Vacuuming around Chinchillas and scents

[stacey101]

I was wondering if it was okay to use a vacuum with a chinchilla in the same room because of their sensitive ears?

Also , do they have a weak respiratory like birds? Such as the chemicals like scented candles and soaps .

 

[Mikayla]

I don't think the vacuum a bother, but I'm not positive, I use it around them (there's no way around it) And they don't act disturbed.

 

[ErinsChins]

I have a hugeeee shop vac that is very loud and I use it and it doesn't seem to bother them. It is like..factory size.

I don't use candles or anything of the sort, but I vaguely recall a thread not too long ago about it.

 

[tati121]

I use a vacuum to clean the floor around my chin's cage as well and it doesn't bother him one bit, he gets more frightened by quick movements than by the vacuum noise!

 

[Spoof]

I use a 20 gallon contractor's shop vac to clean my cages. i have two types; Those who seem to like to be sucked (and play with the nozzle) and those who move out of the way. They're so used to it they don't care. New guys take 3-4 uses to figure out what the routine is, but none are ever alarmed by the noise.

 

[GorillaJTA]

I vacuum the shelves of my guys cage with them in there. It does not seem to bother them. As far as heavy scents go- I would avoid them.

 

[Mikayla]

I use a 20 gallon contractor's shop vac to clean my cages. i have two types; Those who seem to like to be sucked (and play with the nozzle) and those who move out of the way. They're so used to it they don't care. New guys take 3-4 uses to figure out what the routine is, but none are ever alarmed by the noise.

Ha! i have one that does that....he must enjoy being sucked, it's happened twice!

 

[Essentia]

When I had carpet I vacuumed around my chinchillas all the time. They were fine with it.

 

[starleomach]

I use a shop vac in the chinchilla room and in the cages with no distress...As for Candles I will light one once in a great while near the chinchilla room but for the most part I keep it out of there

 

[stacey101]

Thanks everyone ! I cant find a karma button or thank you button of some sort here but thanks bunches . I use a vacuum for everything - bird husk ,shredded bird toy parts , feathers ...when im to lazy to sweep

 

[greychins]

I use a shop vac in the chin room and even in the cages to clean out the pans and vacuum the poos off the shelves. Most of the chins move out of the way (some do like to stand there and get a tail sucked into the hose), but none have ever acted distressed from it. The only time that the shop vac is NOT used is if we have a run with mom & babies... we don't want to suck up any babies (not that we would, but the hose is 2" and I'm not going to take the chance).... but that has nothing to do with them being sensitive.

I personally don't use any heavy scents or light candles or anything near the chins. But then, they're in the basement, so I would have no reason to. I suppose it's a bigger deal if they're kept, like in a living room or something.

 

[Pikaia]

I use the vacuum around my chins too. I use it to clean up shavings around the cage and poos on cage shelves. They don't seem to care. Tribble actually tries to investigate the sweeper. LOL.

I don't use any scented candles/air freshners in the chins room. I do use some occasionally in the living room where they play. It doesn't seem to bother them, but I wouldn't use stuff like that in their room where they are exposed 24/7. That's just me..

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

haha, not at all bothered by the vacuum.

I have 2 chinnies who will go get in their hammock when I'm doing cage sweeps (clean the poos, chew toy bits, hay, etc.) between cage cleans.
I have one who will chase the vacuum (or broom) something. Ironically his name is Chase, lol. But that isn't why he got his name.
I have 3 who will hug the vacuum, lol.

 

[ChinnyMom]

and here i didn't run my vacuum at all, anywhere in the house, while babysitting Gery for fear it would hurt her sensitive lil ears, lol!

 

[greychins]

and here i didn't run my vacuum at all, anywhere in the house, while babysitting Gery for fear it would hurt her sensitive lil ears, lol!

I feel like I read somewhere (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that chinchilla hearing is pretty similar to human hearing. If they can hear it, we can hear it, about the same. I suppose, if that's true, the main difference would be that things we are able to tune out, like a car horn, the rain, a door slamming, they don't know what it is and can't tune it out.... which might be part of why they get upset/scared over things and we don't even know what they heard.

If that's the case... I think my shop vac is loud... but it doesn't hurt my ears the way some noises (loud or otherwise) do.

 

[Spoof]

I feel like I read somewhere (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that chinchilla hearing is pretty similar to human hearing.

Chinchillas are used in human ear clinical studies because their ear structure is identical to ours. )

 

[broderp]

I use a 20 gallon contractor's shop vac to clean my cages. i have two types; Those who seem to like to be sucked (and play with the nozzle) and those who move out of the way. They're so used to it they don't care. New guys take 3-4 uses to figure out what the routine is, but none are ever alarmed by the noise.

Ha! i have one that does that....he must enjoy being sucked, it's happened twice!

Does anyone not see this as dangerous? A vaccuum can have pretty strong suction and potetially hurt a chin? (Or am I missing something?)

I'm thinking of a chin stuck to the end of a hose......

 

[Spoof]

Does anyone not see this as dangerous?

I have two that beg, beg(!) for me to come stick the hose in so they can get stuck to it. It's got a 2" opening and is quite good at sucking everything but nails and screws.

Sometimes someone does get a tail in the way and it is strong enough to swing them around. They just side step away when that happens. I remove babies when I clean until they are weaned. By then they are big enough to avoid the hose. )

 

[Snickers]

I have been using a shop vac for awhile now and so far no problems.

 

[Chin_Up_Sunshine]

I vacuum around the floor all the time, but have been recently sweeping out the cage with a small dustpan. I will probably switch to vacuuming the interior of the cage though, because Toki likes to jump into the dirty filled dustpan and ride it around. LOL. They never seem to care about the vacuum, though.