lovers,

I have had my grey chin, Bernard, for about 3 years now. He is a little skittish still, but he does let me handle him. I have recently noticed what I can only describe as crusty-looking fur on him. First, it was a small patch on his head, which I combed out without problem. And he loved it. This morning, I noticed a much larger patch on the back of his neck. I will comb this out tonight as well, but I'm just wondering why this is happening? It looks wet, but it's dry and crusty feeling when I touch it. He is behaving normally, and eating and drinking normally too. Thank you! :)

Plastic Base

Ok so right now i have a plastic base for my chins cage. That was the only one that had a solid base. Anyway the guy said it would be fine and that his chin doesn't even use the top level. So it'll be fine....



Well obvs he was wrong. I spent hundreds already my little Scrat i was wondering if i could build a new base for her cage instead of buying a new one and wasting $100. I mean I'll do it.... As like a last resort.



Anyone have any ideas?

Disinfecting wooden ledges to combat giardia

Hey ya'll. So, a few days ago I noticed soft/runny/irregular stools littered across the boys' cage shelves. I brought them into the vet the next day and it turns out that the youngest tested positive for Giardia. Both of my boys started their oral medication last night (they live with one another). It's a twice daily, 5 day treatment which I was told to repeat once more in three weeks. I've also been cleaning the cage daily to make sure they won't be reinfected, etc.



Anyway, I'm sure lots of you know what a pain it is when chin stools are irregular. They're smashed ALL over the wooden shelves and its so hard to get all of it off and this is obviously seriously problematic for several reasons. I've had to start wiping off their feet using a wet rag twice a day because the poops get seriously caked on (even after wiping off shelves and changing liners once a day) because I really don't want them to get bumblefoot as a result. They literally hate me right now but oh well, they'll get over it in time.



OK, so, what I'm really getting at here are some questions I have regarding sanitizing the wooden shelving. At this point I decided it would be wise just to temporarily remove all of the ledges in the cage with the exception of two necessary ledges so it's less of a hassle/overwhelming task to clean the shelves and cage daily.



I've sanded down the poop stains on the shelves I've temporarily removed, and am wondering if I should either A) bake them, or B) take a cotton ball saturated in rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and swab them? I'm actually completely clueless as to whether or not rubbing alcohol is ok to use on ledges, so I guess that's another question I have. If I were to wipe them down, they would have about a week of drying time before being put back into the cage.



In addition, I removed the chin spin a few days ago. Not really sure how to proceed with it, there are tiny little crusted-on poop marks all the way around it from before they began their medication and its seriously hard to get off. I think soaking it would help but I don't want to screw up the wheel itself? Anybody have any tips with how get those crusted-on spots off the wheel without damaging it? Also wondering about baking the wheel once all the poop is scrubbed off and if it's ok to do that.



Sorry this is long! Thanks guys!

Product Reviews!

- Three cheers for FuzziesKingdom Herbal Supplements! I bought Ollie the stress and anxiety remedy product and its wonderful! He loves it and I have definitely noticed a positive change in his behavior; much less skittish and welcoming to head scratches now!



- Boooo Kaytee "chewproof" glass water bottles! I bought the larger of the two glass bottles because I wanted to upgrade from the crummy plastic one Oliie's previous owners gave me. It's an $11 bottle and it doesn't work! I refilled it and adjusted the nozzle multiple times but it stops working after a few drops. I returned it and got my money back! But of course last night the naughty little boy Oliver chewed a hole in the plastic one. So i ran to petsmart and the only non plastic one they had were the darn Kaytee glass one's, I picked the small one this time and hoped for the best. IT STILL WOULD NOT WORK. I know I was thinking operator malfunction, but there aren't very many ways to screw up filling a water bottle! I kept tinkering with it and eventually I decided that even if I did get it working I wouldn't be able to trust it while I wasn't home. In my last efforts to get my baby a working water bottle I tried the nozzle that belonged to the plastic bottle and it fit and it works perfectly! Moral of the story: tread cautiously with these bottles.

My 2 new boys: Jack and Astro :)

I adopted these two half brothers on Feb. 16th from Humble Acres Chinchillas. They have the same dad. Astro is the ebony and Jack is the black velvet. Astro was born in July and Jack was born in August.

They're in a temporary small cage until they go into a quality cage mansion when I get my fleece for my first FN 182 for my other pair (Nibbler & Ramble). And I plan on ordering another FN 182 very soon to put these guys in (in case they ever don't get along in the future). They're very friendly and so adorable.



This makes 8 chins that we have now. But we plan on getting a 9th, a blue diamond male, from a breeder in about 2 months which will be our last chin (I say that now, but who knows... I said our last chin would be our 6th... LOL).



Please excuse the mess in their cage as they are messy boys and their cage only stays clean for a moment after it's cleaned. LOL

Columbus, Ohio Vet?

Does anyone know of a good chin vet in or close to Columbus, Ohio? My chins are all currently healthy, but would like to know of one in case something would happen.

Thanks!

Overly Feisty Chin

So, in Ruffle's playroom, there's a closet that I keep a variety of cleaning supplies. I learned very early on that the clearance underneath that door was high enough to accommodate her. I've taken to covering it with a variety of materials, but she's learned to pull all of them back to gain access to this mystery area behind the door. I'm doing my best to keep her out of it by placing my hand between her and the threshold when she tries to pull back the mat I have in place, but she's taken to biting my fingers. She's yet to draw blood, and I've yet to back down, so I'm sure she knows she can't get through despite coming close more than once. I've started to scoop her up and place her on the opposite side of the room when she starts biting my fingers, making sure to be gentle when scooping her up, and I always let her jump out of my hand of her own accord instead of just plopping her on the ground, but I'm worried I may accidentally hurt her if she struggles overmuch, and I imagine this can't be good for her stress level. So is there a way to condition a chinchilla to *not* do something?

chinchilla breeders

Im looking for a chinchilla breeder in or near arkansas plz help i really really want one but don't want to get one from petco or petsmart

Picking up two boys next week!

Hi! First post although Ive been on here quite a lot lately! Ive done my research for a few months now, and I happily placed a deposit on a light ebony and a dark ebony, both male kits a few weeks ago. Its now a week away from when I can finally bring them home and Ive been working hard on their new palace and I wanted to show it off and double check to make sure it looks completely safe!



I have a double ferret nation, all materials in the cage are either metal, fleece, pvc, or kiln dried pine. I am fully aware I need to watch for excessive chewing on the fleece and pvc. I will be using aspen chips for the litter pans, and I have provided two of everything. (water bottle, food dish, houses, etc.) The cage can easily be separated in case of any sort of conflict. I will be adding a 16" full metal wheel in the bottom right corner and lava ledges when they are over 6 months of age. Their cage is in a finished basement that never reaches over 70 degrees, but I still have full control over temperature and humidity. I also have chinchillers that are not placed in the cage yet.



The screws you see on the litter pans are countersunk, and cannot be reached with teeth. Also these chins were raised together so they are already bonded in case that was of concern.



I also have one question.



Should I provide two dust bath containers as well or will one be enough?

(I have a glass candy jar that I will be using)



Thanks!

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ACS Needs Trophy Sponsors!

From our chapter president:



We are pleased to announce that Chinchillas.Com has donated 34 top placing trophies for our show this year. This means that every section champion male and female chinchilla will walk away with a trophy!



In addition to this, we will still be doing the Bob Myers Breeder awards and trophies for the top 3 baby derby winners!



With that said, we are seeking trophy sponsors for the other trophies mentioned! The following Trophies are available!



