New owner here got a few ?s

Kham · Nov 6, 2011

I just got 2 chins that are about a year old. I got them from Craigslist got them with a Ferret Nation 142 cage. I payed 150 for them the cage and everything for them.

Now on to my questions.
The cage has the plastic shelves does any body know where i can get wood ones and what size would i need?

Also any body who lives in Chicago? Is there any good stores around that sell good food and toys and chew toys?

greychins · Nov 6, 2011

Hi. I don't know where you are in Chicago, but we're a bit south of Chicago (about 30-45 mins from Chicago... depending on where you are in Chicago). We're in Munster (46321).

We sell wood shelves, custom sized to fit the cage, and we sell chew toys and food (Mazuri) as well. We sell just about everything except food bowls. As for the size of the shelves, I want to say a 35" fits long ways and it's 23"(?) for the sides, but I would have to double check. I just made shelves for a FN the other day. Here's the link to the page on my website where it shows the various things we sell - http://www.nwichinchillas.com/suppliesforsale.htm The shelves are a bit of the ways down, and the chew toys are below that.

As for stores that sell chew toys and food.... you can find Oxbow and Mazuri at Petsmart, but you will end up paying an arm and a leg for them. Often it's cheaper to get them elsewhere... They do have some chew toys that are safe at the pet stores... but like anything, not everything is safe... some stuff is made out of unknown types of wood, so that type of stuff we don't give..... well, we mostly make the toys for our chins, but some stuff we do buy. Here's a link to the stuff that we consider safe from the pet stores -

Let me know if I can help you out! Glad to see someone else from the area! Welcome to the forum!

Sandi · Nov 6, 2011

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new chins. I'm from Chicago

but now live about 35 miles southwest of the north side of the city. I did reply to your pm and as mentioned above, it would be cheaper and you would get a lot more for your money if you purchased chin safe items online instead of the petshops. I do use them in a pinch if I need to for oxbow hay and water bottles and bedding (when I used to use pine/aspen bedding).

Here's the link to the suppliers here on the forum.

http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=29

wranglersarah · Nov 11, 2011

I got the ferrett nation cages too and I don't have very much support for chin owners where I live. Thank goodness for this forum. I ended up making my own shelve and they turned out really good. Let me know if you need more assistance. Good luck with your boys!