severely lost chin

[angyxpoo]

so today has been my absolute nightmare. last night (technically this morning) at 5 am, I randomly woke up and had the feeling to check on my chin Kai whom I got this past Saturday. He is still adjusting and pretty afraid of me. when I approached his cage, he wasn't in it. I've figured that he squeezed out of an inch gap at the bottom of the cage (which I've since fixed).


I have a one bedroom one bathroom apartment that I've turned upside down looking for him!! I've turned my couches upside down, looked inside of them, pulled out my fridge and stove, unscrewed the bottom of my dishwasher to check underneath, tore my bedroom apart... still can't find him. I sat in the dark/quiet to see if I could hear him... I'm 70% sure I heard him in the kitchen hidden somewhere.. I was positive at the time but now I'm not because he still hasn't turned up. I blocked off my kitchen before I left for work and put food out for him and his dust bath... but I haven't even given him a dust bath yet so I'm sure he doesn't know what that is. I came home from work to find everything untouched. so I searched again. still no sign of him. I am starting to freak out. I went and bought a have a heart live trap and put raisins and cheerios inside.. it's been a few hours and still no luck. I can't find his droppings anywhere. I don't even know what treats he likes yet because he's still too nervous to eat from my hand.


I feel terrible and depressed. I'm afraid he's hurt or dead. I don't know what to do. he's been missing since 5 am or maybe slightly earlier and now it's almost 10 pm and he hasn't eaten or left droppings for me to find... I don't know what else to do

 

[Dreamlite]

I would close off each room individually if possible. Place a small container of food and water in each room. Just start tearing everything apart. Look for any holes in the walls or corners. They can fit in very small spaces. How old is the chin? Obviously the smaller the more places they can fit into. I would unplug all electronics possible just in case he chews them. Its always scary when a chin gets loose. Good luck finding him. I'm wishing you a happy ending.

 

[angyxpoo]

thank you dreamlite. I've since had a spotting!! I have been camping out in my room so that kai may feel more comfortable to come out (I was sure he wasn't in my room) and I heard a little metal rattling so I came out to check it. I came too soon!! I turn on the light and see him scamper into an impossibly small crevice in the corner of my cupboards baseboard. so now I know where he is. I tried to scare him out but he isn't budging. I can't see into the hole because it is so small. I put the trap right by the opening so I hope he goes in there.


he is about a year and a half old. I've only had him a few days though. there aren't many electronics in my kitchen and I mounted the plug to the fridge so I hope that's all...


I hope I wake up to him in the trap... seriously he has almost made me grow gray hair I'm so stressed... I can only imagine how paranoid parents with human babies must be.

 

[Zoaea]

Especially if its a baby he can fit into very very small openings. Were there any openings to the out side like a window cracked or similar? Mine like to hide up in the couch, a lot of couches they can get up inside the springs or gears (mines electric). They can get into dresser drawers if its open a crack, can get under and into the bottom of the oven drawer, behind the fridge, under the clothes washer/dryer, the possibilities are endless.

I'd do what dreamlite says and close off each room after thoroughly checking it, if you have someone to help, move furniture, but be very careful not to crush him if he is under/in something. The reason to move big furniture is to check for holes in the wall, like some dryers have a big hole where it lets the air vent pass ect.

 

[Havoc]

Ok, I've never lost mine, but when I first got her she got into some strange places that I would have never thought of blocking off or restricting. More places to look:
-Your box spring - not kidding. Also, if you have a box spring I recommend putting a fitted sheet over the bottom if you have a metal bed frame like us.
-shelves with collapsable or fall-out bottoms.
-File cabinet
-Inside of bed covers
-Closet
-Check for holes in any cardboard boxes...

I wish you lots of luck, and I will think good thoughts for his safe return.

 

[Zoaea]

If he leaves that area but you dont catch him plug up the hole! Might be able to go pretty deep in your walls too. I had to dig out a chin behind sheet rock once cause his fat butt got stuck. Hope he is in your trap cage.

If he escaped your cage, when you catch him I would also put that cage in a room that would be easy to find him in, like a bedroom or bathroom. =x

 

[Pikaia]

I hope you find him safe and sound!!! Any news yet?

 

[Godofgods]

i can definitely say that i no exactly how you feel. I lost my newborn chin as well. Lost before i even new he was born. My ferret found a baby chin underneath my refrigerator. And with my back injury, there was no way i could move it. And he certainly wasn't coming out. I couldn't stop shaking that night. (FYI: he's doing great now.) But it certainly is a trying time! I hope you get your chin out soon!

 

[angyxpoo]

thank you everyone for your comments and support!! I caught kai early this morning!! no thanks to the trap... didn't work. I got fed up and decided to stick a broom stick into the hole and got him to run out and then I blocked the hole... a half hour of chasing him around the kitchen and I finally caught him!! I fixed the spacing in the bottom of the cage that he got out of so he's fine now... the thing is I feel that he's super mad at me and I already feel that he hates me already he won't ever move if I'm in the room and he is refusing to eat right now... not much poop either...

 

[angyxpoo]

btw - Godofgods, I'm happy your baby chin is doing great! That must have been really scary.

 

[Godofgods]

I'm sure your chin will be worked up for a little bit. He just had quite the adventure!

 

[Ganing]

Wow. I can't imagine that happening to me... my house is so big I'd die if he got loose unattended. Sometimes I double check his cage cause you know... sometimes they just got that glint in their eye like they are up to something lol

 

[ljiayi]

I think you could give your chin some space now and let him calm down after the entire incident. When he seems settled down again, then you could try and start bonding with him again.

 

[PetoftheDay]

Thank goodness he is found, and safe!

 

[angyxpoo]

Thank you! He is doing great now. We have bonded quite a bit and he isn't afraid of me anymore. I'm trying to train him to not freak out when I hold him. That's the only obstacle we have left! Thank you guys again.

 

[hazel_sweet]

Congratulation to you.
But how long can a chinchilla go without water and food? My chinchilla also got lost when I was cleaning his cage. He was in my room but my dog open my room door and left it open, he could be anywhere. He hasnt been anywhere outside my room before. Now they both got use to me they would peek out their hiding spot when I call for them but he isnt coming out at all. I dont hear or see his dropping anywhere. He has been gone since 5am is been 12 hours already.