Hello!
So I'm getting ready to buy a pair of female chins in the near future and I had a few questions:
1) How much pellets does a chinchilla go through a month?
-ie: x pounds per month
Each chin is different. But i give mine 2 tbls of pellets each, each day. I measure it just so i can notice if theres ever a change in appetite.
2) How much dust does a chinchilla require per month?
Not much. I order my Blue Cloud on-line usually around a 20lbs flat rate box full. (Much much cheaper then any store around here.) It can last a year or longer. It depends how many chins you have, how often they bath, if you reuse, and how much you give them each time. - Personal i have 5 that bath once a week, and i never reuse dust. And it still lasts a very long time.
3) Is there any particular brand/type of water bottle that would be preferable for chin use?
I would recommend a glass type water bottle that attach's from the out side of the cage. Some times they will mess with it, so id rather them be on the outside to avoid any problems. And plastic bottles they can chew. Which is not only bad for risk of ingesting plastic, but they can chew a whole in it. Rendering the bottle useless, and your chin very wet. Which is its own problem in its self.
4) Would they be OK for a 3 hour drive in a large cardboard travel case (like those you could get at Petco) in an air conditioned car? Or should I just put a good travel carrier into initial costs?
I'm not sure about the time. Each reacts differently.
But as for the case, i would advise against a cardboard carrier. And i would advise getting a real one anyway. So they go together. A chin can chew through cardboard. Mine personally eat the cardboard >< . The last thing you want is them eating it, and you certainly don't want them to get loose in your car. Especially while you are driving.
Investing in a real small animal carrier is a good idea anyway. You never know when you will suddenly need one. Might have to get the chin out of the cage, might have to get them to a vet suddenly. And times like those you don't want to be unprepared.
5) Is there a chin-safe sealer for granite tiles so that they don't soak up urine? Or should I go with ceramic tiles that seem to do the same job of cooling and are less porous?
If your in an area where heat can be an issue, you will need a source of AC for the chin. While tiles are good to have, them alone are not enough.
The coolness will wear off them fairly fast anyway, so you have to take them out and re-refrigerate them to get them cool. Often a good idea to have more then one so you can switch them out as needed.
As for ceramic vs granite; I have one type of slab of each. And i much prefer the granite one. But my granite is a bit thicker and can hold the coldness for longer. Where as my ceramic is a larger slab, but much thinner. As a result doesn't last long. - And you should wipe them off/clean them off fairly often anyway.
6) Could I wrap fleece around the border of the cage to act as a "pan" to keep flying poops in? Or make fleece liners with "walls" to do the same job as an expensive metal pan?
Ive never done it, so this is purely speculation. But i would imagine without a pan it would be hard to do. Chins will sometimes nibble/chew on the edges. If its fleece edges, theres a possibility that they will continue to chew it till they tear it apart. Which would risk ingestion, and also rip your work up.
Some chins tear fleece up. Some mess with it over time. Some ignore it. My girls destroyed a lot of there fleece over a little bit of time. So they don't have much anymore. Where as my boys ignore it completely (in terms of chewing.)
And a side note: Chances are, you will never be able to keep it all in the cage. They get everywhere some times lol
Sorry for any stupid questions. I've never had a pet before and I don't want to kill my first ones. >o<
Rule #6: Never say you're sorry.
Nothing wrong with asking a lot of questions. Much rather a person become well informed then just assume things. Much better and safer for the pet (of any kind.)
