chins playing with other pets

[ticklechin]

Your cats never touch their paws to feces when they use the litter box? Those same paws that never EVER touch the feces never touch their face or fur? You much not have done much research at all since the bacteria is found on fur and feet, read more on the websites that are not pro-cat but actually scientific.

I find it funny when we have debates and you have all of a sudden have someone new join up and post to stick up for the OP, just like your first post here, sticking up for LittleChinta. :wacko:

 

[GorillaJTA]

So, the message I take from all of this is: Minimize interspecies exposure, both for reasons of hygiene and to minimize predator/prey interactions.
I have my chins in my bedroom, and the other animals do not come in there. I know that some animals can be trained and can associate the chinchilla in the cage as special to the master and won't intentionally harm it, but my dog is big and clumsy and likes to manipulate things with her nose and feet- so I would not let my chins around her, lest she try to touch one with her feet and crush it.
I also keep them away from my cat, since she may be trying to play or she may be teasing prey animals. That, combined with her tendency to go out to use the bathroom, and since she is not declawed, I would not want to risk illness or injury.
I always wash my hands between handling animals (maybe not my dog every time, but my chins get antsy if I still smell like my cat) especially my snake, since salmonella could be an issue.
As far as breeding resistances into the animals, not all immunities work like that. Most "mother's milk" immunities only last a short time, and some animals, no matter how minor the disease is in humans, will get very ill, even with good genetics.

BTW, we studied in microbiology that washing one's hands with regular soap did just as good of a job removing bacteria as antibacterial soap and did not contribute to making superbugs like antibacterial soap may do. No antibacterial soap in my house!

 

[bthny158]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the group and just found this thread. Thought I'd give my opinion I'm one of those people who can't physically keep all the pets in seperate rooms. My cat & chin have been sharing a room for a few weeks. I wasn't aware there was such a huge risk for passing diseases. I would never allow my chin to play with any of the other animals while she was out. And my cat NEVER showed any interest in her....Until last night. I was sitting on the couch and heard her go crazy. The cat had swiped her with his paw. Now she has a cut right underneath her ear & I'm worried sick about it. We wrapped the bottom half of her cage in a blanket (She has a 4 foot cage) The cat hasn't tried anything since. I know it's not possible for everyone to completely seperate each animal. But I do believe now that precautions should be taken to prevent these accidents as much as possible. Just because the dog or cat never shows an interest, doesn't mean something can't eventually happen. Unfortnately, I now know this the hard way. I'm not saying this way is right or that way is right. Everyone is different. Don't want to make any enemies my first day here. Just wanted to share my story & my opinion

 

[Shooper]

May think twice now...

After reading this thread, I'm kinda on the fence. Curently I have 3 dogs (lab/chow,beagle mix and cocker mix) that have always (well 6 yrs now) played with my smaller critters. Well, maybe play isn't the right word, they interact! When the weather is nice, I take my Chin outside on my back deck and he hangs out with the dogs, while I'm out there of course. I also have 4 rats and a sugar glider that I take out when it's nice out. The dogs hang out with everybody seperately, I do not mix my chin, rats or glider together. If someone asked me if they should let their smaller animals roam with other animals, I would be quick to say NO, even though I do allow this at home sometimes.

 

[InkedupTara]

No I would not let my other pets play. Too many chances for things to go wrong, and No way ever would I just take my chinchilla who is faster than I am on a good day outside to sit on a porch....

 

[Shooper]

He has never tried to jump off the edge or go down the steps. If a loud car goes by or anything, he will run over to me.

 

[3CsMommy]

I thought this was a "common sense" situation. :hmm:

Somebody posted a pic to my Facebook the other day that "made her think of me". In it, a fully grown chinchilla was placed on the head of a (Springer?) spaniel puppy. I'm waiting a 'polite' amount of time before taking it down, and did not go off on a public tirade about what a BAD IDEA that photo was because she's just not worth the effort. :banghead:

Meanwhile, it's true that cats and dogs (both carnivorous) can pass some infections etc. back and forth and there's no mandatory quarantine when you bring home a new kitten. But, there are also far more medications and veterinarians that will treat dogs and cats than there are for exotic pets. We're not very good at treating chin disease successfully (yet), so preventative measures (hand washing, minimal contact between possible vectors, proper diet) are much more crucial.

