Chinchillas

[envisionary333]

Are you supporting the mass murder of chinchillas for their fur? Please tell me I misinterpreted your statement. Just because the fur industry is what brought them here doesn't make it right. Let me tell you, in the videos I saw that was NOT a nice life and NOT a peaceful death.

 

[Susan9608]

We can't have links posted to forums that support breeding.

One of our forum members has a chinchilla forum that offers information: THE WONDER OF CHINCHILLAS - Login.

As for the wheel, if she'll use the cheap, plastic wheel, then she'll use a chin spin. They are the same except for materials and size. The flying saucer is the funny looking thing that some chins can't figure out how to use. A wheel is a good investment, particularly if the cage isn't large.

Cages should be made out of indestructible materials. Plastic is NOT a good choice. Chins are chewers, much more so than guinea pigs. Most things made out of plastic get destroyed very quickly and ingesting plastic is not good for chins.

Mazuri is a good brand of chinchilla food. Don't forget that chins are really NOT fresh veggie eaters, like guinea pigs. They eat more things like uncooked oatmeal oats and unsweetened shredded wheat (for treats.) One raisin a day is plenty. They also need unlimited grass hay to help with their teeth and digestion.

They should also have plenty of chew toys both for their teeth and to keep them from getting bored.

Chin cages should be taller than they are wide. Chins like to jump and climb, rather than run around. Check out the "Other pets" section of the forum; there is a thread in there about cages for chinchillas and the modifications you'd need to make in order to use a C&C cage for them.

As for social needs, almost all animals do better if they have a same species cage mate. Yes, chinchillas may be territorial, especially if they've been housed alone for extended periods of time, but, like guinea pigs, if you introduce them on neutral territory, then they can usually sort out their differences.

If people are advertising chinchillas as needing to live alone, particularly if there are multiple listings of this nature from the same place, I'd question whether or not these people truly know much about chinchillas. chinchillas are like guinea pigs, they live in family groups.

While the modern day pet chinchilla may not exist without the fur trade, continuing to breed animals for the sake of fashion, no matter how "nice" their lives are, is despicable.

ETA: here's the link on the thread about C&C cages for chinchillas: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/others/19932-important-information-chinchillas.html.

Also, it can be very hard to find chinchillas for adoption. I would not, however, recommend going to a breeder to get a friend for your chin. The social needs of the chinchilla are important, but I believe it's also important to keep the population under control. If people continue to support chinchilla breeders, then soon, the chinchilla population will be as out of control as the guinea pig population. It might even be worse, considering that chinchillas live twice as long. Until you can find another chinchilla for adoption (and you found one; I have no doubt you'll stumble across another ), just play with your chinchilla a lot and give her lots of toys to stimulate her and keep her from being bored.

 

[Piggersrule]

Thank you Susan for that wonderful post. I pretty much understand their diets. Lily like Cheerios and non-frosted shredded wheat as a treat. How small of a treat should it be? I gave her a half piece of the shredded wheat and about 4 cheerios, at different times of course. Her chart says she loves raisens so I will have to give her one at least every other day. I know they aren't fresh veggie eaters but I have been told/read that they like dried fruits like banana chips, papaya and apple pellets, do you know if this is true? I baked up a bunch of apple tree sticks today for her and she has been gnawing on them. I do have a few toys for her but I will need to get more. I haven't seen Lily use her wheel yet and I would like to get the Flying saucer but I don't know if she would use it. You never know till you try it right? I will probably order one in the next couple of weeks. Now for the cage. I know the cage should be higher than wide, chins love to jump and leap from one platform to the other. I can't believe I didn't think to look through the "other" pets section for ideas:melodrama where's the dunce cap when ya need it. I will definately take a look. The cage I made up is temporary, and I do mean temporary. I am going to use the grids and I was going to put the coroplast on the outside so she can't chew it. The cage will be fastened together with j hooks, she would chew through zip ties. I was thinking of making her cage a 2x2 and 3 grids high, would that be enough? I will be using wood platforms and perches. Can I use fleece for her cage? It seems like alot of people like using aspen but I would like to stay away from wood chips, if I can. Don't worry Susan, I won't, could not, will not and you can't make me go to a breeder or pet shop for a friend for Lily. If I have to wait another 20 years for another chin than so be it. Can chins get mites like pigs do? I haven't come across anything about chins having mites. Here are some pictures of my cage for Lily, keep in mind that this is only temporary so please go easy on me

 

[Piggersrule]

I guess it would help if I posted the picture:melodrama


Click for larger viewing.

The towels are there to protect her from the grids which is all I had to make platforms. My son secured them down from underneith. I hope she doesn't pull them off. The yellow hidey house is her dust house for now. She made full use of it today. Poor girl, she had not had a bath since she was at the shelter. I wil get something more appropriate for her to use.

