Not sure if I should be a bit alarmed, or not

[Marie5656]

I am not sure if I am overreacting to this and would like your input. Tomorrow our local PBS station is having an Open House, with events for adults and children. One of the events is a small petting zoo, from our local zoo. For those here in Rochester...it is WXXI and th Seneca Park zoo. During a radio ad for it this morning, they mentioned that one of the animals in the petting zoo would be a chinchilla...available to "pet and handle". I went kind of ballistic hearing this. First I was thinking that this is all occuring during sleep time (10a-2P) and I know that many chins would get a bit stressed over being petted through their cage by so many little hands..and if someone would be handling them as well I am just wondering what this would do as far as stressing the little thing out.
Thing is..today was the first I heard of it, and the event is tomorrow. Is my alarm just an over reaction...or do you think this may be a good learning experience? I am just afraid that a lot of little kids (and adults too) will see the chin, say "oh how cute, I want one" and there would be chins going to people who would not know about proper care. What do you think??
I will live if you say I am making too much of this. Just wanted feedback.

 

[caiti]

I think it depends on the chin. I mean zoos let you touch all kinds of animals that normally you should not go around petting. Because they've worked to assimilate them to life around crowds of people.

I do understand your point about it being kind of misleading as far as suggesting expectations to potential pet owners. With wild animals, the zoo keepers can come in, educate the audience on the animal and everyone knows they can't just go home and get an ocelot or a sea lion or a cow for that matter (thinking more of traditional petting zoo animals), but a chin is actually doable. People can go home and buy one. As long as they make sure they very adamantly explain that what they are seeing in not normal chin behavior (which may likely be lost on kids), it might not be so bad.

I don't know, I'm kind of torn as well. As much as I'd love to spread chin joy around, at the same time I know they are susceptible to uneducated owners caring for them. Sorry I couldn't offer you a resolute point of view, I'm sure some others can though.

 

[AZChins]

Chinchillas make really bad petting zoo animals. They aren't really the best animals to show off as being examples of wild animals either. I've been asked many times if I could bring chins into classrooms to show children...and I have never felt it was completely appropriate since it could make those children want a chinchilla to the point where they will beg and the parents will give in.

I don't know what you can do to stop this...but I don't think that having a chin being available to be handled to large numbers of people is at all a good idea.

 

[Marie5656]

AZ, that is just what I was thinking. I see both sides o the story though...if the handler is well versed in chin behavior, and ownership he or she could give info, or at least direct folks to do plenty of research before looking for a chin.
Unfortunatly, with such short notice, not sure what I can do. I won't be able to go out to the event tomorrow to observe. I guess I can just hope things go well.

 

[mishellyshel]

if the owner of the chin is qualified and informed and giving the children the correct information, i think it could be a great learning experience for them. not a lot of people know what chinchillas are and this is an opportunity to educate them.

i am not saying the chin should be handled by all. but it would be nice for them to know what type of environment is required.

alll you can do is get there when it first starts with a nice printed info sheet. and if they person who is the owner is knowledgeable than you have nothing to worry about. but if they seem like someone who is inexperienced, perhaps you could give them the printout and give them a quick background. worst thing to do is accuse them of being a bad pet owner. no one likes to be talked down to or critcized. share you love of the species!

 

[Jadebf700]

I would hope that the owner is well educated on chinchillas. If that person is and the chin has gotten used to being handled then it isn't all bad. At least it isn't a child finding one in a pet store and then begging with no information provided other than what the horrible pet store people say. It is bad if that person has no idea.

Hopefully this person explains all the work and proper environment of the chinchilla and such. Maybe this case isn't one where the chinchilla is handled by anyone but the owner and the kids can pet it if so desired.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I don't think it's a good idea at all. You said that the "people" putting on this petting zoo is a park zoo. In my experience, a "zoo" is only concerned about educating the public about the animal's environment in the wild and how they survive in the wild. They may mention offhand that you can purchase a chinchilla as a pet in the states and send people on a crazy hunt to find this "cool" and "unique" pet.

I don't think a chinchilla should be in a petting zoo, typically they are located outside with no temperature control and I can't see how that would benefit a chinchilla at all. The hands reaching to pet them over their backs and heads where chinchillas fear being touched the most. Screaming kids running around with the other animals and running over to pet the chinchilla.

I guess I'm just shocked that members who own chinchillas would see any benefit to a chinchilla being in a petting zoo of all places. If you want to educate kids on chinchillas, taking one to a classroom on a cool day is perfectly fine, but a petting zoo? I've been to many petting zoos and I already feel bad for the other animals that deal with the screaming children that tend to throw things at them and yell at them.

 

[caiti]

I think a petting zoo could be like a classroom on a cool day. Actually, since I envisioned this event (the chinchilla portion of it) as totally indoors, it didn't even cross my mind that that would be a concern because I didn't think people would have a chin outside...but I probably should have thought of that.

If they let a small group of kids in at a time, and it's in an isolated room I think it would make it more manageable. Maybe I've just been to less crowded petting zoos. Most of the time there's only a handful of people there. Unless we're talking the Big E or something. That would be a horrible environment for a chinchilla.

 

[mishellyshel]

i was under the impression it was an "event" like a 4 H show, being held at the petting zoo. a few hours this saturday only. that is how i read it. not a permanent thing. and that is how i based my answer.

