Cruelty?

[Chinch]

OK, I've been going back and forth for so long about asking/talking to you guys about this, but I do want some feedback.

Way back in the day when I got Andey, he was my ENTIRE life. I had my own apartment, and when I was home, he had free run of the place, except the kitchen and the bedroom. I had him trained where I could sit next to his cage, call his name and shake his little baggie of cheerios, and he would come running from wherever he was in the apartment, jump into his cage and hold his paw out for his treat. He used to sleep, laying completely on his side right next to me when I was laying in bed or on the couch watching T.V.

Then, some things happened, and I had to move in with my parents. Things still stayed the same, but he just had my room to run around now.

Then things got kind of difficult at my parent's house with my younger brothers, doing drugs and doing illegal gang stuff, so I moved in with my boyfriend, with all intentions of taking Andey with, then my boyfriend lost his job and we had to move into his parent's house.

Well, his parents won't allow Andey in their house, so Andey has been housed in my parents basement for a good 4-5 years now.

I work full time, and had a spinal fusion last year, which has made my back so bad, I can barely do anything. I barely sleep, and it's just crazy.

Ugh, this is so hard to talk about, every time I go to my parent's house I cry when I see him, it breaks my heart. Because I love him so much, and I think about how it used to be, and how it must make him feel. I know he is smart and very intelligent, no matter if he is a rodent or not.

It is cool in the basement, so that is why he is there, and a light is always kept on for him, so he isn't in darkness. However, there is no where and basically no one to take him out of his cage. So, seriously, he has been in his cage the entire time.

My mom takes him out occasionally and holds him, and she goes down there every day and scratches him and feeds him and gives him a little bite of a treat or something.

But when I go to put my hand in his cage, he runs away, barks and stands up like he wants to fight me or something. I mean, sometimes he lets me pick him up, but he isn't happy about it. I mean, it has totally made him more like a "feral" animal, compared to what he was before. Man, I had him trained like a dog! I would put my arm in his cage, and he would climb right up it!

He has a very large cage, at least 5 feet tall with lots of shelves and perches and ledges and toys, and wood and a snuggly toy, but do any of you have chins that stay in their cages at all times?

Am I being cruel having him in these living situations?

I keep praying that my boyfriend will get a job so we can get our own place, and I can finally bring my baby home with me, and try to get him to the point and place we were before, but I can't help thinking I am doing something very wrong.

The thought of giving him up kills me, and my mom would be so upset, because she loves him too, he's so wonderful, but my father is fully disabled now with a rare neurological disease, and my mom works full time, and has been diagnosed with severe RA.

I just want some honest opinions here, and if anyone else keeps their chins in their cages at all times.

 

[ReneeM]

I'm sorry you are going through this. My chins have not been out in nearly a month. I have sciatica in my leg and cannot sit on the floor and play with them/catch them. And starting a new job, as well as school. They are fed daily with scritches. My boys have had no problems, but one of my girls throws poop at me ><. The poop flinger I have raised since she was born, and she has turned into a little brat.

All of my chins are in pairs. So they mostly ignore me anyway.

Maybe get your boy a friend?

 

[addictedtochins]

I think it would be wonderful if he would accept a cagemate, but I'm not sure he would. I think something does need to change for him though. He doesn't need to be out of his cage, but I think he must be depressed being alone nearly all the time. Mine are in the living room and watch us and the TV all the time. If you can't improve his quality of life please find him a new home. Don't subject him to a lifestyle you would go crazy in.

 

[Riven]

He is getting some daily attention from your mom so it's not like he's in a dark basement being tossed a piece of hay now and then. Chins do not require out of cage time, it is a benefit, not a requirement. I'm guessing you're not able to have him at your boyfriend's parents? Maybe I missed that part.

Get your situation together, discuss it with your mom as it seems like she's his primary caretaker, then make a plan!

 

[Pookinaround]

I am with Riven on this one... There are tons of breeders out there who never take their chins out to play with them (myself included) and they do just fine. If you are worried about him being alone maybe get him a cuddle buddy. Sounds like this guy has been by himself quite a while so accepting another chin may very well be a long shot.

 

[Riven]

I have four cages right now and I don't let them out for play time, I feel it just increases their risk for injury personally. They have plenty of room in their cages to jump around and play without me worrying about them being out much. Just my thought on that. My second chin was lost in an outside play time accident so maybe I'm just overly cautious.

 

[Pikaia]

Have you ever tried talking to your boyfriend's parents and seeing if Andey could come live with you guys? You could promise that you would keep his cage clean and if you did take him out for playtime (which you don't HAVE to) you would make sure he is kept in a secure area and clean up after him. Chins really are not messy. What are their concerns about having Andey there?

Otherwise, if you can't do that, I hope you and your boyfriend can get on your feet and get your own place. If your mom interacts with Andey on a daily basis, I guess it's not so bad..

 

[Spoof]

Definitely not cruelty. It sounds like he is in a very safe environment with consistent attention, food, a safe home and there is definitely someone that loves him. He will be fine until you find a new place. )

 

[saphire]

I am with Spoof on this!

 

[Dreamlite]

Chins adjust to new routines so well! There are so mean people who don't do play time, either for safety or room reasons or like many of us with multiple chins it just wouldn't work. He has a good sized cage with things to do, he's fed and dusted, he sees people everyday... where is the creulty in that? Many chins are happy like that.

 

[Godofgods]

I'm one step away from a disk fusion myself, so i can understand how you feel their.

Question: When you see your chin, is it usually around the same time of day?

I ask because my girls are very time oriented. Some times they can be friendly, but if you come near them when their trying to sleep or go to sleep, or the first hour or two after starting to wake up, they are highly highly irritable.

Not giving play time was a hard thing to get used to. One i was forced to do for now, since they have eaten a whole through the wall, and chewed up some floor tile. They do get used to it tho.

 

[Chinch]

Thanks guys, makes me feel a little better, but it still breaks my heart. Because, I know he must be thinking, "what the heck happened, I used to own an entire apartment, and now I'm stuck in a cage"!

He has cuddle buddies, and yes my mom goes down there and scritches him and holds him almost every day, but I know he has to miss running around and "popcorning" off the walls.

I know his life could be better, but I didnt know there were other people out there who didnt let their chins out either. His cage is large, so he has room, and hamocks and play things.

And, when I even mentioned this to my bf's parents, the look could've killed me.

I'm just hoping and praying he gets a job soon, so we can be back together again.

 

[ArmyWife]

If you are really concerned about him not being allowed out to play, maybe you could provide him with a good quality wheel to run in? I don't let my chins out that often and they seem happy as can be!

 

[JessieVictoria]

Yes, definitely get him a wheel for sure, you need to consider his exercise needs, but he should be okay on his own in the cage. You can also get a small TV for him to watch every now and then? They LOVE tv! Whenever I leave for more than ten hours I like to leave the tv on, or some music. Something fun like that

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Honestly, I think being in the cage is much safer for him. Although he got lots of exercise running around the apartment, there are way too many things to chew and ingest, leap off of or worse, that could leave him impacted, injured or dead.

I didn't let mine out for playtime as most breeders don't and all my chins were well adjusted and social. Get a wheel or a cuddle buddy for him. I would not bring another chin into an unstable housing situation and it's likely to make him less involved with you. He'll come around again, you just have to be patient and spend as much time as you can with him.