Hello from Ireland!

[wastedwinter]

Hi All,

Just a quick note to say hello to everyone. I'm completely new to Chin care. I'm not completely without knowledge... but I've spent many hours cramming since Sunday night.

I have adopted two chins - so far unnamed - who at 7 months were due to be put down as their owner was going away and found them a handful.

I'm fine with food, baths, bedding and that end of things - I do have two issues though. While I'm not an expert I can tell that their cage is too small. It may house a rat or two at a push but it's really not suitable for two chins. At the moment they are 7 months so there is still plenty of growing. It's the standard chin/rat/ferret house you see sold in pet shops.

I plan to buy a large multi-level cage as soon as I can afford to (which won't be today or tomorrow). If anyone has advice on building cages I would be interested to hear from you. The cage doesn't have to be the best looking thing in the world, they will 'live' in a spare room.

My second issue is that one is male and one is female and I have absolutely no intention of breeding them. One will need to be neutered straight away - I'm wondering which would be best (best meaning = safest, easiest, cheapest).

I think that's about it, I'm off to lurk around the forums!

Talk to you soon,

Lilly

 

[tunes]

Welcome Lilly.

There are two things you could do. First, if you HAVE to do surgery on one of them, castrate the male rather than spay the female. It's a lot less invasive surgery, as well as being a lot less expensive. Be sure that your vet knows what they are doing though. These are not cats or dogs who they routinely do surgery on. Chins do not handle anesthesia well and often times after surgery there is a prolonged recovery perod that you would need a vet on top of his/her game to help you with. It can be done, many people do it, just be sure to know your vet.

The other, easier thing you could do is buy a Ferret Nation 142 or build one that has two separate compartments. You would need to always keep the chins apart, no matter what (even for playtime) but no surgery would be involved and they would each have their own safe, separate living space.

 

[alli713]

Welcome to CnH! )

 

[Tanya]

Hello and :welcome6: to the forum!!!

 

[lauralynne]

Hello & Welcome.

I just wanted to add that if you do not want them to breed you need to seperate them NOW, not when you figure out which chin may be undergoing surgery. The female may already be pregnant.

 

[Jenn]

Hi and welcome!!! We'd love to meet your furbabies!

 

[mishellyshel]

welcome

thank you for saving them.

if they are currently together please separate until you figure out living quarters and if you will end of having surgery there is still a wait period that they need to be separated.

 

[saphire]

hello and welcome