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

[KristinC1983]

Yeah, don't do it, lol-I am curious how long it would take her to find out, though!

It's good to hear Jinx will be going with you. Hopefully your mom doesn't change her mind. And maybe the intro's didn't work out cause she just threw a chin in Jinx's cage without the proper, slow intro first outside the cage. If I did that with my boy, I guarentee he'd FLIP, and I swear I read somewhere that females are more territorial! I could just imagine. Maybe with very slow introductions, and maybe moving to a different cage that never belonged to Jinx, she may be more open to a buddy. I don't think its necassary, but I think it could be doable if done very, very, very slowly and not in her cage, at least not immediatly. Since I want to rescue a buddy for my guy eventually, I've researched introducing a few times.

 

[chinnychinchinchilla]

wow maybe jinx will warm up to you when he finds out you are actually going to take care of her. maybe right now she is on strike and is like if you dont take care of me i will pee on you. its probly all she knows to do since she doesnt get time to play to release that stress and anger.

 

[greychins]

Haha it's very possible that is she on strike! I could see that as potentially being the case...

With the intros... the ones my mom did... that was after we had tried, and failed, reallllllllly slow intros. If we even put her near another chinchilla she goes nuts and attacks them. We tried playtime, in a large empty bedroom. She would seek out the other chin and attack. And this was after their cages had been slowly moved closer and closer... she just doesn't want a buddy. And I tried telling my mom that, and then she was basically like "oh well maybe if we just stick them together" and I told her it wasn't a good idea... so she did it when I wasn't around...

 

[KristinC1983]

Better off alone

Ohwell, if she prefers it that way now. Too bad, too, cause I think Sunny would be happier with a chin-buddy. I think most would!

I agree that she'll probably stop the squirting when she realizes she won't be in a cage 24-7 anymore. This will burn some of her energy, instead of a lot of it turning to anger...I wonder if chins can feel jealous. Maybe she sees you with your chins and is jealous of them. Maybe a few months after she's all your's, you could try a playtime again, but holding the other chin so if she goes for the attack, you can protect it easier. I don't know how willing I'd be to do it either, though, after the vet even once.

 

[Siany]

Hi people

Just thought i would write something about this because its an intresting subject, i got my first chin (Lola) about 3 years ago now and i had no idea how to look after but that being said she was given to me as the owner couldnt be bothered to look after her and i thought i could do a better job myself. After a year of learning how to look after her i wanted to get Lola a friend but noticed the big pet stores (pets at home) didnt really do much with the chins, they always looked so unhappy and i personally thought it would be cruel if i split them up so i ended up getting my second chin (Dotty) from a breader who gave me great tips about care.

I do think people should take into the consideration about the needs that the chins will actually need but i think that goes with all animals and people should always do at least some research before you buy. The thing is you learn as you go along and as long as their are sites like this where people can learn from each other, people can learn from their mistakes but i think pet places should know more and treat their animals better that they want to sell and also give advice that alot of place dont seem to do.

 

[Lulilac]

Specialty Pet Store

I found my second chinchilla at a small pet store owned by a husband & wife team: he specializes in lizzards and she breeds chinchillas and fancy rats. I promise she doesn't breed the chins and rats to feed to the lizzards. I had intended to get my new pet from a breeder but was drawn to a certain bouncy mosaic boy chin in their display case, who is now named Hugo.

The place smelled pretty horrible but I attributed that to the lizzards. The chins there seemed well cared for. The store even had a chin mascot who lives there permanently. Anyway, in this case the lady seemed to know a lot about chins and cared about what kinds of homes they were going to.

Lulilac

'Human Slave' to Barnaby and Hugo

 

[Rochelle]

My daughter wanted a guinea pig for her birthday for a few years and I told her when she got a little older and more responsible then we could start really thinking about it! Well the time came back in December. We started looking at guinea pigs, we had gone to a few pet stores looking and asking questions. Well one pet store had a chinchilla and of course she changed her mind!! She really wanted a chinchilla now, I told her I would think about it. She went from a $20.00 pet to a $130.00 pet OMG! Well I always wanted a chinchilla when I was little so I thought why not, it will be fun!!

