Chin with a broken pelvis

[mishellyshel]

maybe instead of a super playful chin, you will get a cuddly sweet one that lets you hold & pet her, which we all know is a rarity.

you are creative, i am sure you can come up with some cool tunnels and not so jumpy ways she can play. maybe make her a little princess castle that is low to the ground.

and she can still play........but on her own terms.......on her time.

 

[Claire D]

I greatly appreciate the sternly-worded response, Claire. You may not have meant it to be stern, but I took it as such because I am very embarrassed with myself right now because of my selfishness and careless actions (I had no business setting her on the bed unconfined last night).

I am sorry you took it that way but that's certainly not the way I wrote or intended it.
As I posted a while back, I'm genuinely concerned about how you will feel if Tia relapses or does herself damage.
You've fought so hard for her up until now & we've been with you every step of the way & we'll continue to do so - I really hope you re-read my previous post in the spirit with which it was written: as a help & not as a criticism. I was trying to be objective & succinct.

It's really hard, but I need to get it in my head that everything that you (and others) have said is right. I've been thinking about Tia's confinement and I realized a while back that there is one heck of a small chance that she will ever be able to be in the 'big cage' again. I didn't want to accept it, hence why I pandered on here for other opinions. I knew I shouldn't have let her dust herself, but I did anyway because I feel like I've been cheated.

When I got Tia, I expected a happy, fun chin like in all the videos I've seen. I was hoping for play time and wall surfing and all the awesome things that I read about, watched, everything. I do love her, and I do want her to get better, but I wanted it for the wrong reasons. I've finally realized that it's not what *I* want in this situation, it never has been, and it never will be. It's about what Tia needs, and what Tia needs is for me to not be a selfish jerkface trying to push her towards being healed and "normal" just so that I can play with her.

I understand this now, and I wish I had understood it when I first found out that she was injured.

Thanks again, Claire, and I mean that.

FWIW I think you're being too hard on yourself. I doubt anyone here would consider your care of Tia selfish but I do think you've hit a painful truth - that she may never be a "normal" chin. I suspect that some of us can truly understand how that feels. It is hard.
As I said yesterday, what you have done for Tia is amazing - you have given her a chance & if you can get to the point where you read my earlier post as it was intended then perhaps you will be able to see that you are still being supported.
Tia may never be "normal" but that does not mean you can't have a wonderful friendship with her or that in time she can't be allowed out for short periods - time is a great healer & you just never know ........... some disabled chins become the most special companions.

 

[CJR]

Update

Tia's doing very well, she has gained 20g and now weighs around 540g, which is awesome. She's discovered a voracious appetite for rose buds!

I got her a cuddle cup and cuddle ledge last week, too. She doesn't really care about that ledge, but she won't leave the cup! It's cute, and the best part is she won't pee in it... very surprising, considering peeing on her pillows used to be her favorite thing.

Hehe, she was mad because she was trying to sleep.

 

[lauralynne]

Awww! There's the little princess!

 

[cindyv3737]

Princess Tia! She looks great. I love her cup.

 

[Chinwawa]

so glad she is doing better. So cute snuggling.

 

[Olallie]

AW she's soooo darn cute in that cup, i might have to get one now.....

 

[CJR]

Update again!

So! Tia is doing excellent. I had her out for five minutes on Tuesday to see how she was hopping, and she barely favors her left leg anymore. There's a video at the bottom here, but it kind of sucks because literally EVERY TIME I got the camera out, she stopped moving. -_-;

She can and does stand on her hind legs all the time.

I found a cage on the side of the road in a pile of junk that is easily twice the size of her current cage. It's one level and it will be perfect to put her in (at least I think so, if you disagree please speak up!) once I get her final x-rays done in June and get verification that she is good to go.

She gets metacam occasionally, usually if she is making the "I'm hurting" face or if it's wet and dreary outside. She no longer gets the homeopathic remedies either, we stopped that awhile ago.

All in all, I'm really happy!

​

 

[cindyv3737]

Princess Tia! I just about fell out of my chair laughing when you called her a butt. She looks great. You've done an amazing job with her.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Glad to hear that she is doing so well. I think it is really funny that she decided to come out right after you called her a butt.

 

[Claire D]

Ahahahaha I love the running commentary.
You can almost see her muttering "Butt? Did you just call me a butt, human? Ok I'll hop but don't think I'm doing this because you've got that camera on. Nooooo I am doing it because I want to. Don't think you're in charge, human: I am a chinchilla & we are in charge doncha know"


Tia is doing wonderfully well, Ash - I'm looking forward to seeing those last xrays & also more updates of the princess. :nod:

 

[CJR]

She IS a butt, I swear! I also can't wait for x-rays, but I do not have the funds for them now.

 

[CJR]

I'm happy (and proud!) to say that today Tia weighed in at 561g!

 

[Jazicat]

Yeah Tia!!! I love your updates because you take such good care of your girls. Even when it's rough you just keep on going and loving. Very admirable in my book.

 

[CJR]

Tia is doing very well, she gets play time about four times a week now for 10-15 minutes. I'm getting ready to move her into a bigger cage (this one) which is 30" long, 18" wide and 16" high. To compare, she is currently in a cage that is 24"x12"x12". I plan on giving her a low ledge or two and perhaps a low hammock in the future. What do you all think?

 

[mishellyshel]

i have used that cage before for chins, i currently have my guinea pig in it. i think it is a decent size for a chin with her "issue" you may be able to even buy a wide wooden ramp to a low 2nd level to give her a little more room. a hammock or fleece covered tube would be an excellant addition! glad she is doing better.

 

[cindyv3737]

I'm so happy for princess Tia. A hammock might be nice for her. She does love her cuddle cup. Give her a scritch for me.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

Ash, since you'll have more room in the new cage, you could put a fleece tube on the ground so she can still have the comfort of it within which to snuggle.

I have one on the ground for Little Two Paws and that's where he spends most of his time.

They really seem to love being in the tubes!!!

 

[CJR]

Graduation!

Yay for being in the big girl cage!!

The ledge I actually removed because she was leaping from it to the top of her tube and back again and I did not like that.

Also, I know I sound like a laughing and ******** seal but you have no idea how HAPPY I am! She's so happy!

I need to figure out how to hang that hammock so it's not so droopy...

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

Ash, get some binder rings and some chain. That way, you can hang it very low to the ground, but still make it taut so she won't be forced to bend too much. She will be able to relax and stretch out on it above the floor and won't have to jump up and down too much.