Horror stories
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AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
There's so many! The worst ones involve people lying to me about things...I'll have to think of one in particular.
C
Chinniechantel
Guest
Seeing the conditions and then buying them just because I have to save them. My husband has banned me from Craigslist, pet stores and any animal shows! I have seen some horrific things with rescues, but that is whole other thread.
starleomach
Dawnna's Keeper
I have been very fortunate. I have had several people that I have kicked out of my home though. Once I had people come by with their children and their kids just started opening cages and grabbing at my chinchillas. I kicked them out immediatly.
addictedtochins
Socially inept
When I went to get my 2 rescue boys they were on the island in the kitchen, the sun was pouring down on them and it must have been 90/95 degrees. That was there usual spot and had been for 3 years. I can't believe they never suffered any ill effects.
6Dusters
Well-known member
I don't think my story is a horror for me but you might want to ask my chin girl Ava. I got them off craigslist. She and her husband Mr. Wilson were together and it would seem being bred back to back for ??? years. She told me if the female was pregnant to sell them to a local pet store. I was shocked!! Not long afterwards she gave birth to kits. That was my first experience with kits. I went into panic mode!! Not prepared at all. The end result was the kit boys went to a wonderful family who had another rescue chin. They are all a trio now. Ava and Mr. Wilson are seperated and Ava is the sweetest girl. Always ready for a goodmorning/good night kiss. The lady told me she was not friendly. I wouldn't be friendly either if I was forced to be pregnant all my short life.
jmdebb
Well-known member
I don't have a story about buying or selling one, but I have to say when I browse craigslist and see pictures up when someone is rehoming. I'll see plastic in their cages, then they will say boy and girl and they will be in one cage, hear that kids are in the household so i start to worry about that, then I'll see nasty looking cages...
Going into a pet store and seeing them in a glass cage, UGH!!! plastic in their cages..etc... You guys know that one.
Someone I used to work with has a chin and I found out she brings her outside, I told her no way do you do that and told her why, but I do worry that they still bring the chin outside... We weren't really friends outside of work, so I don't know what she's doing now.. Just hope she is okay.
Jean
Going into a pet store and seeing them in a glass cage, UGH!!! plastic in their cages..etc... You guys know that one.
Someone I used to work with has a chin and I found out she brings her outside, I told her no way do you do that and told her why, but I do worry that they still bring the chin outside... We weren't really friends outside of work, so I don't know what she's doing now.. Just hope she is okay.
Jean
Spoof
Kung Fu Chinny!
I sold a couple just weaned babies to a gentleman, on the way home he set the carrier on the floor of his pickup thinking it was the coolest and shadiest place for them.
It is, but he didn't realize that road heat comes into play and cooked both of them. When he got home to Spokane (~60 min drive) he found them barely alive. Neither made it.
Hard lesson for both of us.
It is, but he didn't realize that road heat comes into play and cooked both of them. When he got home to Spokane (~60 min drive) he found them barely alive. Neither made it.
Hard lesson for both of us.
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
Oh dear! That is horrible, Tara.
I had some nitwit buy a chin from me years ago. He took the chin home and put her on the floor of his house and let her run for 8 hours before he put her in her cage. She was dead at 5 am the next morning because he stressed her out. We had a LONG discussion about leaving the chinchilla in the cage for a minimum of a week until she was ready to start being handled. That was a real eye opener for me. Now I tell people that story to underscore the need for a period of acclimation of any chin going to a new home. Whenever I hear about someone taking a new chin out to play within the first few days of being in its new home it zaps me back to 5:15 am on that Sunday morning when I was called and accused of selling a sick chinchilla. That chin was fine, the new owner stressed her out with unneeded playtime after a three hour car ride.
There are so many other stories. It seems like all I have is problems with people. They don't listen and they assume that because they have done fourteen seconds worth of research on the internet that they know more than me even though I have a dozen years of experience. And, everyone wonders why I can be so darn grumpy?
