Temporary Cage Options

Hello, I was wondering if anyone here had any good ideas for a temporary cage on the cheaper side that can fit two adult chinchillas. I'm going on vacation in April and I'll be gone for about a week. I have a second cage but it's very old and it is now unsafe to use. Money is kind of tight so I'd rather not buy a MidWest. Something that's easy to set up/take apart for boarding purposes would be wonderful.

Thank you in advance.

2 Male Chinchillas Charleston WV

I have come to the incredibly difficult decision that I need to part ways with my two male Chinchillas, Milo and Tesla. This wasn’t an easy decision and am not looking for anyone to tear me down over this when I already feel terrible about it. I am adult enough to understand that I have issues that affect my ability to properly take care of them and that they deserve better care than what I am able to give them in my current health state.

They need to go together, I will not separate them...

2 Male Chinchillas Charleston WV

Chinchilla Bedding And Litter

Hey y'all!

So, I took my little dude, Pedro, to the vet. They recommended that, in his cage, I should put down 1 layer of litter and 1 layer of bedding. It was an Oxbow pamphlet that they gave us which told us what types to use, but that means it was all Oxbow stuff. I'm not saying that I'm against EcoStraw and Pure Comfort, but they're not the only brands of litter and straw out there.

So what do you all recommend for bedding and litter? Also, my rabbit uses SoPhresh cat litter, which is...

Chinchilla Bedding And Litter

Should I get a Hedgie?

So I am a newer hedgie mom, my first ever baby died a very traumatic death last week after only having her for a month and a half. Well I was looking at another breeders website out of curiosity and was interested in an adult they had for sale. I am nearing the end of the grieving process I think? I don't always cry when I see her cage set up and I was able to clean her cage out and pack away her things. On the breeders website they're selling retired breeding females for $75 and I was...

Should I get a Hedgie?

Safe wood, two questions.

We have a maple tree (two of them I think) and a Bradford pear. I was wondering if these are safe? I've been looking around on a few websites and can't find them on the safe list or the unsafe list. Thanks!

Pecan wood

I've read about Farmer Dave and Pecan Wood & Pear. How can I buy some for my Sorsha?

Half paralysis?

My chin is about 12 years old and he's been having "fits" where half his body seems paralyzed. I haven't seen it happen since he moved in with me (I just got an apartment that allows pets) but when he was staying with my mom it happened a few times. Is he sick? is it a neurological disease? Is it from stress? I just got back from Christmas and he was alone for a while. I thought it might have been the treats I gave him but he hasn't had those in a while I'm worried.

Cage size minimum

Hi, I am currently researching Chinchilla care and was wondering if there is cage size minimum? Sorta like how hamsters have one of 450 inches of floorspace, do chinchillas have a minimum?

Yellow spit up?

Hi so I just went to let my chins out for some exercise and noticed some yellowish type goop under my chinchillas mouth. Never seen anything like this and Google doesn't seem to be helping. She just went to the vet 2 days ago for a tooth trimming and they did a general check to make sure she's healthy and they say she's in perfect health. It almost looks like she threw up but ik they can't. I cleaned her up and fame her a treat and she seems completely normal and her weight and eating...

Yellow spit up?

Custom chinchilla cages?

I'm considering getting a chinchilla in the future (after plenty of research), and though the Critter Nation looks to be a good option I'm interested in making a custom cage. Not only to provide more space but for the aesthetic too.
Here's a few pictures I've saved from Pinterest.

But I've noticed most of them are made of wood. Would it be an issue with then chewing on it? I'd imagine...

Custom chinchilla cages?

Hello! New to the chinchilla community

I have never really considered keeping a pet chinchilla until recently when I spotted one in a Petsmart. I couldn't stop thinking about that cute little face so I started to do some research out of curiosity. Of course, being an animal love I wanted one from that moment on but I usually do research for at least a year (or multiple) before deciding if its right for me.
After asking some friends who have kept them in the past I realized it wouldn't be too unreasonable to have one.

I...

Hello! New to the chinchilla community

Chinchilla attacking my partner - help!

Hi all,
I've had my Chinchilla, Simba, for 3 years now and made the decision from the outset not to have him neutered, because he is super energetic and all of my sister's chinchillas lost that when they got neutered.
He is super friendly and cute most of the time. He has never been agressive with me apart from when I pick him up to put him in his cage, then I occasionally get a grump noise and a gentle bite.
My partner loves Simba just as much as I do. Simba often runs around the room...

Chinchilla attacking my partner - help!

Your chin's favourite chew toys

What are your chin's favourite things to chew on?

I've been trying out different chew toys and materials with my girl, and while she'll chew on most anything, she definitely has her preferences when she's given many different choices. Apple sticks are a favourite, of course. Though she only seems to like apple wood in stick form. She mostly ignores the slices (she'll nibble them a little when they're on hanging toys, but that's about it). She also goes wild for pumice stone and those...

Your chin's favourite chew toys

Church thoughts

ChinsForLife said:

Oh ok! Lol. Did you when you were younger? When you lived in Maine?

Click to expand...

Yeah, we actually hopped around to difference churches, I think my mom was trying to find the right fit for her.

Chinchilla Milk

Old, but still useful.

What is this bedding made out of?

Hi again!

The breeder I bought my chins from uses this bedding for their chinchillas
Murdoch's – Bitterroot Forest Products - Softwood Shavings

It says kiln-dried wood...does that mean pine? spruce? My chins have used it for about 5 years now and would like to use it for my gerbils as well, but I'm really curious what wood its made out of.

More questions about setting up

This is the cage I got for my new chin.
there are a few plastic pieces in the assembly. Would it be ok to put in the plastic ledges it came with - only for a few weeks, til I can afford to buy or make wood ones?
2bd question: This is a 42” tall setup. So, for a baby, how high would be “too high” to place any ledges? I’m afraid he’ll hurt himself if they’re set “too high.” Is this a valid worry?
Last question: I know that the floor of this cage is terrible for my baby. (The holes are...

More questions about setting up

Single female mosaic chin

Hi all,

I really hate to be making this post right now, but I need to rehome my 14 year old female mosaic chinchilla. She's been living at my parents house for a while due to my husband's allergies. I recently started a new job and I haven't been able to get to their house to care for her and give her attention nearly as much as I would like to. I hate that she is just sitting in her cage by herself all the time and I decided it's just not fair to her. She is super sweet and loves her chin...

Single female mosaic chin

Getting acquainted with a new chin

What/how should I go about socializing and getting to know my new chin? I did a horrible job with Penny & I want to do things better this time. Help? He’s probably coming home this Wednesday, December 15th!!

Wooden cage accessories

Are wooden ledges, ramps, houses, etc. ok in a chin cage as long as they’re made of kiln-dried aspen? (There’s another wood chins are safe with, isn’t there? Haven’t had a chin in several years, and I’m struggling to remember. Any & all suggestions welcome!)