I'm also a little surprised nobody's mentioned this, but a frightened or angry chin has a NASTY bite. We think of them as fragile and flighty and delicate, but no animal is entirely defenseless. If the chin is capable of chipping bone with a bite in a fraction of a second, why risk the cat/dog/whatever getting hurt either? In my house, Tie Dye can be in the room with the chin cage. She can look at the cage from the floor/my bed. But if she gets within 6" or so of it, she gets squirted w/ the water bottle... for both their sakes. Keeping her away from the chin cage ensures that she gets to keep all the pieces she was born with, as well as making sure Crash doesn't get sick/hurt b/c he lives in the same house as a carnivore. Common sense. :thumbsup:

 

[broderp]

Going out on a limb here, as a relative noob, but having first hand experience with this topic..

It depends on the animals and situation. I would never leave them unattended.

Our chins are in our bedroom. As such they have no choice but to live with our chihuahuas. We were very nervous at first, and before we had the FN cage, the boys were too high up for the dogs to see so they were OVERLY curious. Since we got the FN, the chihuahuas can and do occasionally prop themselves up to peep inside. I have a few pictures of them nose to nose thru the cage. For the most part they IGNORE the chins now because they realize who's 'making all the noise' in the cage.

We do however remove the dogs for the hour or so the chins get to play and run around in the room. THAT would be to dangerous IMO. Not that the dogs would try to eat, but because even at less than 10lbs, they still could accidentally crush the chins. Our older dog sometimes stays on the bed with my wife or eye when the chins come out. The chins jump on the bed and run past him, (Chili accidentally jumped on him today!) and all id did was evoke a grunt from the dog. We are REAL close to the dog when he's in the room, just in case.

So inter-species playing is really not possible, but they can get along just fine- WITH PROPER SUPERVISION.

 

[caiti]

I thought the no physical interaction rule was a given also. My only confusion would be how detrimental is two animals being in the same room together with no contact and how detrimental is possible (indirect) transfer of materials from one body to another, like when you pet a cat and then go into your chin room and scritch someone or just being in a room with a cat/other pet and going into your chin room. I think that question applies to more members here and obviously there are differing opinions on it.

Suffice it to say, chins shouldn't be directly physically interacting with other species at all and even other chins unless the chins are checked out (quarantined, monitored for health, vetted if necessary etc).

 

[starleomach]

I just got a call the other day from a woman who has bought several chinchillas from me upset because her dog killed one of the chinchillas... It is in their nature they are preditors and chinchillas are prey.

It is all fun and games until someone gets eaten. I am going to be blunt and mean I do not feel bad for owners who let their animals play together if one gets killed. I feel bad for the chinchilla but not the owner. I am not talking the chinchilla escaped/or dog(cat) got into the room. I am talking people who actively let them play together. 90% of the time their is an incident. Maybe not this time or next time but it will happen eventually.

 

[Rachelxx]

I have various pets including my chinchillas. They are never allowed to come into contact with each other (except my jack russel and house rabbit very briefly and occasionally - the dog's not impressed by the rabbit at all though and avoids being too close. They are NEVER left alone together though).
My question is - the chinchilla cages are upstairs in the spare bedroom and on the opposite wall are the rat cages. They two species have never and will never meet, but having read this thread wanted to know if anyone was aware of reasons not to have the two animals in the same room?

 

[tunes]

I used to have rats and chins in the same room. There was never a problem. They don't get exposed to each others food or waste, and they were never allowed next to each other, so I had no issue.

