large cage for baby...remove top ledges?

[michelleideeaz1]

I'm getting a baby chin freshly weaned from Momma chin. I have a 5 level cage...I've heard that babies may hurt themselves if trying to jump too far...should I remove the upper 3 ledges until baby is at least 6 months old or more????

 

[TaylorMadeChinchillas]

It is old enough to be sold, he can handle himself.

 

[AZChins]

If there is a drop greater than maybe 15 inches in the cage, you need to lower the ledges and shelves. Babies can definitely hurt themselves if they miss when they are jumping and fall. They can be rather clumsy when they are younger, and also when they are in new cages that they aren't used to yet.

 

[javachin]

Sounds pretty high. I would remove the ledges myself and be on the safe side.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

It is old enough to be sold, he can handle himself.

Sorry but this is poor advice! I always advise lower level for babies. I had a customer who did not listen and had a 4 tier cage. I told her to block off 3 levels-she did not and the chin suffered a broken neck from the fall.

So block it off until he/she is 4 mos of age then open up a little at a time. Watch how they handle it then go from there.

 

[michelleideeaz1]

Oh my!

Okay...I will only leave 2 ledges in the cage for now. Do you think it's okay if I don't technically "block off" the upper part of the cage even tho there will be no ledges up there? I'm not sure how I'd even block it off..??? Maybe hang a hammock mid-way up that covers the entire open area above? This way, if he does venture past the hammock, his only place to fall will be back onto the hammock and not all the way to the bottom of the cage...What do you think???

 

[Amethyst]

The hammock idea sounds great, I've heard someone do that before. The problem with young chins is most climb, so even without ledges if the cage bars allow for climbing they will.

 

[michelleideeaz1]

Yeah, that's what I thought. I've been watching you tube videos of babies and they seem to scamper all the way to the top of the cage no matter what. I have a full size hammock on order via "fleece for furries"... I'm not taking any chances whatsoever with my baby. Only 10 more looooooong days to go!!!!!!!! :dance3:

 

[Pookinaround]

Hi Michelle... when you come to pick up your baby you can show me online what cage you have and I can give you better advice once I see what exactly it is that you have... If the cage has levels that "attach" you can just leave them out till he gets a bit bigger and just hang a couple of wooden shelves down low but let me see what cage you have exactly and we can go from there... Babies will try and climb the cage bars... they are little daredevils...