Bob Myers Breeder Awards ($20 for 1st, $15 for all other Placing)

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

4th Place

5th Place



Baby Derby ($15 for each Placing)

1st Place – Mt. Zion Chins

2nd Place

3rd Place



This year we have set up a PayPal account and Chapter email! If you are interested in donating any trophy, please feel free to email us at AtlanticChapterMCBA@gmail.com and we will send you an invoice!



We will also be accepting credit card payments at the show for an additional 4% fee.

Pita has a new friend

We've been looking for a friend for Pita for a while now and I'm please to state that our hearts were completely captivated by this little guy... May I introduce everyone to Hummus.

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My daughter was extremely upset when she saw his picture on the small animal adoption page of our local shelter. He's 12 years old and she was worried that he'd not find a home so after contacting the shelter we set off to bring home the newest family member.



He was the oldest of 3 chinchillas that were an overflow from a rescue operation. Our shelter was asked to help out and house them. It was love at first sight.



Hummus has a spinal defect and his head is permanently turned to one side.

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but he doesn't let that slow him down too much.



I've never had a special needs chinchilla before and would love to get some advice from anyone who has. I'd also love your opinions on my cage design.



I'm building him his cage this week and I've decided that horizontal would be better than vertical. I'll still have ledges but they'll be much lower to the bottom of the cage than Pita's and perhaps wider too. Since we've notice he has trouble getting down ramps I'll build it low to the ground and the cage door will lift up instead of down so he can hop in and out instead of climbing.



As you can see he coat is a little rough but I'm sure with some good food and loving, we'll have him gleaming in no time.



Pita is very curious and cautious about our new arrival and has been making soft calls to him since he's arrived. I don't want to rush the introductions but, fingers crossed, we hope they become good friends.

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( Latest picture of Pita. I can't post without showing off the bad boy himself in all of his round, fuzzy glory. )

Sneezing and Constipated?

My 10 month old chinchilla has been sneezing for almost a week. His appetite has decrease and he is less active. he hasn't been pooping as much and today I noticed that his poops are smaller and rounder than normal. Besides this he outwardly appears fine. No discharge from eyes or nose, no lumps, no drooling. I have made a vet appointment but it isn't for two more days. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to help him?

One or Two, Old or Young?

Hi! I haven't posted on this forum in a while, and forgive me if this is the incorrect section to write this post in.



So, I am rescuing a chinchilla in a few months (so, so excited!) and I was curious. Should I get one, a pair, or a trio? I understand getting one would be easiest for a new owner, but obviously I would like what's best for the chin. I know chins would enjoy some company, as I am at school most of the day, so which would you prefer, single, pair or trio?



I would also like to ask about age. There are rescues from the ages of one year old to fifteen years old - which would be best for a new owner? Does it matter?



Thanks in advance for any replies :)

2015 ecbc national show

2015 ECBC National Show

62nd Standard Live Animal - 51st Mutation Live Animal

Registry Shows

10th Combined International Pelt Show



March 7 & 8, 2015



Eagles Hall

1936 E. Main St., Lancaster, Ohio

(closest airport, Columbus, Ohio)

Judges: Gene Adcock, Maxine Lynch, Tamara Tucker. Alt: Brenda Walters

Entry Fee: $7.00 (Empress members) $8.00 (non members)



Silent Auction: Entry of show animals in the silent auction is optional.

$100 minimum price. 10% of sales goes to Empress,

and includes all sales of animals from Friday 4 PM to 1 hour after the close of the Mutation show.

There will be a table for auction animals not entered in the show but available to bid on.



NEW FEATURE - Mutation Show Breeder Awards given for each color section.

Producer must show minimum of 5 animals or pelts in that color section.

The points from the top 5 scoring animals or top 3 pelts will be added.

The rancher with the highest score and a minimum of 27 points,

will win the breeder award in that color section.

1 Award to be given in each color section.

Entry/registration times - For 2015 National Show, the Friday Night entry deadline has been waived.

Animals or pelts may be entered up to 8:00 AM Saturday morning. Grooming concludes by 9:30 AM sharp.

Mutation Entries may be entered up to 8:00 AM Sunday morning. Grooming concludes at 9:00 AM sharp!

Awards Banquet – $25.00 Saturday evening, 7:00 PM, no host bar at 6:00 PM.

Color theme Blue & black.

Burgundy beef tips, roasted chicken in white wine sauce, tossed salad, mashed potatoes,

vegetable medley, rolls & butter, caramel bread pudding, caramel baked apples.

(Please reserve by 2/25/15)



Animal Drawing on Sunday – Animals donated by:

Casey Craner – white male,

Jim & Amanda Ritterspach,

Brit’s Chinchillas/ Ralph & Barbara Shoots



Door Prizes 50/50 Drawing

** SCHEDULE: Friday set up 11:00 PM

Saturday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM Registration - Grooming extended to 9:30AM

Pelt Show begins at 9:30 AM, standard animal show immediately following

Sunday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM grooming and registration - Show starts 9:30 **



Area Hotels

Hampton Inn - Lancaster, Ohio 43130 1-740-0654-2999 AAA rate - $116

Baymont Inn & Suites - 1721 River Valley Circle, Lancaster, OH 800-654-2477 AAA rate $84.90

Shaw's Restaurant & Inn Bed & Breakfast - 123 North Broad St, Lancaster, OH 740-654-5108



Hotels are approx 5 miles from show hall

Heat

I am beginning to believe my chinchilla may actually like the heat. Either that or maybe she has endometriosis (my other chin had to be spayed due to an emergency and the vet found that she had endometriosis) and the heat helps with her cramps. She liked to snuggle up to the cable box when the tv was on. That was before i moved out of my parents house and shared my bedroom with them. Now, they have their own room and i put my space heater outside the door while im sitting in their room, during playtime, and she likes to sit at the door right where the heat is coming through. I was just wondering if anyone else has a chin who likes hot stuff. Just curious if mine is the only odd ball.

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I need to stop going on CL this happens too often

I was on craigslist cause I'm thinking about purchasing another chin. And I saw this ad

http://ift.tt/1ByVGg1



Its living in an aquarium with tons of plastic items

New chin and worried

Hi I havent been on in a while but I just wanted to say recently I got a new chin introduced him to apollo and now they are living together. Unfortunately as soon as he moved in with apollo all our pellets went mouldy and I could not buy the same brand so I had to just switch without any mixing and I was told this could upset his stomach. Hes been eating and pooping normally though.

Also, we have a board behind the cage that the chins cant reach (or so we thought) I am not entirely sure what its made from but Im 90% it isnt chin safe (its like fake wood or something) Somehow Rocky (new chin) got to it and chewed/ate some of it (think he ate it) Hes acting normally but Im still worried. Should I take him to a vet or monitor him?

Unusual eyes

I had a baby mosaic born here that had a white circles where her pupils should be. I h ave never seen anything like it before. i have seen cataracts in chins but this is different. They are bright white with nice clean edges. I can't get a picture of it because she tends to keep her eyes shut. Does anyone have any ideas of what this could be? A little bit of added information, this baby was born with neurological damage. She is unable to walk and pulls herself along on one side. She also has strabismus.

Kits are the best workday surprise!

So my poor breed back female was on kit watch and due tomorrow, when I was checking water bottles this morning I got to see her birth a kit! I had to run to work so idk if there were multiples and I didn't check the kit yet.



Baby started nursing the second mom cut her loose though! I think I saw a white tail too. (From my white x beige pair) this poor momma is going to get a full year off now.

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Humans are my jungle gym :)

Just some funny pictures of Oliver being a goof (and using my boyfriend as his jungle gym). Post pics of your babies being silly! :neener:

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Kiwi available now!!!!

Kiwi Twigs and Sticks Available Now!!



