Spur of the moment buyers...petshops...

[chinnychinchinchilla]

not everyone thinks its common sense to know what u r adopting and do some research. does that make them wrong? no just confused. my mom made me do research before i get a pet so that i know its the right pet for me. this made me not want to get certain pets and want to get others. for example i wanted a hedgehog but when i was durring my research i came accross chinchillas and havent turned back. with this being said it will b a while before i get a chinchilla, but that just means i can do more research.

now time for a story: i was at a petstore getting things for my guineapig, i think it was pet supermarket. and i saw a cute fuzzy animal in an AQUARIUM. i looked at the tag and it said chinchilla. of course i asked my mom if i could get it and she said no they r more to take care of then u think and its too expensive. later on she said we r not gettin anymore rodents because we already have 2.(not anymore browny died last week of old age and his brother died last summer ) of course at the time i didnt know the chinchilla was not being cared for properly. i think many people follow the petstores example and this is why many of them die or are not taken care of properly. but i do think there r some good petstores out there, and some bad ones. i think of petstores now as a place to buy toys and bedding and stuff like that, not a place to get pets.

 

[caiti]

not everyone thinks its common sense to know what u r adopting and do some research. does that make them wrong?

Personally, yes, I think it does. I understand many members can relate to this scenario, though, and that one mistake does not make them bad people. It means they made a mistake, in that moment of their life they were wrong. But, people learn, move on.

While I did research chins and had talked to the woman I eventually got Chloe from for a week or two, I didn't know a ton of things. I knew the basics--no plastic (even though her shelves were plastic but I hoped she wouldn't chew and watched for it, which of course she eventually did), what feed/treats are good, playtime, chin-proofing, temp/humidity, malocclusion, sensitive digestion, had a vet picked out etc. Things I learned after I got her were things like specific amounts of nutrients and ingredients to look for in food, you can handle them by the tail, more specific diseases they suffered from, safe cage cleaner, all things to have in your emergency kit, what teeth grinding can mean, bloat stretching, what good hays were etc. I perused this site often, but only registered after I got Chloe. And I still learn things currently. I did make mistakes, also. I didn't get her a cage before I got her (I got her cage with her, but it was about one and a half square feet. I bought her a new cage two or three days later), didn't buy her treats since the one's she came with were not very good, and I didn't have an emergency kit, which is what I regret the most. Now I do and even very recently added things to it I thought I could wait to buy and had to go out and get at the last minute when she was sick.

I think I should have researched and prepared more and I think I was wrong not to. I would agree with someone if they were criticizing me for it. But I've learned a lot and have applied it to the care I give Chloe, which makes her healthier and makes me a better pet owner.

I'm not saying I am going to judge all of you as bad people who made the same mistake that I, myself did. The past is the past and the criteria to judge people from is what they are doing with that information they learned then, now.

That being said, the kind of impulse chin owners on here are very different from the ones Kristen had posted about and unfortunately, I don't think there's a lot anyone can do to help those neglectful owners. And the only chances of educating them would be with much finesse and patience.

 

[ticklechin]

The one thing in the chins favor it their price tag, they are expensive pocket pets to buy and I think that does keep down alot of impulsive buying spur of the moment, at least I like to tell myself that.....

 

[greychins]

The one thing in the chins favor it their price tag, they are expensive pocket pets to buy and I think that does keep down alot of impulsive buying spur of the moment, at least I like to tell myself that.....

I agree, I think their price does keep down the impulse buys. When I was little, I always wanted a chinchilla... my parents got me hamsters and gerbils and whatnot, because they were like $5 back then. But they wouldn't spend $150+ on a chinchilla, no way. And really, that was for the best, because at that age, there would have been no research done, the chin would have been stuck in an acquarium, fed whatever treats said "chinchilla" at the pet store... and so on. And I'm sure I wasn't the only kid who wanted the cute fluffy animal whose parents said it was waaay too expensive.

 

[ticklechin]

My grandma had a chin fur farm when I was a kid, I wanted a chin SO BAD but ended up with rats, which were cool too but they were not chins. Cranky old woman never even let me hold a chin let alone have one as a pet, I could only stare at them and wish.

 

[Sandi]

My grandma had a chin fur farm when I was a kid, I wanted a chin SO BAD but ended up with rats, which were cool too but they were not chins. Cranky old woman never even let me hold a chin let alone have one as a pet, I could only stare at them and wish.