I had some nitwit buy a chin from me years ago. He took the chin home and put her on the floor of his house and let her run for 8 hours before he put her in her cage. She was dead at 5 am the next morning because he stressed her out. We had a LONG discussion about leaving the chinchilla in the cage for a minimum of a week until she was ready to start being handled. That was a real eye opener for me. Now I tell people that story to underscore the need for a period of acclimation of any chin going to a new home. Whenever I hear about someone taking a new chin out to play within the first few days of being in its new home it zaps me back to 5:15 am on that Sunday morning when I was called and accused of selling a sick chinchilla. That chin was fine, the new owner stressed her out with unneeded playtime after a three hour car ride.
There are so many other stories. It seems like all I have is problems with people. They don't listen and they assume that because they have done fourteen seconds worth of research on the internet that they know more than me even though I have a dozen years of experience. And, everyone wonders why I can be so darn grumpy?
addictedtochins
Socially inept
The pick-up truck story reminds me of a similar story I heard about a ferret going to it's new home. They didn't have a carrier and the ferret ran around the car on the trip home, well someone adjusted their car seat electricly and the ferret was in there and he was instantly killed.
C
Chinniechantel
Guest
I sold a couple just weaned babies to a gentleman, on the way home he set the carrier on the floor of his pickup thinking it was the coolest and shadiest place for them.
It is, but he didn't realize that road heat comes into play and cooked both of them. When he got home to Spokane (~60 min drive) he found them barely alive. Neither made it.
Hard lesson for both of us.
I swear that I read the floor is the hottest place in a car, especially a truck. There is not as much ventilation and the engine heat is right there. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I thought the back seat, buckled in a small carrier was the best. Make sure they are not in a sun beam. I bring a few pieces of paper and tape to tape to the windows just in case. The Florida sun can be relentless.
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
All the emission control stuff is right under there. The catalytic converter under there makes the floor really hot! It's just so sad that the chins had to be subjected to that.
addictedtochins
Socially inept
My latest car is a 01 Neon with AC but the AC doesn't really cool the backseat at all, I put animals in a carrier in the front seat with AC on.
Ok here's mine. I didnt get to write it when i started the thread cause i got interrupted and it's kind of a long story.
About a couple years ago or so ago i sold a beautiful white ebony male to a first time buyer. This chin was gorgeous and had he been a she i would have kept him. He was very large and blocky with beautiful markings and a cool dis position.
Anyhow not only had i spoken to the guy for over an hr on taking care of a chin but i also (which i always do) sold the chin with a 3 page care sheet, food, dust, ped, and some chewies (apple branches)
a couple days later i spoke with the guy over the phone just to see how things were going and he said "perfect" we absolutely love him. I told him to call me if he ever had any questions and i would do my best to answer.
3 1/2 weeks later at 2:00 a.m. I recieve a phone call. Half asleep i answer the phone expecting their to be some kind of emergency to find him. He says my chin doesn't look right. I say what's he doing? He says laying on his side and he's not really moving. In a panic now, i am fully awake. I ask what exactly is he doing, is he shaking, does he have a broken bone somehow. No he says he not moving, he's laying still and were worried something is wrong.
So for a 1/2 hr. I go through everything i could think of. Come to find out they had all been sick recently and he had just goten home from taking his wife tothe hospital. I explained to him (once again) that chins were suseptable to our illnesses. He said no no we didn't really hold him much.
Also found out earlier that evening he had put the chin in a plastic ball for some exercise for about a 1 hr!!!!! I was shocked. He said he felt bad cause they had been sick so he didn't think it would hurt. I asked him if he bothered to read my care sheet and he said ya but they said it was ok at the pet store. I explained to him he probably over heated. Again he says no he was fine when i took him out.
I also found out he was letting his 4 yr old take him out of the cage. Hmmm? I told him chins weren't "suitable" for young kids before he bought him.
So now im wondering what it could be. So many things to choose from....also found out a few days before the chin had gotten his head stuck in the bars but he had since bought a better cage.