What's been your most expensive chinchilla purchase?

Please tell us about it just briefly.

Is china-fir safe

Urgent help small ingestion of vaseline will he be ok

I put a little Vaseline on my chins foot and he licked it off is that fine the kind I used was meant for babies

Where to buy PVC pipe for fleece tubes

Ok so I've made about 5 fleece tube covers over a month ago but have yet to get the pvc tube to put the covers on.

I went to Lowes to get some 6" diameter pipe and they had it.. but they only had them 10 feet long. I don't need THAT many tubes and it definitely won't fit in my car to get it home, let alone trying to get that cut into 10" peices. Does anyone know where I can get 6" pvc tube in smaller pieces. I didn't think Lowes would even cut it in half for me let alone into the size I...

Where to buy PVC pipe for fleece tubes

4 mo. Old girl chinchilla named roxy

I have a chin i need to rehome we already have 5 of them and she is super sweat she is 4 mo. Old and has 2 brothers she is a standard Grey. If you are interested I will send pictures and more info

Whats the best chinchilla dust

I have heard that oxbow and Kaytee dust changed their recipes and are bad Kaytee specifically making chins pull out their fur. So what dust do I use?

Dawnna of chocolate chinchillas

Howdy all!

I was a member about 10 years ago. I can't remember my username and I had one of those fancy emails from my cell phone provider so oh well.

I came back wondering what happened to Dawnna of chocolate chinchillas. She sold lifeline on her website and was a lovely woman. I think she was eskiemom on here. Does anyone know?

Cage liners

Can someone please help me find resonably priced fleece liners for https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjgvZvY3670AhWDmoYKHWplCYoYABAMGgJ2dQ&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASEuRoGyjxg2ivbS3TTvOZ3tVhXg&sig=AOD64_0N1lfpNhMr8BXQ4kzDwfTAtsyilA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjz7JHY3670AhW1RDABHcQJBuYQwg96BAgBEBA&adurl=

The cheapest I could find for a bottom pan liner for this cage were $25 which is the same price for the bottom pan of a critter nation. I believe its not...

Cage liners

Aside from being active and playful...

Can anyone share with us some unique characteristics of their chinchillas or how cuddly or affectionate they are as pets?

Male chin peeing from top of the cage

Hi All,
I hope you are well.
I have notice that my male chin is very convenient in terms of defecating.
He does not bother going downstairs to pee but instead once he leaves the hammock he's peeing from height all over the place sometimes not missing the food bowl.
He's over 1 year old and I have not seen females doing that.
Can this be corrected in any way? Should I put him in a low cage to acknowledge the litter box?
Best regards

Oxbox Hammocks?

Hi, I'm new to the forum! I have 3 boy chinchillas who will be turning 5 this year
I've been looking for fleece hammocks at a few different websites like Chinchilla City and a shop on Etsy, the only problem I have is the shipping. I don't really want to spend a ton of money just to ship it. Anyways, I found out that Oxbox has fleece hammocks. Would these be safe? Are they anti-pill?

Bedding / Is this mold or paint?

I bought it a few months ago and tried to open it found these. Do you think they are mold or just paint?

Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Chinchilla Food

im looking to switch away from Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Chinchilla Food because I heard it was no good is this true? also what is an inexpensive better food for my chinchilla?

Portable coolbox idea

Hi
I have an idea and would like to know what you think. In a attempt to cool down my chins even more. If I buy a portable box cooler, as one attached. And I cut its one side open and fix it to a bigger insulated box with entrance. So it will offer them a "cooling" box where they can go if the heat gets too much. The coolbox is relatively cheap compared to a water cooler. Even thinking to hook it up to a solar battery which I already have. What do you think about this idea?
Regards

Travelling cage/carrier

Hello once again. I really do apologise for all the threads and questions, but Amethyst and others have been so helpful. It seems like whenever I feel like I'm starting to get my head around chin care, something else will crop up and I have yet more questions. I'm just so in love with Margaret and want to be sure I'm doing right by her.

Anyway, what do you folks use for carriers and travelling cages, like for trips to the vet? Currently all we have are either cardboard or soft-sided fabric...

Travelling cage/carrier

Custom wheel

Hello again! I've been having the worst luck with shipping for some of the supplies for my chin. Last week the beautiful ceramic litter box I'd ordered got lost....and yesterday I learned that the Chin Spin I ordered has also been lost in transit.

I mentioned these frustrations in passing to a family friend...and she has graciously offered to make a custom wheel for my girl! Now, I realise that I could just order another wheel and I'd almost certainly have it before my friend could...

Custom wheel

Cleaning schedual while on vacation

Hi all,

My two Chins live in a two story Critter Nation cage, with fleece bedding (with towels underneath) and two bowls of aspen shavings that they use for peeing - some of the time. They also have two water bottles.
I am changing their bedding once per week (and sweep their floors every other day, or two).
We are soon going for a 3 weeks vacation, and planning to ask our daughter's friend ( a teenager) to drop by every 2-3 days to refill the water, food and hay, sweep their floor and give...

Cleaning schedual while on vacation

Resetting chinchillas clocks a bit

Hi All,
Did anyone of you try to reset their clocks a bit so they are more active in the late evening rather than between 2 and 3am?
I think louder TV entertains them a lot but I don't watch TV myself so they keep sleeping.
They react well to the music but after some time they get use to it and just continue sleeping
I haven't yet tried a radio with some human voices but this could also help. I think they are on alert when see or hear a stranger.
Do they really bother about the light...

Resetting chinchillas clocks a bit

Litterbox recommendations?

Hello again! Sorry for all the questions, but the responses I've been getting have been super helpful, so I've got another question!

What do you all use for litter boxes? We initially purchased our girl a plastic rabbit litterbox....then I learned that I really shouldn't have any plastic in the cage, so I ordered a cute ceramic one off Etsy....which got lost during shipping and the seller is currently sold out. *facepalm* I was unable to find anything else suitable on Etsy that was...

Litterbox recommendations?

Sweet Beige Brothers....

I have two male beige brothers that I am looking to re-home. They were rescued by my children's school class after they were found in a storage shed by a friend. The classroom hasn't been the best environment for them and they have been with me for most of COVID and the summer. The teacher just confirmed that they are not interested in having them back in the classroom. I have four children and three dogs and while their basic needs are met, they are not getting enough attention. I am...

Sweet Beige Brothers....

Needing to rehome a chin, what's the best option?

Sadly we are needing to rehome our female chinchilla, but we're struggling to figure out the best way to do so. She is around 5-6 years old, and came to us with several bad habits from her previous owner. She was put in a chinchilla harness and taken places by her previous owner, which caused her to become very opposed to being handled for anything. For anything medical related or emergency situations (as we unfortunately experienced earlier this year) she readily bites and sprays when...

Needing to rehome a chin, what's the best option?

