First Day using Chins n Hedgies & some questions

[chillathechinchilla]

Hello fellow Chins-n-Hedgies users! I am new to this site as of today, and I decided to join because I would like to know more about my chinchilla, Chillaand chinchillas in general. She is a standard gray chinchilla and I purchased her at PJ's Pets on July 18th 2011.
She recently had a reno to her cage because it used to have plastic ledges but with a few things from Home-Depot, I was able to add 4 wooden ledges.
Although my budget is tight, I feel I can make her cage MORE enjoyable for both of us.
Firstly, she has a wire mesh bottom but I don't want to remove it because it separates her from her own feces and urine, and I'm scared if I do, she'll jump around and spill the bedding everywhere. (My pan isn't that deep, it's quite shallow) So the question is.. should I use fleece instead? Is it worth it? I know that many people use it and it works... but does it really? Won't it get soaked in urine and if it passes right through the fleece... what absorbs it? My chin loves to explore and nibble things, as most chins do, but will she pull the fleece out? And how often do you wash it?
And in the picture, I no longer have that hammock
Plus since that pic:thumbsup:, Chila is wayy bigger.

 

[Woodrow724]

:hithere:
Welcome to CnH!
I use fleece and I love it. It's a money saver in the long run. I change mine every 4-5 days with 2 chins in my cage. They are litter trained though, so they pee in a baking dish filled with pine bedding (most of the time lol). Mine don't chew their fleece.

 

[Jenn]

Hi and welcome to you and Chilla!

I also use and love my fleece. It is so much less of a mess than the bedding. My chin also uses a litter pan, but the fleece liners should be absorbent if there is an accident. You would just have to change it as necessary.

Chilla is super adorable!

 

[obcsed]

I love fleece. Mine won't use litter pans. :hammer: So I have to wash them every 2-4 days depending on the number of chins in the cage.

 

[Gabby88]

She is adorable!! I also use fleece and I love it. It's cheaper and easier to clean.

I'm sure you'll learn a lot from reading everything posted here. There's sooooo much information.

 

[cindyv3737]

Welcome!

 

[momenteller]

:welcomewagon:

 

[ChinnieShop]

Welcome to the site, and I have wire mesh on the bottom of my cage, but I do have plenty of platforms, as well as chill pads at the very bottom. My chins usually hang out on the platforms and have adapted to only go to the bottom when they have to pee, as far as pooping that is another story...lol

 

[Shooper]

Welcome, I'm glad you have joined us! I'm split on bedding. I have a 2 story cage and the top has fleece and the bottom now has bedding. One of my boys started peeing outside of the potty pan in the bottom, so now the bottom is bedding. The boys only pee on the bottom (so far)!

 

[LoveBug]

:welcome6:
i also use fleece with a litter pan with aspen bedding in it.
much better to take care of and it's less messy.

 

[Laurie]

Welcome!

 

[chillathechinchilla]

Thanks everyone! I'm really enjoying this site! everyone is so nice and helpful!
I have another question for you guys because I am planning to make a fleece tube for Chilla.. any ideas??
-Thanks! Soph&Chin

 

[chillathechinchilla]

How do you get them to pee in the litter box? I don't think I can fit one in mine, so does that mean fleece wouldn't be a good idea?

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Most people use a small baking dish (like for brownies and small cakes) and start off by putting bedding that's already been peed in into the litter pan. That way they learn by the scent that that's where they're supposed to go.

Just so you know, I started off with that cage too and you might want to start saving up for an upgrade eventually. After about a year of using it, the bars started bending and three shelves actually snapped the bars right off :/ So, I'd start a little money jar for a Ferret Nation or a similarly sturdy cage so you're not caught off guard like I was.

Welcome to CnH! Your chinnie is adorable

 

[chillathechinchilla]

Thanks so much for your help, Over the five months or so with this cage, I can easily imagine what you mean as it is not the best of quality.

I think i'll do this so my cage in the future will be easier to clean and I've also started to notice the pan of the cage is rusting a bit, and I don't want my chinnie near that. I'll try and cover it up with some fleece i'll need to buy.

What's a good amount of fleece to buy to have available?

 

[lauralynne]

Hello & Welcome!

 

[Maggie:-)]

I just switched to fleece yesturday. Can anyone tell me how to get maggie to pee in a litterpan?! Do i just put it in there? As of now she pees in two corners of the cage.