PM me for more:thumbsup:

Eye Troubles

I took my chinchilla to the vet on Wednesday because his right eye would not fully open, he constantly seemed to be squinting. The vet stained the eye and did not find any corneal imperfections however his eye was red and irritated beneath his eye lids. The vet prescribed eye drops (I drop Vet Plus) to be applied 3 times a day and an ointment (neomycin and polymyxin b sulfates and dexamethasone ophthalmic ointment) to be applied twice a day. I was told to continue both for 7 days. Today is the beginning of day three and I am worried it is making his eye worse. His eyelids seem crusty from discharge and like they are swollen and puffy.



I was wondering if anyone has had similar troubles and/or has any advice. I don't want to irritate his eye further, but I am not sure if I should be soaking it to prevent it from crusting shut? It seems to open up slowly when he is out for playtime...he is eating fine, and his behavior has not changed. I know stress seems to make it worse and applying both things to his eye so often provides several moments of stress in his day.



Left a message for my vet and am waiting to hear back on if I should bring him back sooner than the seven days...



Thanks in advance for any advice just feeling a bit helpless :(

Intro

Hi, my Chinnie is named Berger. I adopted him three weeks ago. The previous owner did not know how old he is and only had him for a year. He said Berger has had a few diff owners. It is a shame how chinnies are given up so often. I plan on giving him a long healthy life! I'm guessing he is three or four. He's not shy and loves to run around and sniffs and nibbles sometimes. I am sure we will bond soon with lots of good playtime.



I got him a nice big used cage and am working on making it fun for him. I don't like the wheel the previous owner had for him but he seems to love it and sleeps on it so am afraid to throw it away when my silver surfer arrives. I already ordered some goodies and food from zoey and lilos. I'm a little scared of the summer months if an air conditioner breaks or electric goes out. Very scary but will hope that never happens.



Ok, have a great night everyone! Questions to come...



Kristin

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Hello from Hammond :)

This is Hammond, I have had him about three weeks now and he is my first Chinchilla! I learned quite a bit from this forum before getting him and am excited to now participate and continue to learn!

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Custom cage built by us!

Check out this awesome cage my husband made! A lot of time went into planning out their dream cage. So happy its finished and they love it! Now, only 2 more to do...!

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Introducing Turbo and Nitro!

Good morning!



Introducing our two fabulous boys named Turbo and Nitro.



Turbo was the first one to join our family. Hes standart grey, born on August 8 2014. He's spoilt and very friendly. Loves sctratches, attention and always comes forward when cage doors are being open.





Nitro came in to our family a bit later. He was born on August 13 and we got him at the end of November. We thought that Turbo will be much happier having someone to share the cage with. Nitro is a bit different. He's white mosaic and not so communicable, a bit scared when it is about us humans, but i'm trying to make him feel more comfortable, training him and leaving him alone when he feels like it.





Apart from all that, they are two happy chins, enjoying life, making us happy.



Their little appartment building.

Nebulizer ???

So I posted a while back about luna having sneezing and white in her eyes anyway we went to vet tried baytril, she stopped eating it was removed and replaced with septril she happily took the whole course no problems during this. Afterwards about 2 days she started sneezing a lot so we have had her back to the vet and she's been given a second round of septril. And we were told she either should go into veterinary hospital for nebulizing or we could buy the stuff which we did ( didn't want the poor girl upset and away from us and her friend) anyway she's been in nebulizer chamber 2 times she hates it and desperately tries to shew her way out. Begs me litrally. And now she seems to hate me. My vet has gone on holiday and although told me how long 2x a day 20 mins with 7ml of the medacine. She forgot to tell me how long to run the course does anyone else know ?. Or should I assume that 5 days since that's how long she said she'd want to keep her in hospital.



I can't wait to get this over with and have my Lil girl fixed she was so friendly sweet and loving now she's terrafied of me and hides I want to fix this.

missing toe :(

So today I noticed that my boy Oliver is missing the tip of his middle toe. I feel so stupid for not having noticed it before since I've had him for about a month. Also, quite angry that the lady I bought him from failed to mention it to me. Obviously it doesn't make me love him any less but I would have liked to have known. Its obviously been healed for a long time and i don't think it affects him. Is there any issue with partially missing a toe? I feel so bad for my boy : (

Moving with a chin

I am interviewing for a job which I may have to relocate for, possibly several states away. I have a cat as well so I am already planning on driving if I have to move. I have traveled with my cat several times before and I know chins are even more prone to stress :(



Some specific questions I have are:

1.) What is a good travel carrier to purchase (just been using my cat's carrier for now but he will already be occupying it)

2.) What should he be kept in while staying in a hotel when we stop driving for the night. should I plan on bringing his cage in my car and assembling it when we stop or should I purchase a small temporary cage for this?



Could be lucky and get the position that is only four hours away just want to be as prepared as I can for the worst case of moving to a different state with a longer car ride!



Thanks in advanced!

The Pickiest Eater to Rule Them All?

I've got a 2 year old chinchilla that I've had since he was a few months old who... is behaving normally in every way except when it comes to eating hay.



He eats his pellets no problem. He chews his wood no problem. He runs on his wheel. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. The only thing I've been concerned about lately is that he only interacts with me most of the time these days and can be feisty around other people, but he's still happy to sit on my shoulder, groom me, etc. He doesn't like picked up or inspected, though, so I tend to avoid that whenever possible, although he's perfectly fine with me rubbing and petting him in most areas.



But for the last few months, he's not eating much hay. I've been monitoring it for awhile. I tried new hay, and it's the same behavior.



I've watched him and he just... picks through it. He'll pick a piece up, bite it, throw it down, etc. I end up with this huge strewn pile of hay all over the floor of his cage and only some of the hay eaten. I've been trying to make up for this by changing his hay frequently, but it's just getting absurd.



The moment I change his hay, he comes over and starts attempting to eat it, but he still goes through this whole sorting process and turns his nose up at most of it. I've even hand-fed him pieces and he'll nibble then throw it back down if he doesn't like it.



Is he just a picky eater? Does anyone have recommendations or other advice?

Chins and Bunnies

Recently, my fiancé and I came across a rabbit that we were hoping to bring home. Long story short, the rabbit is not being given much attention where he currently is and the owners have agreed to sell him to us. We also have a chinchilla, Chester, who is 9 years old. Of course I was not planning to house them together (and can't believe there are people who do). I was hoping, actually, that I would be able to keep the rabbit out most of the time if we can litter train him.



The problem is that I have recently discovered that rabbits carry Pasteurella, which can be deadly to chinchillas. The two have been in the same area before for a short period of time with no problems, but if there is a chance that bringing the rabbit into my home will make Chester ill, I wou never dream of it! Does anyone have a bunny and a chin? Is it safe? My house (apartment) is small, so they would be in the same general area.



Thanks for any advice!

Happy Squeaking?

I was wondering if anyone else's chins make a soft repetitive squeak during playtime. Its the only time he does it. I've never heard him make any other sound other than his protest to being picked up (harsher bark/squeak). I assume its because he's happy because he's running around and using me as a human jungle gym. thoughts?

Happy Squeaking?

I was wondering if anyone else's chins make a soft repetitive squeak during playtime. Its the only time he does it. I've never heard him make any other sound other than his protest to being picked up (harsher bark/squeak). I assume its because he's happy because he's running around and using me as a human jungle gym. thoughts?

Degu! Degu! Degu!.

Hubby has decided that we are having a pair of degus, which are being collected tomorrow. They are boys, one an agouti, and one a blue, both aged sixteen weeks. Does anyone else on here keep degus? Although I'm fully aware of the basics, I may need to pick brains regarding the fine tuning. Really looking forward to having these little guys. :)

cancer?

