Help me plz (crazy chin)

[HaleyGoBoom]

So, Kingston has begun biting his cage bars at night and digging at his liner to get out at night and it's very noisy. I decided I'd build a short cardboard wall/cord guard to go around my room so he'd have a larger space and then a more beneficial playtime.
Well, he keeps getting braver and braver and always gets into something. Tonight he hit his head on my bookshelf really hard, he's OK but still.
So, I put him back in his cage after about 45 minutes and he started shaking the doors again, then I got my extra hammock and clipped it to the front of the cage and he's confused so he stopped.

I don't know what to do to keep him occupied, should I get a wheel? I'm afraid he'd overheat himself if I put one in there, it'll be 65* in my room and he gets too hot playing. :/ He has all the chews and cuddle buddies and a hanging toy and he's just about spoiled rotten with things to occupy him. He had a cage mate before could they have played?

Advice?

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

Oh last night I also noticed Kingston was missing, and soon noticed a large moving bump in his liner v_v

 

[Laurie]

Haley, this is normal behavior and eventually he will stop doing this to his cage. What type of cage is he in? Bobo used to do this all the time until I moved her into a ferret nation. Once there she stop biting and shaking the cage bars. She may also have stopped because I didn't pay her any attention.
Yes Kingston should have a wheel--they love to run on their wheels.
Both Bobo and GiGi are HUGE cage diggers so again Kingston digging and tunneling sounds normal to me. Hopefully in time he'll give it a rest.

 

[Essentia]

Chula hides under his liner all the time. I have tried every way to keep it down, and he still finds his way under it.

I say get him a wheel. If it will be 65 in there he will be more than happy at that temperature while running.

I have a flying saucer and a chin spin. I love my saucer but it isn't as quiet as my chin spin. As soon as a find a used chin spin I am getting rid of the saucer. Any other room I would recommend the saucer, but since it is in your bedroom you should get a chin spin. They have changed their bearing (the others were wearing out too fast) and now include a second one, so it's a wheel you will have for a long time and it's definitly worth the money. It's also completely silent. My saucer rattles my FN (which is what causes the noise, even with the block of wood under it), but my chin spin is utterly silent, other than the sound of spinning poos.

 

[Sandi]

It's been 70 degrees in my house for the last 2 weeks and my boys have a wheel in their cage and they are on it every night! I have never seen them overheat. I think it would be a good idea to get the wheel.

 

[lindsay1980]

A wheel would probably be very good for him. Also maybe rotate toys into his cage so there is something different every so often. I do this with Logan because he is a cage shaker. It works for him. He gets distracted by the different toy. I rotate his toys every two to three days.

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

He's in a FN right now. I want to get him a wheel and I know someone who'll give me a deal on a chin spin but even now he's passed out (lying down, not lethargic and dying ;]) after playtime and I can't tell if its he's too hot or just really out of shape, or if he just gets really tired from playtime then ravaging his doors.
He's quite the character, I found the putting fleece under the doors then closing them stops the rattling noise, but I feel bad when he does it because I feel like he's not getting enough playtime. Maybe I'm just being a sucker.

 

[Essentia]

I also put fleece in my FN doors. It helps so much with the noise. I always know when I forget to do it before going to bed.

Some chins do lay down on a cool surface after playtime, some don't, but I wouldn't let it worry you, especially if he's only done it once. It doesn't mean he's overheated, just tired from the romp. With chinchin, (the rescue I adopted out last month) he would actually take naps during his playtime if it was any longer than 20 minutes.

So yeah, get that boy a wheel, and let me in on the secret of where to get a chin spin at a good price.

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

Its used from a member

 

[alli713]

I agree about the wheel, and also, if he's making noise and then you let him out, he's going to catch on that if he makes a lot of noise, you'll let him out. Chins can be smart like that, the reinforcement of the negative behavior by letting them get out and run around will only make it worse. So don't let him out if he's shaking the bars and things.