I told the guy to try and pick him up and see if something is broke. Offer him a small piece of a raisen to perk him up. Get a fan on him and some ice cubes in a bowl. He tells me "he's not moving" i say what do you mean not moving? If he's not moving at all take him to the vet. I dont understand what you mean. Be more specific. Is he breathing? He says "no i think he's dead" i'm like pick him up and take him to the vet (thinking he was just dying as we spoke) he says no he's not moving, he's hard?! Wtf? He's hard? Why would you call me in the middle of the night if he's already been dead for awhile. He says my wife and child are really upset. I said well why didn't you just say he was dead in the beginning? Well i thought maybe you could help?????
Help what??????? Im not god. I can't bring the dead back to life???
He says he knows and he's sorry. Everyone was just soooo upset. I tell him im sorry and to call me in the morning.
I was at this point really tired, upset and confused.
Next morning 9:00 am i get a call saying he was just down the street and could he stop by. I was like why? I told him to give me a few since i was obviousely up late and wasn't even dressed. 1/2 hr later "knock knock knock" guess who?
He comes in and tells me he really wanted to buy another chinchilla cause his fam. Was sad. We talked again for another 1/2 hr or so about what could have happened. I (being a nice person) decide to give him (not sell) a standard female baby i had left. He asked about her cagemate (a female tov eb) i told him no "someone has put a depo on her already" and being that his chin dying was of no fault of mine and that nobody gives you a month health guarantee on a chin that could've died for any number of reasons that i felt that he should be happy with what he was being given. I also told him if he wanted to get a necropsy done and it came back something hereditary i would be 100% fine with either replacing with a equal valued chin or refunding the entire amount. I also told him that i was going on his word that the chin was dead (being he came empty handed) he said ya i fully inderstand and that is fine.
Against my better judgement i let her go. She was/is a beautiful standard.
Couple days later a friend of mine were home for lunch and again i hear a knock at the door. He is there with this tiny tiny box just standing there. My heart sank. I was like what's wrong? He opens my door and walks in. I was shocked. He says nothings wrong. She is fine. She's just viscous!!!! I was like no way "she's a sweetheart" we almost kept her. He says i agree but my wife says she's mean and she bites. She attacked her when she stuck her finger in the cage. Not super bad but bad enough to scare my wife. I was like whatever dude.
He then walks into my kitchen and asks about this black velvet we had. I quickly rescued viscous from her tiny box and put her in a cage. We have since nic- named her viscous (sid viscous) cause after all she is soooo viscous (we still have her and have never once been attacked) lol what a shocker.
My friend whom i've also given a chin to tells him "you need to give the chin time to adapt" "it takes time to bond with them" "it definately doesn't happen overnight" if........she bit your wife.....if.....she was probably scared. I laughed.
Seriousely i was pissed tho. I told him that he wasn't available and that he should leave. He said again "what about the tov eb" then. I said she was spoken for, he starts to head towards my chins and i said "you really should go" "we have to go back to work" he kept asking about this chin and that chin. I told him he would have to speak to my husband from here on out and to leave. He finally left.
He calls my hubby later and asks to come over and speak to him. I told my hubby i wasn't giving him crap so if he asked he better say no!!!! My hubby agreed and was a little angry about earlier. He comes over and tries the same bs on him as he did me and my hubby tells him no dude we dont owe you nothing and you tell me my chin is viscous? No way. The guy says "let me level with you" he explains that his wife wants a hybred and he needs to get her one or she will be mad. My hubby says 200 for the b.v. And i dont want to hear from you ever again. Tell your wife we dont owe her nothing. He says no discount? Nope you screwed that up. That guy cringes pull put his wallet and says he doesn't know how he's gonna explain this to his wife. (i never even met her....even once) whatever dude not my problem. Your more then welcome to go somewhere else. As a metter of fact i wish you would. They guy hands him 200 and apoligzes. My husband tells him oh and i sure hope you take better care of this one then you did the last. Read our paper, do research, educate yourself. The guy left.