How common is cancer with hedgehogs my hedge Charlie is 2 years old and she has a lump on her lower belly. She has been sleeping on her side recently but doesn't seem to be in pain when I touch it.

PLEASE HELP

crusted fleece? urine? semen?

So whilst changing Ollie's fleece liner I noticed that there were two or so crusty spots, as in the fabric didn't bend as easily. I probably have my head in the gutter but my first thought was ejaculate (like humans). but is it pee? I can't imagine pee becoming dry and tough. Should I be concerned or is this normal?

Hedgehog WANTED - Canada, Belleville, Ontario

I'm looking for a hedgehog to tale care of. I have experience with pets with strict diets and need a variety of things. I've also helped my friends raise their pets and i am very comfortable with them. I am usually somewhat busy during the day, when the hedgehog would be sleeping, and free at night to cuddle with the hedgehog and give it the attention it needs!

double chins for the low

Hello chinchilla people!



I'm very psyched as i'm about to receive a condo cage, two female (sister) chinchillas, and many of their necessities.



A friend doesn't have the time to care for them and I am the loving/lucky owner to take them in. My experience with rodents ranges as far as ferrets and gerbils.



My biggest concern is keeping the cage cool. My home is kept around 74 degrees and I plan on taking extra measures to keep the chinchi's chilling.



I heard my fans will do more harm than good. There is a storage space below the cage, and thought to make it a haven for ice; since cool air falls i'm not sure it'd be much help. I also have some cool towels (Dwayne Wade) I was thinking of how to put it to use. Last resort would be frying pans full of ice but this seems temporary.



My goal is to make the set up more low-maintenance to give the rodents the special care, instead of the habitat. Miami weather gets killer in about a few months, anyone care to partake some wisdom?

Potty trained?

I've only had my boy Oliver for about a month now, so I'm still picking up on his quirks. But I've consistently noticed that he only pees in the same spot, a spot that progressively gets more noticeable before I change is pine shavings. Its really no big deal to me, I'm glad he's peeing, but I was thinking that maybe he's litter trained? is that a thing with chins? If it would make him happier i'd be glad to get a metal pan and put litter in it. Maybe it doesn't matter to him either way. Just thought it was curious : )

Leaving chin home alone

Before anyone gets upset with me, I just wanted to state that I DO NOT want to have to leave Oliver home alone but I may have to. So please withhold the criticism, I feel badly enough. Anyway, in your experience, what is the longest amount of time you've left your chin home alone unattended? My plans involve something around only 24 hours but if you've managed with longer I'd still like to know. Thanks!

Wood

Hello I am searching for some apple wood.

I would like 3-5 lbs if possible. Also would like

Some new hammocks preferably from the same

Person but for the right price would consider different

Person. TIA

For those using the Agselect/Edstrom watering system

Hi!

I just wanted to share this for those using the Agselect/Edstrom watering system. I know we all replace the tubing with fresh, clean tubing every few months. I'm not sure if everyone is using the tubing straight from the manufacturer, or if you all have found alternatives already, but I found a perfect alternative to the Agselect tubing. It is human food grade tubing, and it is made from the exact same material as the Agselect tubing. The only difference is that it is clear, which is less aesthetically pleasing but great for being able to see if it needs to be changed, to prevent changing it out later than we should. I've tested it out and it fits perfectly with the Agselect valves, etc.



And the best part - it's $12 for 100ft, with free shipping if you have Amazon prime (and it's still a huge savings even if you have to pay the shipping)! The Agselect was going to cost me $40 for 100ft. With this being a regular expense for those of us using this system, that's an awesome savings :)



Here is the link: http://ift.tt/1e1miGT



I'm not sure if I'm late to the game here and everyone has located an alternative, but hopefully this will help out some of you who might want a cheaper alternative! :)

My chin setup...

Use this site allways and have never posted... But I figured I'd share our chin setup with you guys... Its Hershey and chase..named after the famous scientists.

introduction

hello! I thought I'd introduce myself and my ladies, lady grey (standard grey) and Tinkerbelle (a pink white with small grey patches)

I'm from the uk, and struggled greatly to get my hands on these two beauties from good breeders!

I'm very interested in the chinchilla genetics, and hoping to add another ebony/TOV to my ladies (when I find a breeder :/).

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Your Chin(s) Birthday Month?

:HB12:

I thought this might be fun!



When is your chin's Birthday?



I realize many people probably don't know the exact DOB, but you can use your best guesstimate/gotcha day/when you decide to celebrate it, etc.



I also know some of us has multiple chins, so you can vote for multiple months to get them all covered! :D



Eli's is May.

They DO like the hammock!

When I first put the hammock into my girls' cage, they didn't really hang out in it much. But, I thought, maybe they're not into it because they feel "exposed"... it was in the top level and it probably feels very open to them. So I moved it to the bottom level... and it has become my little ebony girl's favorite sleep spot!

E Kit- Ebony white mosaic

This little female is an RAF male x a std female of my breeding (Little Sugar x Ryerson)



She's the first heavily marked kit I've had. Sadly, her father passed away.

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Chin shows?

Hello. I was just curious about these chin shows. I thought chinchillas shouldn't be in loud noisy places? Isn't it scary for them to be in a little cage with people all around them?

Upside down pictures?

When I upload photos from my phone, some of them came out upside down or sideways. They are not upside down on my phone. How can I fix this? Thanks!

West Coast MCBA 2015 Show

Okay, after much mulling over the calendar and our schedules, we have decided on a date. Save it now . . . September 19th, for our annual show. Location will be Calvary Chapel Eastside, 5130 164th Avenue SE, Bellevue, WA, 98006, in our new church building. Hotels will be announced later since policies can change, I will check closer to showtime. Judge to be determined. Hopefully this gives everyone enough time to plan and dust and groom and . . . whatever.



You may notice we are a very casual chapter! :party:



Start dusting those bunnies . . .

Tradition pellets

Hey guys, I need some Tradition pellets for my chin. I was hoping to get them from Sandi, but I haven't gotten a reply back from her, I know she is always super busy though. However, I am running out, and need to get some Tradition ASAP!



Thanks guys!

Looking For Treats and Blue Cloud Dust

I'm looking for treats (preferably crushed rose hips) and Blue Cloud Dust that I can buy in bulk for cheap. I've checked out a few websites, but prices and/or shipping was outrageous! TJ's is currently having major health problems, so he website is out of the question. Can anyone else recommend anything?

Chin not eating??

I recently got my first chin from a pet store. He seemed to be younger than most others at the store. I brought him home and he was eating fine. but now he's just throwing his hay and pellets around without seeming to eat very much of either. His stool has also gotten really soft and dark green. I feed him Timothy hay and Oxbow chinchilla pellets. Any advise??

Huge belly

I have a little rescue here that I have had for about a month. She is 4 yyears old, the daughter of a fur chewer. the previous owner claimed to have been a breeder for the last 16 years, but she did not have the least idea of how to keep the chinchillas' cage clean or that you should not breed rescues. Anyway this little girl has a huge, squishy belly, but I can clearly feel her ribs and spine. The belly appears to fluid. She was fed Mazuri with calf manna mixed in at a 2:1 ratio. The belly is coming down slowly and she is starting to fill in between the bones. We are at a loss here as to explain what is going on. I am hoping a lower protein diet will help her. I feed PRCS with weekly supplements from Ryerson's. Any suggestions or ideas?

Chewing

I've had my chinchilla for about a month now and she won't chew on anything I get her! Her teeth look fine as I have checked them out and she is eating normally. She will try chewing home my papers or my books but has no interest in anything else. I've tried a few different wood chews that she won't even touch (unless she's picking it up to throw) and some of the calcium chews from my local pet store and she will nibble those for a bit but then she is over it. I don't want her teeth to grow out to much and I'm concerned at her lack of chewing!

