A not so new owner with new chinchillas!

[Godofgods]

Godofgods, all the advice you are getting here is correct. If you are going to try to argue with everything, why ask for the advice?

Because if i took everything i read at face value, then i shouldnt own any pets.

As for the log. Just because something is marketed for chinchillas does not mean it is safe. Pet stores have many things marketed for chins that are no where near safe i.e. plastic balls, plastic wheels, yogurt drops, the list goes on and on.

Hence the reason i ask questions and not take things at face value

 

[Claire D]

There are so many things I could comment on in this thread but, quite frankly, I'm not going to bother - I will, however, address the treats issue (because I think it is very important).....

Chinchillas are junk food addicts. They will eat junk food over what should be their staple diet of good quality chinchilla pellets & good quality hay. They actually don't need anything else - everything else is given to them for our benefit (because we like variety & treats, we assume our pets should have them too).

Stackie is correct - chinchillas should not be fed dried fruit (including raisins) because of the high sugar content. Not only is this potentially bad for their digestion it's also incredibly bad for their teeth - chins get dental decay & cavities just like humans do.
It's not worth the risks & there are better, safer treats out there.........

 

[Godofgods]

There are so many things I could comment on in this thread but, quite frankly, I'm not going to bother

yea i no. I freely admit that mistakes were made; combined with my current lack of recourses due to my physical disability.
When someone shows up to your door asking to take in their chin (what was supposed to be a short time) having no chin knowledge at all, some things are bound to go wrong.

That being said, im here asking questions to try and improve that knowledge base in order to help my chins. I have done research over time since getting them, iv talked with my vet, iv talked with breeders, and im here asking questions on this fourm. And i can easyly say, the infor obtained from nearly every sorce, has completely contradicted each other.

So yes i will ask questions, i will make comments on ppls post, i will cross examine certin statments in an effort to better find the truth. Im not going to assume that one source is correct because they say so.

---

As for the Select Series Pro feed:
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d186/NecroticGod/?action=view&current=2424129.jpg
The feed that was recomended to be by a breeder, and also being stated here as not a good choice; Why would it not be a good choice?

From what iv read, the require a high protien and high fiber diet. This brand has both high fiber, and a 16% protein formula. From what i no, that seems an optimal choise.

If its not, please tell me exactly why.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Keep a couple of things in mind when reading the replies from the members of this forum: one, they only have your chin's well being in mind and two, chinchillas whose diet consists of poor feed and sugary treats die years earlier than they should. The people giving you advice have chinchillas that are living their full 15 to 20 years.

 

[Claire D]

yea i no. I freely admit that mistakes were made; combined with my current lack of recourses due to my physical disability.
When someone shows up to your door asking to take in their chin (what was supposed to be a short time) having no chin knowledge at all, some things are bound to go wrong.

That being said, im here asking questions to try and improve that knowledge base in order to help my chins. I have done research over time since getting them, iv talked with my vet, iv talked with breeders, and im here asking questions on this fourm. And i can easyly say, the infor obtained from nearly every sorce, has completely contradicted each other.

So yes i will ask questions, i will make comments on ppls post, i will cross examine certin statments in an effort to better find the truth. Im not going to assume that one source is correct because they say so.

---

You're very welcome to question things, that's not a problem but don't expect members to respond kindly to a dismissive attitude - which is what you have shown so far........
BTW & FWIW there are responsible breeders & then there are back-yard breeders: there are chinchilla competent vets & then there are vets who think they are but have no clue on chinchilla husbandry issues ...... getting your info from a wide range of sources is fine but make sure they are good sources - there are some very knowledgeable people on this forum, from a variety of backgrounds, who have many, many years of combined experience.

As a matter of interest, at what age did you separate Houdini from his mother?
Are the ferrets kept well away from the chinchillas now or can they still get to them?

 

[minrex]

As herbivores, they do require high fiber, but not high protein. The Pro formula that you are feeding has a maximum fiber content of 21%. The Sho formula which people are recommending to you has a maximum fiber content of 23%, which is more desirable. The two formulas have the same protein content of 16% (which is plenty). This website shows the differences between the two feeds.

 

[Godofgods]

As for treats, what kinds, if any, are their that would be good on a daily basis. Unfortionitly, theyve gotten very acustomed to geting a treat twice a day.

They get one after their play time. Theyve not only learned the full process of getting out, but they no when i place the ladder form the floor to the cage it means time to go back in, and they do it own their own. So they get a little reward.

Also when another get home from work (night shift) generaly anywhere from 3-6am~, the moment the see him they expect a little something. And they will make as much noise as possible entille the get it, then theyll calm down and star going to sleep lol.

Obvoisly i dont want to feed them bad treats, much less something bad twice a day. I would imagin their has to be something good for them that they can have twice a day. Or two diffrent things they can have once a day.