Same or different playpen for chinchilla & hamsters/gerbils

I’m redoing my small animal room, which houses 2 hamsters (separate cages) and 2 gerbils (cage mates), in order to make space for my new 9 year old chinchilla.

Until now I had a portion of the room permanently set up as a playpen for the hamsters and gerbils. Obviously only to be used by one animal at a time, and I would just do a spot clean to remove any poo, but they were all able to play with the same toys and no one seemed stressed by this.

Now that I have the chinchilla I’m...

Same or different playpen for chinchilla & hamsters/gerbils

Scrubbing, Baking and Boiling

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

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

Scrubbing, Baking and Boiling

Tried to Smush Chinchillas Together - One Attacked the Other

We have had our chinchilla Puff for just over a year now (September 2020). She has been alone since we got her, but she came to the store we bought her from with 2 other chinchillas and lived with them for a couple months before we got her (I know this because one of my best friends was pet room manager and knew when she had come in and how long she had been there). Our previous chinchilla (Houdini, 14f) had lost her longtime companion suddenly and was lonely, so we wanted to get her a new...

Tried to Smush Chinchillas Together - One Attacked the Other

Chinchilla Critter Nation cage squeak?

Hey all, my chinchilla currently has a critter nation cage that he lives in and he loves to run! So my fiance and I bought him a silent chin spin a while ago that does a really good job, however when he starts really going fast in his cage he tends to shake the cage, which itself isn't an issue. However, when the cage shakes there's a really high pitch squeak that comes from the cage shaking that I can't for the life of me pinpoint. I've tried shaking the cage myself and sometimes the squeak...

Chinchilla Critter Nation cage squeak?

In search of a chinchilla breeder in MA

I am looking for a chinchilla breeder in Massachusetts. Can anyone point me in the right direction or connect me to a breeder that you know of?

Thank you

How many pets do you have?

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

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

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

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

How many pets do you have?

Meet Chico

I have been on here for a few months, I know. This isn't an introduction for me, it's for my newly adopted chin, Chico! I have been trying to convince my parents to let me get a chinchilla for nearly 2 years! They finally gave in and I put a deposit down on a baby from a breeder called "Lone Star Chinchilla". After nearly a month, still, there were no babies! I was worried that it would still be a few months. I had decided to go ahead and just get one from the pet store. I walked into the...

Meet Chico

Karate female chinchilla

Hi All,
I hope you are well.
I reckon I own a combative chinchilla to say the least aka killer female chinchilla.
They were good friends for over a year in the same cage then when a bit older but rather shy female got little kits then the problem began (they were already separated, mother with the kits but I still tried some playtime together).
The other female which is younger & bigger but also assertive one have turned rouge & I suspect territorial thus attacks the mother chinchilla.
I...

Karate female chinchilla

Combative female chinchilla

Hi All,
I hope you are well.
I reckon I own a combative chinchilla to say the least aka killer chinchilla female.
They were good friends for over a year in the same cage then when a bit older but rather shy female got little kits then the problem began (they were already separated, mother with the kits but I still tried some playtime together).
The other female which is younger & bigger but also assertive one have turned rouge & I suspect territorial thus attacks the mother chinchilla.
I...

Combative female chinchilla

Pairing chins

Not 100% sure that this is in the right place but I would quite like some advice. I have a single chin (rescue, I think she is between 5 and 7 years old) who I have had for three years. I think she Is a bit lonely and I want to get her a friend (also female) to pair up with her.
I have been doing a lot of research on how to go about pairing up chinchillas and there seems to be many differing opinions on how best to pair chins up.
Could anyone who has successfully paired up same sex chins...

Pairing chins

Digger

My chinchilla, Cheese, likes to dig in her cage. She will also get to the point where she's being so rambunctious that she moves her hiding stump around. Does she need a bath or is there something else wrong?

Length of playtime?

Hello everyone! Got another question about my adorable little fuffball.

How long is too long for playtime? I recently got a Jespet playpen (unfortunately I had to get the medium size, I just don't have the floor space for the large), and she had a ball running and jumping in there for the first time yesterday. She was in there for about an hour while I was cleaning and doing some modifications to her cage, but someone in another thread pointed out than an hour of exercise might be too...

Length of playtime?

Hello! Just got my first chin!

Hello everyone! I already posted a question about cage flooring in the other forum, but I just realised that I haven't properly introduced myself.

My name is Jennifer and I live in California. My roommate and I are both animal lovers (like, to an extreme degree) and maintain a small menagerie of rescued animals. At current count, we have 1 dog, 3 cats, 4 pigeons, 2 lizards, 2 rats, and a chinchilla, all crammed into a 2-bedroom condo. It's a little crazy and is certainly a lot of work, but...

Hello! Just got my first chin!

Playpen Recommendation?

Hi all!
New Chin owner here, he's still a kit so I'm in no rush in letting him roam out of the cage yet.
However, I'm curious of what would be the best suggestion for Playpens?
Ideally, ones that is Climbing-Proof and Foldable.
I heard about Tespo Playpen, but unsure if it's high enough for Chins. Any thoughts?

New chin parent with a few questions!

Hello! My roommate and I rescued a chinchilla about a week ago. We had less than 24 hours to prepare for her arrival, so it's been a bit of a scramble, but we've finally got her into a nice big dual-level cage and have all the bare essentials. Both my roommate and I have had many different kinds of animals before, but this is our first chin. I've been doing a lot of research and feel like I'm starting to get a handle on chinchilla care, and Margaret, the chin, is incredibly sweet and...

New chin parent with a few questions!

newborn chin atacking mom and siblings ! help needed

we have 3 newborn kits, one of which is extremely aggressive ... he is only 3 days old today and the smallest of the bunch. We tried handfeeding him and swopping him with the others, so that he can be alone with the mother but he bites her and us and hardly drinks any of the goats milk we give him. Its been going on for 3 days strait and just keeps getting worse ... the mother runs away from him now and every time we take him out, the mom is more calm and so are the other 2 kits ... he will...

newborn chin atacking mom and siblings ! help needed

How happy are your Chinchillas?

