Sonoma County Vets?

Anyone know of a good vet in Sonoma County?

My chinchilla is having an ultrasound tomorrow ... open pyometra is suspected...
If she has to be spayed I want to be sure it's done well!

I do see on other posts that adobe animal hospital is really good, but it's kind of far for me to take her... ?
I live in Santa Rosa , CA - any other recommendations?
Thanks everyone !

Im going on vacation for the Holidays and I have questions.

I live in Hawaii and I will be visiting my family on the mainland for three weeks. My chinnie, who I have owned for a year, will be staying at a reliable and experienced petsitter which turns out was quite expensive but my baby is worth every penny. Since I will be gone for nearly a month I am afraid my baby (Poofs) and I will not have the same bond when I return. Is this something I should worry about? Do chinchillas forget about you if you are gone for a long period of time?

This might be a stupid question but I was hoping to get some insight. My relationship with him is very important to me and I want to make sure that it will stay intact.

Advice Please. Thanks

Adopting My First Babies!!!

I am adopting two chins from a family that can no longer care for them and are basically throwing them to me because they don't want them anymore. I have always wanted chinchilla's and I have done my own research over the years but there is only one question that has never been answered completely and clearly to me. I am adopting a male and a female with their rather large cage. They have been kept in the same cage for quite some time and nothing has ever seemed to go wrong. They are a breeding pair which I'm still learning more about but my true question is if they are okay in the same cage at all times. Some people say yes some people say no, i would like to have a full answer backed up with experience please:idea:

Exhausted chin?

when playtime was over squeaker went into the bath house and I put him in his cage. But chewy realized that play time was over so he wouldnt go into the bathhouse. So I had to chase him around. I don't pick them up because they don't like it so I use the bathhouses to transport them from the cage to floor when I finally caught him and put him back in his cage he just kind of collapsed I got scared I opened up the windows and turned on the fan thinking that he was overheating is normal was he just exhausted? He was fine 20 minutes later. I only ever see him lay on his side after play time.

Storage containers for hay & pellets?

I know that chinchillas love the fresh smell of hay, and usually refuse to eat it if it does not smell good (correct me if I am wrong). And I also know that pellets go bad after time. We have a ton of oxbow hay unopened bags, and we have a half-finished bag of oxbow pellets. Could anyone recommend any storage containers they use that would keep the freshness of the hay and the pellets, if any at all? We want less storage place, his toy parts and food is taking up a bunch of room.

lovin my chinchilly, and need some guidance!

Hi everyone! I'm new to posting on this forum, although I've seen lots of posts when I've had questions and gone searching online! :-) There is lots of great info here, and I'm so glad...
I'm a big fan of Fuzzies Kingdom, and have gotten lots of goodies for my chinchilly from there. I sent an email to them asking for some guidance, and they suggested I reach out to all of you to get some help!!

I have a 3 year old female chinchilla. Her name is Sapphire, but that's way to formal of a name for my little chilly! I have all kinds of cute nicknames for her, all of which are a little embarrassing because they are way to cutesy - haha. I'm sure you understand...
Anyway, we got her when she was first able to come home- so she is very bonded with humans (mostly me ;-) ) yea me! She is super sweet and lovable, and actually likes to cuddle up in my lap while I pet her :-) I'm actually pretty flattered by it, and consider myself really lucky to have the honor of being loved by my little chilly.

I need help though! Does anyone know of a good vet in Santa Rosa, CA??? (or somewhere in the North Bay?) I have a vet, but I'm not sure if he's the best one for her, so I thought I'd ask...

I've had to bring her in a few times this past month- I suspect open- pyometra... Hopefully someone reading this knows of someone!!

In a nutshell she's been to the vet a few times- recently.
First time was because she was always licking her privates. - then I noticed some whitish discharge- no smell to it. The vet put her on an antibiotic ( I forgot the name of it, but she LOVED they way it tasted)... It didn't really work much. No loss of energy, seemed happy.
Then she developed diarrhea / soft smeary poop. UGH. Still licking- and some discharge- still no smell. I took her in for the second time- Dr. got a fresh sample of her poop, and checked it out under the microscope. (checking for giardia and parasites, and other stuff...). Found nothing- only lots of yeast...He put her on another antibiotic- Metronidazole. (she HATED that one...!) Just to be sure, he sent it off to the lab in case he missed anything, and said that if they did find anything, that this antibiotic is most likely the one to use. Lab results came back- all good.
Antibiotic maybe helped the diarrhea some- kind of off and on- but better. Still whitish discharge. So, I called the vet again. I brought her in the day after Thanksgiving for the third time. Dr. took her blood- said that was the next step. Her weight has gone down some- she has always been small- but is skinnier. Energy is ok- little more lethargic- but nothing drastic. Blood test results are due back tomorrow (Monday). I can tell something is going on...

That's why I'm thinking open- pyometra. I know this can be very serious, and I'm worried about her. Fortunately if it is, it's open and not closed......I'm planning on calling my vet first thing tomorrow- and pressing the issue- Baytril? I know if it is open- pyometra having her spayed may be the only option....
Any one out there who can give me some guidance or help me find a vet who specializes in exotics or knows chinchillas? Thank you !

Staph Aureus Skin Infection in Chinchillas

Hello,

Does anyone have any advice for dealing with a Staph Aureus skin infections in chinchillas?

I have 2 male chins housed together in a double Ferret Nation cage.
The older male began to have whiskers & fur loss near nose. Skin was slightly pink. Also skin dry, flaky (later crusty). This happened very gradually (over a week perhaps) the first day I noticed his nose hair thinning/the pinkness, I thought it was just irritated from pushing through the bars to get hay. I had just recently started using a bass equipment hay feeder on outside of cage.
Then, the younger chin housed with him began to have hair thinning & pinkness. I made appointment with vet the next day. Younger chins became worse quickly and by the vet appointment the next day he had crusting behind ears and his nose was red. Since then have noticed redness and crusting on feet, inside ears, on base of tail, near genitals, and on skin of back (close to ears).

I have consulted two exotic vets and they basically both went through the same diagnosis process. Stated that the skin infection was likely either: 1) Fungal, 2) Bacterial, or 3) parasites (mites). Also possible to have a secondary bacterial infection caused from scratching at mites, fungus, etc.

Treatment process:
Clean cage as often as possible (every day or every other day). I've been nearly always cleaning cage daily using hospital-grade disinfecting wipes. Occasionally I have to work late & clean every other.
Fleece laundered daily. Wash twice (1st wash tide & 2nd wash health grade laundry cleaner). Run bleach through washer after.