Sorry Dawn, but that just made me chuckle a little bit.

But seriously, there wasn't a lot of places to do research on chins, at least when I first saw them. They did have a book at the pet store and I bought it BUT it had a lot of missinformation in it as I found out much later.

 

[KristinC1983]

Ticklechin, totally unrelated but you have some of the cutest pics I've ever seen!

 

[ticklechin]

Thanks!

 

[KristinC1983]

Your welcome, ticklechin.

And no, greychins, you were not! I would've wanted a chinchilla, too, back then, if the only one I had ever actually met in person before my Sunny (in all my life I have only actually 'known' 2 chinchillas, lol-my boy and my spoiled-brat-friends chin) wasn't so miserable. Now I know that wasn't the chins fault, but then I had no idea. I felt bad for it-I've been an animal freak my whole life, wanting to take care of them and protect them...-but I wasn't sure if it was her faultt or if it was just how chins are. Then I saw an episode of Diego on Nickelodeon, lol, where he saved a baby chin (watching with my 3 year old) and started researching them. I knew immediatly it was her fault, but that's like 16 years later. I would've wanted one if I knew it was her fault and they can be super happy, healthy, fun pets. And I would've done a bunch of stuff wrong, but I guarentee mine would've been happier than hers-not just cause I would've made sure of that, but my parent's would've,too, unlike her parents. They're the ones who helped make me such an animal lover-and my mom was the one who got to clean the guinea pig cages But still, most of our animals were not cared for the best way they could've been. My parents didn't make me do research on any animal before I got it (my older sister as well), so our guinea pigs lived in tanks that I now know were way too small, and didn't have enough chew toys. They also didn't get enough attention for living in such a tiny cage! Well, my daughter is stuck with me, lol-the one whose addicted to research now. I told her when we have more room (and move out of my parents house hopefully soon-I'm a single mom and her dad's a total dead-beat, seriously, I'm not exxagerating) and she older, she can get 2 rats, 2 guinea pigs, or a rabbit or 2, and I'll help take care of them (Sunny and any chins we have in the future are techinically both of ours but I obviously do all the work). She'll learn even better than I did from my parents what it means to truly take care of your pets! If I can't save them all, I can at least make sure our pets (possibly adopted) will have the best lives they can. Teaching our children (if you have them) that an animal is not expendible is very important-I hope that'll relieve me of some of the guilt I still feel over those guinea pigs, rabbits, and other animals I could've done much better for! And my daughter's already a huge animal lover (I'm still working on my nephew) so I think I'm doing a pretty good job with redeeming myself so far-maybe she'll be a vet, rescue worker, or something, lol! I do know she'll be a great pet owner though-that's something I can make sure of! I'm already filling her head with animal info-she loves it, so I'm not torturing her, don't worry, lol

 

[mommyslittlechins2010]

It took me 19 yrs. to do all the research on getting a chin. however the idea of having a chin was up and down for years. but i still did research on them. = Then finally this year i got one then got two more. but i didn't go to the pet shope for mone. i got them forma breeder. and i do keep intouch with my breeder often. ui send her pic's and hse is great. pet shops don't train ther workers to do research on thier animals although i think that should be a job requirement.. csue that's like you comming to me and buying mone of my animals and asking me questins about it and i have no clue what your talking about.. i know i did go into a pet store one time and acted stupid with the lady to see if she could tell em anyhting about chins. the lady had no clue as to anything. she told me that it can have ta cage with plastic in it and that it didn't need a glass water bottle any whater bottle would work. lol lol i was thinking ot myself this lady is nuts and needs to be educated. that is why i never wanted to buy one from a pet store. i seen a chin in cage at a local pet shop and the thing was in a guni pig cage... not cool and he had no excercise. it barked at me . and the oens i see at other pet shops are behind glass and never get attention. so i tell people to go to breedrs instead.. cause i know my breeder hendled mine and mine i can hold and play with.. but if your breedre comes in no contact with you maybe she knows that her chins are in good home and well taken care of. now i haven't talked to ym breeder in like a month but do leave her messages and send pic's so i don't get all that upset over it. if i need to know anyhthing or have problem i can awlays call her or send a message. she goes on the froums too so i can catch her there too !! hope this helps if not i'm sorry !!! good luck with your chin and enjoy it !!! thier addicting

 

[JennyBug]

To me, the most fun part of getting a new type of pet is learning about it before and after you get it, but I'm a huge nerd!