With certin treats currently not a good option, atm i only have cheerio's and a pretzel shaped treat form the pet store. I dont remember their name, as i keep them in a jar.
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d186/NecroticGod/?action=view&current=Pretzeltreat.jpg
Thats pretty much what they look like.

 

[Laurie]

Even healthy treats should be given on a daily basis. A treat a couple times a week is fine, but daily is definitely not recommended. Safe and healthy treats are, 1/2 of a small plain shredded wheat, plain cheerios, a tiny pinch of old fashioned not quick cooking oats, dried rose hips or shredded rose hips, small piece of dried pasta.

Daily they can have chin safe wood to chew on, such as apple.

 

[Godofgods]

You're very welcome to question things, that's not a problem but don't expect members to respond kindly to a dismissive attitude - which is what you have shown so far........

I applogise if my remarked seem dismissive or insulting. They were not intended to be. Its a little overwhleming to study them for a good while, then hear most of what youve found out is not very good after all.

As a matter of interest, at what age did you separate Houdini from his mother?
Are the ferrets kept well away from the chinchillas now or can they still get to them?

I dont remember the exact amoutn of days. It was right after the 6 week mark tho. Sophie went back to her origional cage, and houdini stay with his father chico.

As for the ferrets, their not exactly far away. But they cant get to the chins. And the chins pay them no attention what so ever. I also NEVER let them out at the same time. Only reason the ferret found houdini was because i did not no he was out of the cage.

Technicly they in two diffrent rooms, but theirs only a couple of feet between ferrets space and chins. They have never once had any problems with procimity in the several years iv had them.

 

[Godofgods]

Daily they can have chin safe wood to chew on, such as apple.

Yea, iv tried that. They do seem to like it. However the pet sotre is now chargeing several dollars for a supply that wouldnt last 2 days. Iv tried ordering them online, but the size of the peices i receive were jsut a bit to big for them to handle. So they ignore them a lot (mainly chico)

 

[Paws4Chins]

As stated above some Chin breeders are more knowlegeble than others. As an example my first 2 chins came from a breeder who I think was trying to do a good job but they were feeding Sunseed which contained dried fruit. As stated above dried fruit has to much sugar so breeders don't always know what is best. As for contradicting information...there is a lot of bad information sites about chins on the Internet. I have ran across a few. I think as you research more credible sites you will find the the correct information will be repeated over and over. Of course this site is a good one when you run across contradicting information you can ask but be ready to take the advise.

As for 2 times a day or daily treats most of the forum members will say treats are not needed with a balanced diet. If you do feel the need to use treats then one per chin every couple of days.

Please don't feel like we are attacking you because we want to help and want your chins to have long healthy lives that will provide you with many years of enjoyment.

 

[Godofgods]

As herbivores, they do require high fiber, but not high protein. The Pro formula that you are feeding has a maximum fiber content of 21%. The Sho formula which people are recommending to you has a maximum fiber content of 23%, which is more desirable. The two formulas have the same protein content of 16% (which is plenty). This website shows the differences between the two feeds.

Would the 2% truly make that much of a diffrence? Obviosuly one would go with the better one available. But some are saying that selecet series pro is not good at all. Yet it seems almost the same as the Sho

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Yes it does make a difference - chins have extremely sensitive digestion systems and you want to stick with a trusted feed. If you can't get the Manna Pro Show, I feed Purina Rabbit Show Chow and I get a 50lb bag for $18 at the feed store. It's excellent feed and usually available. I personally wouldn't mess around with an unknown feed.

I know they are used to the treats but you wouldn't let a kid eat dessert everytime he or she wanted to right? Moderation is key - try offering sticks - I know you said they were expensive at petstores - try the classifieds here...I recently paid $12 for a pound of applewood twigs from Rhonda and my chins love them! My chins only like the small thin ones they can destroy immediately. You could also try offering a different type of hay as a treat (orchard grass is a good one). You could also give them their dust bath as a treat when they go back into the cage on their own.

Please take that log out - it's bad news - its held together with honey which has loads of sugar in it - back to that bacteria, gas and bloat situation. Anything with sugar in it is bad. They can chew on hanging toys, lava ledges, shelves instead.

I have to say something about those ramps - those are a broken leg just waiting to happen. Please take those out ASAP. You can use wooden ledges as steps for them to get up to the other levels - I think Alli from Camphor Chins sells them for $5 each.

Most people give up on putting the hay in bowl since the chins usually end up peeing on it - I usually just put it on top of a house - I do have a couple of hay bags that Alli from Camphor Chins makes that are great!

As far as the living arrangement - if it were me with what you've said, I would rehome Sophie to a home with another female chin she might get along with or a home where she could be spoiled as an only chin. Don't get in over your head. It's better to have an appropriate number of pets so you can afford vet care and be able to spoil them a little bit. That would also eliminate the possibility that fighting over her in heat would happen.