Treated with ivermectin in case of mites. (2 injections, spaced 1 week apart)

Treated with sulfur in dust bath in case of fungus. (2 weeks)

Treated with antibiotics for bacteria. (SULFA for 1 week but little improvement, so switched to Cipro. They have been on the Cipro 2 weeks. Cipro is much harsher & they are getting supplemental feedings of Oxbow Critical Care & probiotics (BeneBac). Give probiotics twice a day, a minimum of 2 hours before/after antibiotic is given.

Initially, cause was unknown so treated for everything (treatments listed above).

Since then, culprit is believed to be Staph Aureus bacteria - supported by swab & cocci appearance under microscope. Do not have staph strain information because don't want to risk chins worsening if off of antibiotic for 3 days to get a sample for culture (if they are on antibiotics culture results won't be accurate). Suspected it's not MRSA because abscess on one chinchilla's chest has shown significant improvement in response to Cipro.

Problem is that this staph seems to predominately clings to hair follicles & is hard to get to with systemic antibiotic. Try to use topical treatment on feet, ears, etc. but it's difficult to get to their skin due to their dense fur. Also, they hate topical treatment and remove it as fast as I can apply it.
The topical items I have include: Blue Kote, Silvadene, Trichloro 4 wipes, and Tresaderm.

Any advice for treating skin infections in chins (particularly Staph)? Is there any antibacterial powders for dust baths?! My vet had not heard of any and said they would look into it. Hoping someone here may know?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

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Getting a friend for my Chinchilla?

This is my first chinchilla, and I've had him for about a 2 years now, he was 10 months old when I got him. I don't think his previous owners knew how to take care of him, because he doesn't act how a normal chinchilla would (I've seen videos, my sister had chinchillas). I thought maybe getting him a chinchilla friend would help him adjust easier and make him not as lonely. The only problem is that I don't want to just buy him a friend and find out he isnt interested, the only thing I could think of is a chinchilla play date to see if their compatible, but where would I find a breeder or store willing to do that? (I live in southern california) I am lost for what to do and am open to suggestions

Staph Aureus Skin Infection Chinchillas

Hello,

Does anyone have any advice for dealing with a Staph Aureus skin infection in chinchillas?

I have 2 male chins housed together in a double Ferret Nation cage.
The older male began to have whiskers & fur loss near nose. Skin was slightly pink. Also skin dry, flaky (later crusty). This happened very gradually (over a week perhaps) the first day I noticed his nose hair thinning/the pinkness I thought it was just irritated from pushing through the bars to get hay; I had just recently bought & started using a bass equipment hay feeder on outside of cage.
Then, the younger chin housed with him began to have hair thinning & pinkness. I made appointment with vet the next day. Younger chins became worse quickly and by the vet appointment the next day he had crusting behind ears and his nose was red. Since then have noticed redness, crusting on feet, inside ears, and base of tail.

I have consulted two exotic vets and they basically both went through the same diagnosis process. Stated that the skin infection was likely either: 1) Fungal, 2) Bacterial, or 3) ectoparasites (mites). Also possible to have a secondary bacterial infection cause from scratching at mites, fungus, etc.

Both stated clean cage as often as possible (every day or every other day). Ive been nearly always clean cage daily using hospital-grade disinfecting wipes. Occasionally I have to work late & clean every other.
Fleece laundered daily. Wash twice (1st wash tide & 2nd wash health grade laundry cleaner). Run bleach through washer after.

Treated with ivermectin in case of mites. (2 injections, spaced 1 week apart)

Treated with sulphur in dust bath in case of fungus. (2

Treated with antibiotics for bacteria. (SULPHA 1 week but little improvement so switched to Cipro. Been on Cipro 2 weeks. Cipro is much harsher & they are getting supplemental feedings of critical care & probiotics (minimum 2 hours before/after antibiotic given).

Initially, cause was unknown so treated for everything. Since then, culprit is believed to be staph aureus bacteria - supported by swab & cocci appearance under microscope. Do not have staph strain information because don't want to risk chins worsening if off of antibiotic for 3 days to get sample for culture (if they are on antibiotics culture results won't be accurate). Suspected it's not MRSA because abscess on one chinchilla's chest has shown significant improvement in response to Cipro.

Problem is that staph clings to hair follicles & is hard to get to with systemic antibiotic. Try to use topical treatment on feet, ears, etc but it's not as effective in chins since they try to get it off immediately.

Any advice for treating skin infections in chins?

I have blue kote, silvadene, trichloro 4 wipes etc. but it's so hard to get liquids/ointments on their skin because of their dense fur. Also it irritates them & they work to remove it faster than I can apply it. Is there any antibacterial powders for dust baths?

Any advice would be appreciated! My vets have been great this last month but I'm hoping for more insight if anyone has it.

Thanks!

Fur Chewing

Hi everyone,

I have come to this site to ask a question about fur chewing. My chinchilla has been fur chewing for about a year now, and she is only 3 years old. When I researched it after she began, one of the factors that could contribute to fur chewing was stress and another was boredom. She has plenty of toys that she loves to play with and chew, and she hasn't experienced any crazy stress from environmental changes or other factors that I know of. When we took her to the vet, he checked her skin and fur, and she did not have any mites or infections. She has recently begun to chew her tail fur as well, exposing a small part of the tip of her pink tail. Does anyone know what could be causing this? Is there anything I could do? I don't want this to affect my chin's emotional well being, so I am hoping to help her in any way possible.

Hi Everyone :)

Hi, my name is Monica. I have had a wide range of fur babies throughout my life and recently I finally purchased chinchillas. I have wanted chinchillas for over 10 years because, not only are they incredibly cute but they also have huge and complex personalities. After lots of research and time spent debating purchasing or adopting chinchillas, last year I purchased 6 month old twin brothers that I absolutely adore. They have completely opposite personalities. Remmy bonded to me immediately and is outgoing, rambunctious, smart, and brave. Chewy however took until recently to warm up to me, he is more for food and chew toys. He likes my presence and some butt rubs but other than that he is more independent. I have been looking at threads for quite some time from this forum and really should have signed up sooner. I am constantly researching their behavior and how to best care for them.
As of late though my Remmy has had a 180 in his behavior that has really stumped me. A week after his wellness vet visit (which he was perfectly healthy at) his behavior suddenly become cautious and unfriendly towards me. His weight, eating, drinking, and activity level are close to the same but he no longer wants much to do with me. His normal self would greet me at the cage door and want to bounce all over the place and climb up and down me, but now he just wants to sit at the top of his cage with his head tilted to the side slightly, almost like he is glaring. He will usually come out if I sit far from the cage in the play space but he acts jumpy and skittish if I move at all. As far as I know nothing has changed in his environment, my behavior has not changed nor has any traumatic event happened with me present, and his health when last checked was very healthy. I can't seem to find any answers for this behavior change and I would appreciate any suggestions! I love my babies and would love to correct whatever has changed. On the upside his brother Chewy has become much more friendly as Remmy has become less friendly.

My chinchillas behavior has done a 180

I have two brothers that have always had distinct personalities. Remmy bonded with me immediately where Chewy has been slower to warm up. After a year with me Remmy has suddenly stopped liking me. He saw a vet about a week prior to the behavior change and he got a clean bill of health. He's eating and drinking and somewhat active. But his behavior is worrying me. Normally he would meet me at the door everytime I would come in the room. He would also show a lot of excitement for playtime where now he has become very skittish and mostly just sits at the top of his cage with his head held tilted and looks like he's glaring. The environment hasn't changed nor has there been any traumatic events (that I'm aware of). This has been going on for two weeks and I'm starting to really worry. If anyone has any suggestions or tips they would be greatly appreciated!

Do you switch hay brands slowly, like with pellets?

I know if your switching brands of pellet, you need to introduce it slowly. Can the same be said for brands of timothy hay? Or if they like it, it's fine? Thank you!

Weird fur?

Hey everyone! Just had a quick question. So when I came home tonight my chinchillas fur was kind of hard and crunchy in some spots and is kind of sticking together? Idk how to explain it. But before I left she was totally normal and when I got home not even 3 hours later her fur was a mess. Anyone have any idea what might have happened? I'll post a pic of her before and after so you can see what I am taking about. She had a dust bath the night before if that matters. I have had her for 3 years now and this has never happened before. The inside of her tunnel kind of feels and looks weird too. I'm thinking maybe she peed herself? She is litter trained though and only normally pees in her litter

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Midwest Critter Nation?

Hi everyone and happy thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!

I tried to search around here, but I just came up with kind of general support of Midwest Critter Nation (which is the same as Critter Nation right?) and that it's worth the price. I found specifically this cage on Petco http://ift.tt/2gpTAIp because I'm looking for a cage that's better quality than my Kaytee ferret one. I was on here asking about the Prevue I think it was called a while back, but then heard about the downside of the metal or whatever it's made of I forget, which is possible rusting. I can't quite figure out what the Midwest is made of and why exactly it's so much more than other cages. Also, my chin does a number on the plastic shelving, so that's why I'm trying to find something that can't be chewed. I had gotten a second Kaytee cage, but I'm not doing this a third time and every other year for 20 years because he wants to chew it lol. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Especially with potential Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals or other holiday deals around the corner. Thank you!

A little concerned with weight & fur slips

Good afternoon, all.

I adopted Gizmo less than 2 months ago I believe. Me and my husband adopted him from a shelter, and in the paperwork it said Gizmo weighed approx 485 grams, and on another sheet it said 500 grams. (I'm going to assume the 485 is most accurate out of the two.) In the paperwork, it also stated his age, so today gizmo is about 1 yr 4 mos old.

At the shelter, there was another chinchilla right beside him, and it was also male, and it look considerably bigger than Gizmo did/does. When me and my husband did the adoption interview for Gizmo, we brought up our concerns about how our little guy looked way smaller than that other chinchilla in the room. The adoption counselor said that she believes when Gizmo was a kit, his previous owner did not feed him alfalfa like he was supposed to, in order to make him grow, and therefor is as small as he is. Gizmo also came into the shelter with a hurt bloody leg, which had completely healed by the time we saw him.

A few days ago, my husband and I finally received the digital kitchen scale we ordered online, and it was a hassle to get Gizmo to stand perfectly on it. it kept saying he was in the 200s (which is very unlikely, he would be skin and bones), and finally settled on 470 grams. According to the paperwork, it said he weighed 485 grams, so I am very concerned. He ALWAYS pigs out on his food. and for the record:

We are feeding him Oxbow pellets, and Oxbow hay.
For treats, in our care, he has ONLY EVER GOTTEN rosehips, oats, and clovers. (though for the most part, rosehips; and his treat isn't daily).


We are first time chinchilla owners, and to me, other than being concerned about his weight, he looks completely healthy. He loves the both of us, and loves to be petted and will coo all night long while he gallivants on his wheel. But being that we've had him for 2 months, we have been trying to pick him up, all without any luck. One of the times he actually had a fur slip, and he was shrieking and twisting around so we let him go. And just recently, he had another one (although not nearly as much fur came out.) Only 2 fur slips have occurred to my knowledge. the rest of the times we'd try to pick him up, he'd bark and hop away. This last time, when he had the fur slip, he walked away like he was fine and came up to us again (he was out of his cage for his playtime).

I am really rather confused. Part of me wonders if Gizmo thinks trying to pick him up is a game, because of the way he acts. Only once did he act TRULY UPSET and had that huge fur slip, but the rest of the time he will just bark once and stay where he is and let me continue to pet him, or he will hop away and then seconds later come back up to me. He's actually barked from it, and then a couple seconds later started cooing multiple different instances. This little guy is confusing.


Is there anything wrong with his weight? should he be weighing more? I don't feel his ribs when i touch his belly, and he always pigs out on his food, but should I be trying to get him to gain weight?

****and yes there are a few plastic things in his cage, but we have kept a very close eye on him, and he has no interest in plastic as of yet.

New Chin Momma :)

Hello everyone!

I recently made the decision to become a chinchilla momma! I have been wanting one for months and finally made the jump! I am going to pick up my first boy, Oliver Bobbie (Ollie for short), on Thanksgiving!

I live in Pittsburgh, PA but will be going to get him from a rescue in Tennessee that a good friend owns for bunnies. Yes, I am a bun momma as well to 8 gorgeous bunnies.

I like I've been all over the place when it comes to finding chinchilla information and my vet (Dr. Angie Keffer in Pittsburgh, PA) directed me to the forums to learn more.

I wanted to post an introduction post but will be posting some questions I have right off the bat as well!

--Should chinchillas have friends? Oliver is currently a single but my vet has a single lady that she had to do an emergency spay on and she thinks I should see how they do together since the girl is lonely.

--Are Cheerios really a good treat? What are some of the best treats you guys suggest??I know with bunnies there are a lot of treats that people give that aren't the best for buns and I'm trying to get a sense of what should be given versus what can be given!

I am planning on doing a set-up like this (photo attached) with a run outside of the cage also with stuff for them to get into during supervised play times. Thoughts? What are some of the best things I should add into the pen/cage?

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated! PS. My bunny vet is also a chinchilla breeder so I already have a great vet in place in regards to that!

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I Need Tips For The Cage

Hello Everyone! hope you all are doing good. I am having a hard time with my chinchilla "Stella". I recently adopted her, because the owner did not want her anymore. So, I told her I would adopt her, since they were just going to throw her out in a field. She has been doing fine, I changed her diet to Mazuri pellets and Oxbow hay always available. She has a chew toy in her cage and a wheel that she loves to run in. She had a cooling spot and two tunnels which she sleeps in. Am I missing anything for her? I am a newbie in learning. Stella is two years old, she is sweet. My only concern is that when she pees she sticks her little butt in the corner of the cage and pees, and the pees fall through the cracks of the metal cage and go all over the floor. The cage is beginning to rust and I was going to see if there is anything I can use as a guard to direct the urine flow into the liner of the cage. Does anyone have tips for me? thank you guys in advance.