I agree with posters who said that getting a chin on the spur of the moment and doing things wrong does not make you a bad chin owner - refusing to fix what you screw up does. The same goes for all animals.

As far as breeders go, I know that most (if not all) of the breeders on here genuinely care about where their animals go and how they are doing. When my two outdoor kitties had kittens and my dog had puppies (all were preggers before they came to me), I went to extremes trying to find them good homes. When I found out that one of the kittens had been hit by a car, I was devastated - I was even more upset than the owner. I can't imagine not caring what happens to an animal that for which you are responsible for bringing into the world. It's just not right.

Now, big breeders don't always have time to check up on every chin, but that doesn't mean they don't care. Good breeders keep records, and I'm sure they would be willing to help one of their chins' owners anytime they would need it.

I do have to say that my first chin came from someone whose children got tired of her and her "boyfriend". My big issue with people who are impulse buyers of anything is the fact that they seem to get tired of whatever it happens to be after a short time. To me, treating an animal like a toy that has gone out of style is just wrong.

 

[greychins]

I do have to say that my first chin came from someone whose children got tired of her and her "boyfriend". My big issue with people who are impulse buyers of anything is the fact that they seem to get tired of whatever it happens to be after a short time. To me, treating an animal like a toy that has gone out of style is just wrong.

I agree with this. We've gotten rescues in from people who got tired of their chins, or bored with them, or whatever. I feel like had (at least some of) these people done their research, this wouldn't have happened. I've been told "oh well the chinchilla doesn't do anything." Well what do you expect it to do? I mean I love my chins, but for the most part, they either are in their cages or in the playpen. It's not like you can amaze your friends with their awesome tricks! And I feel like a lot of the people who get tired of the chins are the impulse buys... cause if these people did research, they'd know what to expect when they get their chins...

 

[KristinC1983]

Thank God for rescues like yours!!!!

I agree with this. We've gotten rescues in from people who got tired of their chins, or bored with them, or whatever. I feel like had (at least some of) these people done their research, this wouldn't have happened. I've been told "oh well the chinchilla doesn't do anything." Well what do you expect it to do? I mean I love my chins, but for the most part, they either are in their cages or in the playpen. It's not like you can amaze your friends with their awesome tricks! And I feel like a lot of the people who get tired of the chins are the impulse buys... cause if these people did research, they'd know what to expect when they get their chins...

At least some of them find rescues, though, to turn their chins in when they get 'bored' (i.e., lazy, selfish humans who think other animals are just there to amuse us). At least they're willing to at least do that. I dislike these people very much, don't get me wrong, but the ones I dislike (using a nice word here, but am thinking and feeling the H word) the most are the ones who still keep the pet, neglect it, ignore it, torture it! I wonder how many chins out there are locked in their cages, alone, depressed, scared, trapped, and no one ever comes to rescue them! They have so much life inside those tiny bodies-its horrible knowing that some chin owners let that life die and all that's left is a miserable, lonely ball of fur. I can't imagine my chin in one of those horrible prisons, rotting away, no more important to his owners than the old stuffed animals packed away in the attic.

I really want to open a small rescue one day, where I can help chins as much as possible. And before someone can adopt a chin from me, there will be contracts, they'll have to reead a big-fat booklet and take a test, I'll give them some great websites like this one and www.petchinchillas.info, they'll have to have all the supplies before hand that I approve of, or maybe I'll get supplies they can buy from me, and their will be an interview. If I don't trust them, they can kiss my butt-they won't get one of my chins.

On Yahoo Answers, I answered a question the other night about animal hoarding. I ended up looking it up online (not smart to do right before bed, but we all have our duh moments) and saw such horrible pics of the homes, the people, and the worst ones to suffer-the animals-how they lived, what they looked like from living in such horrible, dirty homes....I'll never be one of these people, but is it sick that I can kind of understand some of their fears-some felt like no one can care for their animals like they can. If they found them other homes, they were terrified that they'd be neglected, abused, etc, which is what they were doing to their animals, but I understand their fear. If I had to give up my chin or dogs for any reason, I'd probably have a nervous breakdown. I would if there was no other choice, like if we suddenly became homeless or something, but I'd do everything I could to ensure they'd have a great home with loving, caring owners. I'd still be freaking out, though. That's my fear with me opening a rescue for chins someday. What if these fears stop me from allowing anyone to adopt them?! That would be the only reason I wouldn't open a rescue. But I am going to and I'm going to find great homes for them! That's why it'll be a small one, though, lol! WIth my pickiness, I may have some of them for 5 years before finding them a home I think is good enough. I fall in love with animals soooo fast, so hopefully I can find them people I can truly trust with them. And I pray I can save some of those horribly neglected chins and help heal them!

