How can I,a new owner, create a bond and handle hygienic problem of chinchillas?

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Sheila20

New member
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
2
Location
Garden Grove, California
Hi everyone.
So, 1 week ago, me and my boyfriend decided to adopt 2 chinchillas, Grey and White. They're 2 males, about 1 year old, and they've grown up together since babies. We've never thought of having small pets before, but due to the circumstance, these two chinchilla could have felt into a worse situation if we had not adopted them :(

We keep the chinchilla at my boyfriend's place, and for some reasons, we had to keep the cage outside. My boyfriend put the cage in the shade, and put a black blanket over the top that also falls on the sides to keep them warm with cold temperature at night and cool from the heat/sun during day time ( we live in California).
When they first came, We made a BIG MISTAKE. We took out the flying saucer, a small container , and a hide away. Those look dirty, shabby, and cracking. What we still keep in the cage is a brick that they're usually sleep on.
Hoping to bring them the best without understanding chinchillas, we replaced these items with 2 small hammock, a new hide away, a piece of granite stone, and a small bed. Obviously they're pretty scared and wouldn't come near us the first day when we were at the cage's door. They even slept with their eye open. in the next few days, we started talking to them, feeding them, cleaning the cage, giving dust bath. When it's hot, i tried to take the granite stone out of the cage, put it in the freezer to help the chins cool down with the heat of California during daytime ( I'm thinking of making a solar powered fan for them and put it outside the cage, have anyone ever thought about this idea?)
So, it's been 1 week. Now, as i or my boyfriend come close to the gate, they will also come close to us and nibble our fingers. Whenever is feeding time, i only have to open the gate door and they'll just climb up and down my fingers. ( I tried to rub their neck but it seemed like they're not ready yet). i think they're still scared and have yet to feel comfortable with the new environment, which is understandable,i hope somebody can show us how to understand them more deeply.This is a picture of them now



Also, we don't know how to potty train the chinchillas, they poop everywhere in the cage, we have yet to figure out where they pee, The white one seems to have urine on his hair, i weren't able to take a picture, but i could see the yellow stain around his pee hole. Another problem is their hair look really really bad, it's dirty and clumped together, especially after taking the dust bath ( i thought the dust bath will make them more clean?). Is it because not cleaning the cage frequently enough, because of their urine, or a more sensitive reason since they're 2 males?
This is the picture of their hair



I'm really sad, because i don't know how to help them, being dirty can make them stressed out

And also, why the grey one does this? leaning on the cage? is it because it's daytime and he's drowsy?


Thank everyone and i'm waiting to get help
 
You need to get them inside, to a climate controlled environment. Chinchillas are under no circumstances an outside animal. Extremes of heat and cold will cause death in a chinchilla. The fur on the white one looks absolutely awful. The gray chinchilla is terrified, that's why he is hiding in the corner like that. Outside, they are sitting there waiting for some predator to come and kill them. They are the bottom of the food chain and cannot defend themselves. In their mind, they are just sitting there waiting to die.

If you cannot provide them a proper living environment, I implore you, get in touch with a rescue or find someone on this forum who can and hand them over.
 
You cant keep chins outside. They will die, its only a matter of time; especially in cali.

There are a ton of problems with doing that, but first off they require specific temperatures. Chins can not handle heat. You need to keep them around 70 or less. 73-75 they can start to overheat and die.
There are also a ton of health risk and dangers out there. Short version; bring them inside to a cool room!

Fans dont do chins any good either. Basic air circulation is one thing, but it will not cool them down directly. Chins do not sweat (they shouldnt get wet at all). So if a fan is on them in hot weather, alls they feel is hot air being blown on them all the time. They must have AC in warm times to keep cool or they risk over heating and dieing. Also the direct draft can cause URI's which can get very bad at times.

Some chins will get stained fur if they get urine on them. Often seen if there is a medical problem, with fleece where its laying on top, or poor setup/care. Do they have litter pan to pee in? What kind of bedding?

Chins are unable to control when they poop. It jsut comes out where ever they are. They usually can control where there pee tho. They often pick a corner or certain areas that they will use. Often a good idea to find these area and put a litter pan in them.
 
As already said, chins are not outside animals, unless you live in a arid upper Andes like environment. They can tolerate cold, down to freezing (and even below, I know 20F for sure) so long as the water doesn't freeze, but anything over about 70-75F they have problems. Putting a blanket over the cage just makes it worse, it may be 70F outside but could be much hotter inside the cage, and a blanket also cuts off air flow so it will also be stuffy. They also don't do well with humidity either, it need to stay below 50% at all times, their fur can get moldy and fall out if they are damp all the time. The best way to think about their environment requirements is to think of wearing a full body snowsuit all the time. How much is a fan or a cool rock to sit on going to help? The granite tiles are good as an additional cooling, like after running around, but are not a substitution for a cool air temp.

