Newbie with lots of Q's :~)

[Lucy~Caitlyn]

Thanks Amethyst,
I def won't be using birds of prey sounds, I've taken down my stain glass wind chime of George and the dragon because it used to upset my Baby Barn Owls :~( They got very defensive and did the same when they saw Golden Eagles flying on Isle of Skye.
I'm not using fleece with predator patterns either just in case.
Huge thanks for tip on shelf/ledge spacing I found it on another forum, it did seem a bit big which is why I posted here to check. Glad I did :~)
Chin Buddy would def be same size as a fully grown Chin, all my pets seem to have ended up with buddies whether I planned it or not :~) One of my cats has recently stolen the rabbit door stop! It's filled with sand but she drags it off by an ear and cuddles up to it purring :~)
I hoped wearing a mask and doing the minimum would be ok, I'll wear latex gloves to feed just to be on the safe side. I know that prob seems over the top but I gave my goat kid a serious illness once because I didn't have Chicken pox but I was a carrier and had no idea. Nearly lost her so I'm super careful around pets even if they are not supposed to get human infections.
As to dust baths, I think I'll probably end up with one Chin as I'll concerned about potential divorce :~( Though I did wonder if I did get 2 from same litter and down the road they didn't get on I could split my cage in 2 and have 1 in each section? Would they have enough space? Or should I stay with one in a mansion? :~)
A second cage is not an option space wise in my flat and I wouldn't have 1 in a big cage and 1 in a small one that would be unfair.
Thanks for the tips :~)

 

[Lucy~Caitlyn]

Just checked your Christmas thread ~ Wow! Can see clearly now what you mean by overlapping. That is what I had in mind with my brick effect ----- ----- -----
------ ---- ----
----- ----- ----
a bit like I've done here though obviously better spacing. Each shelf 6" to the shelf either side, above and below. Hope that makes sense. I'll then have hammocks across different parts of the cage, especially under the half shelves which have a big drop.

 

[IceMaiden]

I'm not sure if I'm misreading that or not, but 18" apart is way too much space apart for ledges. You don't want any drop more then 12 inches otherwise the chin can get seriously injured or die. For a kit I would make sure to put ledges 6 inches or less apart, 6 inches is about good for an adult too. Also overlap any ledges so there is no way of falling more then a foot, kits like to climb the cage too so keep that in mind. This is an old Christmas thread (cage is a bit different now) but it gives you an idea of overlapping I'm talking about.

Just to clarify on the cuddle buddy (just making sure you have the right idea), it should be about the size of a chin, not just a tiny stuffy type thing. They are good for single chins to cuddle up with, and also for males to, umm, have their way with, (not sure how to phrase that politely).

As to the possibility of spreading anything to the chin when sick, you could wear a mask over your mouth and make sure to wash your hands before doing anything in the cage if you are sick. Just keep things to a minimum when sick, feed, water, and that's about it, playtime can wait till you are better, contrary to what the chin may believe. Being in the same room should be ok, so long as you aren't sneezing or coughing on them or near them.

I don't know why IceMaiden suggests one bath per chin, unless a chin is sick I don't see any reason for them to have individual baths, my two love bathing together. One per cage I can understand, but if they are in the same cage they already live together so anything one has the other will too. Even when I had about a dozen chins they all shared one bath tub of dust, just sieved between chins.

Oh and another thing with the nature sounds, my chins also freak if there is any birds of prey sounds too, not sure why that would be on a sound machine but just in case. I was bugging my cats with a bird app I have on my phone and played a type of hawk I think and the chins freaked out bolting around the cage and alarm calling.

The single bath thing, I was told by someone who used to breed chins so I'm presuming they were taught it by someone else. It was one bath per chin so that the sand isn't risking cross contamination, which seemed logical to me. People don't share the same bath water so why should chins share the same sand? I thought it made sense anyway and never questioned it.

Thanks Amethyst,
I def won't be using birds of prey sounds, I've taken down my stain glass wind chime of George and the dragon because it used to upset my Baby Barn Owls :~( They got very defensive and did the same when they saw Golden Eagles flying on Isle of Skye.
I'm not using fleece with predator patterns either just in case.
Huge thanks for tip on shelf/ledge spacing I found it on another forum, it did seem a bit big which is why I posted here to check. Glad I did :~)
Chin Buddy would def be same size as a fully grown Chin, all my pets seem to have ended up with buddies whether I planned it or not :~) One of my cats has recently stolen the rabbit door stop! It's filled with sand but she drags it off by an ear and cuddles up to it purring :~)
I hoped wearing a mask and doing the minimum would be ok, I'll wear latex gloves to feed just to be on the safe side. I know that prob seems over the top but I gave my goat kid a serious illness once because I didn't have Chicken pox but I was a carrier and had no idea. Nearly lost her so I'm super careful around pets even if they are not supposed to get human infections.
As to dust baths, I think I'll probably end up with one Chin as I'll concerned about potential divorce :~( Though I did wonder if I did get 2 from same litter and down the road they didn't get on I could split my cage in 2 and have 1 in each section? Would they have enough space? Or should I stay with one in a mansion? :~)
A second cage is not an option space wise in my flat and I wouldn't have 1 in a big cage and 1 in a small one that would be unfair.
Thanks for the tips :~)

The problem with doing that though, is both chins will be used to having so much space, that if you have to separate them, their each loosing half of the area they are used to having. It's effectively like you suddenly finding you can only use upstairs of your house as someone else has been moved into the rest of it. Their not going to be very happy about that. If a second cage isn't an option taking on two isn't a good idea as you won't have anywhere to put the second one if they fall out. Rehoming one would be the only choice and there's no way I could do that to a chin I'd bonded with and got attached to. Personally I wouldn't risk it, it will leave you with a serious problem if it doesn't work out.

 

[Lucy~Caitlyn]

Thanks IceMaiden, this has been a real issue for me. I'd assumed I'd get two, then I got great help/advice about the potential for divorce :~(
I'd love to have 2 so they would have each other - But, I loved my late SO deeply and I'm lost without him (almost 8 years on), but I know if we'd had to share our home 24/7/365(6) for 6 months let alone 10+ years I would almost certainly have turned on him.
Like you I could not rehome an adored pet, I would have to get rid of furniture to make room for a second cage and that really is not practical.
I've already had very long discussions with Dr. and Specialists about having a Chinchilla because of my health. I was diagnosed Dec 28th, with a form of dementia (DLB), which I've managed for last 10 years, just didn't know what it was I was managing :~)
I could be ok 2 months-20+ years, I could get knocked down by a car tomorrow, life doesn't bring those guarantees. I've made arrangements for my cats (2/3 yrs old), my dog (22 months), hamster (10 weeks) and same place will take on my new addition.
So, it really does seem to be in the best interests of my new little one to be an only one.

 

[bubie]

treats

new at this and I see you they can be given wooden discs made of apple or pear to Chins and rabbits to keep their teeth down. any ideas? still trying to figure out how to best take care of the litle dears.

 

[Prince_Medion]

I have a double critter nation and I use fleece personally, and put cheap cut out towels/terry cloth underneath to absorb liquids. I have 3 sets which I change and wash once a week. My chins used to tug at it when I wasn't letting them out when they wanted (such impatient little devils lol) and expose the pan by pulling the end with the hole but now I've wedged it with a big hay rack and a cooling tile so they can't pull it no more.