 

[Susan9608]

I wouldn't use fleece for chins. They like to chew too much, and would most likely pull it up and chew it. Mine even dig through their carefresh/aspen shavings and pull up the underlying newspaper and chew it. (It makes a lovely mess in their cage when they do that.)

I think your temporary cage looks okay, as long as they can't get to anything plastic.

My chins used to sit on their flying saucer, but couldn't figure out how to use it. Maybe mine are on the dumb side.

Dried fruit is a nice treat for them, but it has lots of sugar in it, so I'd keep it to a minimum.

As long as chinchillas keep their fur in good condition (regular dust baths) they shouldn't get parasites like mites. They have over 1000 hairs per hair follicle, which makes their hair so dense that it's difficult for parasites to get close to their skin. What kind of dust are you using? I prefer Blue Cloud, myself. It's much more finely ground and gives them kind of a bluish sheen for awhile. Mine chins are standard grey and black velvet, so the blue tint looks nice on them.

I think Lily's gone to a great home. congrats.

 

[Luvthempigs]

I'm also going to be on the side of caution for raisins and other dried fruit as treats. I wouldn't go more than half a raisin a couple times a week (or comparable sized piece of dried fruit (papaya is good too, it helps if they ingest fur while grooming.) You can also give things like rosehips, that they love, and are lower in sugar and higher in vitamin C.

Oh, the oldest I've had lived to be about 15 (I wasn't her first owner, but her first owner kept good records). So while they might be able to live over 20 years, from what I have been told and learned, their life span is more similar to that of a cat.

 

[envisionary333]

When I met the chinchilla at the vet, the owners said she didn't figure out how to use a wheel for months. But then when she did figure it out, she would run in it constantly! I have two large wheels that I got for my rats, but they don't use them so if you want I'd be happy to give them to you. They are plastic and solid with no wires, but I'm not sure if they might get chewed on.

You might consider posting an ad in the paper or on Craigslist to find a pal for Lily. Just make sure to mention that you won't buy from a breeder! There is probably someone, somewhere who has a chinchilla and got bored with it but haven't bothered to give it up for adoption.

I also noticed that there are five degus up for adoption in my area. Has anyone had those before? I'm really curious about them as well. (Don't worry, like I said, I'm not getting any more pets until I move back to Seattle. But when that day comes, well, I'll probably get ferrets, more cats, chinchillas, etc, etc!)

 

[Susan9608]

For chins, one raisin a day or every other day is acceptable. If you're going to give other dried fruit as a treat, I'd not give the raisin too. Some will also enjoy a small piece of toast as a treat, which is more nutritious (assuming you use whole wheat bread, not white bread.)

I think degus are distantly related to chinchillas? They sure are cute, but to me they don't look as cuddly as chins. I don't know anything about their care. If you do research on them, please post it in the other pets section. I think it would be great if we had lots of info and resources on all kinds of pets.

 

[envisionary333]

I've been looking at Degus.org and the site worries me a little. The "Behavior" section claims that degus can live with rabbits, chinchillas, and guinea pigs. I'm sure they could be injured with the rabbits in the same way guinea pigs can, and their lifestyles and diet are considerably different.

 

[Piggersrule]

Thanks everyone for the information. I will keep the dried fruits to a minimum, 1-2 times per week. Rosehips are definately on my list of things to buy for her. Would piggies be able to have rose hips? Last night I gave Lily a critter berry and she loved it. She also nibbled on the Vit. C tabs from Oxbow. This weekend I will be shopping for platforms and perches and I will change her set up. I will get rid of the towels that I have on the shelves.

Envisionary, thank you for the offer of the wheels but I think you should keep them. You may need them someday. Lily already has a big plastic wheel that I don't think she is using, but than again, she is up all night while i am sleeping so she could be using it and I just don't know it. Degus are neat little creatures but I can't imagine putting them in with guinea pigs,rabbits or even chins. They are not one of the more cuddly of pets, they are too bouncy for that. From what I understand, their diets are similar to a GP but I could be wrong. I wouldn't mind having is a Hedgehog, they are so fascinating. Does anyone here have a Hedgehog?

 

[mommyoffive]

Well I'm just getting to know about chinchillas because we just got them in at petsmart...ours are really lovable though, but at $150.00 each, I can pass on them (not like I would ever buy from a petstore anyways! I'm starting to realize that they are really delicate animals.

 

[thalestral]

eRodent - Information on Degus, Gerbils, Persian Jirds and Chinchillas. Erodent is a fairly good site for degu and chinchilla information. Degus are awesome little pets, definitely not cuddly though! But fascinating to watch.

 

[Piggersrule]

Well I'm just getting to know about chinchillas because we just got them in at petsmart...ours are really lovable though, but at $150.00 each, I can pass on them (not like I would ever buy from a petstore anyways! I'm starting to realize that they are really delicate animals.

