Squeezed through bars

[cuppidsarrows]

We got a large cage for my chinchilla and we found out early that the bars were too far apart for her and she could squeeze through. They are spaced at 1-1/2 inches. We went and bought wire mesh and covered the whole cage with it to make it so she could not escape.

Well last night i went to check on her and she had squeezed herself halfway through the bars and was stuck. I put my hand behind her so she could have something to stand on and she finally was able to pull herself back into the cage.

I am now worried about if she is injured or not. After she pulled herself back through she just sat down and rested for a few minutes and was not very active... I feared the worst, but after like 5 minutes i put the dust bath and she went to it and dusted her usual amount, ran around the cage, ate some food and hay.

Today she seems to be back to her normal self and running up to the door when we open in an running around the cage like cazy.

what do you guys think?

 

[Tillygizmo]

It sounds like she is probably okay this time... but I guess it would be a good idea to figure something better out. Maybe you could put mesh on the inside? Is it too late to return the cage?

 

[threewingedfury]

How old is your chinchilla?

 

[cuppidsarrows]

How old is your chinchilla?

About 1 year old.

Yeah it was sold as is... It was bent, but i fixed that. It is actually a 48" dog crate from petsmart. it is 48x30x33 so it is very big for her. I just hope she is ok.

 

[Diva Chins]

I think you should invest in a better cage...If the mesh isn't helping, I'd definitely get a different cage.
Is she underweight or small for her age? Doof couldn't squeeze through something that small when she was 4 months or so, but she's a big girl.

 

[Snickers]

I would have to agree with Diva about your cage. I don't think a 1 yr old chin can fit thru that spacing 1 x 1/2 even my baby chins can't fit thru that. Maybe your spacing on cage is wrong. I would recommend on getting a new cage.

 

[Veronica]

Have you used J-clips to secure the mesh to the cage bars? Maybe you need more J-clips to tighten the mesh down. Is the mesh 1/2" hardware mesh (square, not diamond shaped chicken wire)?

 

[cuppidsarrows]

Yeah, I mislead you before, the Cage itself has bar a bar spacing of about 6"x1.5". Yes i used J clips to secure the wire mesh. There was one place in the corner that i thought she could not squeeze through... Obviously i was wrong... But i have secured the whole cage with wire mesh now, so hopefully it will be good.

I am worried about her ribs though... What are the odds she hurt them?

 

[Essentia]

I would have to agree with Diva about your cage. I don't think a 1 yr old chin can fit thru that spacing 1 x 1/2 even my baby chins can't fit thru that. Maybe your spacing on cage is wrong. I would recommend on getting a new cage.

It's not 1 inch x 1/2 inch, it's 1.5 inches. My full grown chin can squeeze under my bathroom door when it's closed and that's approx. 1.5 inches to 2 inches.

I swear he can turn himself into a pancake.

 

[Spoof]

What are the odds she hurt them?

Pretty low, they are very flexible. Even if she did, there is little a vet could do for them.

 

[Chinniechantel]

Yeah, I mislead you before, the Cage itself has bar a bar spacing of about 6"x1.5". Yes i used J clips to secure the wire mesh. There was one place in the corner that i thought she could not squeeze through... Obviously i was wrong... But i have secured the whole cage with wire mesh now, so hopefully it will be good.

I am worried about her ribs though... What are the odds she hurt them?

I would say most chins could fit through 6"x1.5" spacing. I had a playpen like that, and all but my biggest chins could escape pretty easily.

 

[cuppidsarrows]

i guess the real think i am worried about is that she was stuck and tring to free herself and was having a hard time.

I think she may be bruised though... still acting normal, just seems alittle sore when we go to pick her up.

 

[Chinniechantel]

If she is acting sore when you pick her up, I would get an x ray done. Much better to be safe than sorry, and we all know how well chins hide injury.

 

[cuppidsarrows]

Ok, i have an exotic animal vet that i know, but just out of curiosity, what would they be able to do if it was indeed a broken rib?

 

[Spoof]

Nothing. Just like they can do very little to humans who have cracked ribs except give you painkillers and tell you not to move.

You'd be adding the additional stress of taking your chin to the vet and having them put under to do the xray. Too me that's too risky to 'be safe'.

 

[cuppidsarrows]

Nothing. Just like they can do very little to humans who have cracked ribs except give you painkillers and tell you not to move.

You'd be adding the additional stress of taking your chin to the vet and having them put under to do the xray. Too me that's too risky to 'be safe'.

Yeah, thats what i figured. She is acting totally normal now so i think i will save the 400 bucks (cause i called for info) and just have her take it easy for awhile just to be safe

 

[Chinniechantel]

Well, if she acts like she is sore when you pick her up, I would think something is wrong. A broken rib can puncture the lungs, or worse. Just my opinion, but anytime a chin is visably in pain, I would bring them to the vet.

 

[InkedupTara]

Well, if she acts like she is sore when you pick her up, I would think something is wrong. A broken rib can puncture the lungs, or worse. Just my opinion, but anytime a chin is visably in pain, I would bring them to the vet.

Agreed. Is she still seemingly in pain? I think I would have waited a day to see if she was sore and if no improvement taken the chin to the vet. How is the chin acting now?

 

[cuppidsarrows]

she is acting as normal and seems as if she is doing alot better. it is probably nothing because she will lightly bark at me if lightly squeeze her middle section like your not supposed too. she had out of cage time last night and was running around like a happy chin. for the most part i am sure i overreacted, but for as expensive and delicate they are, i think it was slightly warrented.

thaks for all your help guys and gals