Lots of questions! Help?!

[ballzd33p]

I just got my new chinchilla yesterday.
It's a female, standard gray.
I've googled and researched before I got her, but I still have a few questions I'd like anwsered by chinchilla owners, and possibly a hedgehog owner too.

How long do chinchillas shed for? I read that they shed every 3 months, but how long is the shedding process? And does their whole body shed, because my females lower body is the only part shedding right now.

How often should I change the dust in the dust bath? And what's a good brand of dust to buy?

&

I know it's going to take a while for my chin to warm up to me. I'm aware it could take up to a year. But what is a good method to just get her to crawl into my hand, she's done it about once or twice, but she's still super shy. I don't really want to grab her, because I'm scared I will grab her too hard and hurt her, since I also read their bones are very fragile.

And what kind of treats do you feed YOUR chin? I just got mine so she hasn't taken any from me yet. I've tried cherios and a piece of apple, and she just wasn't going for it.

As for this question, I will need a hedgehog and chinchilla owner.

-I have both a chinchilla and a hedgehog. Hedgehogs cannot get too cold, as they will try to hibernate and kill themselves. Chinchillas obviously can't get too hot, as that will kill them. What would be a good temperature for them both the be comfy in? I have a heating pad for hedgehogs under the hedgehogs cage, so if it is a little chilly, he can get under his fleece blanket and be warm. I just need to know what's a good temperature for the room so they can both be healthy and comfy?

 

[Strevale]

You just let them climb on you and then when she's on your hands move slowly out of the cage. If she freaks out let her back into the cage. Eventually she'll get used to it and you can take her out for longer periods of time.

I give my chins plain cheerios and they all love them, but some of them wouldn't accept them until they warmed up to me. They also LOVE small pieces of raisins. I'm talking about an individual raisin cut up into like 8 peices or more. Only give them one small piece a day.

I use blue cloud and blue sparkle dust. The chins all like it, I did try a cheaper store bought brand, but they just looked at me like I was crazy and wouldn't bathe in it. I would change their dust every week or so.

Chinchillas are good in cold temps, and if you're keeping them in your house I don't know why your house would be freezing, so it should be ok. I try to keep the house between 65-75, 75 being the MAX you should go. I bought some granite/marble tiles and cut them down so that the chins can get on them if they're feeling too warm.

 

[aznmexaggie]

The priming process takes an average of 3 months. The process starts with fur shed around the head and working its way back to the tail. A chinchilla is almost always "shedding" on some part of its body but when they are perfectly in prime, their coat should look nice and smooth.

I reuse dust a few times but after that, the dust particles left tend to be larger and don't work as well at penetrating a chin's thick coat. If the chin soils the dust, it should not be reused. Blue Cloud works the best but Blue Sparkle is decent as well.

For treats, grain-based treats such as rolled oats or a plain Cheerio or unsweetened shredded mini-wheat work well. Rosehips are also healthy treats rich in vitamin C.

I would not keep a chin and hedgehog in the same room. Hedgehogs need warm ambient temperatures- not just a warm spot from a heating pad.

 

[kenko]

you might be in a bit of a bind with both critters, I've read that Hedgehogs aren't supposed to go under 75 degrees, where chins aren't supposed to go above 75 degrees--even if you kept both at 75, it does seem like both would be perpetually uncomfortable and any fluctuation in temperature could possibly be dangerous for one. I wouldn't keep them in the same room.