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PintoLady09
Guest
ok, I just looked. It's a she, officially!
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Oh Lord, then you are now officially on pregnancy watch. If she was in with a noncastrated male, there is every chance that she is pregnant, poor little thing.
Make sure you have a baby safe cage, just in case, and if she lets you handle her without too much stress you can start taking her weight every couple days. A steady weight gain, slow and easy, might just be from good food and good care, but if she continues to gain, look rounder, have a big jump of weight, then a levelling off and a little dropping, burrowing at the bottom of the cage, laying on her side (more than usual), change in personality - these could all be indications of pregnancy.
I will keep my fingers crossed that your girlie is not pregnant. With the head tilt already going on, that could be hard on her. I would definitely get her checked out by a vet soon.
Make sure you have a baby safe cage, just in case, and if she lets you handle her without too much stress you can start taking her weight every couple days. A steady weight gain, slow and easy, might just be from good food and good care, but if she continues to gain, look rounder, have a big jump of weight, then a levelling off and a little dropping, burrowing at the bottom of the cage, laying on her side (more than usual), change in personality - these could all be indications of pregnancy.
I will keep my fingers crossed that your girlie is not pregnant. With the head tilt already going on, that could be hard on her. I would definitely get her checked out by a vet soon.
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PintoLady09
Guest
Ok, now I've gotta get my behind over to my BIL's room and check out his... I hope she's not pregnant!!! I wasn't ready to home a chin, let alone babies! *LOL* Oh well. If she is, be assured , she's gonna have the best of care. I went to petsmart today and found the oxbow food. So I got it. I read that a lot of people on here seem to feed it. I also bought her the bath house and some dust. Is there one type of dust that's better than another? What can I do to better her life and reduce her stress? I have a cover on her cage which allows the top shelf to be completely covered. And she is snuggling under the fleece blankies that I have in there for her.
Also I saw a pomice chew block... do they use those? It said it was for chinchilla's, but I didn't know. I don't trust much in pet stores. Ever since I got my sugar gliders and found out that the food they sell for them is bogus, i'm leary. I figured I'd ask you all first. They also had what looked to me to be a piece of marble to help "keep them cool" and I know I have about 20 boxes of marble tile here at home, so wanted to ask about that too. Should they have something like that?
Also I saw a pomice chew block... do they use those? It said it was for chinchilla's, but I didn't know. I don't trust much in pet stores. Ever since I got my sugar gliders and found out that the food they sell for them is bogus, i'm leary. I figured I'd ask you all first. They also had what looked to me to be a piece of marble to help "keep them cool" and I know I have about 20 boxes of marble tile here at home, so wanted to ask about that too. Should they have something like that?
Chinwawa
Besotted Chinchilla Lover
Hi! Your girl is adorable. She is so lucky to be in your care.
I am new to chins myself but I can answer two of your questions: they love the pumice stone and it is essential that they have that. There are also pumice pieces that you can hang in her cage and safe chew sticks.
A cooling stone is very good too. You can use granite tiles instead of paying for the cooling stone. I am going to get some tiles in my local hardware store. I paid 9.00 for one granite cooling stone.
I am new to chins myself but I can answer two of your questions: they love the pumice stone and it is essential that they have that. There are also pumice pieces that you can hang in her cage and safe chew sticks.
A cooling stone is very good too. You can use granite tiles instead of paying for the cooling stone. I am going to get some tiles in my local hardware store. I paid 9.00 for one granite cooling stone.
Cuddlebug
Well-known member
Blue cloud and Blue Sparkle are the dusts that most of us recommend. If you can't find them near you , you can check out the classified ads section for someone on here that sells it.
Oh, and the pumice stones help keep their teeth worn down. This is necessary because chinchilla teeth grow constantly.
Oh, and the pumice stones help keep their teeth worn down. This is necessary because chinchilla teeth grow constantly.
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Rickman
Guest
In reading through, I don't see anything pertaining to temps.
It's imperative you keep her under 80 degrees, to avoid heatstroke!
They really thrive @ 65 to 70, and warmer than that they become sluggish. Imagine yourself in a fur coat this time of year!
