tubes instead of ramps?

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dyuhas1

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My girlfriend and I have been looking to get our chin pedro a bigger cage for a while now and I made an impulse buy today at petco. Its a marchioro brand sara line. Its HUGE and seems to be great build quality. The only problem is that instead of ramps like he's used to it uses tubes to get between levels. He seems to love everything about the cage except for the tubes. He seems afraid to travel up them. I was a little aprehensive about getting it with the tubes but the box said it was for chinchillas so I figured he'd figure them out. Is this a bad setup for a chinchilla or will he get used to the tubes in time? It seems like a great cage and took forever and a lot of swearing to get this thing put together so id hate to return it.

Ps. I would attach a link but I'm posting from my phone.
 
Chins don't need tubes or ramps. They are jumpers, not climbers. They won't use the tubes like hamsters readily would.

I'm also assuming they're plastic, which really shouldn't be in the case anyway. He most likely will chew the plastic and I have had a chin get an impaction from chewing plastic before.
 
The cage itself seems nice and sturdy with a good amount of room (assuming the cage above is the one you purchased). I would just take all of the plastic stuff out, just to be safe, and put a bunch of wooden shelves in there. Not sure a chin would use those tubes anyway, especially if they go straight up and there are no curves or bends.
 
Its sort of like that one only like one and a half times bigger. I woke up this morning and sure enough he was on the top level only accessable by tubes so he figured it out. He used to have a huge problem with chewing plastic things like his igloo house but we've since been giving him lots and lots to chew on. (He espescially likes the wooden carrots that clip onto the walls of the cage.) He basically stopped chewing plastic almost all together. I have 30 days to return the cage so ill keep an eye out to see if he starts chewing the tubes or platforms.
 
Ditto...chinnies are jumpers..I used to have a ramp in my chinchillas first cage and I took it out..he didnt use it at all.
 
Not sure how much you paid for that, but I looked online and the prices seem a bit steep. I wouldn't put those tubes in with my chins. It seems like it would be difficult for them to climb up them, and what if they fall down them? Chins like to jump. For the price you paid, you may want to look in to getting a Ferret Nation 142. You can get them for $230 at PetSmart, or cheaper on Amazon.com. They're really nice cages. I have 2 of them.
 
The quality of the cage seems exceptional. I found a link to the one I purchased.
http://www.tscpets.com/16094-pid.html?productid=16094-pid&channelid=BIZRA
WOW $389? I only paid $219.99 at my local Petco. I've been watching him since i got home from work and he seems to do very well with the tubes. I'm so happy he's no longer standing on wire mesh all day like in him old cage. He quickly made this his new home. It's got to be like going from a studio apartment to an Italian villa for him!
 
Honestly, by looking at the picture I don't see how a chinchilla can easily manuver through this, he probably managed to get to the top level because he felt safer up there, at least that's the way with my chins the higher they are the more comfortable they are. What happens if he gets stuck when your gone or something and over heats or suffocates? My opinion I'd take them out and just get or make wooden ledges.

Also, too much plastic for my taste. Even if he doesn't chew on it now, he may just randomly start chewing and then issues could arise. I wouldn't want to take that risk with mine.
 
The consensus seems to be against the plastic which is too bad because it really seems like a good cage. Maybe ill just make him all new wooden shelving and ditch the plastic or return it and order one from FN. It doesn't seem to difficult at all to make wooden selves and I am halfway handy. I wish a could just ask my chin what he wants! lol He seems so happy here, but i guess anything is better than what he had before.

On a side note, Christina, i met my first blue heeler last week in the pet store and they are amazing looking dogs. I've always wanted a shepherd when i get my own place, but a heeler may have made it to the top of my list.
 
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