 

[Sesame]

I agree with all of the above. Also, if you have a few hanging toys, grass/maize mats, tube tunnel... those might help keep him occupied for a bit too.

He's just testing the waters with how much he can get away by furiously shaking the cage bars. Sesame does that once in awhile (she's pretty strong! I never knew the cage would shake that much!), but has stopped doing it for the most part.

It helps to develop a schedule/routine. For us, we have playtime for usually 45 min around 10:30pm, then if it's dust bath time right afterwards, then she'll get a stick in the usual spot of her cage. Right before I go to sleep, give her a small treat or another stick/toy. etc. etc. Having a schedule might help Kingston calm down a bit.

 

[Ash]

65* isn't enough to make him overheat, so you don't have to worry about that. Most people keep their rooms anywhere between 65-70*, so you should be fine. And he's just being a butthead. Hash used to do that all the time after playtime lol.

 

[EnslavedByNinjas]

Nibbler was BAD about this for awhile. To the point I tried to have his cage sandblasted to remove the 'chew proof' paint on it. In a matter of days he had chewed through the chew proof coating and was making steady progress *through the bars themselves*. I tried everything, blowing in his face, stomping my feet, and he would give me the stink eye and continue.

Long story short, after I started completely ignoring him, to the point of leaving the room when he starts doing it, he's stopped. Now only once in a blue moon. Yesterday I had him and Turbo in each other's cages overnight, and that evening I got home to a *TWANG* sound as he has now figured out how to make even more noise by pulling and releasing on the bars while chewing them. So, the only solution I found was completely ignoring him. Walking away from the cage when he starts, etc. He may not stop completely, but hopefully he'll be a little bit less of a brat. :rofl:

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

Blowing on his face doesn't bother him one bit, I think he likes it. The only reason temperature concerns me is because during playtime he's gotten really red ears and lies down on his tiles like he's hot, but with playtime I can put him back in his cage and the wheel would be in there all the time. I'm very paranoid lol but I'll trust you guys, I'm gonna order a chin spin.
He's been very testy lately with everything. When I clean his cage (I try to when he's asleep) he constantly tries to escape, and if I push him away too much he'd bite me and give me such a mean look. He also just keeps hurting himself on everything v_v He jumps into he shelf, ledge, house, he's insane lol

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll be ordering the wheel, and maybe the 143 add on for the cage, give him a bit more room to roam around.

 

[Jill of Beans]

While a wheel may help to occupy Kingston's time...not all chins like wheels. Snickers LOVED his wheel, but none of my other guys did. I recently got a new wheel (at the York Show) and it has yet to see any use by any of my guys....I guess it depends on the chin...

 

[Jill of Beans]

Oh....and keep an eye out on CL....you may be able to find a FN 142 for less than a FN 143....then you could post your FN on CL and make some of the $ back....

 

[Essentia]

I would recommend taking him out and putting him in a carrier when you are cleaning his cage. My Chula is notorious for also trying to escape so I know your pain completely.

 

[xcoronaangel]

Oh....and keep an eye out on CL....you may be able to find a FN 142 for less than a FN 143....then you could post your FN on CL and make some of the $ back....

I posted a link to a 142 in SD cali for 100.00 or so. In the things for sale.
I am Not selling it but someone else is. I decided I didnt want to drive the distance but someone else might want too.

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

SD being San Diego?
I live near San Jose, it'd be a better deal to order the extension new online then to drive down there and back but thanks for the help, just a lil too far

 

[shaeway]

Moche used to be horrible at this too. He would not stop biting and shaking his cage. He was just super bonded to me and wanted to be with me. I got him a cagemate and everything was fine after that. Now he couldn't care less about me unless I have shredded wheats. One odd thing: When you said he had a cage mate and could they have played together...what do you mean? You had them on seperate play schedules? Were they living in the same cage apartment style or did you just up and get rid of your second chin and now Kingston is acting out? You may need to get his buddy back if you ever want him to stop.