 

[Rachelxx]

Thanks tunes good to know. All their food and supplies are kept totally seperate so that's not an issue (i'm a but of a neat freak, but it comes in handy)

 

[zombiezeatbrain]

I have a yellow lab (which stays at my house, the same house as my chin) that my family adopted after he flunked out of the final stage of the exam that would register him as a therapy dog in California (followed a lizard and fell out of line with the rest of the other dogs). He's probably one of best behaved dogs you will ever come across though, very mellow too. I have no doubts in my mind that Nietzsche will be just fine when I allow him and my dog, Manon to hang out for a little while in the same room. What usually happens is Manon will lay down on the floor and curiously watch Nietzsche as he hops all over him and uses him as a step to jump on top of my bed. However, I do share a cat with my boyfriend (he stays at his house) and I would never under any circumstances allow my chinchilla and cat to interact. I guess this case is simply a matter of condition.

 

[ticklechin]

Animals are animals, you cannot read their minds nor predict 100% their behavior. That is why we say over and over again and OVER again, don't let other species play with each other.

 

[zombiezeatbrain]

Lol, I never claimed I could read any of my animals minds in the slightest. Nor do I feel that I connect with what they are thinking even moderately close to that statement. What I mean by saying I have no issue allowing my dog and chinchilla to coexist in the same room for a half hour or so while I'm in there with them is that my dog has raised by professionals and was brought up in a specific way that is MUCH different than the majority of dogs in America were brought up, so that he would be accepting and friendly towards every creature he encounters in his lifetime. A therapy dog is intended to take care of those who can barely take care of themselves and to visit children in hospitals, so you can imagine he has a very loving mentality. Now I'm not saying he would never under any circumstances misbehave, I am just firmly stating that he is a very good dog and has never had a problem with any of the animals he's encountered in his lifetime. Before my 9 year old bunny passed last year, my dog and him would spend hours together just lazing about. Like I said, it is MY personal opinion that whether allowing chinchilllas to interact with other animals is simply conditional.

 

[Ash]

Just because he was raised a certain way doesn't mean he doesn't have instincts and 'dog' moments. There was a girl in my school who had a therapy dog, and while he was a VERY good dog, he still had dog moments. Sure, 99% of the time, he ignored food in the cafeteria, but every once in a while, a dropped morsel would entice him. Just because he was raised a certain way doesn't erase all instincts, and him flunking out should show that he's not quite as in tune as he should be with the ttraining.

 

[mishellyshel]

years ago i watched my silly dumb lovable 110lb golden retriever run out in my back yard, think the cute bunny wanted to play.......he swatted it with his big paw and that bunny died in front of me. i cried for hours.
i wouldnt risk allowing them to play together no matter how tame your pet is. the chin can get hurt or do the hurting.
i let my chins play in a caged area with me standing there. sometimes my dog is in the room, sometimes she goes & sits near the cage. but if they ever escaped or an accidentally got out or whatever, i dont know 100% that she wouldnt hurt them either on instinctually or by thinking she has a new toy.

 

[Laurie]

If your therapy fell out of line from a lizard he may not handle a chin well at all. Humans and animals are very different. I'm sure if a mouse was running around in front of your retriever he would not simply let it go by. Retriever's are hunting dogs hence the Golden Labrador Retriever in their name--they are bred and have been bred to hunt whether they do or not. It is instinctual in them. You can never know 100 percent the mind set of an animal domesticated or wild. If you are a loving and responsible chin owner you would not allow your chin and dog to interact, if you are not a loving and caring chin owner you will

 

[Riven]

Actually they are bred to retrieve, not hunt. Pointers hunt, retrievers retrieve. They were actually bred as water rescue dogs, not hunting dogs.

I failed to see where it said it chased or mauled the lizard, I read that it followed it.

I'm not saying anything either way, I'm just stating some information. I also think it's funny how people on this thread are clearly stating that species should not come into contact, etc. but on another thread no one seems to have a problem with a chinchilla living directly over top of a prairie dog in a chinchilla run... :hmm: