I think one problem that really confuses things is that not all kits have a problem with over exerting themselves. So you end up with lots of people that have allowed play from day one of bringing the kit home and then just a few that had a kit have an issue. The thing is though you don't know if your chin is going to be one of those until something bad happens, so most people figure better safe then sorry. If he is mostly just sitting on your lap or otherwise not bouncing around like a crazy ball of fur (like most kits do) you're fine, it's not so much the out of the cage time that is the issue it's the bouncing around and using up all their energy that needs to be limited, same reason for no wheel until they are older.
If you want to compare to wild chins and wonder as to why they don't get heat stroke take a look at where they live in the wild, just taking one area they live for example it gets down to below 30F at night, and the average humidity is less then 50% (sometimes as low as 4%). Chinchillas are most active during the cooler parts of the day (sleeping during the coldest and hottest), so unless your closest is close to 30F with less then 50% humidity then I don't think it's a good comparison. The below 75 temps are the upper limit they can handle not the normal temp, adult can handle it better then kits. I don't have a study to link but just think about it, with a young animal, you wouldn't expect a human baby or child to be able to handle being in the hot sun all day, where as there are lots of jobs that require that of adults. There has been studies on other animals (like dogs) as well proving unlimited play/long walks too young does harm.
Also kits in the wild don't really have much time to play, when it's cool enough to be out of the burrow they need to be finding food, unlike our chins that are fed in the cage and don't need to forage for food every day. They end up smaller, around 500 grams or less, and have a much shorter lifespan, less then 10 years in the wild.
That does make sense..I didn't really think about how cool it got in the evening. I knew the dog one, as my boyfriend's uncle is a vet, and he says that in smooshed face dogs, anything over 85 is lethal to them, so he advises no walks in that weather, just quick pee trips, and walks when it's cooler.
I do sort of wonder if the kits that die from 'over exertion' may have had pre existing conditions, or weren't being kept cool enough...but that's my speculation.
Look at that cutie! Appa yip yip ( I take it he is named after Avatar?)
What are you feeding him? That could contribute to weight. Not all pellets are made equal. Does he get treats? If so how often? At his age it is good for him to have unlimited high quality pellets and fresh hay and almost no treats besides wood sticks. As a chin can only eat so much, all that he consumes should be nutritious at this age.
Haha yeah! He's named after avatar. He's getting Mazuri pellets, and 2nd cut alfalfa hay. No treats, just fresh apple wood =3
I was not basing my restrictions on any formal studies, I was basing them off of the dozens of dead kits I've seen posted about or have personally been told about by customers...over the decade that I've been in chinchillas. It's not worth the risk...
I do sort of wonder if the kits that die from 'over exertion' may have had pre existing conditions, or weren't being kept cool enough...but that's my speculation.
I think that playtime should be limited for kut under 6 months of age. I speak from experience since 2 of my customers allowed their newly acquired cutie to play until they dropped. Literally! and this is after being given advice that would have saved the little one's lives. I have also had one person kill a kit by letting it play in a death ball.
I do sort of wonder if the kits that die from 'over exertion' may have had pre existing conditions, or weren't being kept cool enough...but that's my speculation. (also, I don't do death balls....)
Its sad but there have not been many formal studies done. But many many breeders have had similar experiences over the years and as such we all advise limiting play time for the safety of he younger chins. I work in the vet field. I know all the time, money and resources that go into these studies. No one is willing to spend all that just to prove that play time should be limited when there should be studies on malo or heart murmurs and such.... so the general consensus from many many breeders over the years has proven to be valid. 2 breeders have personally posted kit deaths, I myself have seen kit deaths due to play time, and Iknow of other breeders who have seen it as well.
Yeah, I know about all the money that goes into these studies, but it doesn't have to be. Even if it's something as simple as breeders keeping track of their customers who have had kits pass. Though people lie, and as we all know, heat and lack of ventilation is a big killer, and there are always going to be people who say they were doing everything right. haha. I'll just keep his playtime shorter...if he starts to over do it, he'll be put away. But really, most of the time, he's in my lap eating, or on the pile of shoes, watching me. Not much wall surfing or bouncing around =3 (he's rather calm for a kit, with just enough hyper-ness to keep me on my toes xD)
