New Chinchilla Mama

[pawcrusader]

Hey guys! I hopped over here from glidercentral as they highly recommended this forum. I am a very new chinchilla mama to a 2 year old rescued boy who I named Ziggy Stardust. His background is that I got him from some people who were basically hoarders living in a trailer and junkies (they dropped a couch on their hamster while I was there and I didn't sleep the entire night because I was just so... ugh... traumatized and full of adrenaline I guess). He does not like other chinchillas at all supposedly (I was told he screams when he sees them). This was so similar to my sugar glider who I rescued seven years ago that I had to take him (same age, same weird sociopath behavior in a colony animal haha). So I was literally given him and not much else (not even food) at 11:30 on Saturday night. It's been one week and I am slightly less anxious, but still very full of new pet worries and questions.

I fixed his living situation up the best I could on short notice. He has a one level ferret nation cage that maybe I can add modules to eventually (although this is one of my areas of concern as I live in an apartment and my sugar glider already has a fairly large cage so I don't know that I have the space to expand Ziggy's quarters). I did get him lots of stuff though - good food, fancy botanical hay, fancy pink salt nugget on a string, looots of toys, wheel, flying saucer on the way from internetland, two fleece beds one of which is hanging cube that he can jump on/in and play with, chinchiller, nesting boxes, chew sticks, and dust bath and bath house. I love animals and have owned or fostered exotics (and some wildlife too!) but I honestly don't know much about chins beyond the basics and have been feeling very overwhelmed.

I also have a cat and a sugar glider. My suggie is 9 and I've had him since he was 2. He was a very aggressive rescue and he bonded so much with me. I take him everywhere and you'd never know he was a former thug haha. He's the sweetest sugar glider ever, loves to be held and cuddled, loves people. So I'm hoping my good luck with exotics extends to my new chin as well. Oddly, chinchilla is not aggressive at all. Has not bit me once. Very sweet, loves pets, is somewhat okay with being held but scared when I first go to pick him up. Likes to come and sit on me though.

Anyways, back to the chinchilla... he is going to the vet next Saturday as I live in kind of a small city and the only exotic vet I trust is out this week. I'm really worried about doing something wrong with my little guy. Taking on a third pet is a lot for me (I'm 26, have my own two-bedroom place, but I work full time and I'm a grad student too although I do school online so I'm home often... still with two other pets, integrating a third can be tricky). I've thought of rehoming him but it would break my heart at this point and I'd only do it if I was absolutely convinced someone else had the experience to care for him better than I could. Even then, I just love the lil poofball and I want it to work out.

My major concern is the heat issue; do you have to have an AC to own a chinchilla? I live in Montana, but my apartment gets toasty in the summer with no AC.

How often do you let your chins out to play? My suggie is extremely bonded and free roams except when I am gone or asleep. He goes everywhere with me, including work, coffee shops, hair dresser, whatever. It took a lot of work and patience to get my suggie to that level though and I definitely don't expect Ziggy to be that way. It would be nice if one day he could get into a routine like my suggie has. Right now though, I do let Ziggy out as much as possible when I am home. I chase him around and supervise, or sometimes he just sleeps under my TV stand or near the couch. He's so big that I feel bad having him in the cage at all when my other two pets are sitting with me enjoying their evening. :\ Sometimes when I leave the door open, Ziggy stays in his cage anyways and sleeps or runs on his wheel. But in general, what is the norm for outside time with chinchillas? What is too much and what is too little?

And onto my next question... he was very hyper last night and had a good time jumping from my dresser, to my bed, and back, like a kid on a trampoline. Today he is pooped out. He's alert and not acting sick, but is this normal? What is normal sleep pattern for them? I know they are nocturnal but honestly I saw him sleeping on his side for the first time and flipped out because he looked dead so I'm very unsure about chinchillas and their ways. I have been letting him out for several hours, about whenever I am home and doing not too distracted. He isn't constantly playing or being petted/picked up though - like he'll go sleep somewhere and I'll just stare at him while I work on my computer because the TV stand is his "safe spot" so I'll only pet him when he's over there and I don't pick him up that much. I try to pick him up and hold him once every day.

