chinchilla stuff- a chinchilla family

A place to put recent chinchilla activities.

We made new shelves and hay boxes. I also found some good, inexpensive wheels. Chins must have metal wheels. This is Katsu and Aime's cage



Aime is due starting the 29th so hopefully kits to follow. I need to get pics of my new sapphire and violet. The violet is such an interesting color.

Cute and happy chins! I need to take some pics of mine in their home, too. Charo cracks me up. She stretches out and sleeps on the "front porch" of her house every night after their run around time. I ended up getting the flying saucer, and they both use it, mostly at night.

Good luck on the babies!

Lovely habitat you have for them, Akane.

That cage is a work of art in and of itself. Question- is it specifically designed for Chins, and if so, why is the wire spacing so close?

I know that you take them out regularly for dust baths, but I just had an idea... why not get a clear plastic tote (just so you can watch them) and cut an entry hole in it so they can bathe whenever they want? If you made a little flap to cover the hole it would keep most of the dust contained.

All plastic is destroyed. Sometimes when they feel industrious thinner metal wheels get destroyed so you can only leave metal, safe chewing wood, and fleece in the cage. Some eat fleece too. If you give them bedding they eat that. They don't have that caution of new or inedible foods like most animals. Everything is ingested.

This cage is a critter nation that can keep kits in. The plastic shelves were replaced and the pans are from bass. I have ferret nations for big enough chins who aren't currently pregnant. Those have fewer bars and more vertical than horizontal. Kits will pop right through anything over 1/2".

That looks like a luxury condo to me.

Stupid question: is that a 2 story place, or two separate ones? I ask because I don't see any way to get to the second floor, unless chins are great jumpers.

The front left has a hole over the shelf. I have a pair with a 3 level cage but not many shelves yet so the top is mostly useless. <br /><br /> __________ Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:47 pm __________ <br /><br /> Sumi the violet female, good color picture here


after starting to dust


Little sapphire male I haven't named yet

They are such interesting critters!

Inada suddenly ballooned up instead of Aime. She's giving birth right now and has 1 still wet dark one under her. My camera is missing! Josh will be home so I'll have to steal his phone. I tore apart both areas the camera should be. I now think a husky puppy walked off with it.

__________ Tue Oct 07, 2014 1:57 pm __________

2 out. Camera was found in one of Niji's chewy objects collection location. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:13 pm __________ <br /><br /> Looks like twins. Not sure if they are tan or just beige. It's the first litter out of my ebony male so we haven't had tans yet.

They are so cute! It just amazes me that they come out ready to go from the start, eyes and ears open and hopping around already.

They are wobbly but the smaller one went straight up to my shoulder. Which means they are born escape artists. :lol: We found with the first litter that the rabbit method of baby saver wire doesn't work. The whole cage, floor to ceiling and including those, has to be baby proof. <br /><br /> __________ Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:39 pm __________ <br /><br /> Aime finally had a single kit. Beige female

It's SO CUTE!

They really are lovely little animals.

So adorable!

I get a rabbit on my desk and Josh gets this





He insisted he had to keep that one from Aime and Katsu. <br /><br /> __________ Sat Nov 22, 2014 4:17 pm __________ <br /><br /> The chinchilla cam is mostly up. There's some lighting and cage arrangement (not to mention cleaning) to mess with today but it is running. Hopefully this is the right link http://ustre.am/1jlgx . I don't think you have to have a ustream account and log in but they've added several pro options since I last used it.

How cute! I want!

Didn't need an account. There was one nibbling, it was cute.
Lighting is just a bit dark.

My last cage of the week is clean.

The lighting issue was the main complaint for this camera but at $15 it makes a good experiment camera and I just have to go find the ac adapter to my led desk light. We'll see if they manage to eat the camera. I think it's safe where it's at.

__________ Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:24 pm __________

Let there be light!

and now you can see all the chinchilla poop in detail. :

Oh goodness ... those are cute. Just saw two popping in and out of the tube and then a wood chewer. Are they nocturnal?

Chins are slightly nocturnal. They are awake early morning, mid evening, and off and on at night. They have some moments of energy during the day. Although most of the time I see them out in the afternoon they are so asleep they forget they were eating food and fall asleep over the dish for a few minutes.

Chincam got eaten. Wire splicing is in process and it will be attached to the ceiling. If I have enough wire to fix it. <br /><br /> __________ Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:32 pm __________ <br /><br /> Today's attempt by someone to get free chinchillas

the chinchillas would have a loving home and everything if giving to me i just got out of the national guard in which i was in for 3 years and im looking for a pet to hold and such to help with my ptsd from the military and think that your chinchillas would be perfect in helping me with that .

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Not that chins would even be useful because they are not cuddly. You can bribe them with cereal to sit still for 30-60seconds and then they are gone. If you don't want them everywhere you have to hold the tail or you risk crushing the floating rib cage (ribs are not attached anywhere) trying to keep your hands on them. Of course they really appreciate being forced to stay still by their tail for any length of time.

Previous attempts to get free/discount chinchillas

My girlfriend would love to have them she has cages and all just the money is a problem

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My girlfriend told me to let you know she takes in chinchillas and raises them she don’t have money to buy them as she spends all her money getting her animals what they need if you would like to see pics of her as she says her children she will gladly send pics for you to see them

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That's the problem when you price your chins low but there is a crappy market here for chins. I'm thinking of listing them at least 100miles west or 200miles east for a higher price to make up the gas cost. People in those directions can get $200-$500 per chin and I'm getting $50-$150. We are slowly increasing quality and number of pedigreed chinchillas.

I feel bad for PTSD guy... I know some guys that have been through that. He needs to look into maybe a senior cat or dog or something that's more of a companion though.

JenerationX":3501uosj said:

I feel bad for PTSD guy... I know some guys that have been through that. He needs to look into maybe a senior cat or dog or something that's more of a companion though.

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Your supposed to feel bad, that is why he said it. :lol: PTSD doesn't change the fact that he was trying to guilt someone into giving him a free animal that he knew little about.
Obviously, this person wasn't willing to make the commitment to actually research the animal, make a careful decision as to what is best for his situation, or actually pay for something.

It points to a few things about his character that have absolutely nothing to do with ptsd, and everything to do with the future of the living being this person wanted to own, but not actually pay for.

Even if he was suffering, if he couldn't afford Akane's low price, how would he be to afford the caging, supplies and upkeep of a chinchilla?