 

[3CsMommy]

It's hard to guess what kind of environment they mean by "petting zoo" since some are a herd of goats/llama/sheep/deer in a pen being jumped on by unruly brats and some are a series of 5 minute talk and pet sessions under the management of someone very familiar with the animals. I sure as shooting wouldn't put Crash in that situation, but I already know what he can't handle (and strangers without treats are high on that list). My ex's chin, Cervantes, was great with strangers, and seemed all right with the neighbor girl. If the handler keeps the chin in his/her hands and allows a couple of light strokes on the side/chin rubs, it could be a great experience *with the right chinchilla*. The animal's individual personality can make or break the experience too. If I lived closer to Rochester, I'd think about going just to check it out.

 

[Marie5656]

From my understanding, the "event" will be held indoors..at the PBS studio locally. Different things going on, not just the animals. Here is a link to the activities http://wxxi.org/openhouse/activities.html Check the paragraph under For the Kids. The mention of the chinchilla was from an interview on the radio this morning with one of the event organisors.
I just wish I could go to check it out....just will not be able to tomorrow. There will be reps from the local zoo. Now I go to the zoo almost evey year, at least once. And I do not recall ever seeing chinchillas there. It is the usual collection of animals there. So I do not know what is up with the chin.
I only just heard of it today, so was not able to investigate much, as I was on my way to work when I heard it.

 

[starleomach]

What is comes down to is no matter how you feel about this event what do you think you would be able to do about it? Hopefully it is a good learning experiance for people but you cannot control the actions of others so why get really upset? I doubt the reps are going to listen to 1 person with a pet chinchilla honestly. I do believe the Rochester zoo has chinchillas, my sister lives in Rochester and calls me to tell me each time she takes the kids to the zoo.

 

[Brittany_Lynn]

This is the link to the Seneca Park Zoo. I've been there plenty of times and have never seen a chinchilla, and they aren't mentioned on the site at all...although they do have an 'education animals' section where they have some pet type animals--african gray parrots, sun conures, a raccoon that was rehabbed and can't be released back into the wild, etc. that would be the perfect place for the chinchilla to be filed under, but there isn't one. So...who knows?
If they do have the event outside, the weather is going to be chilly today, so the chinchilla won't overheat...but he/she will probably get over excited

I've often thought about bringing Mork in to a classroom and showing him to children, because--and here's the main reason--he's deaf, and therefore can't get freaked out by the little kids screaming all the time, lol. But apparently you need a permit or the place you're gonna bring the animal has to have some sort of clearance with the state or something (I wanted to bring Mork in to visit the kids I work with at my new job, a daycare/Universal Pre-K center, but my boss said no Apparently it's a big pain in the butt).

 

[addictedtochins]

I certainly hope they don't bring a pregnant or nursing mom. As far as Mork being deaf, I think he could still be startled. If I fall asleep on the couch the chins often get startled when I wake up and move a arm or something

 

[ticklechin]

Tame chins are not fragile little creatures that will stress when the wind blows. I have 4 that have participated in many education days, they were handled, it was day time, it was outside or inside, it was noisey and they are no worse for wear. They all go and get rotated, one a hour.

 

[Jazicat]

The reason that I have Edgar is because a wonderful women had two at an event for sheep and alpaca. The woman was extremely well educated and none of her advise was wrong. Now that I have my two boys I know neither would be comfortable at an event like that so I wouldn't expose them to it. Edgar however loves new people so we do take him to family parties but are very controlled about how he sees people. If Edgar looks stressed or over stimulated it's time for a rest and he gets it.

Hopefully the chinchillas at this event will be of the disposition that they don't mind the attention because with the right person it can be educational.

 

[KristinC1983]

I'd have the same reaction...

I agree that it is not a goood thing at all! And evenn if they aren't selling chins, people will think they're that way-durable, easy, very sociable, able to be passed around, etc-and they'll probably end up wanting one, though it is a horrible misrepresentation of the species. If I were you, I'd be tempted to go there and make a big stink!

 

[Orlandochins]

I would be interested in how the set up is...I am not so sure that is the right environment for a chinchilla if it is set up that many people can handle several animals and then handle the chinchilla without washing their hands...it would also depend on the temperment of the animal
I had a chinchilla that I use to take to class with me when I was a teacher in a school. I knew she could handle it. Plus I only had 10 students and I had talked to each parent about it and let them know this is not an animal to purchase for a child. I was very specific in educating the kids and making sure they understood that there was a lot of responsibilty in owning a chin. The kids loved having her their for the day but none of them asked their parents for one....my students would ask during the year about her and when she passed they all made very nice cards for me

but with that being said....I would not have put her in a petting zoo type environment

 

[ticklechin]

I agree that it is not a goood thing at all! And evenn if they aren't selling chins, people will think they're that way-durable, easy, very sociable, able to be passed around, etc-and they'll probably end up wanting one, though it is a horrible misrepresentation of the species. If I were you, I'd be tempted to go there and make a big stink!

When a chinchilla is tamed, they are ALL of the above. Chins are not fragile little skittish creatures who need to live in quiet, when you tame them correctly they are social, enjoy being handled, want to be the center of attention. People do not spend the time taming their chins, they claim that "they don't like being held", well the less you handle the more wild they are. They need to be handled enough to realize humans are not predators but friends. Drives me nuts when people think all chins are they way you describe, they are not and I have had 15 to prove it, all my chins were and are extremely tame, it takes time and work but IMO every chin can be tamed.

 

[starleomach]

I agree with Dawn