They are never going to fully calm down when outside, as said they are bottom of the chain prey animals, so will be scared outside. They live in rock caves in the wild, that is not the same as a small wooden house inside a cage. If you can't bring them inside I strongly suggest you find them a new home, or give them over to a chinchilla rescue, or even an animal shelter that can take them in. As said the extreme temp changes can kill them, the stress of being outside and scared all the time can kill them, a draft can kill them, an animal outside could kill them or could make them sick. They really need a more controlled environment.

Chins are also highly intelligent for a rodent, about equivalent to a 2 yr old human or a small parrot, so you need to spend at least an hour a day interacting with them. Bonding takes time, and it takes most chins at least a week to settle in to a safe new environment (which outside is not). So once they are inside it will take at least a week for them to settle down, I would give them more like a month or two though. Actual bonding with you can take months to years, especially after being poorly cared for.

You may need to actual comb the chins, if they are matted the dust bath isn't going to really clean them. Think of it like washing your hair when it's a tangled mess without brushing it, your aren't going to get it very clean, same with the chin's dust. The staining on the white one could be from a few of reasons, anything from sitting in his brother's or his own pee, to a medical issue causing leakage. White chins tend to be more prone to pee staining, I'm not sure if it just shows up on them better or what. If it is just staining from sitting in pee try cleaning the cage more or get something more absorbent as bedding. Once the issue is solved adding some cornstarch to the dust will over time (as in many baths over weeks) slowly remove the stains.

Some chins can be pee trained, but as said they can't be poop trained. Most chins pick a corner, but some just pee where ever. If they just pee where ever you will need to work with them, one way is to cover the whole floor of the cage with shavings, and then slowly over the course of cage changes over the weeks put less and less in moving it towards the corners. Eventually they should be just peeing in the corners or even one corner and you can put a litter pan of shavings there. Pee training doesn't always stick though, and they could one day decide they don't feel like using the pan anymore.

A few other things, that hammock in the corner of one pic there is not chin safe. Hammocks need to be all fleece with metal hardware, fleece is the only chin safe material, and only if they don't chew it. It also looks like you have a ladder ramp in the cage, those are not safe either, chins have been known to get toes and legs caught and broken in those. Chins hop not really walk anyway so they don't need ramps. If you could get a more full pic of the cage we can help direct you into what is good and what needs to go to make it a safe and fun cage for them. Lastly, it looks like they have nuts in the cage? Chins should not have nuts, they are too high in fat and will lead to health problems. Chins should also not have fruit, veggies, animal products (milk, eggs, bones, hide, etc), seeds, or human junk food. A good quality pellet only food and unlimited hay and water is all they need.
 
These chins look AWFUL. I would highly reccomend buying a good comb and that is probably the only way to get all those mats out. Also, chinchillas are wonderful pets to have, but as you should do before buying any kind of pet research is seriously key. Go and read books about chins, or read on here or other informational sites to really learn about your new pet. If these chins aren't taken care properly or living in the proper environment then unfortunately they're going to die. Since they are prey animals if anything goes wrong most hide it until it's too late for you to do anything. The window is very very small.
 
I've moved them into my bedroom.
How can i comb the white chin? Once he goes to his little corner and hide, we don't want to touch him, recently,he always hide himself in that conrner. Even if he goes out of that corner he won't let anyone touches him. He used to nibble at my fingers but not anymore.
Can i bring him into a vet and let them help me out with the combing ? It's sad to see him like that
 
The chin is hiding most likely because he is very scared. Even under ideal conditions a chin can take up to 1-2 months before starting to warm up. Given these chins conditions it wouldnt surprise me if it was longer.
 
If they are big mats, grasp them down close to the body, and gently but firmly pull them out. Otherwise, for now, tons of dust baths. Worry about combing after they are less traumatized. The standard is going to take some patience. Don't worry so much about handling them right now and more about making sure they are healthy. Good quality pellet, fresh hay every day, filtered water, and time.
 
second everything everyone who said get them inside immediately. weekly dust baths. please talk to whoever you got them from or a vet or something to understand their environment and maintenance needs immediately if you haven't! they're adorable, but very poorly cared for and I hope they get to a nice cool, clean place asap! I understand if this is all news to you and I'm not blaming you, but lots of research was needed when I somehow (don't remember anymore) came across what a chinchilla was and why I should get one. I freak out if my thermometers creep past 72 in my room (aka my chin's room) or the humidity i high just after the posts I've made (feel free to read through of my threads with my very "basic" questions that I'm so glad I asked here!) and knowing how serious the little babies are. Think about it, they're wearing a fur coat. One of their hairs is 50 of ours. Or is it the other way around, but I think you know which way I'm trying to say it haha, that's why they're so soft and that's why unfortunately they get used for...coats and such. I don't want to reiterate everything everyone else has already said, but please please please message me or anyone of us or anything to get your babies to live their many decades worth of lifespan!! THAT'S how they'll be happiest first!
 
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