Hello all!

[Monstersaurus Sam]

I am new. I do not own a chin but am hoping to get one. Before I do so I was hoping you could help me decide if a chinchilla is the right pet for me.

I want to be fully prepared and as ready as can be. The last thing I want is to get a chinchilla and not be prepared and have to give him up.

Hope you guys help and I can't wait to meet and talk to you!

 

[Chinmama]

Welcome to the forum!

We can't tell you if a chin is the right pet for you without knowing anything about you or what you want in a pet. The best advice I can give is to take your time and read through the forum before you get your chin. There is a lot of helpful information here.

 

[Kalandra]

Welcome to the forum. I agree, keep reading lots and ask questions when you have them.

 

[lauralynne]

Hello & Welcome!

I'm glad you're doing research before acting on a whim and getting one!

Tell us some more about you! What's your schedule/family life like?

 

[tunes]

Welcome.

Added to what Laura asked - what is the environment like where you live? Are you in a hot climate? Do you have air conditioning?

 

[alli713]

Welcome to CnH!

 

[cindyv3737]

Welcome.

 

[Monstersaurus Sam]

Hello. I live in Southern California.
It gets hot here but we keep our house about 70 all year round hahhaha.
I am a college student and live at home until I am finished with my degree's.
My family and I are all animal lovers and we treat our pets as if they're our own.
I do have a dog. He's about 3 almost 4. He's part border collie chow and lab. We also have a cockatoo but she lives on the other side of the house.
If I were to get a chin he would kept in my room with me. How noisy are they?
I'm not an early to bed person and have hamsters and guinea pigs. I know they're different from Chinchillas but I say that meaning I am used to nocturnal animals.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Welcome to the forum and good for you for researching first.

I, too, am in So Cal. So, if you would like to stop by and get a feel for what chin parenthood is like just let me know.

Meanwhile, read the FAQ and ask any questions they don't answer.

As far as nocturnal noise, they can make quite a bit if they decide to do some wall surfing. It makes cages rattle a lot. They may also make calling sounds during the night. Most of mine do that.

 

[Olallie]

Hi and welcome! I used to live in so cal

Chinnies are wonderful animals to have as pets. I kept mine in my room for 3yrs before i moved up to Canada, they are very noisy animals at night. However after about a year i got used to them. Just be prepared to wake up for every weird sound you hear from their cages....

 

[CJR]

Hi, welcome to CnH! I'm glad that you're doing some research, a lot of people don't.

I have two pet chinchillas and I spend at least 30 minutes on them each day - that is only counting feeding them, making sure they have water, toys, hay, etc. If there is playtime involved (which I do as much as possible), then it's about an hour a day. They are time-consuming pets - you cannot just throw them in a corner somewhere and forget about them.

Chinchillas are:

• noisy at night (calling, barking, throwing things, eating, chewing stone/wood)
• SUPER MESSY (I have to vacuum my room and house at least twice a week to get the hay out)
• pooping constantly (I once timed Tia, she poops about once every 3 minutes when active - this equals a possible total of 400 poops a day! They poop less when sleeping, obviously.)
• very shy
• amazingly fulfilling pets

The feeling you get when a chinchilla bonds to you and loves you is like nothing else in the world. When Bessie calls to me, wanting attention and love, I get so happy, you don't even know. When Tia leaps onto her ledge to greet me every time I come into the room, when she climbs on to my hands, it is the greatest thing.

Chinchillas are a pain in the butt, they are expensive, they are messy, they are time consuming. But if you're willing to endure all of that, you will get a friend in return who will always be there for you and who will never hurt you, you will get a connection unlike any other that you can have with any other animal - not even dogs, or cats, or bunnies, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats.

I hope you enjoy the forum!

 

[mommyslittlechins2010]

Before I got my chins. it took me 9 yrs. to really decide if wanted one or not. I did my research on them for a long long time. me and my fiance both did research on them. then i finnaly thought well i con handle one. and now to my surprise i have three of them. After you get one never never stop learning about them cause new developments always occur and you may need advice on what to do next. no matter how long you 've own a chin you still from time to time need to do your homework.
if you decide to get one you can either gt oen from a pet store, rescue, or a breeder. I have a site that goes into detail about if a chin is right for you. and i'll give it to you. if you get a chin froma breeder you can keep in touch with them and ask questions a pet shop you won't be able to cause the chins they get are ones people take to the store and then the pet shop sells them. you have to have the time for a chin so do all the research before you get into a life long commiment !!! good luck

ps here is the site that has about chins if a chin is right for you : it's http://www.chinchillaclub.com it has every question from is a chin right for you to how to keept hem cool!!!