Chinchillas are one of your more fragil pets to own. Picking them up the right way should not cause any problems. You don't want t grab them by the chest area, Chins have a floating rib cage and by grabibing them like this can break their ribs. Through research I found the best way to hold a Chin, you firmly hold the tail at he base of his/her bum and with your other hand scoop under her bum and mid section and gently hold. Holding by the base of the tail will not harm them if done properly. If anyone has a better way to pick up a Chin please tell me. Chins in my opinion are not a pet for young children. So many chins that were surrendered offen have broken bones and spinal injuries do to children not handling them correctly. My children already know how to pick up a chin but I won't let them without my supervision. Unless the house is on fire and I'm not home, my kids are not allowed to handle Lily without my presence and that goes for my husaband as well.

 

[envisionary333]

There are three male chinchillas available in Rochester! I found them on Craigslist, one is albino and two are beige. Piggersrule- I thought you might be interested. I know you have a girl, though. Can chinchillas get neutered? Just thought I'd mention it!

 

[Piggersrule]

There are three male chinchillas available in Rochester! I found them on Craigslist, one is albino and two are beige. Piggersrule- I thought you might be interested. I know you have a girl, though. Can chinchillas get neutered? Just thought I'd mention it!

Are you trying to get me divorcedlol My husband found out today that he will be leaving tomorrow morning for California. We have no idea how long he will be there. Last summer he spent 5 months in NYC for his job. Jerry's boss told him that he could be their for as long as 8 months. That means I will be visiting him about every 2-3 weeks. I'm not sure if I am going to do that. I did that last year and it was a pain. This time I have more pets and it will be harder to leave them. I think I will be making my trips only once a month or so. I will have to wait an see how long he will be in California.

 

[Piggersrule]

Susan, what would/is your opinion on me possibly getting a male chin and having him neutured? I have been looking into the possibilites of a male living with Lily. I don't know if that would be good or not. I have found some information but it's a 50/50 thing. Some say yes to it and some say no because the surgery is risky. I don't want to do anything that could cause a problem with either Lily or for the new friend I want to get. I'm thinking it would be best to find her a female friend but I am not sure. I want to be sure of all my options before pursuing a campanion for her.

 

[thalestral]

The chinchilla rescue people that I have spoken to here in Scotland recommended against neutering if you have a choice. I think it's a little more risky than with guinea pigs and hard to find a vet who is savvy enough to perform the op.

 

[envisionary333]

I agree that neutering is probably best avoided. Sorry for giving you the temptation, I was just so excited to see chinchillas available in our general vicinity! Tell you what- I will keep an eye out for any female chinchillas in my area, and if I find some I would be happy to help you adopt them! I could house them temporarily or drive them to you if you want, since I'm not that far away!

 

[Piggersrule]

I agree that neutering is probably best avoided. Sorry for giving you the temptation, I was just so excited to see chinchillas available in our general vicinity! Tell you what- I will keep an eye out for any female chinchillas in my area, and if I find some I would be happy to help you adopt them! I could house them temporarily or drive them to you if you want, since I'm not that far away!

Thank you for your kind offer, I really appreciate that. I have seen ads in the Buffalo news paper for male and female chins but I think it is a breeder posting those ads. I have seen her post several times. I don't want to get a chin(or any animal) from a breeder.

Thalestral, thanks for asking around about having a male chin neutered. I feel that it is not something I want to do. I will stay with searching for a female. I read that chins need to be quarantined for 4-6 weeks because the bacteria in their guts need to acclimate to the new enviroment. Has anyone ever heard of this? From what I have read, Chinchillas have very sensitive digestion systems, more so than Guinea pigs.

 

[PurplePoe]

I love chinchillas! I always tell people that they are like mogwais (gremlins)... Don't get them wet, they hate bright light, but you CAN feed them after midnight. As for keeping more than one, I've noticed that often problems arise because they're kept in too small of a cage and their owners didn't know that these little critters require so much space. Can you image two in a 55 gallon aquarium? Neither could I for more than one wrong reason. I would almost follow the sizing guidelines for two rabbits plus levels. I like the Oxbow pellets just because Mazuri is owned by Purina and I really do not care for their company. I kind of scanned some of the other posts and I don't remember if the fact that they cannot tolerate heat at all was mentioned. I think their comfort level was somewhere between 65-72 degrees. I've also heard on many occassion of the chinchilla that fell into the toilet, so keep those lids down.

To the person who was asking about ferrets, they're great but once they get into their golden years it can be heartbreaking. I've now owned four that were unrelated from kit to senior (my last one past two weeks ago) and all four went through a battle with insulinoma, adrenal disease, and various other ailments toward the end. The darlings also don't stay on this earth long enough. 5-7 years is the average, but with great care they can hit 8-10. My Roscoe was the oldest ferret my vet ever saw in his practice reaching the ripe old age of 9. I don't think I can ever take on another ferret, but if you think you can get them comfortably through their golden years then that would be one lucky ferret.

Poe