Am I a bad chin mommy?

[nonniemorris]

I'm starting to feel really guilty for my babies, But I try my best..
They get the best food I can afford (Oxbow), a nice FN cage, and I buy them treats and toys. And I recently bought them some pretty new fleece liners.

But playtime wise, I'm feeling awful.
I work 3/4 nights a week, so on an average week, they get playtime at night 4 nights of the week. I feel so bad on the nights when I can't let them out

But it'll soon get worse, I'm starting University in September, so will be moving away. I'll be away 5 nights of the week, so soon they'll only be getting 2 nights of playtime. Which I think is so awful.. and the 4 nights they get at the moment gives me the guilts

I don't know what I can do, would you consider 2-4 nights of playtime bad chinny parenting?

 

[perabalaofmystery]

I'm starting to feel really guilty for my babies, But I try my best..
They get the best food I can afford (Oxbow), a nice FN cage, and I buy them treats and toys. And I recently bought them some pretty new fleece liners.

But playtime wise, I'm feeling awful.
I work 3/4 nights a week, so on an average week, they get playtime at night 4 nights of the week. I feel so bad on the nights when I can't let them out

But it'll soon get worse, I'm starting University in September, so will be moving away. I'll be away 5 nights of the week, so soon they'll only be getting 2 nights of playtime. Which I think is so awful.. and the 4 nights they get at the moment gives me the guilts

I don't know what I can do, would you consider 2-4 nights of playtime bad chinny parenting?

i know the feeling. but personally i think your chinnies will be fine with 2-4 playtimes a week. i usually let my chinnies out 2-4 times a week. because i can be buisy and i have one chinny who has taken to peeing all over my floors when i let her out. :banghead:

from what i hear some chin owners/breeders dont let chins out out to often especially if they have large numbers.

i sure your babies will give you the stink eye in the beginning of the new routine but they'll get used to it.

even if i dont let my chinnies out everyday i do give them treats every week and handle and interact with them every day. and they're really happy with that. hope my input helps

 

[Stackie]

Playtime is certainly not a necessity with chins. My chins are perfectly happy with chew toys and their wheel. My chins rarely get playtime anymore with my hectic schedule, and my allergies (which are aggravated by them) have been horrible this year. They probably haven't had playtime in over a month and they are all still perfectly healthy and happy. I give them all a bit of attention when I feed/water them in the mornings and evenings.

IMO playtime is more of something to make us owners happier and feel better, not necessarily chins. They do seem to enjoy it, but they can live a happy and healthy life without any playtime, too.

 

[ChinnyMom]

my boys get out only a couple times a week and they fare just fine. every time i go up to their cage, they are all happy for the attention they get, even if it means a quick scritch and a treat while i spot clean and check food/water, etc.

as mentioned, play time is not necessary. a good size cage and enough attention from you is sufficient. a wheel is a nice thing, but not necessary either. my boys don't have a wheel and they are just fine without. their cage is 2x3 feet and 4 feet tall. lots of room to romp )

 

[addictedtochins]

They will pitch a fit for a while but they will get over it. You will still be the best home for them, and you are a great chin mommy

 

[Vcchinchilla]

one of mine doesn't like coming out to run unless I forcefully take him out
once he is out you can tell he is super enjoying it
the other one likes to come only if the unwilling one comes with otherwise he mopes -_-

so I don't bother unless I'm lucky and manage to take the un willing out with out too much force

which is once in a blue moon

 

[GorillaJTA]

one of mine doesn't like coming out to run unless I forcefully take him out
once he is out you can tell he is super enjoying it
the other one likes to come only if the unwilling one comes with otherwise he mopes -_-

so I don't bother unless I'm lucky and manage to take the un willing out with out too much force

which is once in a blue moon

Flea is the same way. He will bounce around his cage, run on his wheel, but as soon as the door is open, he either moves to the back or goes in his tube. I have left the door open before so he could come out on his own terms. His own terms ended up being "jump out, sniff around the cage bottom, jump back in, and run on the wheel." He is just a home body I guess.

 

[nonniemorris]

Thanks so much guys...
It's been so nice being able to read everything that you've all said, and to know that my guys will be totally fine even when I can only let them out 2 nights a week

All that really matters to me is that they're happy!