After one chin who I bought in January 2010, I'm addicted, lol!

 

[greychins]

At least some of them find rescues, though, to turn their chins in when they get 'bored' (i.e., lazy, selfish humans who think other animals are just there to amuse us). At least they're willing to at least do that. I dislike these people very much, don't get me wrong, but the ones I dislike (using a nice word here, but am thinking and feeling the H word) the most are the ones who still keep the pet, neglect it, ignore it, torture it! I wonder how many chins out there are locked in their cages, alone, depressed, scared, trapped, and no one ever comes to rescue them! They have so much life inside those tiny bodies-its horrible knowing that some chin owners let that life die and all that's left is a miserable, lonely ball of fur. I can't imagine my chin in one of those horrible prisons, rotting away, no more important to his owners than the old stuffed animals packed away in the attic.

See, I don't understand this. If people don't want to properly care for a pet, why have it in the first place? Like at the point they get tired of letting it out or playing with it or whatever, why not rehome it? I had a rabbit during college that my mom watched and cared for, because I couldn't take him to the dorm. She didn't care for him like I would have, didn't let him out, waited til the cage was soaked to change it, and so on. At that point in my life, I couldn't have moved somewhere that allowed me to keep him with me... so I found another home for him, because I knew he was being treated not so well.

My mom now has a chinchilla of her own (Jinx). She goes downstairs (where the chins are) maybe once a week to check on her, she takes her out every now and then... I don't get it. Like mine get playtime reasonably often, if nothing else, I pick them up and hold them and pet them, talk to them... Don't get me wrong, Jinx always has food and water (she has several water bottles hooked up and a few bowls) and she's in a nice large cage, with a wheel and everything, but my mom's the kind of person who wants the pet, but doesn't want to do anything regarding care for it.

If I bring my dog to their place, (now, I do understand it's my dog), she wants to play with her and take her for a walk... but if the dog goes #2 during the walk on someone else's yard, she refuses to pick it up. I say if she wants to walk the dog, she's gotta pick it up, cause if I walked the dog, I sure would. Sometimes she reminds me of the epitome of these people - lately she's said she wants a dog... that's a puppy... but doesn't jump... and is completely trained... that she wont ever have to clean up #1/#2 from (completely potty trained too), that doesn't cost money at the vet (me and my dad had to pay a vet bill of $500 for Jinx because my mom refused to take her to the vet when she stopped eating to get examed and get her teeth filed, so we took her in, she would have let her starve to death in her cage at home)... that won't get on the bed or furniture, that will never destroy anything..... she basically just wants to play with it-- on her terms, in her spare time, and the dog better not bother her if she's busy -- and she loves to kiss it. I told her she needs to get a stuffed animal. She's a good person, don't get me wrong, but shouldn't have pets.

 

[ticklechin]

Are your serious? She only checks on the chin once a week? That is at least neglect, at most abuse.

 

[greychins]

I'm not physically there to see her check on the chin, but I know she's told me that she hasn't gone down there for several days.... on a few occasions, she's said that she went down there and Jinx didn't have much water. Note, she said that to me because I was at their house, and she said I should take water down to Jinx (they don't have any faucets or anything in the basement, so they fill up a jug with the purified water and take it down) cause her hips and legs hurt (they hurt 24/7) and it would be too hard for her to walk up and down the steps, with the gallon of the water. I say then she shouldn't have a pet if she can't walk up and down the stairs to care for it... or at least, the pet should be on the same level (but the chin would be too "dirty" to keep in their main level of their house). And regarding the water... I have the same water bottles as her (the 16 oz edstroms), and there should be enough water in a bottle to last about a week for a single chin. So the chin didn't get low on water overnight...