Won't eat!

I got my new hedgie Luna on Sunday morning (posting on Monday night) and all she's eaten is a mealworm and a couple pieces of cat kibble. The breeder told me they feed Iams and gave me a little baggie of it. I bought Blue before I knew he fed Iams. Luna is an albino 3 month old female. I put her in a 10 gallon tank (she has a 30 gallon tub) to watch her. All I put was a bowl of water and a bowl (now on the ground) of her old food mixed with new dry food along with wet food. I noticed a glob (tiny) of green poop and looked it up, which said it could be caused by stress, so I put a towel for her to snuggle in the tank. What should I do?!?! How long can she go without eating and drinking? If she's hungry will she just eat eventually? Please any suggestions are welcome.

Chinnie wheels - Which to choose?

The wheel that Oliver came with was a trash, plastic comfort wheel from a pet store, so I took it out of his cage and haven't used it since. Will all chins use a wheel? I've been looking into buying him one of the various nicely built custom ones online, I just hope he'd actually use it. Any input on this? How do your chins feel about wheels?

Ferret Nation - Safety layout

I am trying to re-guard my ferret nation due to a clumsy chin.



I have used bassequipment metal pans..



Would someone use pan 1 and pan 2 to separate the leaping/jumping range?



Is this suggested for cagemates? Will one become territorial of one half?



The pan layouts are located here:

http://ift.tt/16LohBt

Seeking suppliers to upgrade ferret nation

I have a ferret nation with the same dimensions of a 142.



I need the following:



Fleece liners (4)



Fleece half-cuddle tube



Wooden ledges with poop guards (large, to prevent massive leaps/falls of doom - please have options with quotes)

Three Naughty Boys!!

At around five twenty this morning, a loud crash was heard in the chin room. I shot upstairs fearing the worst, and was confronted by the hanging fleece snuggle house on the cage floor, with three heads poking out of it. Salt had chewed through one of the webbing straps that it hangs from, and when the three boys had climbed in to go to bed, their weight had pulled it down. They had given themselves such a fright, Tigger had piddled in Chilli's tail.

I was so relieved nobody was hurt. :wink2:

Chinchilla won't stop peeing on my bed

I let my chinchilla out to run around in my room almost daily, but within the last week he has decided that my bed is his new favorite place to pee. I'm tired of washing my bedding. How do I get him to stop peeing on my bed?

New Chinchilla Bonding

Hi I have a male two-three year old Chinchilla named Stewart (From the pet store sadly) and as of the sixth I went to a local breeder and got a baby chinchilla (My boyfriend named him Diesel), he is six weeks old and one day! There are in separate cages for now.



First Night - I put them in a neutral territory (The Bathroom), and the baby hid in the corner and Stew didn't really pay much attention to him for the most part. But then towards the end Stew went up and sniffed him and mounted him, which I read is normal because of dominance, but I stopped it because the baby is so small I don't want him to get hurt. Afterwards I put them in each others cages for a half hour then swapped them back.



Second Night - During out time the baby ventured out, they both did their own thing and ignored each other for quite awhile. I put out dust bathe in the middle of the floor and they took their turns. Towards the end I heard them bicker a little bit towards each other, that's when I ended play time and put them in each others cage for a half hour again then put them back in their own spots.



I'm thinking that this is progress seeing as I have had no fights yet. Am I doing things correctly? Do you have any tips? What do you guys think?

1 medium ebony chinchilla iso new home - Upper Peninsula, Michigan

Asking for $50 for a male ebony chinchilla who is just over 2 years old. He is friendly and sociable with people, but he and my dog stress each other out even when they are kept separate. The price/rehoming fee will include all of his accessories, toys and left over foodstuffs.



I would strongly prefer he went to a home that has already has at least one other chinchilla.



I am willing to sell his cage too, it is a 2 story prevue hendryx fiesty ferret cage that has been modified with pine shelves. I would like an additional $50 for the cage.



I am willing to negotiate, my main goal is to find a good home for my chinny. Also, I can provide better photos to those who are interested.







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Luna and Me!

Hi, I just picked up my new hedgehog today and I'm so excited! She is a 3 month old albino baby girl. We've been looking for an albino for so long and we finally got an email about her. She is from an albino and apricot/cinnamon breeder, we looked in shelters (I volunteer at a dog rescue) but we live in east Texas so they're very hard to find. And we did not want one from a pet store at all. Her name is LunarBug, Luna for short, from Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and she also looks like a vermin found on the moon! Lol. But I think she's absolutely adorable. The reason I wanted an albino is because a friend of ours rescued a Lethal Australian Shepherd (blind and deaf) and I love that dog, I thought that the albinos kind of looked like him. She has a 30 gallon sterilite bin for now, we should have a 2x4 C&C cage ordered in a month or so. I was wondering though if a lamp is necessary, my room stays ususally above 75 degrees F. And can they eat dead mealworms? I've heard they won't eat live or they only eat live so any comments on that is appreciated. She'll be getting an albino boyfriend (not to breed, they probably won't even meet each other) and his name will be Draco. I have bought Blue Buffalo Indoor Cat food but the breeder fed Iams (he gave us some) is this a good brand? The Blue not Iams. The girl at our personally owned pet store told us hedgehog food was better when we were shopping the other day, but we went ahead and bought cat food. We also bought a run around ball but I broke it already so she's not going in there. Should I buy another? And we just got her today, so when should I give her a bath? She has dirty feet, but otherwise looks heathy. Last question is aspen bedding or Carefresh? We have Carefresh for our hamster and love it. Or fleece? We use fleece for the chinchillas cage. Any other help is appreciated. Thanks in advance! I'll try to put pics below.

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Hello From Illinois..CHINCHILLA YOUTUBE PAGE :D

Hello everyone!



My name is Christina and I'm a new Chinchilla owner. I have a youtube page dedicated to my chinny and it would mean the world to me to get some subscribers on there =] I'm currently uploading my first video which is a cage tour and a few other videos are to come



My youtube url is:

http://ift.tt/1zCevNi



The name is



Bella Rose and it will have a cute pic of my chinny Bella. The video won't be uploaded till most likely tomorrow morning.



Please and Thankyou all my fellow chinny lovers <3:):):):)

Changing food and hay

I'm switching my chinchillas food and hay brand and I was wondering how should I do it. How long should I mix the new and old food?? Also do I need to do the same with the hay and for how long??

Malocclusion prevention?

My chins are fine but I have a question about malo. I am aware it is hereditary and that it can happen when chins dont have enough things to chew but can it happen randomly? My chins have a lot of chew toys and there is no cases of it in their relatives so could they just get it with no cause? I'm just curious. Thanks :)

Chinny peeing in food bowl?

One of my girls (I'm pretty sure I know who) keeps peeing in her food bowl. Pooing in it a ton due to sitting on top of it I'm used too but she pees in it everyday.



Unlike her mother and brother she also refuses to become litter-trained, both of them will pick a spot always on the aspen and stick with it (sometimes more than one spot, but always on the aspen atleast, never on the fleece) while she pees where ever she feels like it including into the food bowl apparently,



is there any reason for this or anyway to change her behavior? She's 4 months old and her pee-everywhere behavior has been there her whole life so it's nothing new, just annoying and kinda gross for her and my other girl to have to eat it!

Show me your chin's cage!

I am always so curious about what kind of cages other people have and how they set up and organize all the goodies that go inside. I am also soon hoping to upgrade my chin's home with an all new cage and accessories. Please reply with pics and what kind of cage it is!

