Oh, the things we did!

[ticklechin]

I agree Godofgods, I think the forum has a limit on how much space you can use for a reply, I would fill it with all the wrong things I did, starting with the impulse buy of two chins that were on sale at petco, because a ad came in the mail with chins on sale in it!

 

[chiaismypet]

I gave my chinchilla who was 4 months old like five sunflower seeds the first day I got her... oh dear, I gave her tap water in a BOWL T_T but I quickly learned not to do that the next day! I took her out to play the first night she came home. I THOUGHT I knew everything about chinchillas, lol. I was like 13 and now im 14 and a whole lot smarter on chinchilla care thank god!

 

[CSquared]

My first pair came home in a wire dog crate as I got them for free from an ad in the newspaper. Back in 1992, aside from how we cared for them at the vet office I worked at I had no idea.
Guinea pig food, regular tap water.. the usual horrible plastic items. Those poor poor chins.

 

[Amphy64]

I did my research for a few months beforehand and was pretty fortunate in being able to find mainly accurate information. Even spent a few hours chin-proofing my room...

I just greatly underestimated how much chin-proofing would be needed. I knew chins jump, I knew they wall jump, but how was I supposed to know he was going to swarm up my entire bookcase? (and eat my books, of course) Spent quite a while scrambling around trying to fix cracks in my defences, worst was when he found his way into my spare mattress.

I also just generally wasn't prepared for Henry's personality. Reading about how chins can be sensitive, shy creatures and should be left alone quietly to settle in a new home left me expecting him to be a delicate exotic flower, and did nothing to warn me about the demented exotic squirrel-thing who, the first day I brought him home, demanded attention and refused to settle till I let him out to look around the room. Apparently he didn't read the bit in the chinchilla book that said he was meant to be shy. (he probably just ate it)

I'm not sure any amount of research can prepare someone for just how nuts chins are, lol.

 

[iheartchins]

:facepalm: , years ago but what was I thinking!

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

I did give vanilla scented dust, but stopped immediately when I read it was bad for them. I used to give my first chin raisins.
I used to use carefresh bedding.
I had a plastic dish for a little bit and a plastic water bottle.
We learn from our mistakes. And hopefully others do as well.

 

[Shenanigans]

I thankfully found this site when i began considering chins and looking into getting one. I even adopted my little guy off this site. My biggest oops was raisins. I read quite a few "reputable" looking sites that said it was ok. and even encouraged using them to bond in the beginning (Shoots ranch for one did, and they looked big enough to know). I'm glad I only did TINY pieces and I figured-heck, he likes other treats too, and no one debates if those other ones are bad, so quit using the maybe bad treats. It's not like Yuki can cheat on any diet I give him.
I also just generally wasn't prepared for Henry's personality. Reading about how chins can be sensitive, shy creatures and should be left alone quietly to settle in a new home left me expecting him to be a delicate exotic flower, and did nothing to warn me about the demented exotic squirrel-thing who, the first day I brought him home, demanded attention and refused to settle till I let him out to look around the room. Apparently he didn't read the bit in the chinchilla book that said he was meant to be shy. (he probably just ate it)
I also wasn't as good of a chin proofer. I had no idea chins could pick up and throw cardboard pieces. So I had to figure out a better way to keep him from eating/chewing on a plastic baby-gate.

I was really lucky I found this site. I got an amazing chin, all his actually good chin-safe stuff, and a ton of good knowledge. I never had the "oh crap I just bought a bunch of junk" to deal with.