Crazy story huh? What do you all think? I know i learned a lot through this person and will never make that mistake again. I am also very very very cautious as to whom i sell too. What a nightmare. Unbelievable
About a couple years ago or so ago i sold a beautiful white ebony male to a first time buyer. This chin was gorgeous and had he been a she i would have kept him. He was very large and blocky with beautiful markings and a cool dis position.
Anyhow not only had i spoken to the guy for over an hr on taking care of a chin but i also (which i always do) sold the chin with a 3 page care sheet, food, dust, ped, and some chewies (apple branches)
a couple days later i spoke with the guy over the phone just to see how things were going and he said "perfect" we absolutely love him. I told him to call me if he ever had any questions and i would do my best to answer.
3 1/2 weeks later at 2:00 a.m. I recieve a phone call. Half asleep i answer the phone expecting their to be some kind of emergency to find him. He says my chin doesn't look right. I say what's he doing? He says laying on his side and he's not really moving. In a panic now, i am fully awake. I ask what exactly is he doing, is he shaking, does he have a broken bone somehow. No he says he not moving, he's laying still and were worried something is wrong.
So for a 1/2 hr. I go through everything i could think of. Come to find out they had all been sick recently and he had just goten home from taking his wife tothe hospital. I explained to him (once again) that chins were suseptable to our illnesses. He said no no we didn't really hold him much.
Also found out earlier that evening he had put the chin in a plastic ball for some exercise for about a 1 hr!!!!! I was shocked. He said he felt bad cause they had been sick so he didn't think it would hurt. I asked him if he bothered to read my care sheet and he said ya but they said it was ok at the pet store. I explained to him he probably over heated. Again he says no he was fine when i took him out.
I also found out he was letting his 4 yr old take him out of the cage. Hmmm? I told him chins weren't "suitable" for young kids before he bought him.
So now im wondering what it could be. So many things to choose from....also found out a few days before the chin had gotten his head stuck in the bars but he had since bought a better cage.
I told the guy to try and pick him up and see if something is broke. Offer him a small piece of a raisen to perk him up. Get a fan on him and some ice cubes in a bowl. He tells me "he's not moving" i say what do you mean not moving? If he's not moving at all take him to the vet. I dont understand what you mean. Be more specific. Is he breathing? He says "no i think he's dead" i'm like pick him up and take him to the vet (thinking he was just dying as we spoke) he says no he's not moving, he's hard?! Wtf? He's hard? Why would you call me in the middle of the night if he's already been dead for awhile. He says my wife and child are really upset. I said well why didn't you just say he was dead in the beginning? Well i thought maybe you could help?????
Help what??????? Im not god. I can't bring the dead back to life???
He says he knows and he's sorry. Everyone was just soooo upset. I tell him im sorry and to call me in the morning.
I was at this point really tired, upset and confused.
Next morning 9:00 am i get a call saying he was just down the street and could he stop by. I was like why? I told him to give me a few since i was obviousely up late and wasn't even dressed. 1/2 hr later "knock knock knock" guess who?
He comes in and tells me he really wanted to buy another chinchilla cause his fam. Was sad. We talked again for another 1/2 hr or so about what could have happened. I (being a nice person) decide to give him (not sell) a standard female baby i had left. He asked about her cagemate (a female tov eb) i told him no "someone has put a depo on her already" and being that his chin dying was of no fault of mine and that nobody gives you a month health guarantee on a chin that could've died for any number of reasons that i felt that he should be happy with what he was being given. I also told him if he wanted to get a necropsy done and it came back something hereditary i would be 100% fine with either replacing with a equal valued chin or refunding the entire amount. I also told him that i was going on his word that the chin was dead (being he came empty handed) he said ya i fully inderstand and that is fine.
Against my better judgement i let her go. She was/is a beautiful standard.
Couple days later a friend of mine were home for lunch and again i hear a knock at the door. He is there with this tiny tiny box just standing there. My heart sank. I was like what's wrong? He opens my door and walks in. I was shocked. He says nothings wrong. She is fine. She's just viscous!!!! I was like no way "she's a sweetheart" we almost kept her. He says i agree but my wife says she's mean and she bites. She attacked her when she stuck her finger in the cage. Not super bad but bad enough to scare my wife. I was like whatever dude.