Post those cute and adorable moments and stories of your chinchillas...

new chin kits

our mom chin just gave birth to 3 kits, she had 2 other pregnancy's before with a other owner, but both times she only gave birth to one. so this is her first time with 3 kits. One kit is a bit smaller to the other two. we are not shore if se will be able to handle all 3 at a time. they are two days old today and they are fighting which we heard is a sign of the mother not producing enough milk. can we help the mother by rotating them and giving them goats milk ? is there something we should...

new chin kits

new baby kits! advise needed

our mom chin just gave birth to 3 kits, she had 2 other pregnancy's before with a other owner, but both times she only gave birth to one. so this is her first time with 3 kits. One kit is a bit smaller to the other two. we are not shore if se will be able to handle all 3 at a time. they are two days old today and they are fighting which we heard is a sign of the mother not producing enough milk. can we help the mother by rotating them and giving them goats milk ? is there something we should...

new baby kits! advise needed

new chin kits! advice needed

our mom chin just gave birth to 3 kits, she had 2 other pregnancy's before with a other owner, but both times she only gave birth to one. so this is her first time with 3 kits. One kit is a bit smaller to the other two. we are not shore if se will be able to handle all 3 at a time. they are two days old today and they are fighting which we heard is a sign of the mother not producing enough milk. can we help the mother by rotating them and giving them goats milk ? is there something we should...

new chin kits! advice needed

new chin kits ! advise needed

our mom chin just gave birth to 3 kits, she had 2 other pregnancy's before with a other owner, but both times she only gave birth to one. so this is her first time with 3 kits. One kit is a bit smaller to the other two. we are not shore if se will be able to handle all 3 at a time. they are two days old today and they are fighting which we heard is a sign of the mother not producing enough milk. can we help the mother by rotating them and giving them goats milk ? is there something we should...

new chin kits ! advise needed

new chin babys, need advise!

our mom chin just gave birth to 3 kits, she had 2 other pregnancy's before with a other owner, but both times she only gave birth to one. so this is her first time with 3 kits. One kit is a bit smaller to the other two. we are not shore if se will be able to handle all 3 at a time. they are two days old today and they are fighting which we heard is a sign of the mother not producing enough milk. can we help the mother by rotating them and giving them goats milk ? is there something we should...

new chin babys, need advise!

Rest In Peace Mazikeen

Today my new baby died at the vet. She had been taken in for diarrhea because my husband gave her too many treats. On the first day there, she was already doing much better. She was supposed to be kept for 7 days at the vet for her medication administration and monitoring. She took her meds like a champ the entire time and was so well behaved. I even got to visit her and she was doing so much better. Full of life and energy, nice hard pellets, and loving that I was there. The vet has no idea...

Rest In Peace Mazikeen

Hi @Chinsforlife

Hi @ChinsForLife how is Chico doing? haven't talked in awhile so how it going

Help!!! Lost a baby chin in the house.

I have 4 cats who managed to not leave a mark on 2 of the 3 chinchillas that escaped last night so I am hopeful this morning. One of of them I cannot find though. I live in a basement apartment...the kitchen, living room, bar and massage room are all one room with no doors and bedroom has the cage. I have hay on the floor, but of course I'm worried he is scared, stuck or dehydrated. I've tried shaking the treat bag, putting chinchillas sounds, looking behind and under everything multiple...

Help!!! Lost a baby chin in the house.

Chinchilla Drooling after Teeth Trimming

Hello, my 5 year old male chinchilla named Gremlin has been experiencing tooth pain and similar issues. After taking him to the vet the first time, he was prescribed liquid pain medication (meloxidyl / meloxicam 1.5 ml and marked for 3 lbs)
After a few days with no success via pain medication alone, we took him back in and he was given anesthesia for X-rays. Apparently there are no root concerns, however he did have overgrown teeth that were trimmed and filed back to their natural state. We...

Chinchilla Drooling after Teeth Trimming

Common Chin Allergies

Does anybody else have chins with allergies and if so, do you know what they are allergic to? My chin is having allergies, but I can't quite pin down what could be causing it.

Rehoming of 2 Male Chinchillas - Cincinnati, OH

My friend just died of health complications this past week and I am helping her family re-home her 2 male chinchillas. Both around 5 years old and grew up together, are standard grays, and are very friendly. Currently they are living in my spare bedroom for the time being but I don't have a long-term plan for them.

I have various items for them that are included for anyone that would take them. A wheel (chinspin brand I think), a 4 story cat cage that they live in, various toys and shelves...

Rehoming of 2 Male Chinchillas - Cincinnati, OH

Chewing off whiskers

Hello everyone! I have three females that I have been housing together for nearly 5 months. Its a mom and her two babies. In the last few weeks, I've noticed that both mom and babies' whiskers have been slowly getting shorter. I haven't caught them doing it, but I'm pretty sure they are chewing each others whiskers off. Its such a shame because they all had such beautiful whiskers before and now they look like an old grandpa's mustache! Short and stubble-y!

Now I've read about people...

Chewing off whiskers

Chinchilla Sneezed His Head Off For An Hour

Last night, my chin could not stop sneezing for close to an hour. He would sneeze several times in one minute and he has never done this before. He had a dust bath a few hours before and there was some dust still on the fleece which he kept revisiting and rubbing his face in. I didn't know what else to do, so I replaced the dusty fleece and that seemed to help greatly as his sneezing slowed down and then stopped. I was listening all night and only heard him sneeze a few times spaced out in a...

Chinchilla Sneezed His Head Off For An Hour

Running Saucer maintenance

Hi All,
I hope you and your chinchillas are doing OK during the planned pandemic.
I have the following running saucer I got 2nd hand.


I think these at some point need bearing replaced.
I have come across this manufacturer in US but I am...

Running Saucer maintenance

Any experience - Ulcer

Hi Chin Family

Quick question and to state clearly my chinchilla is under veterinary care (the vet is super).

Barney my almost 5 year old chin has a mouth ulcer, wonder if anyone has ever experienced something similar and how long it takes to get better. Vet said 7-14 days but thought I would reach out across the chin community to see if anyone has had something similar and their experience

Alan

Opinions on Dumor?

My mom brought home a bag of Dumor timothy hay balls. It's not something I probably would have tried, but since I have it, I wanted to ask before I just give it to my chin. Any thoughts?

Tiny brown bugs in Timothy Hay

Hello all,

Very recently I noticed a few small bugs crawling on the bag of my Timothy Hay. I keep the bag inside a large plastic bin. I've never seen them before so I'm going to empty the large bin and sort through the sealed bags of extra toys that I also keep in there!
I don't want to panic and stress, and I'm assuming I need to toss the entire supply?

Please let me know what to do next! I just want to be sure 100%

Thank you all in advance!

Gas range around chinchillas?

Hello!

I'll be moving into a new house soon, which currently has a gas range and fireplace. I have never had gas appliances so I had never given it much thought, but it suddenly occurred to me I didn't know if they were safe for Susu.

I tried looking for information on that last night and could not find anything about safety of gas appliances and chinchillas...does anybody here have any experience with that?

Thanks!

New chin mom

I have two chinchillas. I was looking for some advice and stumbled upon this website. I've had my previous chin for about 2 months so she's about 5 months. I got my second one today, they aren't sure how old she is. I'm guessing based on size 8 months. My concern is that she came to me smelling like a farm I'm assuming it's just because of the environment she came to me from. I've heard if there's a smell then she's probably sick. I'm pretty sure it's just because she was from a breeding...