A Chinchilla's Winter Schedule?

I was wondering if it's typical for chinchillas to sleep more often during the winter months, or when there are less sunlight hours in the day?

I've only had my chins for about 3 months now, so I'm trying to figure out if a) they have just really settled in more, or b) the short days and cold, dreary weather is causing them to sleep more often [the house has maintained its temperature though].

When we first got them they were more active during the day and their brief periods of activity were longer than they are now. They seem perfectly healthy: they get up every few hours to pee and have a snack, but then it's a very decisive jump back up to cuddle/sleep with the brother.

I'm also wondering if because there are two of them, and they know they can romp around their cage at night together without my prying eyes, they are slightly less concerned with getting human attention during the day. They both seem to prefer chin-company to human company, which I can understand. I know they're super active at night because I wake up to a mess and loads of poo, but I sometimes get (most likely irrationally) worried at how little they move around during the day.

Is it usual for chins to sleep more in the autumn/winter months? And is it normal for a pair of bonded chins to keep to their own schedule more so than that of their human-companions?

Crusty Substance?

Hi All!
New chin owner here. We've had our little guy, Dobby for just over 3 weeks and he turned 3 months this past Saturday (Nov. 12th). Both my wife and I have done a ton of research thanks to this forum and the like. He has a very healthy diet of Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla food, Timothy hay, water, plenty of wood chews, and after play time we give him a small sliver of rosehip sometimes. Also, the occasional oats as well when we are trying to get him used to our hands more. Anyways, I noticed this yellowish crusty-like substance (see picture) in the very bottom corner of his cage. I don't know how long it's been there but we just changed the fleece on Sunday. I've read that Chins can't vomit so I have no idea what it could be. Any advice would be appreciated. As of this morning he seemed totally fine. Thank you!

Jay

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Hedgehog

I have a 9 month old hedgehog and just 2 days ago he started bleeding from his toungue and it was really swollen i took him to one of my dads friend whos a vet but he really didint know much about hedgehogs he said he probably injured himself while he licked himself and so he said he would ask his manager about it and will purscribe a medicine. 2 days have passed and the swelling went down but he only seems to be drinking water he hasnt eaten or pooped but hes been acting normal. I read that if its to cold they wont eat but i have him in a warm room now so its not cold anymore. I also noticed he might have lost some teeth he still has the two front ones but from the side he doesnt seem to have plz help

Any research on UV light therapy for teeth and bones?

Does anyone have research they can share on the use of UV light to treat bone density issues/ teeth root issues?

Replacement pan for Feisty Ferret cage?

My chin has chewed through the plastic of my Prevue Hendryx Feisty Ferret cage. Does any place sell replacements or have a permanent solution for replacing the bottom pan?

duct work?

in lieu of a PVC pipe covering in fleece, what are some feelings about using (uncovered) ductwork as tubes in cages? i thought i saw it in someone's pictures in the Ferret Nation Club thread. it'd be a good option for cooling chins, like the chinchiller or granite slabs. just curious if theres a big reason not to use these.

link to picture of what I mean:
http://ift.tt/2fI4kUc

forum not so busy?

is it just me, or does this forum not seem as busy as it used to be?

i've been a member for awhile (was a member of C-n-Q as well when it was in existence) but very on and off. i'll get active for awhile and then life picks up and brings me away from the forum for awhile. then a questions about the chins brings me back. i always enjoy reading thru the threads and getting help or advice from my fellow chin owners. i've been hanging around the past week or so, and i noticed there just doesn't seem to be the same amount of posts/responses that there used to be. is there a new forum that people have moved to? or a dip in membership? just curious.

cat forum?

along with my 5 chins and 1 hedgie... my house is home for 3 beautiful kitties. I'm curious if anyone here knows any good forums comparable to this one, but for cats?

thanks in advance!

Chinchilla refusing a bath!

Hello,

I am new to the forum and hoping someone could help. I have three chinchillas, 1 male and 2 females. Milly and chilly were rescued and introduced together and they had Lilly before chilly was neutered. All have been really healthy and have never caused me a problem until a couple of weeks ago. Chilly refuses to take a sand bath which is not like him at all. He will often sit in the bath then hop right out. There is nothing else obviously wrong with him... He is eating fine, drinking and using his wheel like mad!

I took him to an expert exotics vet who couldn't find anything obviously wrong. She thought she saw a couple of Spurs in his mouth but she wasn't 100% sure this was the cause as they didn't appear to be large enough to cause a problem. The only thing she could recommend was to anaesthetise him and check him over further. Obviously this comes with a risk for chinchillas and I don't want to do it unless needed. I'm just not convinced it's pain in his teeth as he's eating and playing fine otherwise. Has anybody else experienced this or can anyone offer some help?

Thank you in advance. Alex

Blood on tail

A few days ago my parents told me that they noticed 2 small drips of blood on the floor in front of Marzipan's cage, and when I cleaned her cage 3 days ago I noticed also a small blood stain on one of her wood ledges, but didn't see any injuries on her. Now today, there are dried blood spots on the wall behind her cage and she seems to have blood dried on her tail towards the tip, and she also seems very bothered by it, all day she had been suddenly "chasing" her tail and spinning in circles and making angry sounds. She also makes angry sounds when we try and go near her. Should I be worried about it or has she possibly just cut herself and I just wait for it to heal?

HELP

:cry3: I HAVE SEEN MY CHINCHILLA TURN HIS HEAD TO ONE SIDE GRINDING HIS TEETH DO I NEED TO GO TO A VET WHY IS HE DOING IT

Do they ever refuse chew sticks?

Ok, I'm trying not to panic, but being a new chin mom of only 1 month, it's difficult.

Until now, the norm has been that I have to bring 2 sticks in simultaneously or they will both go after the first one in.

This morning JoJo refused an elm twiglet. I tried another one, still no. Last ditch effort, I figured if she doesn't go for the apple twig there may be something wrong. A big NO on the apple twig.

Note that they, or one of them, semi-demolished the stick part of a barbell last night. Daphne happily took an extra twiglet this morning, but I took the others out because I want to know who is chewing them.

Help!

Thanks,
Trish

Help, my Chin has Malo!

Hello everyone – from South Africa.

I need advice and support from someone who has been through Malo with their chin or possibly a vet?

Diagnosis: My female chin, Neela – 3yr 7mnth, has developed malo.

When: she started showing true signs about 3 weeks ago, but since she was about 2yrs 5mnths I noticed a slightly more ‘bumpy’ lower jaw than average. Here eye sockets are fine though.

