Chin Tips
Chin Tips
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scroll down to read about the following topics:
Housing
Your Chin
Cage
Litter
Chinchilla
Recreation
Chinchilla
Toys
Feeding
Your Chin
Bathing
Your Chin
Earning
Your Chin's Trust
Holding
Your Chin
Letting
Your Chin Out
Getting
Your Chin Back In
Medical
Advice
Housing
Your Chin: Chinchillas need to be kept in a cool, dry location
with a fairly constant temperature between 55-75 degrees. The room should
be relatively quiet during the day, and the location should receive
light, but not direct sunlight and should be placed away from any drafts
or heater vents. Do not place the cage in the center of the room, as too
much activity all around the cage can make chinchillas anxious. Chinchillas
are very active aninals, especially at night. It is very imortant to get
them a cage that has plenty of room for them to climb and jump around.
A chinchilla cage can never be to big. In my opinon a chin cage should
never be shorter than two feet, unless you have a pregnant chin or very
small babies. (When they grow up, they will still need a large cage.)
I recomend that the wire mesh opening be no larger than 1"X1" for adults
and 1/2"X1" for babies (I once had babies squeeze out of 1"X1" cages at
only 2 days of age and it was not a pleasant experience.) Chinchillas chew
on everything, so your best bet is an all wire cage with no plastic or
paint on the wire.There are many differing opinions on whether it is best
to have a wire mesh or pan bottom cage. I have heard of incidences where
baby chins have gotten their legs stuck in wire bottom cages, for this
reason, many people will only use pan bottom cages. Many other people prefer
wire mesh bottom cages, as they are easier to keep clean. I personally
use both types of cages and have never had anything go wrong with either. However, when using a wire mesh bottom cage, I always secure a fairly large wooden platform in the corner of the cage for the chins to sit on and give their feet a rest.
Cage
Litter: There is also a big controversy on what to use as
litter in the bottom of the cage. The majority of the materials that I
have read and the people that I have talked to say it is best to use pine
shavings. I suggest that you use kiln dried pine shavings, as they are
cleaner, drier, more absorbent, and they smell better. You can usually
buy large quantities of kiln dried pine shavings at any farm center or
feed store for a reasonable price. I have successfully used all natural,
unscented, clay cat litter in cages that have a pull out litter pan that
is far away from the bottom of the cage. I do not reccomed using kitty
litter in any other types of cages, as the chins will confuse it
with their bathing dust and try to roll in it. You should change the
litter and clean the cage and everything in it thuroughly, at least once a week.
Feeding
Your Chin:Chichillas have a very simple, basic diet. Your chin needs one to one and 1/2 heaping table spoons of chinchilla
pellets and plenty of fresh alfalfa or oat hay to munch on. You may
also give your chin up to two treats a day, such as a raisin or a very small piece of fresh or dried fruit, or an unsalted, raw nut. I personally stick to raisins, but will give other treats on special occasions. "Chinchillas have
very sensitive digestive systems, so don't over do the treats. It's
also a good idea to give your chin one teaspoon of a chinchilla vitamin
supplement (serving size can vary so follow the verbal or package instructions). Chinchillas also absolutely love eating the bark off of fruit tree(no plum, cherry, or citrus, and pesticide free) or pine tree branches (make sure they are dry and do not contain pine tar). Your chin should be fed in the evening, when it's awake and should be fed at the same time each day. They should also have a fresh supply of water at all times. Water bottles made for small animals work best.
Bathing
Your Chin: Chinchillas are very clean
animals that love to bathe and it's really fun to watch them do it!
Chins bathe by rolling around in a special dust bath. This helps to remove
oil from their fur and keep it fluffy and clean. Never clean a chin
using soap and water! You can purchase the dust at a pet store or from
a pet catalog, or chin breeder. Place about one to two inches of dust in
a glass, pottery, or metal container. Many people use pans, but I prefer
to use a large, glass fish bowl (6 x10 1/2 inches), as it allows me a great
view of the chin, and the opening at the top is much smaller and doesn't
allow as much dust to escape. Make sure that whatever container you use
allows your chin plenty of room to twist and turn about. Leave the dust
bath in your chin's cage for about 10-20 minutes at least twice a week
(You can give them a bath daily if you want to.)
