Chin newbie looking for some help!

[ChinNewbie]

Hello. :help2:

I am looking into rescuing a chinchilla and I have a few questions for people that are more experienced then I am.
1. My mother was at the store and was talking to a lady that rescues animals and said that chinchillas "bark" or just basically make alot of noise all night all. Is that a accurate statment?
2. I read in a chinchilla book that you should also groom your chinchilla by combing its hair. I know about the dust baths but if you are to comb them how often are you supposed to do this?

So far I think that is really the two main questions I have at this moment, but would love to hear any insights on owning a chin, experiences.

Thank you for your time, it is greatly apperciated!

 

[tunes]

1. My mother was at the store and was talking to a lady that rescues animals and said that chinchillas "bark" or just basically make alot of noise all night all. Is that a accurate statment?

That is going to depend on the chin and the night. I have times that I won't hear a peep out of my chins all night long and other nights where one chin barks for several hours. You get used to it and it really isn't bad. As far as noisy at night, again, they can be. If you have a noisy wheel in the cage, for example, then yes it can get loud if they are in your bedroom. But again, most people just adjust to the noise and it doesn't bother them.

2. I read in a chinchilla book that you should also groom your chinchilla by combing its hair. I know about the dust baths but if you are to comb them how often are you supposed to do this?

I don't regularly groom my chins. Some people do, some people don't, but mostly people groom them to prepare to show them. If I have one that I really want to see how nice the coat looks, then I will groom them, but you definitely don't have to groom them on any kind of regular basis.

On owning a chin in general, I'll point out a couple things:
1) They "can" live up to 25 years. That means regardless of high school, college, jobs, boyfriends, marriage, kids - they have the potential to be a part of your life. If you don't feel you can make that kind of commitment, don't get a chin.
2) They have to have air conditioning. If where you live gets above 70 degrees, then you need to have air conditioning. Fans, ice, cooling blocks are not going to keep your chin cool enough. There is no substitute for air conditioning.
3) Find a vet before you get a chin. Find an emergency vet before you get a chin. When your chin is in distress at 2 a.m. is NOT the time to run around screaming - I don't have a vet! Interview them now and find a chinchilla experienced vet so you don't have a death on your hands later on.
4) Read the forums regarding new owner questions, nutrition, housing, and behavior. Go through the FAQ's and read the ones that pertain to chin ownership. Understand what good feed is, why hay is necessary, what kinds of wood are safe, what treats are safe and are not. Take notes or create a folder with bookmarks to key information so you can refresh your memory from time to time in case you forget.

Other than that, good luck on finding a chin and we look forward to pictures.

 

[Idgie]

My chin never barks. She does make noise by chewing wood or jumping around, but she doesn't live in my bedroom. Once in awhile she will wake me up (she's in the room next to mine), but it isn't an issue for me.

I have never groomed either of my chins.

I think the biggest thing that people underestimate is the need for air conditioning. With all that fur, they just cannot tolerate the heat. No getting around this one. I live in Chicago and it is a must.

Also, the best thing I can recommend is to take the time to browse through this site and ask questions. You can learn so much.

Good luck.

 

[ChinNewbie]

Thank you for your guys time and responding to my message. I'm so excited and yet nervous that I'm going to mess something up, so all the information I can get is really helpful!

Thanks again