My Checklist

[LoveBug]

i will not be getting my chin until January but we're preparing early of course, she will be between 8-10wks old when we get her. this is the checklist i have made so far. please feel free to correct me/give opinions. they're appreciated
-cage (we got a marshall ferret estate).
-fleece sets
-kiln dried pine shelves and hidey house.
-chin safe toys
-lixit glass water bottle
-kiln dried pine bedding (also pyrex dish to put the bedding in)
-timothy hay and mazuri pellets for food.
-blue cloud dust
-PUR filter
-marble/granite tile (chin chiller)
-air conditioner (portable, live in apartment window unit not allowed)
-thermostat/humidity meter
-food dishes (ceramic or safe wood)
-kitchen scale
-metal pans (bass equipment)
-fleece liners
-VET that knows chinchillas.
-mesh hardware cover
-fish bowl (bathtime)
-small pet carrier
-loofahs
-bulk wood supply (sticks).


that is my checklist so far. if anything should be added/removed please feel free to say something

 

[danilinn]

just a thought on a wood food dish: it might end up getting snacked on as much as the food itself.
there are some really cute ceramic dishes on http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27456, and she's a member here--very nice, informed lady, and i love that it's an indy online shop instead of the big chains. she also carries the 8 oz lixit glass bottle, the chin-chiller, and a whole bunch of other stuff. i also found some neat stuff on http://camphorchins.com

 

[Sdo9396]

i will not be getting my chin until January but we're preparing early of course, she will be between 8-10wks old when we get her. this is the checklist i have made so far. please feel free to correct me/give opinions. they're appreciated
-cage (we got a marshall ferret estate).
-fleece sets
-kiln dried pine shelves and hidey house.
-chin safe toys
-lixit glass water bottle
-kiln dried pine bedding (also pyrex dish to put the bedding in)
-timothy hay and mazuri pellets for food.
-blue cloud dust
-PUR filter
-marble/granite tile (chin chiller)
-air conditioner (portable, live in apartment window unit not allowed)
-thermostat/humidity meter
-food dishes (ceramic or safe wood)
-kitchen scale
-metal pans (bass equipment)
-fleece liners
-VET that knows chinchillas.
-mesh hardware cover
-fish bowl (bathtime)
-small pet carrier
-loofahs
-bulk wood supply (sticks).


that is my checklist so far. if anything should be added/removed please feel free to say something

Did you decide to feed mazuri because thats what the breeder you're buying from feeds their chins? I would keep your chin on whatever brand pellet h/she comes with provided that it's one of the recommended pellets whether it be Mazuri or not. I would see how your chin does on it after you bring them home and if there's an issue such as soft poos then I would decide to switch. Ask the breeder what feed they're giving and buy maybe two months worth of the same brand. If you see an issue early, you will have time to purchase a new pellet and transition them over.

Also, some ceramic food bowls get knocked over so you may want to consider a metal coop cup which attaches to the side of the cage. You can get one at petco or Petsmart in the bird aisle I believe.

Everything else looks good! Good luck! )

 

[ticklechin]

Start small with a starter first aid kit, small package of critical care, feeding syringe, simethicone, bluekote, a probiotic and pet pectillin would be a start.

 

[danilinn]

Tickle, we're 5 minutes from the exotic vet in one direction and 10 from the ER vet in another. Is it necessary to keep all of that on hand in our case, or just a money-saver?

 

[ticklechin]

The critical care is not always carried by vets and sometimes they run out, the other items are more for self treating prior to deciding about a vet visit-example, chin is a little "off" and quiet, no real concrete symptoms so you can try using simethicone to treat for gas for a day and see it that helps, or if a chin has loose poo pet pectillin can be used for a day or so and see if it clears up.

 

[danilinn]

gotcha. i think one of those sites i posted earlier does do rush orders on the critical care--good to know if you get in a jam, though NOT ideal.
i think for now i'd be afraid to give my girl any medication or anything else out of the ordinary. maybe i will settle down a little once i've had her for a while, but for now i'll take the hit of the vet bill rather than chance it. (i don't doubt you know what you're talking about; i've just got serious paranoid new-mom syndrome. if i could take vacation time this early in the semester, i'd probably stay home with her for the first week or two!)
however, rather than meds, is there something to eat you can give a kit for gas, poo problems, etc? our breeder said no shredded wheat or raisins (very rarely anyway!) until she's 6 months.
it's pretty awesome of you to help out the new parents, btw.