Proper Disinfectant for Cage Cleaning

Today i adopted a 8 month old ebony chinchilla and since i have 2 other chinchillas (all 3 are boys) i dont have money for another cage i heard if you disinfect and wash everything thats fleece the strong smells can go away. But im afraid of using bleach since i had a scare awhile back when my aunt passed out from inhaling it too much. So i want to know what else im able to use. And in the meantime im saving up for a cage for the little guy , something for now before i get another ferret nation (minimum im going is a 46" in height).

My chin as my suprise therapy pet

some of you may know my username- I was quite active on here and was selling sticks for a while and then got really sick. i can't express enough how much my chin helped me through everything. I got to a point where the toll of my illness exhausted me so i was basically bedridden (and getting very depressed). Every morning before my guy would go to work, he would bring Yuki in for me while he got ready, then took him back when i got a kiss goodbye. I couldn't continue with school or work. Houses get pretty lonely. Sure i had family and friends- but they have work and families and lives too. Getting up to going to my chin room to see Yuki and feed and clean up was about my extent of exercise as well as my companionship during the day. it may sound pathetic to healthy people, but that little bit of something kept up my willpower. The daily reason to actually force whatever energy I had into getting up helped me from getting worse and helped me gradually get better.

A lot of people in my life don't see chinchillas as family. My parents' and my sister's dogs are family and will come to our weekly family dinner, but somehow a chinchilla is put more into a pet fish category in their minds- oh that's nice to look at but doesn't have the same level of emotional connection. My grandma gets confused why I would even want one until I remind her she feeds squirrels out side and try to say it's kind of like that.

It's difficult that the only reason I may be as okay as i am today is...devauled?... by many people in my life. Without my chin to go see and interact with I wouldn't have put nearly so much effort into moving around as I did and continue to do.

Because of my illness I wasnt able to do anything. Well, now I still have pain if i overexert myself and i'm winded easily. It makes even going grocery shopping a exhausting chore. i'm slowly getting better (sitting in his room for playtime more, and carrying him on "chin walks" to see the house and out the windows) I even went to my first chinshow in Jan. (Chin shows are amazing you guys- everyone's so friendly- I definitely recommend it.) I seem to come up with more energy for chin-related stuff. :) I hope to start makeing fleece items and maybe even makeing sticks again. Fleece sewing shouldn't take too much effort but, Im not sure about tromping around outside to get sticks. While I normally love snow, i tend to over-do it and set myself back.

Whatever Im going through, Yuki's there. It's an amazing comfort and it's hard to articulate exactly how he helps. (and dont worry for him, my guy has been there through every step when i learned about chins and has been hands-on so he knows what to do- and i remind him all the time just in case) Yuki and I continue to get closer and we're working on tricks while its just us two at home. 1/8 of his daily cherrio at a time. (although occasionally he gets so excited about it he forgets tricks he already knows-like if i knock on a shelf to hop to that spot, he just is stuck in place straining his fluffy chubby self toward the treat he doesnt understand he just has to hop up one ledge like normal)

This is fairly long, and im not sure if I got my intended point across, or any other points. Basically Yuki's awesome and I dont know where I'd be without him. Regardless of the fact he's small and must be contained in a cage for his own protection from the stuff he'd try to chew. And a huge thank you to everyone at the Michigan-in-ohio show :) You all were awesome and it was a great time.

Outraged!!!

Backstory: I live in a small college town and I am a student at the university here and have been for three years. I got my baby Oliver off of craigslist a few weeks ago and I'm glad I did because even though the lady who sold him to me claimed to be a breeder, I don't think she was very knowledgable at all about proper housing and care (plastic everywhere) so I consider getting Ollie a "semi-rescue". Anyway, what is really making my blood boil is what I saw earlier today. I had to pick a friend up from someone else's house and ended up going inside for a little. Then I saw her chinchilla, I felt my heart drop into my stomach. small plastic bottom cage, care fresh bedding that probably hasn't been changed for weeks, plastic house, plastic wheel, not one wood chew toy, "fiesta" food (the kind with treats), minimal hay, and a BOWL of water. The little girl did pop out of her house for a bit and her fur told me everything else I needed to know. matted and fur chewing. This baby needs rescuing. How do I go about this? I don't personally know this owner, only through my friend. I'm not sure if I'll be able to permanently keep her myself but even if I can get her out of there to nurse her back to health and find her a new GOOD home. I know I'm a new chin owner but I have learned so much (from you guys!) and done so much reading and research on what is best for my baby Ollie which has only translated into a passion and love for all chinchillas. Any advice on how to go about this is appreciated!

Chins not using wheel

So I bought one of the large flying saucers for my chins to use, but it has now been about 2 months and they still haven't used it (that I've seen). When I first put it in they were curious and would hop onto it, but then it would move and that seemed to scare them and they would hop off and run away. Now they don't even get on it. Pretty much the only thing they are using it for right now is to hide behind. Anyone have any suggestions about getting them to use the wheel?

Cage Upgrades

So, a lot of stuff I have for Ruffle was either a gift from my parents or bought by myself when we didn't know as much about chinchillas. As such, I'm looking to give Ruffle's cage and accessories an upgrade so that she's more content and hopefully a happier chinchilla.



Right now, her water bottle seems to not want to stop leaking (which most likely isn't helped by the fact that her flying saucer shakes the cage when she runs on it). I currently can't find the kind of water bottle I have for her, but it's a plastic one that hangs outside of the cage. I've tried replacing it with this water bottle, but the one I bought still leaks. Is there a better option, or is it more luck of the draw?



Her hay feeder is this one. I don't seem to have run into any major issues with it, but the fact that its plastic makes me nervous. I've been thinking of switching to some kind of wall-mounted ceramic dish and wooden hay rack. Am I just being paranoid, or does this need to change?



I'm using this cage. I've been trying to potty train her so I can lay down some fleece for her feet. Is there a good way to cover the grate (maybe making a fleece cover that wraps around the bottom grate rather than just laying it over top), or am I better off just getting a different cage?



Lastly, I have this bath house for her. I tend to leave it out during playtime on days she gets a dust bath, and I've caught her chewing it at least once (I don't see any pieces missing from it though), so I was thinking of getting her one of these, but my only concern is that it's a bit small and she might outgrow it. Do any of you own the ceramic bath and can vouch for it? She's only just 7 months old, so I don't wager she'll grow *much* more, but from what I understand, she's got another five months of growing left in her.

eye drops and baths?

I was wondering if I could give my chin a dust bath after eye drops? Her eyes are watery after them, and the eye drops come out of her eye a lil and make her eye a tiny damp. It dries off fast tho. But can she have dust baths? Or should I call my vet and ask.

Oily Substance

I went to change the water in my chin's water bottle yesterday and noticed an odd odor coming from the cage. Upon further investigation I found a wet spot underneath her bedding and assumed she had just urinated and didn't think anything of it. This morning I went to her cage to feed her and investigated the area and noticed that it was still wet but the substance was more oily than urine like. I cleaned the cage and found another spot in a different area that contained the same oily substance, it doesn't have the ammonia smell of urine but the odor is strong. Does anyone have an idea of what the substance might be? I haven't changed anything in her cage except the bedding switching from Eco-Bedding Odor Control Crinkles to CareFresh Crinkles.

Rolling in pee

My little Willow rolls in her peed on bedding. Well she kicked out the bedding... and peed straight on the pan and rolled, this is what I'm assuming because I've witnessed her doing this before, she's acting completely normal, and I found a puddle of urine. This is what I woke up to find. She is now covered in urine (mostly on her face) and has bedding stuck to it. I've been giving her dust baths and am out buying baby safe wet wipes. Is that okay or should I clean it differently?

Also, why does she do this?

My Chinny is having Seizures...

