I need help or advice i am about to lose it

[Cola89]

I know im mad beacuse everything with the chin cage is driving me crazy at once. Ok here it goes.... the chinchillas have started digging up the edge of the fleece liners going and playing under them and then chewing the towel in the middle so chunks are missing and now tearing apart the fleece tops. once they have exposed the plastic (which is typically covered by the fleece liner) they have started to chew the plastic only little peices. I KNOW ALL OF THIS CAN KILL THEM!!! they have also somehow been peein on the edge of the cage so that my carpert now has pee stains. once my mom sees this she is gonna be mad and quite frankly im getting sick of the pee too. is there a better cage than a ferrett nation. im seriously fed up with chin life at the moment

 

[Cola89]

oh and i have a chin that gets her food in the bowl cause she will undo the coop cup but now she is digging food out of her bowl

 

[Ash]

Spend the money, get the deeper bass pans, and use shavings.

Getting the bass pans is going to be cheaper than buying a whole new cage. Otherwise, find a new home for your chins who is willing to let them be their chinnie selves.

As to digging out food? Feed her less at a time.

 

[threewingedfury]

I agree with Ashley. It's not worth getting another cage, IMO. The pans are gonna be a bit costly, but I wouldn't risk using fleece if your little ones have decided to rip it apart and eat it. You could try getting a plastic mat and putting it under the cage or maybe even cardboard? I know I've seen a thread somewhere where a person made a little box around the cage to hold poos in, and that could also work.

 

[alli713]

I agree, get rid of the plastic pans. That's an issue that everyone states when they talk about the Ferret Nations. Chins aren't really good with plastic, so it's something that does need to be changed if your chins like to chew up plastic. Then if you get the deeper pans you won't have an issue with them peeing outside the cage, and use shavings.

And for the food, either feed less or get a different bowl. Or perhaps your food is going stale or they just don't like it anymore.

My girls sometimes pee outside their cage (they're on wire bottoms) but I have linoleum remnants under the cage so it doesn't soak into the carpet. You can find them at home improvement stores or carpet stores. Or also the plastic mats for under computer chairs works too.

 

[Cola89]

ok i have calmed down. im sorry dont get me wrong i love the chins to death just kinda had a small melt down thanks i willl get the pans and for the shavings i think i have some from along time ago it was the news paper kind

 

[menagerie]

Get some Resolve carpet cleaner and spot clean the carpet where they've peed.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

Like everyone said get the metal bass pans. As for pulling the food out - I have several that do that. What I did was to put a smaller bowl in a larger bowl (like a big dog ceramic bowl) That way, when they dig the food out it goes into the bigger bowl. They can then, either eat the food that has gone into the bigger bowl or you can scoup the food out of the bigger bowl and put it into the smaller one. I find I save a lot of food that way. As for the chins being mischievous - well that is the fun of chins. They are so full of themselves and it is fun trying to 'out wit' them. Lots of times you can't. I VERY much appreciate a smart animal who is 'going to do it their way' They are so funny

 

[Cola89]

i dont mind them playing under the fleece but when there pulling towel strings out that stresses me out cause i dont want them to die

 

[AZChins]

You could try a different type of cage. Sometimes different people like different types of cages. I had a customer give up her ferret nation cage for various reasons, she had me build a custom cage for her that she just loves. It just depends on what works for you.

 

[chinluvr]

I have had problems with some of my chins trying to chew fleece...I went to the store and bought ceramic tile and lined the outer rim of the fleece with the tile...you will need to wipe down the tiles each time you clean the cage but so far it has kept my chins from pulling up the fleece and chewing on it...and it gives them some cool places to lay aorund the cage...and I also got the bass pans...not only better for the chins but much easier to clean than the plastic pans...I just shake out the liners into the pan and use a small dust pan and broom to sweep up the chin poo...and then wipe down with white vinegar water mix...it only takes a few minutes

I also read somewhere on another board that someone bought a shower liner and hung it directly behind the cage and then tucked what was hanging under the cage...then once a week she washes the liner...she said it saved her walls and her carpet