Climbing Kits

[javajanie]

I have a huge Quality Cage (Chinchilla mansion) that the mama is in with her kits. It's the kit-proof one. I have one issue. These kits are climbing the sides all the time! I'm worried they are going to hurt themselves. They are 11 days old. Is this normal? Should I be concerned that they might get hurt?

 

[AZChins]

Could you put some shelves up or something to block the climbing?

Kits climb and fall, normally they do not get injured and just go about doing it for hours and hours. The problem is when they climb up too high and fall. I'd say any distance any greater than maybe 20 inches or so is just too high. If they can go all the way to the top of a four foot high cage, that's too high!

Maybe putting up something to block their ascent would be good. Stagger the shelves so that there just isn't a way to climb so high. Little kits have no sense of danger at all.

 

[addictedtochins]

oohooh, I know the answer to this. Zip-tie or attach some of that white PVC pipe (like 2 inch dia.) around the inside of the cage. Once they reach the height of the pipe and try to climb up they won't be able able to get a grip and will slip off.

 

[AZChins]

That would work! Or even pieces of 2x4s across the cage would work. Crazy little kits...

 

[Rickman]

That's one of the best solutions I've ever heard! Even 1/2" PVC pipe would work, it's cheap, and you could drill it for the zip-ties so the adults wouldn't chew them! [mine love zip-ties!!]
Good thinking, ATC!!

 

[Chinniechantel]

That's one of the best solutions I've ever heard! Even 1/2" PVC pipe would work, it's cheap, and you could drill it for the zip-ties so the adults wouldn't chew them! [mine love zip-ties!!]
Good thinking, ATC!!

That is a great idea. You could use wire like for toys too to wrap the pvc tubes too.

 

[addictedtochins]

Thanks. This is a trick I learned to keep ferrets from jumping over those child door things.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

That would work! Or even pieces of 2x4s across the cage would work. Crazy little kits...

Wouldn't putting shelves in give mommy a way to get away from the babies?

 

[addictedtochins]

Scenerio in my head;
911 What is your emergency?
Help! I need the Fire Department, a baby chinchilla has climbed my oak tree and he won't come down!
:hilarious:

 

[AZChins]

Mom's usually willingly nurse their little ones, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. My mother chins all have shelves and the babies still manage to nurse enough.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

I was just thinking about her jumping off the shelves and accidently landing on a baby...thats all.

 

[Rickman]

I've shelves about 8" high and 16" high in my 24" breeding cages, and also about 6" of 3" pcv pipe for the kits to hide/play in! Since I began removing the males around the "due date", I've had no "jumped on" losses!

 

[AZChins]

Babies are pretty sturdy and mama chins are pretty gentle. I've never had a mama squish a baby. Babies are very quick...they get out of the way.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

I know the babies are pretty quick. I didn't use shelves when Luna had the twins because I was afraid she'd jump off one and hurt one of them. Or they'd get on it and get hurt or something. They were my first baby chins here. I guess I was just paranoid about them getting hurt.

 

[AZChins]

I know...I understand being paranoid about the chins' safety.