So out of nowhere today, my 9 year old chinchilla started having seizures, or at least I think they're seizures. They happen when she tries to jump, she kinda falls onto her back and her legs start twitching and she rolls around. Initially she was fine, alert, hungry but after a few she's become lethargic and is just sleeping right now. I can't take her to a vet until Monday at the earliest, so that's not an option right now.



Does anybody know what's going on, or what I can/should do to help her?



Thanks.

Dropping fur till bald - is it fungus?

Hi everyone,



It's been a while since i posted here. I need some advice. Recently, i noticed one of my chins has been steadily losing fur at the base of her tail and both sides of her thigh. She just came back from a boarding session 2 weeks ago because i was painting my house. Initially i thought it was just fur slip because she is quite a nervous chin, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Instead, she seems to be losing more fur everyday. The skin looks normal though. I am pretty worried as i cannot get an appointment for her regular vet for the next 2 weeks. Am attaching some pictures here. Does it look like fungus? Can i afford to wait 2 weeks to see a vet? Is there anything i can do to help in the meantime?



She is eating and pooping okay although she seems a little more reserved than usual.



Thanks for any advice you can give!

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First-time chin owner, three bonding questions

I have had Sophie, who is about four months old, for a full week now, so there's a really good chance I'm overreacting, but I'm worried about our bonding. She and I had been doing pretty well the past couple of days. She's taken to hanging out in her dust bath (which is fine, I don't want to take away her safe spot), and she frequently pokes her head out to see what's going on. I usually give her a treat (1/2 raisin per day max, and I just got some rose hips), and if she sticks around, I'll start giving her pieces of her food or hay. Here's my first question: is that an acceptable tactic? Would this encourage bonding or would it perhaps make her think that she's always going to be hand fed and thus won't eat on her own? Basically, should I take these opportunities or is that ill advised? The main reason I ask is because I tried giving her a rose hip for her treat last night, but she absolutely would not take it or anything I tried to give her after that (though, I left it in her cage and she did eat it during the night). Does she perhaps feel like I'm violating her safe space?



My second question relates to the first: From what I've read in chin guides to bonding, it's best to offer treats and the like when the chin comes out from their hut/safe spot and approaches the bars. Sophie has not done that once since I brought her home--except when everyone is sleeping but her, which is why I've been offering the treats and food when she's still in her hut. I've been sitting by her cage and talking to her softly like the guides suggest, but it has done nothing from what I can tell, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong that she doesn't feel safe enough to come out of her hut or bath house when I or my boyfriend are in the same room.



My third question comes after what happened today: How should I be cleaning her cage? I have no way of getting her out of her cage without scaring her, so I started cleaning her cage today just by taking out the old bedding. It was okay for a few minutes, but as soon as I started moving around the bedding that surrounds her hut, she started squeaking and wouldn't stop until I had been completely away from her cage for about five full minutes. I don't want to upset or frighten her, but her cage needs cleaned. What can I possibly do here?



For the first two, it may be that I'm entirely too worried too soon, but the third question really needs an answer because I can't just let her sit in her own filth. Help?

Any suggestions introducing new chinchillas?

Hi I've been having soom trouble introducing a new chinchilla and was wondering if anyone could lend any suggestions or comments.



I recently purchased a new chinchilla as a companion for my 2 year old male, another male who is about the same age. I read a lot about introductions before beginning and tried to follow these instructions as best as I could. I first keep them in seperate cages in the same room for a week or 2, slowly moving the cages together. Eventually I put the cages so that they were touching. I have a double critter nation cage (2 normal sized cages placed on top of each other) , that can be sectioned off, so when they seemed to be used to meeting I placed the new guy in the other section of the cage. At first my original one seemed annoyed, but settled down after a week or 2. I then allowed them to run around outside of the cage in a neutral territory.

After some initial arguments their play time has turned into almost the same routine everytime. They initially take turns grooming each other, which inevitably leads to mounting. This isn't a huge issue, since the other will usualy leave without too much of a comotion, and the grooming will begin shortly afterwards. This will continue until my original one, (the smaller of the 2 by far) gets annoyed and throws a temper-tantrum. He will chase the other one, who is much slower until he catches up with him. The larger one will sometimes slip his fur, at which point I seperate them. I'll usually wait several days or a week and then try again, with the same results.



Does anyone have any suggestions for how to make this introduction go smoother. It seems to me that they haven't established a dominance because one is bigger and stronger, but the other is quicker and sometimes more aggressive. I don't really mind keeping them seperated, since the cage doesn't take up any more room than it would it was open to both of them. However when I let one of them out to play, the one still in the cage because very annoyed. Aside from getting ride of one of them, are there any solutions to make this go smoother?

Thanks

Ryerson carrier

So I took my Inca to the vet Tuesday because he had started to powder or crush his food in his bowl and slacked off on his hay eating (Inca was 7). The vet discovered that Inca had malo. They kept him to do a procedure to file down his back teeth (roots had also grown through his jaw bone). My vet called me Tuesday night around 10:00 pm to tell me that Inca had passed...he made it through the procedure and came out of the anesthesia, then just stopped breathing. She said he was just too weak to fight (they tried to bring him back). So after having my heart broken, I'm gonna take my other 4 chins just to have their teeth checked. I just ordered a Ryerson 4 hole carrier. I couldnt find a description on their site (just the picture). Can anyone tell me if they open from the top or front and do they have 4 individual doors? Thanks in advance.

:cry3:

Any Hedgehog Breeders in Oklahoma?

I'm looking to get a hedgehog from a breeder but i am having trouble looking for one in state and out of state is kind of a last resort for me.

Any toys recommended?

I am new to the chin world and was wondering what toys are recommended for chins? Thank you :)

Food/Water

How often do you give your chinchilla pellets? I do in the morning and evening, but is that too often or not often enough? I feed them hay 24/7. They also seem to leave a ton of hay at the bottom of the cage; they drop it down from the feeder thing after smelling it. Is this normal? They only eat the "flat" pieces of hay, not the cylindrical ones.



Okay, so I heard that you aren't supposed to give your chinchilla tap water. I give them purified water. I buy the nursery kind with some added minerals. I haven't noticed any problems with my chinchillas, but is this safe?? They drink a normal amount. I never thought about it until now that it could be too many minerals that they don't need. Please help

Natural Light / Sunlight

I have a WINDOWLESS room at home and am thinking about whether I can place my chinchilla in it. I am wondering whether natural light/sunlight is required for them to grow and live heathily? Or is it just fine to switch on the room light in the evening when they are most active?



*I am aware that they should not be under direct sunlight.

Tools of your trade

If you build chin furniture, ledges, or toys do you have any favorite tools?



Are there any brands or models you swear by? Are there any you've declared your sworn enemy?



Likewise, if you could have any tool in the world, what would it be?

Too Much Weight Gain?

I adopted my chinchilla from a shelter on December 21st 2014. I've weighed her frequently since then and in 45 days she's went from 627 grams to 742 grams (115 gram gain) and still seems to be gaining. Her weight according to her adoption paper was 660 grams. (My scale was low on batteries and I've since changed them so if we go by her weight on her papers to now it's an 82 gram gain if my scale was off at the beginning. I'm not sure.)



My question is, is this much weight gain normal? Is it too much? Should I restrict her pellet food to two tablespoons day with unlimited hay?



I'm hoping she is not pregnant. It has been 116 days since she was brought to the shelter. She was there for two months. There was one other chinchilla separate from her in another cage that I was initially told was male and later told was female. I don't know if they had any contact. I cannot feel any nipples or see any movement of kits.

Mulberry?

I'm not looking to purchase any at the moment, but I'd like to know who sells mulberry on a regular basis.



