Some questions... vet and peeing.

[Amba1027]

Ok I have a couple of questions that don't really have anything to do with each other.

First off, peeing. Gizmo has been peeing in non bedded areas of his cage. Is there anything we can do about that? It wouldn't be such a big deal but it splashes out of the cage onto the carpet. Also, we are thinking about switching from bedding to the fleece liners. How do those work with the pee? Do they soak it all up fairly well? Do you just toss them in the washer a few times a week? And the last pee related question, what color is normal for it to be? When I've cleaned it up from the non bedded part it's been an odd color (and by odd I mean odd for other animals. I have no idea what is normal for chins).

My second set of questions is about vet care. How often should we get Gizmo checked out? I'm wanting to find a vet and take him in for an initial exam, have a file started for him and whatnot. What should we look for in a vet? We have a couple of options but testing them all out isn't really an option so how should we go about picking which one to go with?

I think that's it for now. Any and all help is appreciated!

 

[ChinnyMom]

some chins just pee anywhere, and don't seem to care where they pee - hammocks, shelves, food dishes...... anywhere is fair game for toileting to some chins, lol.

fleece liners soak up pee really well if you don't use fabric softener. softener will reduce the absorbency and cause the pee to pool on top of the fleece. i change out Rhino's liner every couple days because he is a fleece pee-er. i pre-soak liners in a bucket with hot water and a bit of laundry soap before they hit the washing machine, to ensure there are no pee stains after (cheap communal and expensive apartment laundry machines, ugh. $2.50 for each wash and the same for each dry! liners go in with my clothes, lol).

many people who use fleece liners also use a litter pan with pine or aspen shavings in it. pyrex baking dishes and flat bottomed metal bowls work great. some chins will 'litter train' for peeing, some won't. it doesn't hurt to try out a litter pan though.

pee can be quite dark and alarming to us with chins, because they don't drink a whole lot of water and the pee is concentrated. anything from a pale yellow to a brown colour is normal.

'check-ups' for chins are not needed, and unnecessary vet visits can stress a chin out too much. when i was hunting for a vet before i got Rhino, i called around and asked what their experience with chins was, how many chins they see on a regular basis, and what sort of research the vet does to stay on top of chin health issues. other knowledgeable chin owners in your area can help you find a good vet too, just ask around. in addition to your regular vet, also have an emergency after hours vet available, in case a situation should arise when your regular vet is not available.

 

[Amba1027]

Thanks for the reply! I'm glad I don't have to worry about the pee being a weird color. I was a little worried. I think Gizmo is going to be a pee anywhere type of chin. That makes the fleece liners more appealing. Hopefully they will keep the pee from splashing out of the cage.