Chin lost outside- need help

[Chinniechantel]

Someone contacted me needing advice. They somehow lost their chinchilla outside. They are sure he is outside, and saw his poo around the condo. They are on the 2nd floor. I told them to put the dust bath out, lots of hay, and to put the cage outside at night, as well as try to get some live traps.

Does anyone have any other advice? It is HOT here in FL- she is in Tampa so it is a little colder, but still very humid and rainy too. He got out late last night.

 

[alli713]

I'd say since it's hot out, just tell them to make sure and check all the shady spots, like under cars, in the bushes things like that.

Hopefully it's so scared it hasn't wandered too far off, but it's been quite some time. Now would be the time to look for it though since it's probably pretty tired.

 

[oxchincerelyxo]

chins tend to not wander off too far from what I have read in other threads like this, I'd suggest what you did with the bath etc. and make sure there is water available. Alli's check spots were good too...when lena got out (just in the living room) I walked around with a bag of treats and kept shaking it like I do when I give them treats and she came out shortly after that


Good luck!

 

[Peep_erz]

I've never dealt with live traps before but is it possible to put some dust in a live trap?

 

[Essentia]

She also emailed me for advice on how to find the chin. I was honest and told her her chances of finding him were very slim but I gave her the same type of advice you did. Put the dust bath out there with hi cage. I also said to get a live trap and put hay/food/dust bath inside the trap. I told her to put it in an area what was not out in the open, especially since it is a condo complex.

I really didn't want to sugar coat it for her though. It's 87 degrees here today (and I am way further north than she is). She asked me if chins are like dogs and cats and would hang around the house, and I told her no. I also wasn't sure what else to tell her.

 

[addictedtochins]

Maybe leave chin chillers around

 

[AZChins]

It may be a good idea to put some frozen waterbottles out or some form of something extremely cold. Chins can get into impossibly small spaces when they are scared...but they are very attacked to cold things when they are warm...they need to find where the chin is. At 87 degrees the chin may not be able to survive for very long.

 

[tunes]

I have to agree with Crysta - Her odds are pretty slim. Chinchillers aren't going to do any good at all with temperatures like that. As soon as you put them out there, they will be hot.

The live trap is the best bet, but even that I'm guessing, isn't going to help much. This chin is in the big outdoors. There's grass to eat, trees to chew, predators to chase it. I'm going to cross my fingers that the chin is scared to death and will stick in the area, but it isn't even like it's familiar to them. They live on the second floor so the smells aren't even going to be theirs.

 

[alli713]

Not only that, but if the do find it, I would guess that it's not going to be in the best shape with being outside in temps like that and having eaten who knows what outside.

 

[eroomlorac]

Nonetheless, I hope there is a sighting and they are able to recover their chinnie. I wonder how it got outside.

 

[aznmexaggie]

Oi... if they haven't yet, make sure they also notify their local animal control in case someone else spots it.

I hope they can find the little guy soon.

 

[Remyma0408]

Wow... it's amazing how a chinchilla could get out of a second story (apartment??) and out the hall and into the great outdoors. Very crafty little feller...

I hope the little bugger is found soon. I'd probably try a live trap with dust, food, water, and then cross my fingers.

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

Supposedly, my Phoenix was captured with a "live trap" ..but I don't have any idea what the guy used for bait ...dust, food, water, etc. ?

It isn't as warm here, in the Bay Area, but he did manage to survive for some time ..at least, a few days ..according to the "dumper guy" ..so there's some hope.

I don't think I'd be doing anything else until the little guy was found, though.. meaning, my life would have to be put on hold and I would be looking diligently!


Good Luck!

 

[Essentia]

Supposedly, off the email she sent me, he was out for play time and the front door was open? Off of the way she said it I don't think he is cage bound often (though I can be completely wrong on that)? I put the question marks there because I am really not sure. This is the initial email she sent me:

My son has rescued a chinchilla from a pet store that had closed, he has read everything about chinchillas. (My son is a 26 year Army veteran who just got out of the service after 7 years in the infantry - he is very responsible) We have a cage and a wooden house an exercise wheel, everything that chinchilla needs. When he rescued the chinchilla from the pet store, the chinchilla was small and had bites on his legs, he took the chin to the vet got the medication and took good care of it. Squeak, (the chin's name) has doubled in size and is a very sociable animal. He jumps up on a chair that we are sitting on and will sit next to us. Tonight, we think that he might have gotten out by mistake. We live on the second floor of a 2 story condo building. There are concrete steps that go up to our door, no elevator. We have been outside all night looking for him. What is the behavior of chins that get loose by mistake and what can we do to find him? My son says that if he is outside, he might not survive the night. He really loves the chin and has been through enough heartache from the military. What can we do to get the chinchilla to come back or find him? Thank you.

 

[jmdebb]

I obviously don't know what it looks like around her place where she lives, but does she have a porch of some sort that the chin could of gotten under. I say that because one day Casper got out of her harness and she ran underneath my porch because the wood around it doesn't go right to the ground. So if there is a gap, there is a possibility that maybe the chin went through. Behind bushes maybe... I don't know. Just wanted to try to help. Did she ask her neighbors if they saw anything? Could be someone might have but doesn't know she owns a chin so didn't say anything. SO maybe she should ring doorbells and ask around.

I think putting hay around is a good idea if she is still close by and just hiding, maybe [and maybe you told her this already] did she put it in different places. Maybe as the sun goes down, she can just sit quietly outside and see if the chin comes out and starts to eat some. Then maybe she can go get her. Or find out if this particular chin knows the sound of her treat bag or container opening [i say that because mine do and once they hear it, they really perk up and come right to the door of their cages], and if she does the woman can go outside with that and rattle it some and maybe the chin will come out if again she is nearby and hears it.

Sorry I can't think of anything else. Hope this helps a bit. I do hope she finds her, she is in my prayers that she makes it home safely, and doesn't get sick from being outside.

Jean

 

[Carol~Anne]

My husband found my Pip outside in the hottest day of May about four years ago and he was hiding out under his van in the driveway, so yes, look in all shaded spots you can think of! It is very possible the chin will be found safe and sound as long as too much time has not gone by.

Edit: I should also add that Pip's original owner only lived a couple of townhouses away and that when we chased him frantically to catch him, he was finally caught in his very own doorway. Keep looking!

 

[PaperMoon]

=( I hope Squeak gets found soon

 

[Tiatrack]

From the sounds of her email, the chin might not even be outside. I think I'd be looking all over for him inside as well. It seems pretty unlikely to me that a chin would go down a bunch of stairs without being noticed by the owner unless the chin wasn't being watched at all.

 

[Carol~Anne]

I'd be looking everywhere possible for sure, but my guy did in fact make his way down two flights of stairs and out the door with no one noticing (his cage was not fastened properly) and he was speed demon and extremely hard to catch.

 

[AZChins]

I'd be looking in the apartment, too. Some chins have a knack for hiding inside. I've had that happen more times than I care to remember here at my house.