I am researching getting chinchillas and trying to give them an environment that is as enriching as possible and would love ideas. I'm not a fan of animals in cages and also think chinchillas being small, destructive, pooping everywhere, unable to wear harnesses, climate/temperature needs and our busy lives in general makes it hard to fathom how to give them enough out of cage time and maybe my answer will end up that they just aren't right for me however i remain fascinated by these creatures and would love some rescue chins.
I realize some people have many chins and they do not get out of cage time, I would say generally I’ve seen on most sites etc people say their chins get out for half an hour a day and many are happy with this however I would like to give them a lot of play time. I would love to replicate as much as possible an enclosure that has some aspects of their natural habitat or at least lets them exhibit their natural behaviours.
So far it seems there is no way around them having a cage, the bigger the better, with a companion.
Converting a room seems impossible as they are said to chew through walls. If they had a very enriching environment such as similar to the pictures vinyl or something easy clean how destructive would they still be? Around the walls could be play pens or (on the cheap) cardboard walls to protect skirting boards.. the window/windowsill would be hard to protect though. And I am talking in the sense is it really no matter what, no matter how extreme you go (within a realistic budget), too hard to leave them on their own for a few hours with just checking in on them? If they had a room such as I’ve pictured are they going to bother the walls too?
In the wild they sleep during the day so cage time then seems practical (although that said, even my bunnies should be active dawn and dusk, they have a huge fenced in yard and can often be found outside most of the time mind you I suppose im at work when they are sleeping) and in the twilight hours chins in the wild are out foraging for food which is something pets don’t need to do.
I had wondered if any of the treat puzzles were interesting to chins…from treat balls where they have to roll it to get food out to any of the cat enrichment/puzzles that you can buy where they have to work a bit for the food.
I love the “Trixie natural living” range of things you can buy which are available here in new zealand and also these photos give an idea of what id love to accomplish.
Another idea (dont shoot me!) would be is it possible to have an indoor/outdoor home. I don’t think the temperatures where I live are too extreme for chinchillas, rain/damp would be the main issue to work around, heat would only be an issue for a very short part of the year...it would hardly get too hot. Let’s just say for example you had an insulated room with perhaps a cat door on, and there was a run outside… surely if the temperatures or conditions outside were not ideal they were stay indoors if they had the choice?
What are your thoughts? I've tried to attach some ideas (indoor) but not sure if i've attached them right...guess il see.
I realize some people have many chins and they do not get out of cage time, I would say generally I’ve seen on most sites etc people say their chins get out for half an hour a day and many are happy with this however I would like to give them a lot of play time. I would love to replicate as much as possible an enclosure that has some aspects of their natural habitat or at least lets them exhibit their natural behaviours.
So far it seems there is no way around them having a cage, the bigger the better, with a companion.
Converting a room seems impossible as they are said to chew through walls. If they had a very enriching environment such as similar to the pictures vinyl or something easy clean how destructive would they still be? Around the walls could be play pens or (on the cheap) cardboard walls to protect skirting boards.. the window/windowsill would be hard to protect though. And I am talking in the sense is it really no matter what, no matter how extreme you go (within a realistic budget), too hard to leave them on their own for a few hours with just checking in on them? If they had a room such as I’ve pictured are they going to bother the walls too?
In the wild they sleep during the day so cage time then seems practical (although that said, even my bunnies should be active dawn and dusk, they have a huge fenced in yard and can often be found outside most of the time mind you I suppose im at work when they are sleeping) and in the twilight hours chins in the wild are out foraging for food which is something pets don’t need to do.
I had wondered if any of the treat puzzles were interesting to chins…from treat balls where they have to roll it to get food out to any of the cat enrichment/puzzles that you can buy where they have to work a bit for the food.
I love the “Trixie natural living” range of things you can buy which are available here in new zealand and also these photos give an idea of what id love to accomplish.
Another idea (dont shoot me!) would be is it possible to have an indoor/outdoor home. I don’t think the temperatures where I live are too extreme for chinchillas, rain/damp would be the main issue to work around, heat would only be an issue for a very short part of the year...it would hardly get too hot. Let’s just say for example you had an insulated room with perhaps a cat door on, and there was a run outside… surely if the temperatures or conditions outside were not ideal they were stay indoors if they had the choice?
What are your thoughts? I've tried to attach some ideas (indoor) but not sure if i've attached them right...guess il see.
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