He then walks into my kitchen and asks about this black velvet we had. I quickly rescued viscous from her tiny box and put her in a cage. We have since nic- named her viscous (sid viscous) cause after all she is soooo viscous (we still have her and have never once been attacked) lol what a shocker.
My friend whom i've also given a chin to tells him "you need to give the chin time to adapt" "it takes time to bond with them" "it definately doesn't happen overnight" if........she bit your wife.....if.....she was probably scared. I laughed.
Seriousely i was pissed tho. I told him that he wasn't available and that he should leave. He said again "what about the tov eb" then. I said she was spoken for, he starts to head towards my chins and i said "you really should go" "we have to go back to work" he kept asking about this chin and that chin. I told him he would have to speak to my husband from here on out and to leave. He finally left.
He calls my hubby later and asks to come over and speak to him. I told my hubby i wasn't giving him crap so if he asked he better say no!!!! My hubby agreed and was a little angry about earlier. He comes over and tries the same bs on him as he did me and my hubby tells him no dude we dont owe you nothing and you tell me my chin is viscous? No way. The guy says "let me level with you" he explains that his wife wants a hybred and he needs to get her one or she will be mad. My hubby says 200 for the b.v. And i dont want to hear from you ever again. Tell your wife we dont owe her nothing. He says no discount? Nope you screwed that up. That guy cringes pull put his wallet and says he doesn't know how he's gonna explain this to his wife. (i never even met her....even once) whatever dude not my problem. Your more then welcome to go somewhere else. As a metter of fact i wish you would. They guy hands him 200 and apoligzes. My husband tells him oh and i sure hope you take better care of this one then you did the last. Read our paper, do research, educate yourself. The guy left.
Crazy story huh? What do you all think? I know i learned a lot through this person and will never make that mistake again. I am also very very very cautious as to whom i sell too. What a nightmare. Unbelievable
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
I'm sorry. I hate people like that.
S
SunshineChins
Guest
Ann you are quite a bit more patient than I. I don't anwer my phone in the middle of the night for anyone other than my dad or my brother (who is a police officer).
I wish there was a booklet somewhere I could give new chin owners of all these stories. Then maybe they would actually lisen when we tell them things.
I wish there was a booklet somewhere I could give new chin owners of all these stories. Then maybe they would actually lisen when we tell them things.
yummychinchillatoys.com
yummychinchillatoys
I bought Millie (who is no longer with us) and Lexie from a lady off of Craigslist.. I walked in the ladies house and it was so HOT I started sweating... She had them in this small cage with no ledges or anything... Just a food bowl and the shavings on the floor of the cage... We talked for awhile... She showed us where she kept the chins... In her garage with her 8 HUGE blue and gold parrots that had free run of the room.. They would sit on the chins cage and all... She was feeding them Hamster food... Lexie was so fat from no exercise that she could barely walk... Millie was so matted I had to brush her out for a week. They never got hay to eat. Never got dust baths...
I got them home started unmatting Millie's fur. Gave them a dust bath.. Neither one knew what to do in the dust bath... So I just put some dust on them myself... Changed their food to Mazuri.. Made them some shelves to climb on. Gave them a fleece tube and a hammock... Lexie is now the perfect weight, runs around and now LOVES her dust baths.. She still won't eat hay though..
that's my horror story..
I got them home started unmatting Millie's fur. Gave them a dust bath.. Neither one knew what to do in the dust bath... So I just put some dust on them myself... Changed their food to Mazuri.. Made them some shelves to climb on. Gave them a fleece tube and a hammock... Lexie is now the perfect weight, runs around and now LOVES her dust baths.. She still won't eat hay though..
that's my horror story..
sublime5981
Serenity Chinchillas
My "horror" story shows how deceitful some people can be. Luckilly, they were too stupid to actually pull off their scam.