Symptoms: She was not eating at all and dropped her pellets and possibly not drinking water. She has lost weight. She was drooling slightly and her jaw motion during her chews was very abnormal. Bloated and not pooping BUT no signs of any fecal pellets in her system. She passed the occasional slimy, sticky clear mucus from her bum. She was also sleepy and had no energy.

Cause: Neela’s mom, Lilly 6yrs 10mnths, is her companion – she has no issues or signs of malo. Neela’s father, Peppers, died September 2015 at the age of 4yrs 10 months, but he was a small chin and I’m assuming didn’t come from good genes as was below average size and his jaw bone was also quite bumpy. So this issue may be genetically induced or from her diet, but my other chin Lilly has no issues. So I am leaning towards genetics.

Feeding: Nowhere in my country is Oxbow Citical Care available so, I was syringe feeding her (her pellets mushed up (with calcium powder) along with Nutrostim, a Vitamin B, high calorie nutritional supplement (0.2mls a day) made by Cipla Vet – I’m not sure if it is available in your country) I was feeding her about 9 mls of feed in the am and evening (as I work and not at home to feed during the day) 0.2mls of Nutrostim and 2mls of purified water.

Her diet is made up of a Chinchilla Mix called Tiny Friends Farm and here is the nutritional information:
Composition: Wheat, timothy hay, alfalfa meal, flaked peas, soya bean hulls, flaked maize, soya bean meal, extruded maize, wheat feed, linseeds, soya oil, dried carrot, sunflower oil, calcium carbonate.
Analytical Constituents:
Protein 16.0%, Crude fibre 15.0%, Fat content 3.0%, Inorganic matter 5.0%, Calcium 0.6%, Phosphorus 0.4%
Nutritional Additives/kg:
Vitamin A 20000 IU, Vitamin D3 2000 IU, Ferrous sulphate monohydrate 61mg, Calcium iodate anhydrous 1.5mg, Copper sulphate pentahydrate 20mg, Manganese oxide 32mg, Zinc oxide 87mg, Sodium selenite 0.3mg.

Bedding: She also has eragrostis and Lucerne. As well as a nesting box, ladder and polls to jump on, also a pine stump.

Bloat Solution: I was doing a hot compress twice in the morning and twice in the evening with small circular motion tummy rubs.

Solution: I took her to a vet (someone who I know has dealt with and treated dental issues in rabbits) and he said he did not like that fact that her lower jaw had ‘points’ where her molars start. I did tell him that it was an alarming issue for me and suspected she had dental issues. Before I visited the vets practice I had done quite a bit of research on my own so I knew what I was dealing with.
Unfortunately where I live, vets here have very little knowledge of chinchillas and also no experience, so it is very difficult for Neela and me.
So my vet had to call up a specialist vet and he reckoned that the roots of her molars were growing into her jaw and she wasn’t grinding down her teeth fast enough – of which this was my initial suspicion. And as per the specialist the temporary solution which would help only to a degree was to put her under anesthetic and grind/file all of her teeth down.
All this was done at R545.00 (about $38.00) which was affordable for me.

Recovery: Upon collecting Neela from the vet, while she was in her carrier she has passed a large fecal pellet, about 15+ times the size of a normal one. I’m guessing this is a build-up of food.
Also, quite a bit of clear fluid passed through her bum with the occasional wind passing through. And thereafter, her bloat has now disappeared – I’m so happy!
She attempted picking up her food pellets but she dropped it and didn’t pursue the chew. So I have had to continue syringe feeding her the formula. She is now a lot more energetic and is fighting the feeds but does take it though; I just can’t as much in at a time.
She is passing fecal pellets, but they are quite soft and I’m guessing it’s because I am giving her a lot of water (in her mushed up food through syringe and I am feeding her water through syringe separately)

Question:
What I am doing, is it acceptable?
Additionally, do I need to feed her electrolytes and a probiotic?
Does she need any other nutrients?
It is day 2 after her procedure and she is not eating on her own, is this normal?
I know malo will come back in a few months; do I need any more preparation?
She is dirty down at her bits area and her mouth, any idea how to clean her?

Your help and advice will mean a lot to me and Neela as South African Forums, self-proclaimed chinchilla whisperers and Registered Breeders here are not supportive and helpful.

Neela and I thank you so much for reading our story and for your support.:grouphug::heart3:Attachment 22653

Attachment 22654
Attached is a picture of Neela (Dark Brown) and Lilly (Light Beige)

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Troubled chinchilla...

Just got myself an ebony female chinchilla 3 days ago for the price of two regular ones, I was happy at first. It seem normal and curious before purchase, however when it's in the cage I provided, it started the cold treatment where it would only moves or eat when I'm gone; when I come around it would jump up on top of the dust box and stood there for hours like an owl... I had chinchillas previously and they weren't behave like this before. I :banghead:can't return it to pet stores so I'll be stuck with this depressing fellow for the rest of its life, so fraustrating.

Crusty Substance?

Hi All!
New chin owner here. We've had our little guy, Dobby for just over 3 weeks and he turned 3 months this past Saturday (Nov. 12th). Both my wife and I have done a ton of research thanks to this forum and the like. He has a very healthy diet of Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla food, Timothy hay, water, plenty of wood chews, and after play time we give him a small sliver of rosehip sometimes. Also, the occasional oats as well when we are trying to get him used to our hands more. Anyways, I noticed this yellowish crusty-like substance (see picture) in the very bottom corner of his cage. I don't know how long it's been there but we just changed the fleece on Sunday. I've read that Chins can't vomit so I have no idea what it could be. Any advice would be appreciated. As of this morning he seemed totally fine. Thank you!

Jay

Hi!

I'm new here! I will be getting 2 chins in the next few weeks, as soon as they are weaned. My 11 year old daughter and I went to look at them because it's mainly for her, and we decided on getting 2! We are new to this but have been researching tons and I've been lurking forums.

WARE Farmer's Market Nature's House, SAFE?

Hello,

Is this house safe for chinchillas?

http://ift.tt/2fSBUUj

WARE Farmer's Market Nature's House for Rabbits, Large, 15.5" L X 9" W X 9" H

15.5"; L X 9"; W X 9"; H. Made from all natural sun dried grass. Naturally safe to chew. Produced from a renewable source, from Mother Nature's garden. A safe refuge and a great place for your furry friend to sleep the afternoon away.
• Great place for your pet to hideaway & sleep the afternoon away
• Protects sensitive paws from wire bottom cages
• Can be used inside or outside of cage


Thanks

ordering toy parts?

been awhile since I ordered toy parts so i'm asking...

wheres your favorite site to order from? I'm looking for parts to make hanging toys. small drilled items like Bagels, willow chews, pumice stones, bamboo, wood shapes, etc etc etc.

thanks in advance!