Anyways, I have lots of questions and I'm hoping the vet can put some of my anxiety to rest, but any tips or advice you all have would be great. I'll have to post pics of him and his setup. He is adorable though. He likes to pick up my cat's jingly ball toys and prance around holding them. When I first gave him hay and chew sticks, he freaked out and fell asleep holding a chew stick. He still frequently sleeps with his chews and it's pretty adorable. <3 I just hope he's healthy and everything. It worries me when he sleeps a lot, but maybe I'm just paranoid.

 

[Amethyst]

First of all toss the salt, chins don't need the extra salt and it will do far more harm then good. Most chins don't even like them much anyway. Since you are so new to chins it might help if you actually list what you are feeding, good foods for example are Oxbow, Tradition, and Mazuri. You want a pellet only food with no extras, chins should not have fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, or animal products, just hay and pellets.

If the temp gets above 75F for an extended period of time (more then a couple hours) the chin will likely die, so unless you can keep the temp below that without an ac then yes you need one. You also need to keep the humidity level below 50%, their fur retains moisture and can get moldy, so either an ac or a dehumidifier (sometimes both) is needed. They don't have sweat glands so the only way to cool them is by making the room temp cool, fans do nothing for them. Think of it like wearing a winter fur snowsuit/coveralls all the time.

Chins are not normally cuddly, probably due to the whole intolerance to heat thing. I have had chins that I could walk around the house with on my shoulder, but I would strongly advise against taking your chin out of the house, they are too fast and can quickly get away from you and lost. Out of cage time should be 100% supervised at all times, in a chin safe area. So no cords to chew, nothing that shouldn't be eaten or chewed on accessible, etc. You can't train a chin not to chew, they have to all the time. I'm not trying to be mean, but I've read over the years of people swearing up and down that they trained the chin not to chew on things like cords, then next thing you know they are posting how their chin was electrocuted. The chin should also never have access to anywhere that you can't physically get it. It's good to allow him a safe spot, so long as if you need to, like if he is hurt or grab something dangerous, you can get him.

Adult chins should have as much playtime or as little as you want to give and the chin can handle. A single FN is big enough for a single chin, especially with a wheel so you don't need to give any playtime if you don't want to or can't sometimes. What is much more important then playtime is socialization time, you need to spend at least an hour a day with him, interacting with him. Interaction can include, petting, singing, talking, reading to him, or even just sitting with him, not just out if the cage running around time. You didn't mention it, but I strongly advise against any interaction between animals, especially the cat, but the sugar glider may also carry bacteria or illness (but not be effected itself) that can make the chin sick. So unfortunately that includes not shared toys, especially cat toys, cats can carry a bacteria in their saliva that is deadly to chins. You can however buy the chin it's own bell toys, and other toss toys, to play with when he is out though. Even cat toys that haven't been used or have been thoroughly cleaned can be used so long as the chin doesn't chew/eat them.

Chins are not actually nocturnal, they are wake mostly during the coolest parts of the day and sleep during the hottest and coldest. They do wake though out the day though to get a bite to eat, or a drink, or to chew something. Sleeping on his side is a good sign actually, it means he feels safe enough to do so. Chins are know to sleep in some very weird and heart attack inducing ways and places sometimes, just check this thread out.

 

[Godofgods]

The living basic should be fairly simple from what you mentioned you have already. A FN is a good cage for them. Even one level is fine.

What type of pellets/food do you have. There are many out there and not all are safe (this is true for all types of chinchilla products.) A chin will eat around 2 tbls of pellets a day. Will vary on the chin, his size, appetite, day to day, but its an avg. And all the Timothy hay they want to eat. Tho be prepared for a good bit to go to waste. They are picky like that. - Most chinchilla pellets are alphalpha hay based. Timothy hay is generally use to balance that out (one reason at least.)

Salt and mineral chews there are no need for unless the chin has a specific need for them.

