Chewing Enough?

[Annieo]

I'm wondering…I've have Handbag for almost a month now and he doesn't seem to chew very much. He mostly eats hay and some Mazuri pellets. He has wooden shelves, a fiddlestick hut, a wooden bridge, a cardboard box, a lava ledge and a hanging wooden toy but he rarely chews on anything.

When we have playtime he will occasionally chew some cardboard and maybe try to chew a baseboard (momentarily), but that's about it.

How do I know he's chewing enough to take care of his teeth? How do I check and what am I looking for?

Annie

 

[RDZCRanch]

The main thing a chinchilla needs to keep their teeth in check is hay. The big worry is wearing down the molars and the only way to do that is by chewing grass hays. I would be more worried if he wasn't eating hay.

If you want to encourage him to chew new wood, I would try out some different types of woods from the vendors on here. RCR is my personal favorite. She is backlogged on orders for fleece at the moment, but she has a great store and all of her wood is top notch. My chins will murder me for her willow, lol.

 

[sheltiefan]

chichi was the same way and I went out and bougt like $100 worth of chews and toys. to find out what she likes best. The really like the lava bites. But she just recentlly started chewing on things alot. I have had her since June

 

[cindyv3737]

You can always order scrap packs from PPBN. http://www.petproductsbynature.com/ScrapPaks.html They are on sale right now too! Shelly will attack me for the cotton and willow I get from Barbi.

Susan (AZChins) has nommy Pecan that Shelly loves and she makes great toys! http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18375&highlight=excited

I also rotate Shelly's toys every week. Her hanging toys and her chews get swapped out every Saturday when I clean her cage. It keeps her from getting bored.

 

[Brittany]

My chins seem to go through chewing "phases" where they'll just nibble at a toy or shelf occassionally for a few weeks, then I'll wake up one morning to find that toy completely pulveriszed to sawdust. In our house the general rule of thumb is the more bark on a toy the better!

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Fresh baked wood is almost irresistable to them, in my experience. If you can get some loose sticks and twigs from one of the many vendors, I bet he'd go for it!
I'll PM you the link to my personal favorite vendor.

 

[ticklechin]

There are three members right now who are selling really nice wood in the classifieds, I would support the members here rather than someone who does not participate.

 

[tunes]

I would support the members here rather than someone who does not participate.

Or someone who isn't allowed to due to past behavior.

Pet Products By Nature has just about any wood you can possibly imagine. AZChins (Susan) also sells different kinds of wood and is very reasonably priced. Ronda has wood for sale right now, but I can't remember what type - I think apple? Other members have wood available from time to time as well, mostly apple, and Stacey's is excellent.

 

[Stackie]

There are three members right now who are selling really nice wood in the classifieds, I would support the members here rather than someone who does not participate.

I agree with Dawn, I recently just ordered some apple sticks from RCR, a member here, and my chins go CRAZY for it!
http://www.qualitymutationchinchillas.com/yourchinstoregalore.html

Pet Products By Nature is awesome, too.
www.petproductsbynature.com