Every time I'm at my parents house, I go down there and make sure that Jinx has all her water and toys and everything... when Jinx had to go to the vet (referred to in the other post), I ended up taking her to live with me for about 6 months, because she had to be handfed and given sub-q fluids. My mother REFUSED. She didn't have a job at that point (didn't matter, my parents have money to burn), so she was home all the time, but said she didn't have time to handfeed every few hours... and for the sub-q, I once had my mom help (hold Jinx) and Jinx made these noises during it and my mom said she couldn't have ever given the injections herself, she felt like it must have hurt Jinx, so she couldn't do it. But, note, despite the fact she refused to treat her pet, she wouldn't have taken Jinx to the vet to put her down either, cause "that should be free." She thought maybe if she just left her in her cage she'd magically start eating again. *shakes head*

I will never understand some people. I have to say, I turned out nothing like either of my parents. I apparently resemble them, but all of our values, our what's-important-in-life (them: money, me: friends/family), everything else, is different. My mom said that if Jinx had died, she would have bought another chin (rather than pay to make Jinx better). When my dog got sick, I spent like $5000 to fix her up (and I'm still paying it off).... my parents say "oh you could have gotten your AKC rottweiler for that (I've always wanted one)" - yeah, but I wanted to KEEP the one I have.

 

[KristinC1983]

I'd go down to Jinx's cage with a small carrier, put him in, leave the door open to make it look like he escaped, and sneak him out the back door. Then take him home with me, and either keep him or find him a good home.

 

[ticklechin]

I would replace Jinx with a taxidermy chinchilla, won't get sick, won't need water or food and the cage would stay clean all the time. Mom won't notice I bet.

 

[KristinC1983]

My daughter's pig...

I would replace Jinx with a taxidermy chinchilla, won't get sick, won't need water or food and the cage would stay clean all the time. Mom won't notice I bet.

I bought my daughter this pig that moves a little, makes pig noises, and its nose also wiggles-I think I got it at Toys-R-Us. I got a puppy for my nephew that whines, barks, and it's head moves. If they have a chinchilla....but in all seriousness, the escaping idea may work better, lol. Even if she bends the lock or handle a little so it doesn't close all the way, so of course the chin would get out, that'd be the perfect plan. She'd also have to fix it before getting another chin. If someone did the fake or taxidermy chin with me, replacing my boy, I'd probably admit myself to a mental hospital But my chin also comes out everynight, I feed hand feed him a little hay, clean the poop out of his cage, and all the rest, so I'd notice immediatly-I check on him often, too, and he comes over and gives me kisses. After the screaming and crying, call the men in white suits for me!!!!

 

[greychins]

I think when I move into my new place (looking for my own non-rented house at the moment) my mother may give Jinx to me, because she doesn't want her to be lonely. She was just telling me today that she thinks Jinx should be with her own kind. She has tried intros with Jinx several times with my chins (when they used to all be at her house) - to no success. Jinx doesn't want a buddy, and she has chewed several of my babies up to pieces... but my mom "feels sorry" for her because she doesn't have a buddy. I personally say that Jinx has declared that she doesn't want a buddy, by rejecting every chin or rescue that's ever come through our house, and usually costing me vet bills to go with it. And no, I haven't encouraged my mom to try intros, but when my chins were at her house, I would come home to find one would have an injury, and she would tell me, oh I tried to put [insert chin name] in with Jinx, but she attacked her. And she feels sorry for Jinx! I will never understand. I felt sorry for my chins, which had to deal with the devil-chin (Jinx).

I can't say I exactly want Jinx either.... she is the devil chin.. sprays and everything... but like I said, I think my mom's gonna give her to me, that way Jinx can be with the rest of the herd and be around her own kind... in her own cage faaaaaar away from my babies. I should be moving somewhere (my lease expires in 6 months) relatively soon, so either way I think I'll have her by then, if not before. Thank god, right? My mom said something about coming over and seeing her, which is fine with me, doesn't really matter to me, I just want to see her fed and picked up and cared for and all that... and maybe she'll stop spraying me if she sees me more often. She does let me scritch her now every once and then.

LOL! I'm with you, Kristin, if my chins were replaced with taxidermy chins, I would totally think I've lost it.... but yeah, Dawn, she wouldn't notice! I mean sooner or later she would, but it would take awhile! With my chins, if I look in the cage and they're laying down to sleep I feel the need to check for breathing.. and if it's not readily apparent... they get poked. It makes me wonder, though, if my mom was to go to see Jinx and she was laying on a shelf... my mom'd be like oh she's sleeping... and I wonder how long it'd take my mom to realize ok maybe not... I'm not that cruel though.