 

[ticklechin]

Simethicone is not really a "med", its inert and stays in the digestive tract and is not absorbed by the body, you can't really OD it, its even used to entice chins to eat off a syringe by dipping the syringe it it or its given after a nasty tasting medication since its sweet tasting and chins dig it.

I hear ya! Being a new Mom is exciting and you want everything right, its us old jaded Moms who sometimes forget what it was like to be a new Mom!

 

[LoveBug]

Sdo9396 - yes the breeder i'm getting her from uses Mazuri. she purchases it from a local feed store along with the timothy hay. i wasnt sure if pet stores did sell those metal cups but now that you said it i will probably go with that
ticklechin - thank you for saying what i needed for a first aid kit. i have the list of everything from this forum and i was thinking do i really need to get all of this before she's here. but now that you said what i needed to get i'll get them since thats a lot smaller than the actual list.
danilinn - thank you for pointing out who sells certain things. but i'm gonna go with the metal cup for food, a hay box made outta wood, pet stores have the lixit glass bottles, and we're just getting wood (for shelves/house) and the marble/granite tile (chinchiller) from Home Depot. since its cheaper that way then ordering it from someone and having to pay that price plus shipping.

i'm really excited to start getting everything once i get back to New Mexico (the 11th) we're ordering fleece sets from Shooper that she kindly already has done. (they look great) and then slowly get everything else done.

do i need a brush for her? or is that just for the people that show their chins?

 

[ticklechin]

IMO its up to the pet owner if the chin gets brushed, All but one of mine love being groomed so its a little more bonding time for them.

 

[LoveBug]

okay, if i wanted to brush her. where is the best place to get one?

 

[danilinn]

ooh, i so want to brush Dusty if she doesn't hate it! how often do you do it? what kind of brush do you use and where do you get them?

 

[danilinn]

i do have a few questions about LoveBug's checklist; if anyone can clarify it'd be much appreciated:

-kiln dried pine bedding (also pyrex dish to put the bedding in)
is this to use as litter, so they'll have one bathroom-spot? otherwise, am i mistaken that you can do either fleece or bedding/shavings? and if you're using fleece only as bedding, do you want to have some smaller, fluffed up pieces of it, or just a basic liner/cover?

-kitchen scale
okay, i'm not even sure what a kitchen scale is--what is this for? isn't a chin small enough that weight loss is visible and also noticeable when you pick him/her up?

-metal pans (bass equipment)
plural? also, i've read on here that glass is better b/c pee causes fast rusting.

-loofahs
are these for chewing? couldn't they expand in the chin's stomach and cause an obstruction? why not stick with woods, alfalfa cubes, hay, etc., for chewing? once again, this gets my nervous-mommy thing going.

 

[ticklechin]

A good amount of chinchillas choose a spot in the cage to pee, by using a pyrex dish with shavings the pee can be dumped out every day or so.

Chins are weighed in grams, most kitchen scales can be switched between ounces and grams. Walmart sells them in the kitchen appliance department for under 30.00. A really in-tuned owner can feel 20+ gram weight loss but it takes alot of handling to get the feel-scale is easier, weigh once a month or so, more often during medical issues.

Bass pans, can't help you there!

Loofah, I don't use them since none of them like them. Chins like a variety of things and textures to chew on, so its just another thing to buy!

 

[danilinn]

FYI, Allison at camphorchins.com is awesomely helpful, too. i emailed her with a concern that in spite of the priority shipping, Dusty's water bottle wouldn't arrive before she moves in next weekend. Allison thanked ME for letting her know, as she's juggling her shop with a new baby, and she promised to get my order out ASAP.
i'm really impressed with that, if not surprised, since online stores are usually indy, and i thought it was worth mentioning that she's that committed to her customers. yay for her!

 

[liewwan]

I will vouch for allison's store, great person and great products. Luckily she's in MN like me. My chins LOVES her loofahs, dipped sticks, and all the other stuff I ordered from her.
Danilinn- As for bass pan rusting, just make sure you put enough bedding in it to soak up the pee and change it once or twice a week you'll be fine.