Chinchilla
Recreation: Chinchillas like having places to hide, climb,
and perch. Cockatiel nesting boxes make nice chin houses and will last
about 6 months before they are chewed and unuseable. Wooden rabbit nesting boxes turned on their side work as well. You can also make your own chin box houses quite easily using untreated pine, or you may be able to buy them at certain pet stores. Other great things to use for hiding places are large (at least 6" in diameter) clay or PVC pipe from a hardware store or ferret tunnels (beware of thin plastic, as they will chew it and could get sick). My chinchillas love lounging in ferret hammocks hung from the tops of their cages (hung low or next to a shelf so that they can get in and out with out falling and hurting themselves), and amazingly, they don't chew the material. Good perching and climbing devices are ramps and shelves made out of wood or metal, and large tree branches. Any untreated,
pesticide free, fruit tree branches (except for plum, cherry, or citrus), pine tree branches (make sure they are dry and do not contain pine tar), or manzanita branches can be used and will be chewed up and enjoyed by your chin. All of these items must be secured and mounted in the cage.
Many chinchillas also
enjoy running in a wheel. Wheels are a great source of excercise and entertainment for your chin. I highly recommend that every chin owner get one. Most of the wheels sold in pet stores are too
small for chinchillas however, so it may be neccessary to special order
one.The wheels should be at least 12" and preferably larger. Solid wheels
are by far the safest, but can be difficult to find. Do not put a wheel
in the cage if you have babies under four months of age, as they can injure
themselves. Pregnant females should not have access to a wheel either,
as excessive use may cause them to miscarry.
Chinchilla
toys: Chinchillas need to have things to chew on, both to
keep them entertained and to keep their teeth from growing too long which
can lead to major problems. For entertainment purposes, I put in a cardboard
toilet paper or paper towel role for them to chew on. They seem to enjoy
playing with these, however they do not help wear down their teeth.
For this purpose, I use fruit tree branches (as mentioned above), undyed,
untreated wooden bird toys (which I hang from their cage), pine chewing blocks, or undyded,
unflavored, small rawhyde dog bones.
Earning
Your Chin's Trust: Chinchillas need exercise outside of their
cage as well. It is best that you earn your chinchillas trust before letting
it run outside of it's cage, so that it will be easier to catch when it's
time for it to go back inside. This can be done by sticking your
hand in the cage face up with a treat in your palm, such as a raisin. Let
the chin take the treat and explore your hand by smelling it, climing on
it, or even trying to taste it. Chins give almost everything new a trial
bite to see if it is something edible. This doesn't hurt, but it can often
surprise or even frighten the unsuspecting chin owner. Chinchillas are
very curious creatures. Repeat this process often (chins can only have
treats twice a day, but you can try it with a piece of hay or a pellet
before feeding time. You want your chin to accosiate your hand with something
positive. (I only give my chins raisins when I take them out of the cage,
this way they look forward to coming out.) You can eventually try moving
the treat up your arm to see if the chin will follow. Talk softly to your
chin. All of my chins respond to my voice and get frightened if I yell
or speak too loudly. Speak kindly to your chin every time you enter the
room, so that he or she knows you are there and gets used to and feels
comfortable with your voice. Most importantly, be patient!
Holding
Your Chin: You should hold your chin securely against your
chest with one hand over it's tail and bottom legs and one hand over it's
back. Once the chin feels secure, you can remove one hand and rub it's
ears and chin. Some of my chins fall asleep when they get their ears rubbed!
Chinchillas do not like to be stroked or scratched like cats and dogs,
and some of them don't like being held. They also hate to be turned on
their backs.
Letting
Your Chin Out: When you decide it's time to let your chin
out to play, make sure the place you let him run in is free of all dangers,
like chemicals, cleansers, wires, cords, plants, and good furniture. Remember,
chinchillas are very curious and will chew anything! Also beware
of small holes or places a chin can hide where you are unable to reach
them. Chinchillas can squeeze in to amazingly small spaces and it can be
very difficult to get them back out. I once had a chin crawl up behind my dishwasher. It took 4 hours before I got him to come back out! Chinchillas can also jump incredibly
high. When I first let a chin out to play, I start out in a small, confined
space like the bathroom. I sit on the floor and let the chin explore it's
surroundings and me. Chins will often use you as their own personal jungle
gym. After the fifth time, I will let my chin out in a larger space.
Getting
Your Chin Back In: If at all possible, do not chase your
chin. This will frighten them and make them lose their trust in you.
If you are having difficulty catching your chin, try getting it to come
and get a raisin from your hand or getting it to jump in a dust bath. Most
chins can't resist taking a dust bath.
Medical
Advice: I have listed several links on my "Chin Links" page
which offer medical advice. I would like
to stress here however, the importance of keeping your chin cool in warm
whether. Chinchillas are very suseptible to heat stroke, even
in 80 degree weather and especially in humid climates! Heat stroke
is probably the number one killer of pet chins. Carole Kessler has
a lot of great medical advice and several suggestions on how to keep your
chin cool. She is also good at answering many of your medical
chin questions. Click here to go to her web site:
Carole
Kessler