Chinchilla safe exercise wheel - in Canada?

Hi, does anyone know if its possible to get a Chin Spin or silver surfer from somewhere with reasonable shipping to Canada? on qualitycage.com the shipping to Canada is $80USD, which is more than the wheel itself!

One of my chins loves wheels, but the only thing I could get locally in a plastic saucer (Could only give it to him when I was supervising so he wouldn't chew..) but it was cheap garbage and it bent just from his weight. I'd love to get him a good wheel.

I just brought my chin how

Hello,

So I just brought my Chinchilla home on Saturday and I'm really worried about her because I've been reading soft poop is bad. She has had soft poop since I've brought her home. She seems to be acting normal jumping and moving around. Is there anything I should do to help her?

THANKS!!

My Chin is Cured -- Irregular Poop

I was worried about Wiz... he stopped eating hay... and I noticed but not for a while because everything else was good.

Then after a bit I did notice something was wrong... he would sit in one spot for long long long time... and then the big thing that made me notice his poops went to just a quarter volume of what they used to be... and badly shapen... looks like filled with hair sometimes and strung together - rather than individual pieces.

Also stopped barking, and stopped running on wheel - ok something definitely wrong!

I read a lot of stuff online including on this forum. I ended up taking him to the local vet... they checked him out best they could and did give him an anti-biotic shot and directions to nearest specialty clinic if he did not improve. Also recommended I give him some pineapple juice.

Well brought him home and he seemed marginally better but still bad poops and wouldn't drink the pineapple juice.

After a couple of days of trying though i finally got him to drink some pineapple juice... a couple days after that he seemed a little better.

And then boom... he was fixed. Well... mostly. Barks again (although not nearly as much) and is pooping like normal... which means... lots and lots and lots of poop... which is the normal. He loves the pineapple juice. I've just been giving him a very small amount each day and he still doesn't seem to be eating hay but I am going to try some other hay soon that he used to eat a long time ago... maybe he misses it. Anyway.

Pineapple Juice rules?

2 male chinchilla..1 humping

I recently got 2 male chinchillas (about 2 weeks ago), one 3 months, the other 5 months old. They came from the same breeder and had spent time in cages with both each other and other chins. The 5 month old is quite a bit bigger than the other.
They have seemed to gotten along well, aside from occasional nipping (or what I think is nipping, though the small chin doesn't complain aloud). Tonight after seeming quite wound up (he was bouncing all over in the cage), it appeared that he was humping the smaller chin. After the incident, I put the cage divider in to make it two levels to give some separation, and the big guy went wild. It seemed to make the little one sad as he cried out a few times, which made me feel bad.
After the big guy calmed down a bit, I removed the divider and put the ramp back in. Since then they have been sniffing each other and following one another around. The big guy did jump on the little one's back, but it was very briefly.

They have a relatively large cage, 5x3 feet, with multiple hideouts, lave ledges/chews, toys, and wooden ledges, and always have plenty of food and water. I was thinking this may be a matter of dominance, and if that is the case, is there anything I can do to help? I also thought maybe he was starting to go into puberty and that is why he is being more rambunctious than usual.

Also, there are many times were they seem to be getting along great, snuggling in one hut instead of two, hanging out on ledges together, eating side by side etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as as I am a first time chin owner and a lot of this is very new to me.

how old was your chinnie when they passed?

For those of us who have had chinnies who have passed away, I'm curious how long the average lifespan experienced by us is. I hear that they can live up to 20 years old, but how common is that? Please answer with the age your chinnie was when they passed away naturally. (I mean no disrespect to those who passed away from illnesses or injuries, but I'm curious of the "natural" lifespan, if that makes sense).

almost seizure like episode.

My 2 year old Basil had an episode last night that has happened maybe 3 or 4 times before. She was getting her bedtime scritches and treat when it happened.

I picked up some whole rosehips at a pet show (from a reputable seller) yesterday afternoon and decided to give one to each chin as their bedtime treat. My chins haven't had them in awhile, but have had them in the past. A few bites in, Basil started her "episode". She dropped her treat and her whole body stiffened. She laid on the floor of the cage and her back curled slightly backward and back legs stiffened up straight. There was no violent shaking or twitching, just stiffening. She was moving her stiff straight hind legs to move forward, but her front legs and face dragged on the floor. This lasted about 1 minute. Before I had time to even grab my phone to video record her episode, She unstiffened and popped up and was completely and totally FINE. Bouncing around her cage again.

This has only happened after a "treat". My chinnies are always given approved treats (mostly plain cheerios, plain shredded wheat, or a couple oats, sometimes half of a vitakraft nibble ring). The other couple episodes we've seen were once after a wheatie, and once after some oats. So i know it wasnt the rosehip.

I would call this a seizure, however, I do have another chinnie "Tripp" who DOES have seizures (diagnosed and on daily medication for them) BUT Basil's episode looks nothing like my other little guy's seizures (Tripp flops around and twitches, and takes several minutes to recover after it's over). So i am hesitant to call this an actual seizure. It's even hard to explain really what it looks like. So i'm hoping someone else here has seen this odd stiffening behavior. My husband thinks that she just gets too excited and somehow it's a reaction to her over-excitement.

Even if I were to take her to the vet, based on my previous chinchilla-seizure experience, i know they will not put her on medication due to the rarity of the episodes. But still, i want to avoid them as much as possible. Do I take out "treats" entirely? I hate to do that, as she's in the same room as 4 other chinnies who would still get them, and as a good fur-momma I don't want her to think I'm playing favorites! lol Seeing how it hasnt happened with the same treats consistently, I don't know if that's really necessary anyway. Ugh. Any advice would be helpful!

Before anyone asks: They eat Tradition food and always have. They live in Critter nation cages, with fleece items, pine ledges/shelves (no plastic). She loves hay but prefers the orchard grass to timothy hay (i try to switch it up). I've had chinnies for almost ten years now! and I consider myself a knowledgeable, experienced chinnie owner who follows very much of the advice typically given on this forum.

Introducing New Chinchilla

I have just begun the introduction phase for my two boys and I had a couple of questions!

Sorry in advance for a lengthy post:

Some background on my chinchillas, I bought my first boy Pip from PetCo along with another chinchilla he was housed with there. I separated them when I got home for observation and so they had time to adjust and bond with me. After they had adjusted I put their cages next to one another but they quickly seemed interested in each other and I would always find them sleeping in the corners of their cages closest to each other. So I ended up letting them play together much sooner than I ever would, and they got along so well! They were very quickly attached to each other, constantly cuddling and grooming one another! Unfortunately I noticed my other chin (his name was Bex) seemed pretty sick. To save you a long story I ended up (after several tears and long angry conversations with PetCo employees) giving back Bex to PetCo because he was very ill as he had received horrible care before he ever came to me. So sadly Pip ended up alone in his cage without his friend and I was heart-broken for him. However, because of the long time I spend with my boys I gained an incredible bond with Pip. He's a smart boy who comes when I call his name and loves to jump all over me while making happy chin noises! However he seems so sad when I go to bed because he cannot play with me.

