Pro advice please!

[SheeshBop]

As a new Chin mommy, i feel super lucky to have all you pro's to help answer questions and give advice, SO if you could tell all us newbies the coolest Chinnie tip, something your Chin loves, or something you wish you knew about their behavior or safety from the beginning, what would it be?? Let us know!!! It may be something silly, but a new mom wants as much info as possible! Thanks guys!!:thumbsup:

 

[Godofgods]

something you wish you knew about their behavior or safety from the beginning, what would it be??

Oh i know right away the first thing i wish i would have known.

Ive made a few mistakes regarding diet and treats and cage items and what not (since i never heard of a chin when my brother asked me to take his in). But it doesn't come close to when baby Houdini was born.

I new some of the signs of pregnancy, but my girl showed none of them. Until one day when my ferret was out to play, found a baby chinchilla underneath my refrigerator!! (And i had no idea he even existed!)

Had my Zoey not found him... well nothing good would have happened.

I definitely wish i would have known more about baby chins and the special needs they need; And avoided that near catastrophe!
(And a side note, i wouldn't have had to by a new fridge, since mine died when i shut it off after finding baby chin under it) But better the fridge then the chin!

 

[Chinmama]

Ah, where to begin...

Find a knowledgeable vet before you need one. That way you'll have one lined up in case of emergency.

Your chinchilla can live up to 20 years or more, make sure your cage and accessories are built to last. Start up costs can be expensive, but you should buy quality products that will stand the test of time. Your cage should be taller than it is wide. Wire spacing will depend on your breeding plans, so make sure to take that into consideration. Shelves and ledges should preferably be wood (pine or poplar). Wire ramps should be removed or covered with fleece. A good wheel will be 15" in diameter and made of metal.

Avoid the idea that a plastic ball is fun for a chinchilla. When chinchillas come out for playtime, they hop and jump. They do not walk or run. You can't hop and jump in a ball. And they can overheat in there, leading to a possible heatstroke. Not to mention rolling around in pee... Take the money you would spend on the ball and invest it in a nice sized playpen. They have some nice ones on Amazon. They can be around $60 or a little more, but again, you'll be using it for many years.

I could go all day with this, but I've got to at least look like I'm working for a minute. I'll add more later.

 

[kellylynnmarie]

The biggest thing for me was, "what's a quality product? and where do I get it?" New chin (or any animal) owners often think what they find at Petco, PetSmart, etc. are all safe for the animal... But it's best to do your research and know what kind of food, hay, treats, etc. are healthy!

I also wish I had more knowledge about all of the health problems they could have and the signs to look for (as they can be very subtle).

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

Don't feed too many treats!!!

Chinchillas are just like children -- they would eat candy all day if you let them. It's up to you to make sure that they get the best possible hay, feed and clean water. Truly, that is all they need.

Treats are for us humans. I like to buy generic bite sized shredded wheats, break them in half, and then break those into halves, and you have 4 reasonable sized treats. Toys and sticks count as treats, too. Remember, anything that YOU hand your baby is a "treat" to them, whether it's an edible or a chewable.

Most things sold in pet stores are not safe for chinchillas, even though there may be a picture of a chinchilla on the package. Go to the chin supplies thread on this forum and check the sticky with the grand master list of chinnie items and who makes what. The Moderators are pretty good at weeding out non-reliable people, so you should feel comfortable ordering from people on that list.

When in doubt, ASK!!! The only stupid question is the one you don't ask!!!

Welcome to the wonderful world of chin ownership!!!