At that point I didn't know anything about a chinchilla other then it needed food, water, a cage and some dust stuff to take a bath in!
That's when I started looking for a chinchilla, I found a lady (on craigslist) who's chin was going to have babies any day. Now this was back in April I think it was the 2nd or 3rd week of the month. I had told her that my daughter birthday is March 27th, and i wanted to know if we could have it by then. She had told me yes, you can come and pick it up that weekend!

I at that point still didn't know anything about a chinchilla so i started doing my research. I found a ton of info and one thing that stuck out was the time the baby should stay with mom. But this lady said we could pick up the chin at the end of March that would of only been 3-4 weeks after the birth!
I called her and asked why she was letting me take the baby so soon, told her I read on the internet that 3-4 wks was way to soon. She said she HATES the internet it's full of BS and she has been breading for years and it is fine and she would give me a check list sheet on what i needed and how to care for it. I didn't hear from her until a week before birthday time, she said all the babies didn't make it and wanted to know if I wanted to buy the two she had. (mom & dad) I told her no thanks!

After all that we ended up getting ours from the pet store. We were there when they got the shipment in of the 2. (Just by chance) We went back the next day as soon as they opened and bought both of them. At that point we had the cage and all the stuff for a few weeks, all we needed was them!

I don't remember how I found this site but I sure am glad I did!!
Now it would have been sooooo much better if on here there was a list of stuff need for them and a care sheet as well. What to buy and not buy, what to expect from a chinchilla as a pet. I have also seen so many people asking questions about breeding, and so many of you getting mad about new owners breeding and not knowing anything about what they are doing. (and I totally agree) maybe someone could make a care sheet for that also.

So in the end I felt better about getting our chinchillas from the pet store rather then from a so called breeder.

 

[3CsMommy]

I think the key statement in your story Rochelle is "so called breeder". She was definitely breeding chins, but obviously she had no business doing so. In your case, a pet store was probably the better option b/c who knows what kind of (ill) health those adult chins were in at the time, and your timing was such that it spared the kits a lot of time in a horrible environment. But that also means that the store made a profit and will buy more chinnies that may not be so lucky to go into a great home within 48 hrs. of arrival, which I why I do not support pet stores that sell animals unless they're all properly fed, housed, and vetted (which is very rare; I know of one and I've lived in 3 different states).

As pet owners, I think, all we can really do is go into whatever situation our animals cause with open eyes and as much research as humanly possible on our sides. Nothing's ever perfect, so we just have to be aware of the hazards, take precautions, and enjoy the time we get.

 

[SarahKay]

I've taken it upon myself to kind of shoo people away when they look at my chinchilla photos and say "aw, how cute and fluffy! I want to get one!" or at least say "do the research and then get back to me!". I am personally very impulsive and I know that I would have been one of those people who decided that they just must have that adorable, fluffy animal at the pet store but I ended up doing a bit of research because I had a wait before I got my chinchilla (although I didn't end up on here until much later than I should have!). I think that those impulse buys are fine as long as people understand that that buying a pet is not like buying a pair of shoes and are prepared to do the research and spend the money on what they know is best.
I could tell you all kinds of horrible stories about people I've met that have chinchillas (one woman told me that her daughter walks their chin on a ferret leash... eek!) but I guess you can only do so much. I have half a mind to talk to the people at the pet store and make sure they're feeding their pets the right food. What I think matters most is that you do the best you can based on what you know and keep expanding upon that knowledge and making improvements.