I began to think that getting Pip a buddy would be a good idea and I was hopeful that they could get along! I am fully aware that they may not ever get along but I am going to do everything in my power to help them along! I also wanted and felt like I was ready to get a second chinchilla, as I have time to care for both but obviously if they could get along that would be great!

I have recently acquired the new chinchilla, Ruka, from a breeder in Nebraska. He's the sweetest little boy ever and is very curious. Definitely a more passive chinchilla! I have enjoyed the time getting to bond with him (I quaratined him for about a month) before putting him next to Pip. At first Pip seemed a little upset about the newcomer which did not surprise me at all. Pip is very rambunctious and loving but also demanding of attention. So after a week I noticed Pip began to calm down and they would often reside in the sides of their cages closest to each other. I would even find them sleeping there. I decided to let them play together but I was a little nervous. There was sniffing, and they mostly ran around doing whatever until the crossed paths. When they crossed paths Pip began to jump on Ruka and chase him. I intervined because it seemed like Pip would not stop chasing him unless I had gotten between them. Then I noticed Pip had a tuft of fur in his mouth. I immediately put them both back in their cages for the night.

SO I have never had this issue and I wanted some advice. Do they just need more time to adjust to each other while being separated in their cages? Or do you think Pip's behavior towards Ruka (apparently biting out a tuft of fur) warrants complete separation forever? I really am not sure if I should continue to try and bond them or if this is a sign they wont get along. Anything you have to tell me would be greatly appreciated. I am okay with them being housed separately but I want to try everything I can (I am willing to be VERY patient) in order to get them together. Thanks for reading my long post!!!:)

Question about hanging hammocks

Hello,

I have a quality cages chinchilla mansion on the way for my two chinchillas. It will be 4 feet tall, and I am trying to find a hammock to put towards the middle of the cage to make sure there isn't a large drop from the top shelf. I have looked through several stores and found several awesome hammock options, however, it seems like most of the hanging hardware only reaches a couple inches from each corner. The cage is 24" wide, and I was hoping to hang it by the sides of the cage.

Does anyone know where I could buy some extensions so that I can hang it towards the middle of the cage (or where I can buy hammocks that come with this kind of hanging hardware)? I've seen some people hang them by the shelves- but I'm not super handy with drilling and installing my own hardware, and I guess part of me worries about the strain it would put on the shelves when/if both chins are in the hammock (maybe this is irrational, I'm very new to this). If this is the only option, I will give it a try.

Any tips or suggestions would be great! Thank you! I'm sorry if this is a dumb question.

Moving kits out of baby cage

At what stage is a kit big enough to go into an adult cage? Mum and daughter are pining for each other while mum is nursing current 5 week old kit. When is lit big enough to be in multi level cageif I ensure the flooring is thick with fleece?
TIA

Wooden Hammock Experience?

Wondered if anyone has any experience making *wooden* hammocks for their chins?

One of my chins occasionally has the urge to nibble specific edges of his double/covered hammock. I’ve tried mending them using an invisible stitch, but maybe once a week he seems to fixate on that one specific area and work a small hole back in there again, which he seems to like to worry into something bigger once in a while. I don’t think he’s eating very much of it (I will sometimes find small bits hanging off which I trim off and then try to mend back again), but I’m thinking that hammock has to go. They've got plenty of toys around them to chew, but occasionally he wants something soft, it seems.

I'm considering using one of those bendy willow stick huts, turning it upside down, and hanging it with wire. I feel bad though because it’s clearly one of their favorite places to snuggle and sleep in the early morning. They’re always there when we come down in the morning. I think they enjoy having a cozy covered place to snooze, so I'm trying to figure out a way of replicating that without fabric. Do you think a seagrass mat would work as a roof? And would it be able to hold the weight of a chin in case one of them decided to jump on the top portion of it?

Did a search on here to try to find some advice, but the majority seems to have chins that don’t bother nibbling fleece… :hair:

Elder male chinchilla in need of home (located in Mississippi)

Hello! This is my first post in this community, however I have been a long time lurker through Reddit and google. Finally decided I needed to register but I am sad that it had to be under such circumstances.

So, in the beginning of this year, my friends at a local pet store were handed an elderly ebony male from a college student who simply didn't want him anymore. This little guy spent his first 8 years of his life with this student before being brought to the pet store. Because the owners know that I have a rescue chinchilla myself that I love and care for, they decided to contact me. At the time, I thought my current partner was responsible enough to care for a chinchilla, as he seemed to be very interested in taking care of him. Over the course of our relationship however, he proved to not only be mentally unstable (not a requirement to take care of a chin, though), but not responsible enough to take care of this baby. He made the choice to move across the country without thinking in regards of his animals and thought it was ok to just shove them in a car for a 36 hour trip. So, since I feel like this is my fault, I am here to try and rehome him. I would love to have him myself, however I am traveling for about another year trying to gain experience in my career before I move to graduate school. I already have to be away from my chin, who my parents are kind enough to take care of until I take him with me to grad school, but they are reluctant to have another.

I will be returning to Mississippi at the end of November and will be staying until January or February. In the mean time, I will be taking care this chin while trying my best to slowly introduce my chin Marley to Totoro, the elderly chin. My hope is that they will get along and could possibly be cage mates but since those who are helping me with Marely are still opposed to another chin, I think the more likely option is rehoming him. While we are in northeast Mississippi, I am more than happy to travel with Totoro within some states in the southeast to rehome him.

Totoro is a very friendly little fellow. Like most chins, he is just quite shy when you first meet him. He is a very cuddly chin however (unlike my young rascal LOL) and will easily take to anyone who shows him kindness, love and treats. During his last vet appointment, he was cleared with an excellent bill of health. We are not sure how he is with other chins, but from what we observed under one circumstance, he seems to very interested when seeing another chins. I will update more on this aspect of his personality when I return and care for him.

If you are interested or know anyone that could be, please feel free to message me, or email me at izzyvilella22@yahoo.com. All I ask for is someone with proven experience with chins, and preferably someone who already owns one or more. There is no rehoming fee, unless you would like his cage. Then we can negotiate prices there. I'm not trying to make money out of this. I just want this sweet baby to have a forever home, so don't be discouraged with the cage statement. I am more than willing to help pay my ex-partner back for the cage he bought. Any other questions, please don't hesitate! Attached is a picture of Totoro after a dust bath. :)

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Chin Barking at Night?

