Thinking about getting a chin

[tunes]

Rebecca - At the top of the forum is a tab that says "search." I would suggest you use it. You really need to do at least some of this research on your own. Having every bit of information spoon fed to you is not going to stick in your mind as well as if you do some research and take notes.

 

[Rebecca1122]

I have read the FAQs. But I have also been talking to a few chin owners and they have all had different answers, so I wanted to see what others thought.

Sorry for the questions.
This has helped a lot.

I didn't mean to bother anyone. I will stop asking questions - I apologize.
I am new at all of this, sorry once again.

 

[tunes]

It's not that it's a bother that you are asking questions. But you stated that you knew all about chins, as in, had done research already. You are asking every basic question there is to ask. It's been suggested to you by a couple people now to read the forum. That is truly the best way to learn - go through each section and read each thread. It's time consuming, but all the questions you have asked have been asked and answered over and over again.

 

[Anfsurfer]

Hi Rebecca,

I'm a new Chin owner myself. I just wanted to let you know what reponsibilites I've incurred by taking on my new fluffy friend, to give you a better idea of what you can expect.

First off, the cage and all the accessories (including wood items for chewing) came to about $600. My Chin cost $125, and I got a few weeks worth of Food, Hay and Dust. I just spent about $35 to buy more of the Food, Hay, wood shavings, and Dust for when my stuff runs out.

I am doing a full cleaning on his cage once a week. It took me about an hour to do the full cleaning of his cage this weekend (including washing and changing his waterbottle). However, every morning it takes me about 20 minutes to clean up from the previous night. Since he's active all night long, in the morning it looks like a hurricane went through his cage. Poop everywhere! This is also the time I change his food and hay.

Hope this info was helpful in some way or another to give you an idea of initial cost and time required outside of just playing with your chin.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Tunes - Okay, sorry. I did research, I just asked basic questions to back up the information I read about and to make sure that it was correct.

Anfsurfer - I understand about the financial costs of having a chin. I have money saved that I am going to use to start out with my chin because I know the initial costs of a chin is much more than refilling things and getting more supplies.

You clean your chins cage in the morning? When do you let your chin out to roam and play in a chin-proofed room?

 

[Chin_Parent]

It really depends on the chin too, how long cleaning will take. Chinchy's cage takes about 20 min. to clean, a couple times a week at most. I take his fleece liners outside, shake them out, clean up any rogue poops, and replace them. With every chin, I do a hay, food, and water check everyday, as well as giving them a bit of crushed rose hip or a couple oats occasionally and sticks daily. It can be tedious, but it's routine and not a chore for me.

As for your questions, most of them could be answered by looking over the first couple pages in the diet and nutrition and housing and supplies sections. For other queries, there's always the search option.

My concern is about your parents caring for your chinchilla once you go to college. Being on board is one thing, but I know I disagree with my parents on how to care for our cat that I rescued a few years back, and her needs are very simple. Are they going to provide the same quality of care that you would, including hay, food, water, cleaning frequency, and playtime? Finances are also another consideration. You said that you were going to pay for the cost of supplies, the chinchilla itself, etc., but are you going to do that while you're in college? And if you aren't footing the bill, it's presumptuous to think that they'll buy the same things, rather than taking cheap short cuts. Just something to think about.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Thanks for the information Chin_Parent.
I think that once my chin gets used to me, I will take my parents and show them what I do everyday to care for my chin.
That is true - My parents will be paying for things regarding for my chinchilla.

They said that the money and cost of everything is not the problem. They are just worried about when we go away for vacation, but we are looking to find people who will watch our chin, so the problem is being solved.

 

[Chin_Parent]

That's good to know. I would stress the importance of maintaining consistency as well. Changing a cat's food based on the owner's convenience may not be a big deal, but chinchillas have very sensitive stomaches and it makes a big difference.

Good luck with everything, and if I were you, I'd spent a fair bit of time reading up on information here before getting them, it'll save you a lot of money in the long run if you avoid buying things they can't have or things that are dangerous for them.

 

[Rebecca1122]

Another question that is kind of random...Oh, and I have searched for this, but can't find anything.

I have read on here that chins tend do poop every five minutes or so, correct?
Their droppings are very small, right?
And when letting a chin out for play time, I assume the chin will poop wherever it is running around and playing, right?

Also, are the droppings easy to clean? I have read that many owners vacuum the poop up and it is quite simple and efficient.

Thanks!

 

[Brittany]

Another question that is kind of random...Oh, and I have searched for this, but can't find anything.

I have read on here that chins tend do poop every five minutes or so, correct?
Their droppings are very small, right?
And when letting a chin out for play time, I assume the chin will poop wherever it is running around and playing, right?

Also, are the droppings easy to clean? I have read that many owners vacuum the poop up and it is quite simple and efficient.

Thanks!

yes chins poop all the time, droppings are comparable to tic tacs. Chins poop where ever they go. you just vacuum it up.