New chin mom

2 sweet bonded female(one 4 month) chinchillas for sale Illinois

Two Female bonded chinchillas for sale with cage $450. We are so sad to have to sell them because they are so sweet and so much fun but unfortunately I have developed a hay allergy. We have one 2 1/2 year old standard gray and one newer four-month-old beige female. We just purchased the beige female from a breeder four short weeks ago. It would include a brand new extra large over $200 cage, their wheel, and food/supplies to start.

2 sweet bonded female(one 4 month) chinchillas for sale

Two Female bonded chinchillas for sale. We are so sad to have to sell them because they are so sweet and so much fun but unfortunately I have developed a hay allergy. We have one 2 1/2 year old standard gray and one newer four-month-old beige female. We just purchased the beige female from a breeder four short weeks ago. It would include a brand new extra large over $200 cage, their wheel, and food/supplies to start.

Two bonded male chins for rehoming - CHARLESTON, SC

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

Two bonded male chins for rehoming - CHARLESTON, SC

Chins teeth

Hi, I noticed my chin was not himself and not eating that much, this was a year ago. I took him to the vet and was diagnosed with diaphragmatic hernia. I was syringe feeding him critical care and he get metacam twice a day. But I noticed him eating his pellets. I wasn't too concerned about his eating habits. About a month ago I gave him apple sticks and he couldn't chew them. I took him to the vet yesterday and she said his incisors were a tad grown out but not enough to prevent him...

Chins teeth

Free male chinchilla and cage

Free male chinchilla, 4-5 years old. Cage and everything included. Running wheel and playpen.
Cape Coral. Florida
You can email me at ronn252@gmail.com if I do not answer here

Hello

Hi all

I'm Alasdair but have used the user name Idmon since 2000 or so and now it feels weird not using it on forums but I am about to become a first time chinchilla dad on Wednesday so thought I'd pop by here to look for advice if I get stuck.

I'm from the North-east of Scotland and have wanted a pair of chins for a few years now and now I have the time to look after then properly so our adventure will begin shortly.

Take care and I shall post pics of Caramel and Cupcake when they are...

Hello

Scrubbing, Baking and Boiling

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

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

Scrubbing, Baking and Boiling

Chinchilla not eating new food

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

Chinchilla not eating new food

Hedgehog on Norfolk, va craigslist

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

Identifying two chinchillas

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

Here is the first one:


And here is the second one:


Would appreciate help in this. Thanks!

Rehoming 2 male chins, bonded pair. Charleston SC

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

Rehoming 2 male chins, bonded pair. Charleston SC

Antibiotic prescribed: first time

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

Hair matting

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

Hair matting

Safest hay management options

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

Safest hay management options

Cat Herpes

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

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

How to get chinchilla to playpen?

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

How to get chinchilla to playpen?

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

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

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

Hay-nger Strike

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

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

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

Hay-nger Strike

Rehoming 4 chinchillas - PA near Philly

Seeking responsible individual(s) to adopt my 4 chinchillas. I need to rehome them as my life circumstances have changed. 3 females are bonded and are housed together (Ebony, Chocolate, White) and 1 male is house separately (Ebony). SMALL rehoming fee for Chins but only to educated and responsible individuals. I also have 2 large ferret nation cages available decked out with wooden shelves, deep metal pans and chin spins. I would be willing to sell the entire set up to adopters for 150/per...

Rehoming 4 chinchillas - PA near Philly

Calcium Surplus Question - Help

Hi everyone,

Just recently I had one of my babies (2 y/o, male) put to sleep due to a bladder stone that became stuck in his urethra - he went downhill very quickly over the course of 3 days and there was nothing that could be done.

Over the last few months I had noticed a chalky residue in his dried pee that I found out was calcium excess when I researched it.

When I first noticed this I spoke to my exotic vet for her advice and she suggested cutting down the calcium in his diet - I...

Calcium Surplus Question - Help

Chins in need of serious help in Tampa, FL

Was browsing through craigslist ads when I come across this horrible situation in Tampa, FL

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/for/5423394436.html

In case the ad is removed or cannot be accessed, it reads as follows:

"Breeding pair of Chinchillas with one week old baby for sale. White female and dark gray male chinchillas both are about three years old. No papers! The female usually has two or three babies each time but this time she only had one white baby. She has a history of...

Chins in need of serious help in Tampa, FL

Detergent For Chin Fleece

I have a bit of a problem right now. My chin has a weepy eye and gets drops as needed (he was at the vet last week and his mouth is fine). He obviously hates the drops, so after he gets them, he will rub his face on the fleece I have for him.

I can't help but wonder if the detergent I'm using to clean the fleece is aggravateing his allergies. Which detergents do you guys think is safest for chinnies?

Automatic water system for chins?

I was wondering what type of system people with lots of chins use? I want to stop having to clean so many bottles lol. Specifically what type of fount, like diaphragm or spring, and 3/16" or 5/16" water tubing?

In search of water bottle with graduating lines

I am looking for a water bottle like this, but is for small animals. This one is for dogs. This one is also pretty expensive ($25) I need to monitor my chinchilla's fluid intake following an intestinal illness. I think I can adapt this one, but I'm hoping to find one that isn't quite so expensive. I've tried searching online, but this one, on Amazon, is the only one I can find.

How to get pee out of carpet?

I am planning on putting something under the cage. My white carpet is stained with pee. I have tried vinegar and a cleaner for cats and dogs and you can still see it. Is there anyway for me get the stain out?

Hello! We're from Singapore! 🇸🇬 ♥️🧡💛

Hello! I'm diiyawn and I come from the small, sunny island known as Singapore. It's nice to meet everyone!

I'm the proud owner of 3 chinchillas but unfortunately 1 of them passed away last year.

Here are some information about my children!

1) Toto
Color: Standard Grey
DOB: Nov 2016
Died: Oct 2020
Age: 3 years 11 months old

Personality: Friendly & greedy, eats everything in sight, always asking for scritches, ear rubs and likes to bend over backwards to...

Hello! We're from Singapore!

Rehoming bonded pair of male chinchillas

I hate to do this but being in the army and PCSing soon is gonna be hard on these guys so I’m Looking to rehome my bonded pair of 2 male chinchillas. We bought the chinchillas in May. Their names are MoMo and Appa and they are the sweetest and love Cheerios. MoMo likes to be held but Appa doesn’t so that’s how we can tell them apart. They will come with brand new critter nation cage(bought it in June), wooden accessories, dust bath and dust, food and hay. Asking for a rehoming fee($450)...

Rehoming bonded pair of male chinchillas

Rehoming two beige brothers...

I have two male beige brothers that I am looking to re-home. They were rescued by my children's school class after they were found in a storage shed by a friend. The classroom hasn't been the best environment for them and they have been with me for most of COVID and the summer. The teacher just confirmed that they are not interested in having them back in the classroom. I have four children and three dogs and while their basic needs are met, they are not getting enough attention. I am...

Rehoming two beige brothers...

