A Proper Introduction And A Cage Expansion PICS

[Chinwawa]

Hi everyone,

I have been on the board for about 4 months and have gotten such good advice here.

I am a very happy new chin owner of a 5 month old white mosaic chin named Lenora.

She came to me very very tame. She is very affectionate and SMART. We have had a blast getting to know each other.

I am 58 and have had all kinds of pets but have never had or seen a chinchilla before. I am in a delighted state of shock at how lovely my girl is.

Here are some before and after pictures of Lenora's cage and play area. Besides adding one level to her cage I installed a Flying Saucer wheel. She had one of those cheap plastic saucer wheels so she learned to run on the FS right away. It was so quiet I was thrilled for both of us.

I plan to add more shelves and a second pvc tube. Her hay is in the metal bin feeder on the left and we will be upgrading to a glass bottle that hangs outside the cage this weekend.

Any suggestions on our arrangement is very welcome.

Thank you all, Faye

 

[Chinwawa]

More Pics:

 

[tunes]

Very nice set up! She looks like a happy little chin.

I assume that you let her go from her cage free will for play time? Might I suggest that you build a ladder, rather than have her depend on the cage door. I know I'm overly paranoid, but I've had feet get caught in cage door, and a dangling chin is a broken legged chin. All you really need is a 1 x 6 or something comperable and put some pieces of pine across as steps. Then she can really fly up and down and you won't have to worry about her getting caught.

 

[lauralynne]

Nice job, Faye!

 

[Hope]

Great advice for me too - thank you tunes!

 

[Chinwawa]

Great suggestion.

She does use the foot stool to get down. She comes out the door onto the stool then down to the top of her play house. But, of course, I want her to be safe.

Hardware store this weekend.

Yes when I am home she goes in and out all on her own. I keep her caged while I am at work. I sit in the play area for about an hour most nights and she runs all over me etc. She lets me massage her face now while she is out of the cage.

Seeing her little face tilted up for a face rub is pure heaven for me.

 

[Chinwawa]

Thank you all!!!

She does not chew on any of the plastic connectors on the cage either. Just tiny bite marks on the small corner connectors. I have more on order.

In your opinions... do you think she can stay in this cage?

I was thinking of getting a big parrot cage next year but could stand to wait to spend the money until a few years.

 

[Chinwawa]

What type of glue to put the steps on the 1X6?

 

[tunes]

Elmer's wood glue. It's what I use on my houses.

I think that cage is fine. She's got plenty of room and a huge play area. She really doesn't need a bigger cage.

ETA: I just noticed the shelves. Are those wire shelves with long gaps in them? If they are, and you can't remove them, I would cover them with pine like you used to create shelves. Those long, thin gaps, again, is just asking for a broken leg.

I promise, I'm not being a paranoid owner. I've just seen too many things happen with different people and here. Now I always err on the side of caution.

 

[menagerie]

ETA: I just noticed the shelves. Are those wire shelves with long gaps in them? If they are, and you can't remove them, I would cover them with pine like you used to create shelves. Those long, thin gaps, again, is just asking for a broken leg.

I promise, I'm not being a paranoid owner. I've just seen too many things happen with different people and here. Now I always err on the side of caution.

As the caretaker of two tripods that came to me after having amputations due to compound fractures because of appropriate shelves, I have to agree with Tunes.

You've done a nice job of modifying and joining three Marchioro cages there, you can actually put them together without using the "tops" of the bottom two cages. I would replace those with wooden ledges.

 

[Chinwawa]

Buying three 30 inch ledges from Quality Cage, making ladder, filling in over wire areas with small Leaping Ledges to minimize her exposure to any open wire areas.

Will update here with new pics.


Thank you all.