Hi, I have A Few Chin Questions.

[jessicarobyn]

First off, Hi! My name is Jessica and in my search of chin info I came across this forum.
And since I usually trust the advice of real pet owners than random facts from websites I figured I'd register. :dance3:

A few months back I lost my rabbit Pippen. He was my baby, I had him since I was 12 years old and he was my loyal, kind friend from then on out. When he passed I truly believed I'd never heal. And while the pain is still great, I find myself feeling lonely (despite my rats and cat) and I started looking into maybe getting another rabbit.

Well, the other day my boyfriend and I took a little side trip to petsmart and he became fascinated with the chinchilla there. He insisted we had to get one. Which took me off guard because he typically isn't that on board with me and my pets. So I decided to do a bit of research. So, here are my questions.

- Do chins really live 12-20 years?
- Can chins be kept alone?
- What is the major difference between male and female chins?
- What is a chins personality like? Is it at all like a rabbit?
- My rats live in a double CN and I'm just not up to dropping that amount of money on another cage. Can I modify a superpet giant I have to chin standards?
- What is the best diet out there for a chin?
- What are the top health problems I should keep an eye out for?

That's all I can remember for now.
Thanks in advanced to anyone who helps me out.
Excited to hear from you guys!

-Jessica

 

[tunes]

- Do chins really live 12-20 years?
They can, yes.

- Can chins be kept alone?
Yes, they can. I do like to see chins in pairs if possible, because they love to cuddle together, but it isn't an absolute necessity, and sometimes it doesn't work out and they have to be separated down the road.

- What is the major difference between male and female chins?
I personally don't see any huge difference. Every chin has it's own personality, which may or may not be affected by it being male or female. The big difference between male and female is that males need hair ring checks and females can spray.

- What is a chins personality like? Is it at all like a rabbit?
Chins are not clutchy, huggy pets. My rabbit isn't either, but some are. Some chins will tolerate being held, some enjoy it, and some don't want to be messed with. Again, it will depend on the particular chin's personality.

- My rats live in a double CN and I'm just not up to dropping that amount of money on another cage. Can I modify a superpet giant I have to chin standards?
I used all super pet cages when I first got chins. The big thing is to be careful they don't chew the plastic shelves or cage bottom. You can easily replace the shelves with pine ledges and the chin can chew on it as well as sit on it.

- What is the best diet out there for a chin?
Huh - you'll get a huge debate on that one. There are many good feeds. I recommend trying to find one that is reasonably close to you or that you can get shipped to you easily. I recommend:
Nutrena Naturewise 16%
Tradition
Oxbow
APD
Mazuri

Some folks have trouble with Mazuri, others don't. There are also a couple other rabbit pellets, but I can never remember the names!

- What are the top health problems I should keep an eye out for?
Malocclusion is becoming more and more common. If you do a search on it, you'll find many threads as well as x-rays and skull pictures in the FAQs. Fur chewing is another issue that is cropping up more and more, but it isn't "generally" considered a health problem. Over heating is a biggie. If you have chins, you have air conditioning. There are other things that can happen, like giardia (that can usually be prevented with filtered or reverse osmosis water), upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, etc., but those happen when they happen. Bladder stones can also be an issue if you overdose your chin on calcium, and sometimes just for whatever random reason.

Welcome to CnH.

 

[Laurie]

Jess I have nothing to add to Peggy's post because she IS the chin expert--but I wanted to say Welcome!!! You will find lots of very knowledgeable people here on the forum!

 

[Jenn]

I agree with Peggy, there is nothing more to add. Chins can and do make wonderful pets, but it is very wise to know what you are getting into beforehand so there are no undue surprises.

 

[jessicarobyn]

Thank you so much for that great information!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

One of the other rabbit feeds, that you can feed chins, is Purina Rabbit Chow Show.

Kudos to you for doing your research BEFORE getting a chin! So many just jump in before doing the research. But you have found a great forum that is chock full of good information! Welcome to CnH!

 

[ticklechin]

Chinchillas have most of the same health issues as rabbits and the treatments are about the same.

 

[mommyslittlechins2010]

First off, Hi! My name is Jessica and in my search of chin info I came across this forum.
And since I usually trust the advice of real pet owners than random facts from websites I figured I'd register. :dance3:

A few months back I lost my rabbit Pippen. He was my baby, I had him since I was 12 years old and he was my loyal, kind friend from then on out. When he passed I truly believed I'd never heal. And while the pain is still great, I find myself feeling lonely (despite my rats and cat) and I started looking into maybe getting another rabbit.

Well, the other day my boyfriend and I took a little side trip to petsmart and he became fascinated with the chinchilla there. He insisted we had to get one. Which took me off guard because he typically isn't that on board with me and my pets. So I decided to do a bit of research. So, here are my questions.

- Do chins really live 12-20 years?
- Can chins be kept alone?
- What is the major difference between male and female chins?
- What is a chins personality like? Is it at all like a rabbit?
- My rats live in a double CN and I'm just not up to dropping that amount of money on another cage. Can I modify a superpet giant I have to chin standards?
- What is the best diet out there for a chin?
- What are the top health problems I should keep an eye out for?

That's all I can remember for now.
Thanks in advanced to anyone who helps me out.
Excited to hear from you guys!

-Jessica

Hi jess,

i'm glad that your doing your home work on chins before getting one. don't feel bad cause for the past 9 years now i've been doing my homework on them and finally i wasa ready to go and get my first chin. and you know what?? it doesn't matter that after you get your first chin and still read up about them cause you never know what you'll wanna know or for got to read about. and it's ok to ask others for advice or help if you need about your chin . cause you have to know what your geting in to before going and getting it . it's a commitment to have them. i wouldn't trade my girls for anything . and pary that won't ever have to make the decision to get rid of them either. cause i won't !!!i love them to pieces. they are an interesting animal ..

good luck