Leaving chin home alone

[laurenxx810]

Before anyone gets upset with me, I just wanted to state that I DO NOT want to have to leave Oliver home alone but I may have to. So please withhold the criticism, I feel badly enough. Anyway, in your experience, what is the longest amount of time you've left your chin home alone unattended? My plans involve something around only 24 hours but if you've managed with longer I'd still like to know. Thanks!

 

[Smidgeyy]

If you're going to be gone for 24 hours you want someone to check in on him.

The longest I leave mine is 24 hours and I always have someone checking in on them at least once that day. I am more concerned in the summer since temperature is an issue. But yeah, you don't want to leave him go too long. Accidents happen so having someone check in on him is important.

 

[Pepperpot]

24 hours is too long to leave a chin unattended! I wholeheartedly agree with the above stated, you need someone to come in probably a couple of times during this period to check on Oliver. Chins have a nack of getting into scrapes and they tend to happen at the most inopportune times. My two kits upturned their food bowl during one night, and on another occasion managed to throw their drinking bottle to the floor. The list is endless.

 

[sheri7]

I have left my chins for up to 24 hrs when necessary but wouldn't feel comfortable leaving them any longer than that without someone checking on them. I gave them lots of extra hay and pellets.

 

[Amethyst]

To be total honest the longest I've left my guys is a weekend, and it was in the spring so it wasn't hot out yet, I left on a Saturday afternoon and got home Monday afternoon so ~48 hours. They were fine, I left them with lots of hay, extra water bottle (3 bottles total), a j-feeder full of food (not possible to knock over, but can be pooped/peed in). However I would not advise it, and I was a nervous wreck all weekend and it spoiled my trip. There really is so much that can go wrong with chinchillas, there was a debate tread about this very topic about a year ago if you want to read it.

 

[Minccino]

I've left my chin overnight before. Left that night, came back the next morning.

I made sure he had extra food and water. All spill proof. It was during the winter, so there was no worry about the heat.

Everything was fine! I would have been uncomfortable doing that for a longer period of time. If it makes you feel uncomfortable then that probably means you should have someone check on him.

Make sure the cage is completely safe from anything they could get stuck in too.