Few questions new owner

[Beebop]

I am from Alberta Canada and I recently adopted alittle mosaic boy hes around 11 or 12 weeks old now .

He came with a small bag of food not sure what kind the previous owner did not give me alot of information on him other than he was a mosaic male 11 weeks old .

We only have a pet smart and pet land here what type of food do you reccomend ? And is it good to have both timothy hay and alfalfa hay ? Or just timothy since the pellets are usually alfalfa ?

He is very friendly and will come to the cage door when I walk by and I am able to pet him and hold him and he likes to crawl on my arms and shoulders does that mean we are bonding ? How soon can I let him run in the bathroom ?

Haven't thought of a name but I think I like Matrix LOL . Will post pictures later

 

[alli713]

At Petsmart you should be able to find something like Mazuri or Oxbow chinchilla pellets. I assume they have those in Canada as well? You can try going and seeing if they do, those would be what I would recommend from the pet store.

For hay, I would just offer timothy hay, no need to offer alfalfa. I just give it about once a month or so as a treat.

Yep, sounds like he's bonding with you. If he doesn't act scared, you can take him out. My first chin I got is so friendly that I was able to let her run around the first week. It all depends on the chin. But if he seems ready, you can let him run around. If the cage is small enough you can carry it into a small room, and let him go out as he wants, or you can try seeing if you can pick him up, but that will probably take more time until he's really used to it.

 

[Beebop]

Thanks for the information is there a link on what chinchillas can eat and what they cant ? I feed my bunny and guinea pig fresh veggies everyday and was wondering if its okay to give my chinnie some to .

 

[mishellyshel]

No fresh stuff for the chinnies! stick to pellets & hay. there are some treats you can give you chin, like crushed rosehips or a unsugarded mini shredded wheat, pinch of old fashioned oats. also lots of chin safe wood items to wear down their teeth, they love apple wood.

If you look under the FAQ section on this forum you will find everything you need to know,
Also there is a search function at the top of the page that I personally find invaluable!

 

[alli713]

Here's one FAQ you can read:
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44

 

[chinnychinchinchilla]

no fruits or veggies. chins do best on a bland diet because of their sensitive digestive track. check out the FAQ section for all the basic info then if you have anymore questions dont be afraid to ask. congrats on your new baby and it sounds like hes bonding with you. also since hes a male you need to learn how to do a hair ring check.