 

[damanta]

First off, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I work at PetSmart. While I don't necessarily agree with all of the corporate policies, I will also say that I don't agree that no pet store workers care about the animal. I've owned a lot of the animals PetSmart sells. My family has bred a few different types as well. But beyond that knowledge that I was brought up with, I also researched most if not all of the animals we sell so that I can tell people accurate information. When I am with customers, I ask them basic questions to determine if they're impulse buyers or if they've done research. If they're impulse buyers, I tell them they need to do research and refuse the sale. I will talk to them in general about the animal's care, lifespan, and etc, but I will still refuse the sale until they can answer basic questions.
When I'm talking to customers about chinchillas, the first thing I do is write this site down. Then I tell them how much care a chinchilla requires. I tell them the cons, and if they stick with it, I tell them the pros. Many(although sadly not all) of my coworkers will do the same. I may work for a petstore, but I am against impulse buying and discourage it. I also talk to them about the number of chinchillas in need of rescue, and try to point them that way. I tend to point people towards rescue in a lot of cases.

 

[liewwan]

It doesn't matter if someone wants to buy a chin due to the spur of the moment or after some research is done. It's a matter of devotion once you purchase the pet. I have 4 chins that was adopted due to previous owners who are unable to take care of them or have the time for them. I could've gotten my chins from private breeders or local pet stores, however I looked around and noticed a lot of rehoming needed. All the reasons I've noticed was NOT ENOUGH TIME to take care of them. My first pair of chins I will admit that I did minor research prior to getting them, however since I made the choice of getting them I have to make the choice of taking care of them for life. My second pair of chins were a sad sad story. I've been searching around for a pair of mosaics and came across to a rehoming pair of girls. So I made my phone calls asked all the questions from age to food to current habitat. I was at that time told such great things about the pair of girls, however the ac unit I installed in my chins bedroom broke so I couldn't get the girls until that is fixed. 3 weeks later after I placed a new ac unit I tried my luck to call them again. At that time I was told that the girls was in care of by kids 7-8 years old and their fur is bad and all the bad stuff. I was very concern at that time and made time to look at the chins. Well the results were this, one of the girls does not look like her proper age (suppose to be 1 1/2 years old) more like a 5 months old chin. Needless to say I couldn't turn away from them. Brought them home and now the smallest one looks fluffy an plump. I just hope that no matter if someone buys a chin by spur of the moment or research prior to the purchase PLEASE take great care them and not get rid of them after you realize you don't have the time or the finances to take care of them. A lot of my friends that come see my chins really wanted one due to them being so cute, fluffy and soft. I made everyone of them help me clean the cage and shop with me. Their decision now is to just come and visit mine.

 

[MelLovesBella]

I was not expecting to get Bella when I did. My friend had purchased her from a local breeder. He was not taking proper care for her at all. He was using cedar bedding, only feeding her a little bit of hay every now and then, she had flies breeding in her bedding, and she looked dirty like he hadn't been letting her dustbathe. My boyfriend and I knew we had to step in when we realized how she was being treated. We took her and brought her next door to our house. He came home wondering where she was and we told him that he wasn't taking care of her. After a few days of seeing how well we were caring for her he decided to let us keep her. He didn't charge us anything. So we have had her for 4 months now.

I got her spur of the moment more or less, but have been researching her ever since. It also depends on the research people do as I have noticed that their is alot of misinformation on chinchilla care out there right now. I was very lucky to find CnH.

Bella is the very best pet in the world and I wouldn't give her up for anything as long as I can properly provide care for her.

 

[liewwan]

I was not expecting to get Bella when I did. My friend had purchased her from a local breeder. He was not taking proper care for her at all. He was using cedar bedding, only feeding her a little bit of hay every now and then, she had flies breeding in her bedding, and she looked dirty like he hadn't been letting her dustbathe. My boyfriend and I knew we had to step in when we realized how she was being treated. We took her and brought her next door to our house. He came home wondering where she was and we told him that he wasn't taking care of her. After a few days of seeing how well we were caring for her he decided to let us keep her. He didn't charge us anything. So we have had her for 4 months now.

I got her spur of the moment more or less, but have been researching her ever since. It also depends on the research people do as I have noticed that their is alot of misinformation on chinchilla care out there right now. I was very lucky to find CnH.

Bella is the very best pet in the world and I wouldn't give her up for anything as long as I can properly provide care for her.

*So glad you took Bella away.