Last night something strange happened that I haven't run into in my couple months of owning my 9 month old female chinchilla, Boo. At about 2 am last night she began to bark, which I found strange as she never does that. I turned the light on and she was in the corner she usually sleeps in, with her ears down like she was sleeping. Only a couple of seconds after i turned the light on, she ran to the door of the cage to greet me. I took her out and inspected her, and she seemed fine besides a small patch where she had dropped fur after I vacuumed her cage out the previous day. (She was, of course, out of the cage, but loud noises drive her crazy) In that spot there's a very small red spot. I can only compare it to a pimple. It's looks like the chinchilla equivalent to a human pimple. Also, I noticed a tiny bit of dry flaky skin around her ears, but I feel the two are unrelated incidents. Still, help would be greatly appreciated with either.

Slight concern about Frodos poo!

Hi
My Chin, Frodo has very very small poos, bordering on being round, today instead of his usual poos.

I am new to the Chin world, he is 8 years old and he's not actually mine, I am looking after him for my brother while they sell their house.

I would just like to know if this a cause for concern. I do get him out for about an hour, he runs around my lounge...he is a bit of a nibbler with the skirting and chimney breast. Has he just nibbles something that has not agreed with him?
Regards x:hmm:

Smoker Wood Safe?

I've learned apple wood is safe for chinchillas but I was wondering if i could use apple wood used for smoking//barbecuing steak to make some shelves, chew toys, bridges, etc or if it would not be safe..??

hello everyone - chin booklet

hello everyone,
me and 2 friends are trying to make a small chin booklet which will explain a bit more about chins, we want to include a chapter about chinchillas genes and colors.

while its much easier to just use photos from google, i dont wana use any images without their owner constant... therfore i would be really happy if people here can upload pictures of their chin (stating their color/genes) which they agree to use in this booklet (it wont be somthing big, it will actually be written in heberow).

any help will be great :)

thanks in advance!

Vets in Georgia?

Hi.
I recently took in two Chinchillas into my family, and I know it is good to research vets just to be safe.
Does anyone know a good Chinchilla vet in Georgia?

Thanks!

Not so keen on playtime

I wondered if anyone had any experience with chins that weren’t so interested in playtime outside their cage? Our chins are about 7 months old. We have tried playtime once (a bit after they turned 6 months old), but it was rather traumatic for all involved: each chin went into one of the wooden huts, so we transported them into the cardboard playpen in the kitchen (they normally live in the living room). They had spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen before as it was cooler during the summer — so the room was not entirely unfamiliar to them. We had familiar (and new) toys and chews set up on the tiled floor. Clodius, who is generally more adventurous anyway, took ages to emerge from a tunnel he took shelter in, and Milo, who normally lets his ballsy little brother do everything first, took even longer to come out of his house. They spent most of the time frozen. They eventually warmed up *a little* to the experience, but it ended with one of them barking, which I took to mean they wanted to go back home, and getting them back into their boxes to transport them was also quite tricky. I just feel like neither of them enjoyed it much. We certainly didn't. Felt really bad that we made them that uncomfortable. :cry3:

I want to try again, but I’m wondering how long to leave it before we give it another go. They were super tired the day after and seemed generally a little out of sorts (I didn’t blame them). So we left them to their own devices to let them get over the experience. They seem perfectly happy to romp around in their cage, but everyone else seems to have such successful playtimes and I really do want to give them the opportunity for more exercise since they don’t have a wheel.

I’m wondering if others have rocky starts too and this is fairly normal, or are my chins just *massive* home-bodies?! Did your chins take quickly to outside cage time, or (like most things) does it just depend on the chin? The breeder we got them from doesn’t let his chins out at all, and they don’t have wheels. They all seemed super social and it’s clear he interacts with them a lot. But our boys are unfamiliar with this process and have never seen it done. Will they learn to enjoy it…? And are there things we can do to make it easier on them?

Very very active chinchilla

Hello!
So I recently took in two male chinchillas (8 wk+ old).
One of them is pretty calm most times, but the other one is very very hyper (not sure if that's the word).
He's very friendly, and very loveable but when I watch him play, I worry for his safety.
He does what I guess you call "wall surfing", but sometimes he would look like he's flying inside the cage. He basically likes to make loud sounds and bounce off everything, and I'm not sure if it's safe?
I have Martin's Highrise cage, and everything is replaced with wood ledges or fleece. So I'm not worried about his feet getting caught on the ground, but it still scares me so much.
Any suggestions? I'm planning on adding more ledges and corner shelves so it doesn't look like he's attempting some freelance bouncing everywhere without support. Anything else I can do?

Thank you :)

Btw, I love this site. I read so many threads here before bringing my two chinchillas home!

Double Ferret Nation, Fleece Liners & Bonded Pair

Hello Everyone!

I just got my two girls (a bonded pair) a few weeks ago. I pulled out my old Marshalls Folding Mansion cage from the attic for them. I didn't remember how difficult the cage is to clean!! It's a nice sized cage however the door size is small and multiple set in wire shelves (lined with fleece) as so difficult to sweep off and you have to maneuver yourself into the cage to get at them. I'm already thinking about upgrading to a Double Ferret Nation. I have been researching the cage and have a few questions...

1. Open cage vs. Keeping the middle pan: At first, I really liked the look of the "open cage" concept without the middle pan. But after reading some reviews, it seems keeping the middle pan in is safer. One of my girls is a tripod, missing a back leg from an injury (she came to me this way) .I read you can make the open concept cage safer by adding wooden shelves but I feel the middle pan would be the best option for my little three legged girl. Guess I just need some confirmation on this.

2. Bass pans: I am planning on purchasing the stainless steel pans. Right now, I think one of my girls is litter trained and the other is not... I think *lol*. I use fleece liners and have small pyrex pans for pine shavings. What depth bass pan would you recommend? Does having the bass pans & middle pan in- cut down on messes flying out side of the cage? My current cage allows for ALOT of projectiles due to the bouncy shelving. I have also purchased some wooden ledges with the "poop guards" to help with this issue.

3. Fleece Liners- Envelope/Pillow case style vs. drop in: Which style do you prefer? I like the concept of "drop in" but was unsure if this was more messy to clean.

4. Bonded Pair: My goal is to maintain the connection they have. Like I said I have only had them a few weeks and they are very bonded & loving. They currently have TWO of everything. Would moving them to a new cage so soon stress them out?

5. Cotton fabric: In my chinchilla excitement, I placed an etsy order for hidey houses. Unfortunately I overlooked the fact the seller makes the houses with some cotton fabric (not just all fleece). I spent quite a bit on these items only to have that "Aha" moment later. :banghead: I know in general cotton is a no-no fabric but is there harm in trying it out on a trial basis to see if the girls will chew on it? Has anyone had any success with their chinchilla not eating fabric? If need be, I can try and sell these items on craigslist or something.

Thank you for taking the time to read! I truly appreciate all the great advice on this forum and any suggestions/comments you have for me!