Lethargic and Drooling Chinchilla

So he is 7. He just had his teeth floated on May 12th. I know drooling means his teeth are overgrown but I had it taken care of already. He got home and was normal. Hopping, ate a little, acted normal. Well Tonight he is different. He isn't moving really at all. He is still drooling. Hasn't eaten all day. I gave him 0.2 mL of meloxidyl for pain as the vet told me to do tonight and last night. Can someone please help or point me in the right direction? Vet doesn't open till 7:30 am and I'm...

Lethargic and Drooling Chinchilla

Chinchilla thrusting body forward

I asked my vet about my chinchillas recurring issue but he said I shouldn't be concerned but I wanted to know if anyone knows why my chinchillas does this movement and makes a noise like he is in pain while it is happening. Not sure if it is hiccups or if they can be painful but he looks like he is in pain when it is happening.

My chins are not eating the timothy hay

I usually purchase Kleenmama's third cut but last years batch was poor quality so I thought I would try Rabbit Supply but my chins will only nibble so I tried American Pet Diner which the quality has been going downhill for sometime and the batch smelled old and musty. I also tried Small Pet Select which they did eat but the new box was too dry, brown and they wouldn't touch it. I want to go to a local farm for timothy but it is eastern timothy and I do not know if my chins will eat this...

My chins are not eating the timothy hay

Fungus?

So, I’m a first time chinchilla owner, although I do have past experience with rats. I’ve only had my boy Shaxx for about 3 weeks, and so far, he has seemed extremely healthy. I give him dust baths 2-3 times per week. I change his bedding every day. Sadly, he hasn’t allowed me to really handle him yet, although he does allow me to give him head, chin, and chest scratches. We’ve spent a lot of time working on trust so I can take him out of his cage without him having an absolute temper...

Fungus?

Rehome male chin, florida

I am looking to rehome my male chinchilla, I believe he is about 4-5 years old. Very tame, has never bitten anyone and loves to be pet. I will include a 2 level critter nation cage, his running wheel and all toys. I am located in southwest florida. Asking for $200.

Help my chinchilla is on pain how do you trim the teeth he can’t eat he’s hungry but he can’t eat I can’t find a dr

My chinchilla is on pain how do you treat teeth problems how can I trim his teeth I can’t find a good dr I took him yesterday and they told me I was exagerating and told me he was fine he still sick they didn’t he’ll him they just took 1000 dollars from me amd sent him home they said they did some X-rays and I asked for them they never sent them to me omg my baby can’t eat helpo

do chinchillas have the same eye size?

I notice that the grey one's eyes look much larger in comparison to the eyes of the black one

Is it because more dense fur and darker color covers the area around the eye or is there really a small difference in the front eye size?

Scatter guards

Does anyone know of a cost effective option for scatter guards. I can’t bring myself to spend that much money on scatter guards that aren’t a necessary item.

Needing to rehome two beauties: Owner passed

Good evening,
I took in two beautiful chinchilla females about two months ago to help out when a close friend suddenly became ill. At the time we thought it was COVID, but it turned out to be leukemia. She very tragically passed a few weeks ago and we have been trying to find a good home for her girls Chloe and Zoe.
Sadly, I am unable to keep them permanently, as I am in a graduate healthcare program and am gone 15-16 hours a day. I also have two cats and one is far too interested in...

Needing to rehome two beauties: Owner passed

Two rescues

I have two rescue chinchillas from a raid of a exatic animal distribution center in Nee Orleans. I participated in a driving relay to get chinchillas to adoptive homes up in Illinois. My chins names are Nora and Nola.

Rest In Peace Mazikeen

Today my new baby died at the vet. She had been taken in for diarrhea because my husband gave her too many treats. On the first day there, she was already doing much better. She was supposed to be kept for 7 days at the vet for her medication administration and monitoring. She took her meds like a champ the entire time and was so well behaved. I even got to visit her and she was doing so much better. Full of life and energy, nice hard pellets, and loving that I was there. The vet has no idea...

Rest In Peace Mazikeen

Chins-n-Hedgies 2021 Survey

I am going to start doing an annual survey so I better know what to improve on here at Chins-n-Hedgies Forum.

Would really appreciate a few minutes of your time. I will also be sending this request via e-mail newsletter.

Chins--n-Hedgies 2021 Survey

Adorable Chinchilla Kits for sale

Wanting good forever homes for these adorable chin kits. Chocolates, Ebonies, Black Velvets, Grey's,

Leg injury

Sunday morning my son and I sadly learned the importance of having ramp covers that will not slide down. Our male chinchilla had his foot caught and leg all twisted in the rungs and he was stuck in an awkward position. We feared his leg was broken. We took him to the nearby university's vet hospital associated with their veterinary school, so I am confident he is getting good care. They recommended a CT to determine if there was a fracture or hip joint injury and also if an area of...

Leg injury

Cochorus plant?

My chinchilla broke one of his toys and I was wondering if I could use jute cord to fix it? I tried to google if it was safe and couldn’t find anything. I’ll add a picture.

Can I give extra medication for my chinchilla

I had taken in my chinchilla for a tooth trimming because he was drooling not too long ago and afterward the doctors told me to give him some antiinflammatory medicine for 2 days which I did. About a week later he is still drooling and having trouble eating, is it safe to give him more antiinflammatory medicine or is this bad for his health.

How much fighting is normal?

I have a bonded pair of brothers and a male I rescued a little over a year ago. I worked on bonding them for months and they are now housed together. The vast majority of the time they all do well together/sleep with each other. But there are some occasions at night or during playtime they will chase each other and have some fur slips. The fur slips are never by the neck, but are on their rump, and blood has never been drawn.
Is there some level of fighting that is to be anticipated like...

How much fighting is normal?

Chins talking to each other?

Hello! I'm new here, not a new chinchilla owner. I started out with two chinchillas, both male, standard grey, Butters and Dougie. Everything was perfectly fine until one day Dougie passed. Butters was so depressed, he wouldn't let us pet him anymore. Just kacked. We bought a baby boy and named him Timmy. He's such a sweet baby! Too little to house with Butters, I had them seperated to quarantine him for a few months. Eventually I split Butters' 2x2x5 foot cage in half so Timmy got the top...

Chins talking to each other?

Hi @Chinsforlife

Hi @ChinsForLife how is Chico doing? haven't talked in awhile so how it going

Chinchilla acting different

Hi guys. I have a 3 year old female named Sprinkles. I've had her since December and she always had the same behavior. For the past couple weeks she's been acting different. She's still peeing/pooping/drinking/eating like normal, but there are a couple of behavioral things different. She used to sleep through the day in her hanging bed but I've seen her outside of it a lot in the middle of the day or even just early for her to be awake. Sometimes she's just sleeping behind her wooden hut but...

Chinchilla acting different

I'm paranoid about my chin's behavior recently

This will be long, so stay with me.