Chins are chewers. In fact one not chewing could be a problem. All of there teeth continuously grow. As such, they need to be filed down. They do this with chewing hay and other items. You jsut have to make sure what they are chewing is safe. Because often times what they chew could be ingested. So you dont really want any plastic items in his cage.
Unfortunately the FN cage does have some standard plastic items in it. And it varies depending what model you have.

The older version FN142 (and the better one imo) has a flat tray. Iv never rly had any big issues with these.

where as the 182 has a plastic lip on the half shelfs that could be an issue.

The bottom full tray and the second floor cut out tray both are plastic tho and can be an issue. this was the full tray that came with my first chin Chico when i took him in.

Obviously you dont want that to happen. he could have easily ingested that plastic and died.

Some ppl get fleece covers for the trays (Which only have a chance at working if you chin doesnt chew fleece. And they can be picky with that. They might not chew one fleece item but always tear another item apart.) Some get metal bass pans. Expensive, but they should last longer then the chin and you dont have to worry so much about them trying to chew it.

Also should mention that Anti-pill or blizzard fleece is considered the only safe fabric for chins. This is only because they do not fray and pill like other fabrics making it much less likely for them to chew on. That being said, if they chew on the fleece then it has to be removed. Just like the plastic they could ingest it if chewing on it. And they both can cause blockages in the gut leading to impaction. Very painful, and potentially deadly. So pay attention if your using fleece.

AC is a must for them. there really is no way around it. They should only be kept at a max of 70-72. Approaching 75 could lead to overheating and death. Each chin has its own tolerance. But its not something you want to play with. Chins like the cold.

Also worth noting that fans are a bad idea. While its ok to have something like a ceiling fan thats designed to circulate air, you do not want to place a fan on the cage or the chin. The reason we ppl might like it is because we can sweat. Thats why it can be comforting. A chin can not sweat. To him, its just blowing hot air in his face the whole time. Also the draft of it can give them a URI. So AC is something thats really needed if you live where it going to be hotter then that.

As for letting the chin run... You do not want to let him run for hours at a time. They can over heat and over exert themselves. 30 min is fine. Even tho like a little kid they may act like they always want more. But you have to have limitations. And technically, once you get a proper and safe wheel, you could not let him out at all. Many ppl dont in fact. Chins as a species like the safety of a small inclosed space. Thats how they live.

Also when letting them out, you want a safe area, a chin proofed room, to let them out in. There is a lot they can hurt themselves on. And a lot of dangerous things they could chew on. You dont want them taking a leap or falling and breaking a leg, or chewing on an electrical cord.

Many ppl use a small bathroom (thats dry and aired out. You shouldnt get chins wet.) Keeping the seat fully down of course. Others will chin proof a room for them. I myself have my chins in there own room that is chin proofed.

The thing to really worry about tho is the other pets. While im not familiar with sugar gliders, cats can be a danger. No matter how loving or docile a cat is, it be nature is a predator. And chins by nature are pray. You never ever want them out together. In fact you dont rly want the cat to be able to get near the chin or the chin cage at all. It only takes one swipe of a paw, even through the cage bars, to injure a chin drastically. Cats also often carry a parasite called pasteurella. While harmless to the cat, as a carrier, they could pass it to the chin with contact like that. And for a chin, it is harmful.

Vets are a hard one. Many of them rly dont have much chinchilla knowledge. Or they will simply talk like they do when they dont. Or others are jsut after the money. Many vets have given some rly bad advise. So it can be really hard not only to find one that is good an knowledgeable, but to accept this fact to begin with. It can be hard to accept the word of internet ppl over the vet. It kinda goes against normal logic. But in this case is very true. The more you learn about chins, the easier it is to be able to see. So feel free to remember/document what the vet is telling you and discuss it with ppl here. If nothing else, more opinions are usually a good things. - While some ppl here are simple owners, or like me an owner that had researched for a long long time; there are also rescuers and breeders here who have worked in depthly with chins for decades. Its a good resource to use.