 

[Chinnyluver]

Ok, heres my problem with all of this... You guys say don't support pet stores, they don't know anything about chins, or pretend they don't. But what about the pour chins that get stuck there, with no one to buy them because of where they ended up searching for a forever home.

Some pet store owners really do care. My friends dad owns one and I was in there two days ago getting a new hammy (which turned into two <3) and I saw that they had three standard chins in those glass diplay cases. Which was good because most of their animals are in open topped cages so people can hold them and stuff... the chins were off limits. They had plastic super pet igloos and one was chewing on hers. I told him that they weren't good for them and he switched all three with wood chin huts... right off the shelves. He he either didn't know or just wasn't thinking when he did it. I've known the family since I was a little girl and they honestly care about their animals.

I'd also like to point out that some kids who get chins do research first. I'm fifteen and I did a week of non stop research before I even contacted any breeders. When I found the one we are using she nailed me question about present and future for a week before she told me that she was very impressed and thought I would make a great chin mom... Now we have another month and a half to wait because Shadow is still weaning and she wants to introduce her to Anabelle for us.

 

[ticklechin]

Its not the chins fault they ended up in a pet store for sale, they need homes too.

 

[3CsMommy]

If you really want an eye opener on pet stores in the U.S., check out the forum section for the Arlington, TX bust. That's what someone's money goes to when they go to PetCo or PetsMart to get a chin or a ferret or an iguana. Individual stores in the chain are sometimes run with kindness as priority 1, but the corporate policy on animals is just like GM's policy on cars: as many as possible as cheaply as possible with the fastest turn around possible, and the suffering caused by that mindset doesn't matter as long as profits keep going up. Until our overall attitude toward the pet trade focuses on proper care, they won't change their practices. We're not attacking mom n' pop shops that try to keep improving like your friends' when we say "pet stores suck, don't buy there"; we're trying to educate people about the sweeping abuses of the industry as a whole. And, internationally, the pet trade sucks.

 

[chechinchillas]

You can tell if a breeder cares about their chins. They should spend time with you making sure you know how to take care of the animal and making sure you have everything you need. You should also be able to see the baby's parents and sometimes grand parents. If they are healthy and look well cared for that is a very good sign. They should definitely make sure you know about chins not being able to tolerate heat and humidity. I am sure there are a few pet stores that are good to their animals. I have only been in the chain pet stores and I don't like that they have a bunch of male and females all together in a glass cage past the age of 3 months, they don't give you pedigrees and you can't see the parents. They also sell you stuff you don't need or that sometimes isn't all that safe. Many of them carry the plastic pan cages that a chin can chew right through. I'm also not a fan of the large plastic balls they sell for the chins to roll around in because of the lack of good air circulation. Plus their chin food usually has a bunch of treats in it and they over charge for it and the cage accessories.

 

[ticklechin]

If you really want an eye opener on pet stores in the U.S., check out the forum section for the Arlington, TX bust. That's what someone's money goes to when they go to PetCo or PetsMart to get a chin or a ferret or an iguana. Individual stores in the chain are sometimes run with kindness as priority 1, but the corporate policy on animals is just like GM's policy on cars: as many as possible as cheaply as possible with the fastest turn around possible, and the suffering caused by that mindset doesn't matter as long as profits keep going up. Until our overall attitude toward the pet trade focuses on proper care, they won't change their practices. We're not attacking mom n' pop shops that try to keep improving like your friends' when we say "pet stores suck, don't buy there"; we're trying to educate people about the sweeping abuses of the industry as a whole. And, internationally, the pet trade sucks.

You can say the same thing about back yard breeders here, its not just pet stores.

 

[starleomach]

There is good and bad sellers as well as good and bad buyers.

 

[Chin_Pig]

i HAD to research them before i got Kikio, i got her from a lady who decided a puppy was a better pet for her 2 y/o son than a chinchilla. so once i basically wrote a report on chinchillas my mom let me get her. my mom was strict and im glad she made me research them. i had heard of them but never saw one till my brother came home and asked if i wanted one cause his friend wanted to get rid of one and thats how i got my kikio.