I'm trying to get to the bottom of my chinchilla Mayu's behavior. Just a little background: I've had her for a little over a year and we went through so much together. We were both in a stressful environment and my ex husband yelled a lot. When I finally got out of that house and it was just me and Mayu, I went through a period where I didn't have a chin-proofed room for her to run around in and she started fur chewing. I had no idea how much our living...

I'm paranoid about my chin's behavior recently

New Chinchilla with diarrhea, could be my husband’s fault?

Hi everyone. I just got my chinchilla, Mazikeen 5 days ago. The first two days she had normal dry hard pellet poops and didn’t seem to have any issues whatsoever. On the second day my husband went and got her all kinds of stuff to spoil her and show he wasn’t mad at me for getting her lol. He bought a bunch of treats and proceeded to give her 4 Timothy fruit biscuits before I realized what he had done. By the time I figured it out, only half of one was left which I immediately removed. She...

New Chinchilla with diarrhea, could be my husband’s fault?

Susu

This is Susu, the black velvet chinchilla. She's approximately 11 years old. I got her and her buddy who passed away last year from a rescue 10 years ago. She moved with me through grad school, first job, and now will be my travelling buddy to my new home.

She loves rose petals, rosehips, neck scritches, naps, jumping on my back while I'm trying to clean her cage, and cartoons.
Dislikes being watched too much, going to the vet, and being held.

[ATTACH type="full"...

Susu

Asa Gray

My boy is Asa Gray. He is named after the famous American botanist. I got him about 10 years ago from Sycamore Chinchillas. He had been a show chin, but was too small to be a champion. He has been a great pet, though. He is very opinionated, but also very smart and cute. He is an International Chin of Mystery, as he moved with us to Germany for 5 years, and then back to the US. He is 14 now, and slowing down a bit, but he is still ridiculously cute.

Mips

This is Mips! He's 8 years old this year, and starting to grow distinguished white whiskers. He likes scritches on the top of his head and along the back of his neck, but never on his butt!

Post YOUR Chinchilla Here - ADD IMAGES!

This forum is to showcase your Chinchilla(s).

You can title the thread as anything. Nickname, Your Name, Your Nickname, Location.

Please add:

• Photos
• Breed
• History

Separating Chinchillas

Hello, my female chinchilla recently gave birth to a kit. I separated the father from the female chinchilla and kit and he seems to be looking for them. I am trying to keep it this way for a week. What should I do?

Digger

My chinchilla, Cheese, likes to dig in her cage. She will also get to the point where she's being so rambunctious that she moves her hiding stump around. Does she need a bath or is there something else wrong?

Antibiotic prescribed: first time

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

Cage location

Hi, so I recently became super interested in wanting a chinchilla over the last couple months and have been browsing the web and different forums on their care. My biggest concern currently is the room I have to keep them. Because of the other pets (dogs and cats) in my house and my sister being allergic I would only be able to house them in my bedroom.

My bedroom is in the basement so it never really gets hot even in summer and I do get central A/c so I'm not worried about keeping my room...

Cage location

2 Male Chinchillas Charleston WV

I have come to the incredibly difficult decision that I need to part ways with my two male Chinchillas, Milo and Tesla. This wasn’t an easy decision and am not looking for anyone to tear me down over this when I already feel terrible about it. I am adult enough to understand that I have issues that affect my ability to properly take care of them and that they deserve better care than what I am able to give them in my current health state.

They need to go together, I will not separate them...

2 Male Chinchillas Charleston WV

Ferret Nation Free to Good Home!

Hello!

I have an old Ferret Nation 142 with a flying saucer and a chin spin, which all definitely need to be cleaned, but are all free to a good home if you can pick them up. They are in Huntington Beach, CA.

Running Saucer maintenance

Hi All,
I hope you and your chinchillas are doing OK during the planned pandemic.
I have the following running saucer I got 2nd hand.


I think these at some point need bearing replaced.
I have come across this manufacturer in US but I am...

Running Saucer maintenance

Rest in peace Bazil

I'm still feeling a bit like "this isn't real" but... one of my two chins, Bazil, passed away in his sleep sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday morning , he was 14+ years old (I don't know his exact age, just that he was 3 when I got him and his brother in January of 2010). He was in his house and it just looked like he was sleeping, his brother got up but he didn't (they often would get up together for a bit to eat) so I checked on him and he didn't wake up. We are dealing with a...

Rest in peace Bazil

Calcium Surplus Question - Help

(I also posted this in diet and nutrition but am copying it here as well!)


Hi everyone,

Just recently I had one of my babies (2 y/o, male) put to sleep due to a bladder stone that became stuck in his urethra - he went downhill very quickly over the course of 3 days and there was nothing that could be done.

Over the last few months I had noticed a chalky residue in his dried pee that I found out was calcium excess when I researched it.

When I first noticed this I spoke to my exotic vet...

Calcium Surplus Question - Help

Calcium Surplus Question - Help

Hi everyone,

Just recently I had one of my babies (2 y/o, male) put to sleep due to a bladder stone that became stuck in his urethra - he went downhill very quickly over the course of 3 days and there was nothing that could be done.

Over the last few months I had noticed a chalky residue in his dried pee that I found out was calcium excess when I researched it.

When I first noticed this I spoke to my exotic vet for her advice and she suggested cutting down the calcium in his diet - I...

Calcium Surplus Question - Help

Chinchilla Help please!

So I’ve had my chinchillas for about three years now. I have my first (bought but not oldest) Tat, my second (bought who is the oldest) Pablo, and my third who I’ve only had for about 5-6 months, the baby, Mini.
My issue right now is that my oldest Pablo has a huge bald spot on the right side of his body and he even has hair missing from all his paws.
Vets have checked him and he has no bacterial issues. They actually said they aren’t sure why he’s losing hair. They’ve given me creams and...

Chinchilla Help please!

Sleeping habits

He said “let me stress mom out as much as possible” swear he sleeps in the craziest positions

Has anyone had experience with 3 chins together?

Hi everyone,

I sadly lost my two chinchillas last year and I'm ready to get some more so I contacted a rescue that had 5 female chinchillas that live together that are looking for homes.
I had wanted to adopt a pair but they've already homed a pair and they have three left so I said I'd take the three because I didn't want one left on her own.
I was wondering if anyone who's had three chins that live together has any advice for me as I've only ever had two and they ended up fighting...

Has anyone had experience with 3 chins together?

Same or different playpen for chinchilla & hamsters/gerbils

I’m redoing my small animal room, which houses 2 hamsters (separate cages) and 2 gerbils (cage mates), in order to make space for my new 9 year old chinchilla.

Until now I had a portion of the room permanently set up as a playpen for the hamsters and gerbils. Obviously only to be used by one animal at a time, and I would just do a spot clean to remove any poo, but they were all able to play with the same toys and no one seemed stressed by this.

Now that I have the chinchilla I’m...