I was contacted by a girl who was interested in a female kit I was selling. Through my questionnaire and emails I learned that she was 16 (living with her parents) and she and her boyfriend had a pet store male that she was looking to breed. She also claimed that she did not need AC (I live in the same area and I know how the climate is). I politely told her that I would not sell the chin to her and explained my reasons. Of course, she didn't respond as nicely.
About a week later I get an email from a guy asking about the same kit. (Something about the email addy is familiar and I believe it to be the one the girl initially contacted me from but, I had deleted that email so, I couldn't be sure.) He admits that he is using his GF's email and I go ahead and send him the questionnaire. (I had revised it since dealing with the GF but, they don't know that of course) Oddly, the questionnaire he returns is not the one I had sent him. (Where did he get the older version? Hmm) And upon comparison, his answers are identical to hers except contact info and the concerns I had pointed out of course. (Weird)
It honestly pissed me off that someone would try a stunt like that and I was seriously concerned that they would enlist the help of a friend next. I was scared to sell the chin to anyone local.
I was contacted by a girl who was interested in a female kit I was selling. Through my questionnaire and emails I learned that she was 16 (living with her parents) and she and her boyfriend had a pet store male that she was looking to breed. She also claimed that she did not need AC (I live in the same area and I know how the climate is). I politely told her that I would not sell the chin to her and explained my reasons. Of course, she didn't respond as nicely.
About a week later I get an email from a guy asking about the same kit. (Something about the email addy is familiar and I believe it to be the one the girl initially contacted me from but, I had deleted that email so, I couldn't be sure.) He admits that he is using his GF's email and I go ahead and send him the questionnaire. (I had revised it since dealing with the GF but, they don't know that of course) Oddly, the questionnaire he returns is not the one I had sent him. (Where did he get the older version? Hmm) And upon comparison, his answers are identical to hers except contact info and the concerns I had pointed out of course. (Weird)
It honestly pissed me off that someone would try a stunt like that and I was seriously concerned that they would enlist the help of a friend next. I was scared to sell the chin to anyone local.
I dont mine answering the phone IF I can help (I love chins, especially if they were mine) but thats IF....there's something I can do but calling me in the middle the night only to find out the chin had been dead (for quite sometime), wasting all my time trying to figure out what happened only to realize he had to of been dead for hours. That irriates me to no end. I work most days early in the mornings. I just happened to be off that next day but he didn't know that!!
I honestly think he knew he would catch me off guard and try to get me to commit to something.
personally I can't even say for sure he was dead. I never seen the body and he did want my tov eb female when he came over.
I thought the gesture was nice of me to give him another chin free of charge. I've since learned to change my contract and to not refund anything without proof. Also when he bought the b.v. we didn't give him the ped. on him or any other supply except for another copy of my care sheet.
Now here's the kicker...........ready for this? A few months ago I get a call from this guy and he wants to buy a female from me!!!! I told him no I wouldn't sell him another after the last b.s. he pulled. He told me he didn't think it was legal for me to do. I told him I have the right to refuse service to anyone I felt like. I told him I didnt get into chins to make money, their well being meant far more to me. I also said I would and have given chins away for free to a good home rather then make a quick buck and sell to a questionable one.
I wont make that make that mistake again. thats for sure.
illowfight:anyone else have a good one????
tkc1038
Well-known member
I actually have two horror storys, My very first chinny was from CL she (thought to be a he) was in a garage with no chews no hay and all things plastic and chewed horribly. Any way they said she was "free" and that she was MEAN, what she was was HOT, and had no socialization for TWO years except for food and water when they remembered. Now she hates to leave her cage but LOVES scritches and to be talked to, I say good morning every day to her and she come right to the front of the cage.
Second is my beautiful tan girl she is HUGE they were going to feed her to a snake because she kacked at them, she is still not a very nice girl but is getting used to the attention slowly, and she still loves to eat LOL. She is from CL too, I paid money for her because they said she was snake food!
Second is my beautiful tan girl she is HUGE they were going to feed her to a snake because she kacked at them, she is still not a very nice girl but is getting used to the attention slowly, and she still loves to eat LOL. She is from CL too, I paid money for her because they said she was snake food!