I've been able to regulate vents in order to keep the room cooler than the rest of the house, and that's worked very well with C/A.
Currently 84 here, has been over 90 already, and I know you get the same 3-4 days later.
Congratulations, and good luck!
It's imperative you keep her under 80 degrees, to avoid heatstroke!
They really thrive @ 65 to 70, and warmer than that they become sluggish. Imagine yourself in a fur coat this time of year!
I've been able to regulate vents in order to keep the room cooler than the rest of the house, and that's worked very well with C/A.
Currently 84 here, has been over 90 already, and I know you get the same 3-4 days later.
Congratulations, and good luck!
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PintoLady09
Guest
She is in the heart of my house right now... I have an open design kitchen/living room area and she sits next to my desk which is in the middle of the two rooms. We aren't loud obnoxious people. And read this can help her get used to us... The temperature in here rarely goes over 70 degrees... And at night I turn it down to 65 degrees. My sugar gliders and now my hedgie have their own room that stays a little warmer, especially at night. About 75 degrees.
And Oh Lord Help Me!!! :banghead: I checked out my BIL's chin and it's a male... :cry3: I'm gonna bombard him with questions when he gets home... When exactly did he get her, how long have they been together, what does he feed and well you know the whole list probably! I don't want babies! But what can you do? (You don't have to answer that, its rhetorical). I've gotta go research gestations and heat cycles now... :hair: *LOL* This is what I get for having the biggest heart for "hard luck" animal cases...
Thank you all for the advice, and hopefully her hair will grow back and she'll be a beautiful girlie again. Any suggestions on names for her? I could name her Arya and my new hedgie (who is a male) Eragon... And no, they aren't housed together. I was already in the works on getting him, when she came into my life... And just picked him up today...
And Oh Lord Help Me!!! :banghead: I checked out my BIL's chin and it's a male... :cry3: I'm gonna bombard him with questions when he gets home... When exactly did he get her, how long have they been together, what does he feed and well you know the whole list probably! I don't want babies! But what can you do? (You don't have to answer that, its rhetorical). I've gotta go research gestations and heat cycles now... :hair: *LOL* This is what I get for having the biggest heart for "hard luck" animal cases...
Thank you all for the advice, and hopefully her hair will grow back and she'll be a beautiful girlie again. Any suggestions on names for her? I could name her Arya and my new hedgie (who is a male) Eragon... And no, they aren't housed together. I was already in the works on getting him, when she came into my life... And just picked him up today...
Ronda
Well-known member
Her fur looks like a **** beige but you said her eyes were a dark red where **** beige have the bright light red eyes.
Don't worry about weighing her for a while yet - she has 111 days gestation so that gives you plenty of time to get her accustomed to her new home. Also, instead of pumice try wood, apple or pine or some other such wood. Most of my chins don't like the pumice but would rather chew wood blocks or even the wire on their cages. I guess it's whatever they like since they all seem to have different personalities.
A heavy tile or even brick would work as a cooling stone for the chin. Just put it in the freezer to cool it down really cool for her on a hot day. Sounds like you have it cool enough in your house so that you wouldn't need to use a stone unless you have a loss of cooling system.
Don't worry, if she is pregnant you will enjoy the babies. They are so cute and you will be able to find someone who wants a chinchilla.
Good luck!
Ronda
Don't worry about weighing her for a while yet - she has 111 days gestation so that gives you plenty of time to get her accustomed to her new home. Also, instead of pumice try wood, apple or pine or some other such wood. Most of my chins don't like the pumice but would rather chew wood blocks or even the wire on their cages. I guess it's whatever they like since they all seem to have different personalities.
A heavy tile or even brick would work as a cooling stone for the chin. Just put it in the freezer to cool it down really cool for her on a hot day. Sounds like you have it cool enough in your house so that you wouldn't need to use a stone unless you have a loss of cooling system.
Don't worry, if she is pregnant you will enjoy the babies. They are so cute and you will be able to find someone who wants a chinchilla.
Good luck!
Ronda
