A few questions regarding fleece, cages, and health.

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I'm planning on getting chinchillas from a shelter either later this year or early next year.

I’ve seen that many people use fleece bedding. What I’m wondering is, are you using sheep/wool fleece, or synthetic/polar fleece? Being vegan, I would really rather not use sheep fleece. Is polar fleece safe for chinchillas? Is there a specific kind of fleece bedding I should buy, or can I simply buy a large fleece blanket and cut it into smaller sections?

I had always heard that as chinchillas move primarily up and down, it’s more important to have a tall cage rather than a wide cage. However, today I read that tall cages were dangerous, as if the chin failed a jump from the top of the cage, they could fall and be injured or killed. Wondering what your opinions on that were, I was planning on getting the Chinchilla Mansion from Quality Cages.

Should I get this chinchilla carrier http://qualitycage.com/index.php?main_pa....products_id=651 for taking them to and from the vet, or will a small cat carrier be safe? Also wondering, what is the difference with powder coated and galvanized cages? Are they safer? Easier to clean? Should I be getting one?

I have three cats. One of them goes outside and kills all manner of things, from rats to snakes. Obviously, I would never let her anywhere near the chinchillas for this reason. However, is there a possibility of disease transferring from the dead rodents to a chinchilla? Is there any way I could transfer it, by touching the cat and then the chinchilla?

Thanks!
 
In addition:

I live in a climate where it rarely gets above 75 degrees (I'll stick a thermometer next to the cage anyway), but it is quite humid. Is there anything I should do about this? I've read in some places that they should have dust baths more often in humid climates. What would that be, like every other day?

Speaking of dust, are there any stores that sell Blue Cloud? If not, then are there any online stores that ship from Canada?
 
You can search up "Fleece liners" in regards to the fleece-style bedding that a few forum members have switched to. There are threads with directions and examples of how you can make your own. There are also members that sell quality fleece liners in various prints; you can find them in the <Chin Supplies for Sale> section. In addition, there's a master list of member sellers http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=546. There are some Canadian-based sellers listed in that link and I believe Flowertown Chinchillas is Canadian-based as well. Blue Cloud is available through those vendors. There are US members that ship to Canada though.

The Mansion is quite big for one chin. If you're worried about chins hurting themselves, you can always use fleece hammocks as safety nets. Just pull them taut across the middle of the cage, so if they fall, the hammock will give them a soft fall. Also, you'll have to just space ledges, shelves, perches in a chin-friendly manner.

For carriers, it's whatever works the best. Some people use all metal carriers/show carriers, small cat carriers/pet taxis. Just keep a watchful eye that the chin won't chew the plastic part of the carrier if there are any.

I'm not sure about transferring dieases through cats and chins, but it's always safe practice to wash your hands before touching other animals. You should consider having a chin room where cats are not allowed. I think this would be safer.

If it's humid, I would just turn on the A/C. Humidity is just as bad as heat. For example, If it's 72 degrees and humid, I turn my A/C on. Every other day or every two days should be okay during the humid summer months.

Welcome to CnH!
 
Fleece is safe for chinchillas as long as they do not attempt to eat it. I use anti-pill and blizzard fleece (which are both polar, I believe), which I think are both 100% polyester. They are sold at Wal-Mart and JoAnns and are wool free - you can purchase by the yard, and some people also use the pre-made blankets, but they're usually more expensive. I make fleece liners and can ship to you if you're interested.

The taller the cage, usually the more of a chance you have for an accident. The chinchilla mansion is a great cage, and you can deck it out with ledges or hammocks to try to help with falls.

Metal carriers are usually better than cat carriers because of the risk of chewing.

I use a dehumidifer with my chins and I still can't keep the humidity right, so I have to dust my chins more often than once or twice a week. I don't think any stores sell Blue Cloud, but many people on here sell Blue Cloud, including myself, but you may want to find someone in Canada since shipping would be very expensive from the US.
 
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You want synthetic polar fleece, not the natural sheep kind. You can also use a fleece blanket and cut it up.

The QC mansion is a great cage, and if you put enough shelves and a hammock that will break any falls.

A lot of people have cats and chins, so as long as you don't let them together, it should be fine. Maybe wash your hands after touching the cat though.

Congrats on getting a chin soon, how exciting! Can't wait for pictures!
 
You would want to use the polar type fleece, not the wool type. And fleece is really considered one of the safest fabrics for them because many times they don't try to chew it apart and if they do try it doesn't come apart in strings that they could ingest.

I think that taller is better than wider for a cage. Just make sure you have either a shelf going across the middle of the cage to catch any falls. Or a large hammock works too.

As for carriers, I love my metal ones. Some people do use cat carriers since they're easier to get, but chins can chew through the plastic. But if you're just going to be using it for vet visits, a plastic cat sized carrier is fine.

As far as the humidity, yes, you would need to dust more often in a humid weather, but also, you would need air conditioning to keep them comfortable.

Not many stores sell blue cloud (although I've heard of some in California that do) but there should be a couple breeders in Canada who sell supplies. If nothing else you can order it from the US but shipping would get kind of expensive.

As far as transferring diseases, I'm not quite sure, I'm no expert on illnesses, so hopefully someone will clear that all up for you.
 
Thanks everyone for the tip about putting a hammock in the middle. I'll look into finding a dehumidifier that isn't too expensive. Sesame, there would be two chinchillas in that cage. :)
 
At 75, your risking a chinchilla overheating if they decide to run around a bunch. Most people like to keep the temps around 70 or lower. It'd be best to get a small window air conditioner if it's going to be around 75 or so in your house. Especially just in case there is a warm spell.
 
alli713 said:
At 75, your risking a chinchilla overheating if they decide to run around a bunch. Most people like to keep the temps around 70 or lower. It'd be best to get a small window air conditioner if it's going to be around 75 or so in your house. Especially just in case there is a warm spell.
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Our average summer high here is around 68 degrees. Very rarely does it get over 70, and even then, it's still under 75. I'm not worried about the temperature, I was just concerned about the humidity, as it's near the ocean and does rain frequently. ;)
 
Hey there! Welcome to CnH!

I bet you're excited, getting everything ready for chins. :D

A tall cage is great, it just needs hammocks or shelves placed so that if a chinchilla slips or misses a ledge while jumping, it won't fall all the way to the bottom of a cage.

I live in Florida, so I understand about humidity. When you get your chinchilla, you will be able to see when he needs to have a dustie. His fur just won't look as nice, and may have a greasy look to it, or just doesn't lay as nice.

Usually a couple of times a week is good, sometimes in the heat of summer down here I will need to do it 3 times per week. You just don't want to overdust them, as it can cause dry skin. But you'll be able to tell, once you have your own chin. :)
 
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As for fleece, I just found some clearance fleece blankets at K-Mart for $3.00. They're 60"x60", so are almost equal to buying two yards of fabric (which would usually run roughly $14-$24). So, moral of the story: Always check clearance at your local Target, K-Mart, or Wal-Mart.
 
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