Agreed on the back yard breeder comments, unfortunately there are tons of them - chinchillas are not a real 'mainstream' pet so vets don't see them too often which makes most of them unreliable sources of information. You are in the right place - several people here have DECADES of experience with hundreds of chins and some are highly experienced pet people. One thing is assured with members of this forum - we are definately here to steer you in the right direction and for the chin's best interest. Read, Read Read! There are tons of threads posted on the things you have been asking and receiving advice on you'll see we told them the same things!

 

[Godofgods]

Please take that log out - it's bad news - its held together with honey which has loads of sugar in it - back to that bacteria, gas and bloat situation. Anything with sugar in it is bad. They can chew on hanging toys, lava ledges, shelves instead.

heh, im sure thats going to endear with to the guy. Hes had that for many many years. Longer then iv had him.

I have to say something about those ramps - those are a broken leg just waiting to happen. Please take those out ASAP. You can use wooden ledges as steps for them to get up to the other levels - I think Alli from Camphor Chins sells them for $5 each.

I wouldnt mind replaceing those ramps that came with the FN cage. I never did liek them. I jsut never could find any other sutable options. That white one however, which is not a FN ramp, is actuly quite sturdy. It never wabbels or comes unloadges liek the FN ones. Ill see what i can find tho.

As far as the living arrangement - if it were me with what you've said, I would rehome Sophie to a home with another female chin she might get along with or a home where she could be spoiled as an only chin. Don't get in over your head. It's better to have an appropriate number of pets so you can afford vet care and be able to spoil them a little bit. That would also eliminate the possibility that fighting over her in heat would happen.

I dont think i could ever bring myself to do that. First off, i took her in. I dont liek the idea of putting her back out their if its not nessacery. She also put that whole family together. To simply remove her form all she knows seems a bit cruel to me. And then of course, i dont like the idea of rehomeing a pet tosomeone i dont no. I cant be sure how other ppl would treat and take care of her. And i cant stand the though of sending her somewhere she might be worse off at. :cry3:

 

[Godofgods]

would somehting like this work well for a ladder?
http://www.camphorchins.com/images/happycustomer41.jpg

Tho i didnt see that product on that site'

 

[ChinnyMom]

it's not so much the sturdiness of the ramps or the way they attach to the cage, it's the holes between the wires on them that are the safety issue. chins can easily get a foot or even a whole leg caught and that could mean a chin with broken bones needing amputation (read: lots of pain and misery for your chin and a huge vet bill).

they don't need ramps inside their cage, they hop from one level to another. just add in a few shelves made of kiln dried pine here and there to make jumping from one level of their cage to another easier.

as for the ladder/ramp that they go in and out of their cage with, replace it with a plank of kiln dried pine, and for traction add in little 'steps' (bits of kd pine glued - not nailed! - across the width of the plank. you can use Elmer's glue, it's safe for chins.

sometimes rehoming a pet is the best thing you can do for it, if you are unable to do everything possible to make their life as comfortable as possible. you don't have your location showing on your profile here, but with our broad member base, i'm sure there's somebody not far from you that would be a good candidate.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Everything on Camphor Chins is definitely okay for chins.

If he's had that tube thing for years, then it DEFINITELY has to go. He's probably peed in it a ton of times and all kinds of bacteria are probably crawling through it. You shouldn't keep any kind of fixture that isn't made out of metal in a chin's cage for more than a year.

Try buying some smaller wooden ledges and placing them between the two shelves you have. Chins really prefer hopping around, and ramps just get in the way.

I'm glad you found this site. Keep asking questions, and keep listening to the answers. There are people on this site who have over two hundred chinchillas, some have lived longer than twenty years, some have been breeding for twice as long as I have been alive. Almost all of them were in your position once and have already learned from every mistake their is. It's not your fault if you were misinformed, almost all of us were at some point.
What matters is the future of your chins, and that you use this knowledge effectively to better their lives.

 

[Godofgods]

well the ramp used to get back into the cage when their out, has pretty close bars. Each bar is half an inch. I actuly though it was even less, but i jsut measured it.

Edit: i guess it tecnicly is less. Cause for a ladder u have the Bar - space - Bar - space - Bar. And the three bars along with two spaces equals the full inch. So the space is slightly less then half

As for prefereing to hop around, The bottem floor shelf is very close to the ground. Its barly even a jump to them. But they almost always use the ramp rather then jumpin.

 

[ChinnyMom]

look at one of your chin's feet, then look again at that bar spacing. foot is smaller than the spacing and can easily get wedged in there.

 

[Godofgods]

i have, their feet are biger then the spacing of the outside ladder. Btw, i dont use it for the kits

Edit: i jsut measured again the actull space its selve is jsut a hair over 1/4 inch. The bars are closer together then a standered FN ramp