Greetings from Virginia

[suzi1780]

Greetings! I am new here and just wanted to introduce myself. I have been a chin owner for 6 years now. My first chin was Chili who is now in Heaven. A few months after Chili passed, I was wondering around in a sad daze at Petco picking out kitty toys (I shop for my pets to make me feel better ) when I saw a sad chinchilla in one of those horrible glass cases. A sales girl was over near the case and she said to me, "She is a sad chinchilla" now when the sales girl told me that, I thought well, I am sad and she is sad maybe together will won't be sad! So with that thought I turned to the girl and said "then put her in a box because she is coming home with me!" Now I am not one that believes in getting pets from Petco/Petsmart but I knew in my heart that that chinchilla and I belonged together. So Maddie and I have been happy together for over four years now and recently I adopted Mitize from a friend (her chins had a surpise litter but don't worry her male is now fixed). Mitize just turned 3 months old, is super cute and I think she might be part kangroo because she hops like no other chin I have ever seen! Both Maddie and Mitize are standard grey female chins. I had Mitize in quarantine for awhile and then set her up in a cage near Maddie's. I moved the cage closer to Maddie's after a few days and then put them next to each other so they could sniff noses. Tonight was their 3rd "playdate" where I allow them free time out together. Everything is going great, no fighting, just a little mounting which from my reading is normal. So I plan to keep letting them have playdates and then I will move them into a brand new cage! I have a Ferret Nation on order from ferret.com and thanks to my readings here, I was able to save $10 by calling them and letting them know that kennelvet had it cheaper :dance3: I have a ton of things on order for the new cage, getting shelves made, a new house, fleece, have an order for a Bass pan, lots of new chew toys. It is going to be like chinwonderland when I get everything! Right now, I keep both their cages open during free time and they go in and out of each other's cages. Mitize loves to leap into Maddie's cage like "woohoo! I am in the big girl's cage!" and Maddie has been just fine with her going into her cage. So anyway, I just wanted to share my story and as you can see I love to blab on! I am also Mom to 4wonderful kitties, with my 5th kitty in Heaven with Chili.

 

[acbieri]

Welcome Fellow Virginia "ian" lol You will learn alot of info here! I have learned alot since i've joined!

 

[tunes]

Welcome! Looking forward to pictures of the girls.

 

[addictedtochins]

Welcome to CnH, I look forward to your pics and stories. Theresa

 

[ABBY W.]

Welcome to CnH!

 

[NewMommy2Chins]

Hello there Suzi ! Glad to see you made it to CnH...this forum will be a BIG help for you and your chinnies as it has been for me. I am also a "virginian" I am located in Chester about 20 minutes from Richmond City. Can't wait to see pics of your chins!!!!!

 

[alli713]

Welcome to CnH! )

 

[suzi1780]

Welcome to CnH!

Born in raised in the good old burg! :thumbsup:

 

[suzi1780]

thanks everyone! First pic is Maddie (getting some love) and the second is my little kangroo, Mitzie!

 

[Jenn]

Welcome Suzi! Your chin and kangaroo are adorable! I guess it was meant to be for you (in your saddened state) to come across Maddie in the petstore and give her a home. I'm sure she is incredibly happy now. Sounds like she and Mitzie are getting along great so far - I hope they turn out to be best of friends. It's hard to live without chins, isn't it?!

 

[MyFuzzies]

Welcome to CNH!!! Your girls are gorgeous and I hope they become best friends!! I also live in Virginia...we seem to be getting more of "us" LOL.

 

[suzi1780]

It's hard to live without chins, isn't it?!

Yes it was!! I had/have no idea what killed my poor little Chili... I remember I went and visited him in the morning before work and he was sleeping, I found it odd because it was out of the norm for him to be sleeping at that time. I reached down to pet him and he gave me a "leave me alone Mom!" chin noise so I went on to work. When I got home the first thing I did was check on him and he was still "sleeping" so I went and took a nap... when I got up I checked on him again and when he was still in the same spot I knew... I was living with a roomie who was also a big animal lover and I started screaming for, I wanted her to come and pull him out because I felt like I was going to pass out. She didn't happen to be home so I ended up pulling out my stiff little boy *okay I am starting to tear up now and it has been over 4 years* I called my boyfriend and he couldn't understand me on the phone because I was such a mess. So my boyfriend came over and we cried and held our little boy. My roomie soon came home and offered to take Chili to be cremated (she used to be a vet tech and knew a place) so I have his ashes in a nice little urn, with his beloved chew toy next to it. I called my family and my sister came over the next day with her dog and my nephew to cheer me up (she is a great big sister, I live a hour away!) and I cleaned out his cage while they were there because I new that if I did it with my nephew around (he was only around 4 at the time) that I wouldn't allow myself to get too upset. But I take comfort in knowing that I will see Chili again one day

When I got Maddie, I really wasn't looking to get another chin, but when that girl sad she thought the chin was sad, I just knew it (as I am sure many devoted animal lovers understand) that I was suppose to take her home that day, that she needed me and I needed her. Maddie has been great and is spoiled rotten! I thought about getting her a friend for a few years now, up until now Maddie's best friend has been ****** the cat! No, I don't let them play together, ****** visits Maddie while Maddie is in her cage. Their favorite game is when ****** lays on the top on Maddie's cage and sticks her paws in (no claws) and Maddie runs right up to her paw. Anyway I had been thinking and thinking about getting another chin but I didn't really feel too comfortable with getting one from craigslist (although I know many people have luck with this) I was just felt I was really taking a risk of getting an unhealthy, neglated chin and of course I really didn't want to get one from Petsmart/Petco. So it worked out well that my friend's chin had kits. I got a great healthy girl who was already used to humans. I can't wait to get them into the same cage together because they really do get along great! Of course I am not going to rush it, I won't even have everything for the new digs for probably another 2 weeks.

Tonight Mitize hoped inside Maddie's cage and then Maddie hoped in as well (aren't I luckly that I have chins that hop back into their cages!). I was a little worried because this was the first time they were in the cage together. I went right over to the cage with hands ready to break anything up... Mitize ran right up to the top level and started eating one of Maddie's treats, Maddie came right up to her and gave her a look like "enjoy, it taste great doesn't it!" and then Maddie came down and ran back out of the cage. So great sign!!

Okay I have offically blabbed on long enough!!

 

[LucksAngel28]

:welcome3: to :chin2:s-n-:hedgie:s!!

 

[suzi1780]

Welcome to CNH!!! Your girls are gorgeous and I hope they become best friends!! I also live in Virginia...we seem to be getting more of "us" LOL.

Virginia is for Lovers!

 

[suzi1780]

oh and I should mention my avatar is Mitize and her brother... super cute! Here is a bigger pic

 

[6Dusters]

Greetings and welcome to the forum. Nice girls you have there! I love standards. Glad to see another Virginian. I'm in the burbs of Richmond.

 

[Sugarmama]

Welcome to CNH! Your chins are darling--I hope to see more of them!

 

[Sandi]

First, I have to say welcome to CnH! Second, wow, what a great story about your chin Maddie, pet store chins need love too. I also understand now that getting them from there can have some repurcussions as well. I too got my first chin from a pet store but now he is over the rainbow bridge, he had a very bad case of malo and we had to put him down. I hope your Chili and my Whiskers are having the times of their lives!

 

[angels41105]

Mitize and her brother are so cute. I love the baby faces. How old are they in that pic.. they look about a week or two old..

 

[kaykay]

Welcome!