Same or different playpen for chinchilla & hamsters/gerbils

Chinchilla pulling out fur

I got a chinchilla 1 week ago. He is 9 years old, and came from a home with other chinchillas (although he lived alone because his cage mate died last year) and rabbits.


I haven’t done a health check on him yet because I wanted to let him settle in a bit first. So far he’ll sniff my hand a bit but doesn’t want me to touch him.

Today I noticed he was pulling out the fur along the inside of one of his arms. The inside of one arm is pretty much bald.

Is this fur chewing or possibly mites...

Chinchilla pulling out fur

Toys

Hey again guys

could you guys give me some fun toys suggestions? He has a ton of the hanging wood toys and huts and stuff but I’m looking for some more interactive toys. He eats toilet paper rolls so those are out of the question and any type of cardboard he can get his hands on he eats as well. I’m gone for a couple hours each day and want to give him some more interesting toys to play with while I’m gone. Also, maybe some ideas to play with him while he’s out of his cage? I plan on...

Toys

Sleeping

Hello again guys! So my chinchilla recently started sleeping on his side, and after some research I’ve decided it’s pretty normal. However, he’s also started to put his ears down while he’s sleeping on all fours (not on his side), is that normal? Does that mean he’s getting more comfortable and isn’t as alert as he was when he first came home, or should I be worried that somethings wrong?

Female Chinchilla, Atlanta GA

Meet Pepper. She is a ~5-6yr old (we don't know her exact age) rescue Chinchilla. She was dropped off at the specialty vet we use for our 2 other male chinchillas. They couldn't find a home for her, so we took her in. Our boys are ~16 years old though, and we don't want another long term pet, so we're trying to find her a home.

She's very sweet...

Female Chinchilla, Atlanta GA

Pine wooden houses

I bought some wooden houses to put inside of my chinchillas cage on Etsy and the person selling them is stating they are made out of natural (non toxic) pine wood. I asked if they are kiln dried and they are stating they are "natural drying". I let them know it has to be kiln dried or is toxic. They are insisting that they are non toxic. They are selling them online to a lot of people. Does anyone have any information on pine for wooden houses to put in cages for chinchillas? Can they be...

Pine wooden houses

Air purifiers

I have a question. Are air purifiers good to use for a chinchilla? I heard air purifiers are not good for them. Just wanted make sure before I bought one. The one I was going to get is called artic air tower.

Water, playpens & litter training. New owner questions.

Hello,

I am a new chinchilla owner. I recently got a 9 year old male who'd been living alone for a while. He used to live with his dad but has been alone for a while (not sure exactly how long). I've got some questions, so here they are in no particular order. Also, located in Canada, which I just mention since I'm asking for product recommendations.

1. I've heard chinchillas need filtered water. I've just bought some filtered bottled water for now. What kind of water filter am I looking...

Water, playpens & litter training. New owner questions.

Dust baths

Is too many dust baths a thing? I only give him them when he’s out of the cage because I read that they’ll use it as a bathroom if you leave it in his cage but he takes like 4 sometimes more every night lol

Travel

Sorry for so many questions in advance lol
Like I said in my last post I just got a chinchilla about a month ago… however, I have a beach trip planned for the beginning of august and was wondering what the best approach was for it. Should I bring him with me? (And of course make sure it’s cool enough in the car/the beach house) should I get a caregiver? (Idk if there’s anyone I trust enough besides my mom and she will be with me) or are there like chinchilla day cares that could look after...

Travel

Play time

Hey guys!
I got a chinchilla about a week ago and had question about when I let him out. I have been leaving his cage open so he can just come and go as he pleases when I get home from work until I go to bed. Is that a good idea? Should I not give him access to his cage? He’s started to go in there and go to sleep when he’s tired and done for the night so I assumed it was okay but figured I’d ask.

thanks

I noticed the tail of one of the chins became richer in fur. What could be the reason?

When I got the two from a pet warehouse, one was overall thicker and had a fluffy tail like most chinchillas and the other was more slender and his tail had almost no fluffy hair at all. No bite marks, just very short hair.He was also much more timid and more afraid of noises.

They were 1 year old. 4 months later I suddenly noticed that his tail became as fluffy as the other chinchilla, if not more.

Is it because of better nutrition and less stress? I switched to oxbow 1.5 month ago...

I noticed the tail of one of the chins became richer in fur. What could be the reason?

Baby Hedgehogs For Sale

I’ve currently got 6 baby Hedgehogs for sale, 1 Female and 5 males. It’s of 2 litters, one born on the 26th of April, other on the 30th.

Located in fort White Florida. Asking 100 each.

Number is 4076279063. Text for details/pictures

Question about cable chewing/chewing in general.

Hi! I'm very interested in getting a chinchilla as pet, I've done the research and they seem like a great fit for me, however I do have one problem. I have a lot of cords and cables, and I know that they should have a lot of time out of the cage to walk and jump around, it would be next to impossible to organize some of the cords to be completely hidden from chewing.

However I have heard that if they have the proper wood toys to chew on in their cage they would less likely chew on things...

Question about cable chewing/chewing in general.

Please help with advice! Second time im posting this.

Hi, all. Brand new here and I need some advice! We noticed today, Tilly (she's our year and a half old chin that we love very much!!) is losing hair around her right eye. I do not know if this constitutes an emergency but from what I've read any sign of sickness in a chin needs to be addressed immediately. So far she is not exhibiting any unusual behavior and is playful as always! My question is should I be running to an emergency vet or even making an appointment? I read tinactin in the...

Please help with advice! Second time im posting this.

Tilly may have an eye infection

Hi, all. Brand new here and I need some advice! We noticed today, Tilly (she's our year and a half old chin that we love very much!!) is losing hair around her right eye. I do not know if this constitutes an emergency but from what I've read any sign of sickness in a chin needs to be addressed immediately. So far she is not exhibiting any unusual behavior and is playful as always! My question is should I be running to an emergency vet or even making an appointment? I read tinactin in the...

Tilly may have an eye infection

Hall’s Hay

Just wondering if anyone has purchased Hall’s Hay. They carry It on Chewy.

I usually buy a bale of hay from a local farmer, but I have to sort it & it is so large to store. I have been trying every type of Oxbow grass hay (Western Timothy, Orchard Grass, and Timothy Meadow). Ripley seems to like the Timothy Meadow the best, but the bag is very dusty & like all chins, she picks through it.

Thought that I would try Hall’s because they are mini bales. The pieces look bigger and they...

Hall’s Hay

My chin is all healthy now!

This forum has been a lifesaver the past couple of months.

As some of you know, I've had to deal with chinchilla health issues starting late last year.

I took Susu in for a vet visit last week and the vet says she's a healthy, 11 year old chinchilla. Her irritated eye is better and x-rays showed no sign of dental disease, bloodwork looked good, the foot that had bled a few times this year looks better and no signs of pododermatitis (which was what I was hoping to hear), and the most...

My chin is all healthy now!