I'd be ordering a medium box, and I'd be interested in sticks, whirlies and coins.



If anyone knows who sells them, let me know so I can make a note! I know Ronda sells mulberry(I got my samples from her), but I'm still curious about who else has it. :]

Does Oliver really look like a standard to you?

It may be my untrained eye (Ollie is my first fur baby), but he seems to be a bit dark to be a standard, which is what I was told he was. Not that it matters whatsoever, I'm certainly no breeder. Just curious! <3

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Pro-C supplements?

I've read somewhere that chins need sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin C in order to be healthy. Calcium usually being provided by proper diet, but Vitamin C? I was on the flying saucer wheels website and noticed that they offered a Pro-C supplement. Any word on these? Worth it? Necessary? Thanks!

Anxious New Owner

Hello all! Been a frequenter of these forums for a few months now, but just got around to registering today.



First of all, let me just say that it is entirely possible I am overreacting. I do that a lot. Secondly, I do apologize if this is a lot to take in, or if it's a rehash of an older thread.



My new Chin, Jackie Chin (master of the Drunken Fist Style, and the chief operative in Operation Condor, 8 weeks old as of today) came home with us yesterday. My fiancee and I, thinking we had a better grip on the situation than we really did, ended up rushing him a little bit too hard, and generally messing with him when we really should have just let him settle. He was very active yesterday, bounding all over his cage and generally exploring. He would jump from the top of his chin hut and cling to the bars, trying to master his escape artist act. He was even outwardly friendly enough to crawl all over me when I would poke my hand in to stock him up a little more on timothy hay and such. His activity level stayed that high well into the night.



Today, however, is a different story. He's been asleep most of the day in his Chin hut, which is expected, honestly. But even now when he was bouncing off the walls yesterday, he has stayed pretty much exclusively in his hut, although wide awake. His activity level has tapered off quite a bit. I'm also unsure he's been drinking. I haven't seen him approach his water bottle at all, but that could very well be explained by me simply not having seen him. I've marked the sides of his water bottle(s) with a permanent marker so that I can see how much of the water is gone from either one tomorrow. He still seems to be eating healthily, although he's eating much more hay than he is pellets.



Should I chock this drastic turn in behavior to him being exhausted from yesterday's copious romping? To him just starting to settle in and the novelty having worn off? The separation from his mother and sister? I really apologize if this all seems a bit anxious, but that's just me, and I would be really genuinely heartbroken if I did something that ended up hurting my little guy.



Thank you in advance!



-JC

Please help me out

I really want a chinchilla. I have researched A LOT about them for countless amounts of time. I asked my mom and she said no, because about a month ago I got a dwarf hamster. Since she was saying no because of the close proximity of time between getting both animals, I asked if we could get one this summer or in the fall... But she still said no. So, I looked up many videos and articles on how to convince your parents to let you get a chinchilla and I tried numerous ways (writing a LONG letter, explaining A LOT about them, telling her how much I've learned and know about them, going to the pet store and showing them to her, and even getting my cousin to "test" me on my knowledge of them. Nothing seems to work. She says that we have enough animals but all we have is a hamster and a dog. Is there any ways of convincing parents that you would recomend? I even told her ( which was true) that I have the money to get one and get the cage and that if the money was an issue, we could get one off of Craigslist that comes with some basic necessities and a cage. I also tried to make some deals with her like I could get one if I get straight A's, or do a lot of Chores around the house (which Ive been starting to do more of), and many other things) PLEASE HELP ME OUT!😀😀

Inca

My sweet baby Inca had malo. He went to the vet today and they kept him to file his teeth. After he came out of the anesthesia he passed away. I miss my little white fluff ball already. Malo just sucks! RIP sweet boy and suffer no more.

cataract chin and wheels?

My chin has cataract in one eye. She still is crazy when I let her out and loves to wall surf! xD She used to have a plastic wheel back when I was a newb. Now I know no plastic!! I'm planning on upgrading her to the critter or ferret nation cage and planning on getting her a Chin Spin. Will it be safe for her with one bad eye? I wanted to ask before I went ahead and bought it. :)

Sneezing until it hurts?

To the point: my female is active, weight is on point, and she is eating fine.



She is getting into these sneezing fits (every 10mins) for the last 5 hours.



Sneezing as in air puffing out - but she is shrieking with every fit - obviously distressed.



Noticed behavior is that she is hunched over and the sneezes are like contractions. I can't tell if she is coughing.



Regardless we are taking to the vet first thing in the morning, but is there anything I should do RIGHT NOW / or help?



I've been searching for anything related and can't decipher if I'm simply being paranoid over a sneeze. Everything in her cage is normal - no changes.



Thank you in advance.

Ferret Nation Accessories

Is the Ferret Nation Accessories fleece? If so, would you recommend them? And are they safe?

All living things cage?

At my local pet store they had a cage called All living things multi-level small animal cage. It looks exactly like the Critter Nation cage. Is it the same thing? What's the difference between that and the MidWest critter nation/ferret nation?? If there is any difference at all.



Here is the link to a picture.



http://ift.tt/1lLNsWB

Quill loss?

Charlie lost 12 quills today

I was cutting her nails and she was on her back squirming around...is it normal for her to lose that many quills??

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Supplier who sells Chin pops?

Does anyone know who sells a chin pop treat? Its basically like a little homemade chin cookie attached to a tiny little stick. I can't for the life of me remember who I ordered them from in the past.

Sudden onset of excessive grooming/fur pulling a cage mate

I've had my two female chinchillas, Effie and Elenie for over two years, and had no issues out of the ordinary.



Yesterday I heard one of them grumbling a little more than normal, and making a 'grunt squeak' noise a few times. I went to investigate, only to find Elenie grooming Effie. I'm used to them doing this and often they get a little carried away and occasionally keck at one another, but this time I noticed a little tumbleweed-like fur clump in the cage.



They seemed to leave each other alone after that, so I assumed it was a one off, but Elenie has been at it all day.

The confusing element is that aside from the occasional grunt, Effie doesn't seem bothered at all, she isn't fleeing, screaming, barking or trembling.



There isn't an alarming amount of fur that I've removed from the cage, but three loose balls of fur that have clearly been removed from the roots as opposed to being chewed off.

A few times I saw Elenie in a 'mount' position, with her paws on Effie, but most of the time they're sitting side by side snoozing together, and Elenie will start enthusiastically grooming behind Effie's ear, her side or her back.



They're both out with me now, exploring, gnawing, eating normally, drinking normally, so I assumed it was perhaps boredom. Except I just saw Elenie doing it again whilst they were both napping.

Has Elenie developed some form of neurotic bad habit, like a relaxation/self-soothing behavior that's become a little obsessive?

Her whole manner isn't that of frenzied aggression, more focused enthusiasm.



Also I noticed Effie reciprocating a few times, and grooming Elenie back, which suggests that Effie clearly doesn't feel threatened or under attack, I just wonder why Elenie feels the need to get so over zealous with it all of a sudden.



Of course now my mind is racing with horror stories, and images of waking up to find an injured chinchilla or fighting or other such nightmares. Sincerely hope this isn't serious.

Ejaculate on mouth?

Hello everyone! Recently my male chinchilla Rocky has had some strange crusting around his cheek near his mouth. At first I was very worried and thought something might be wrong with him but my sister in law suggested that it was probably semen or ejaculate. Anyone else have a problem like this? The substance is whitish in color and normally matts into the fur and crusts over as hard as cement. I normally leave it alone until it loosens up enough to pull out but it does pull some fur and sometimes even a whisker or two with it. I am just worried that it could be something more than just ejaculate and wanted to know if I should take him to see a vet or if this is a common problem with some male chins. Thank you all!