Hello!

[CarriesChinchillas]

Hi! My name is Carrie and I'm from SC. I'm currently a sophomore at the College of Charleston, and I have recently bought two chins from Jamie.  I've only had them for two days and I already love them soooo much! Larry is my standard and Oscar is a hetero beige.  I also have a cat named Coco. She'll be staying here with my mom, and the chins will come with me when I move back to college in the fall. I would love to breed someday, but it'll have to wait till I graduate. There's already so much to keep me busy with just the two so far. I'm still working out the kinks with their home. So far I've gotten them some toys, a little house, and three cut pieces of marble (far cheaper than the chinchillas, but the same effect). They seem to be warming up to me. Oscar will already come out onto my hands whenever I open the cage. Larry however still seems a little down, so they're still adjusting. Well, that's pretty much it. I'll probably be using this site a lot. It comes in handy to have other people's advice when you don't know what to do, and when you're just starting out the advise is really appreciated. ~Carrie

[chinchillagrl06]

Welcome! They are adorable! 

[Sweetnessheart]

Hi Carrie...
I got my first two chinchillas from Jamie also.  Now I have a total of 9......they are addictive!

Welcome to the site!!

[Misskitz]

Howdy, your chinnies are soooo cute  . What part of SC are you in my friend lives there.

[*Karen*]

Welcome on board Carrie 

Your chins are so adorable and yes! they ARE addictive! 

[CarriesChinchillas]

I'm from Summerville; not too far from Charleston (about 45 minutes or so). It's great.
Does anyone know how to get guards? I was looking online and I've only been able to find one place that sells them. You know, the metal strips that go along the outside of the cage so they can't push out the poop or bedding. I was thinking about just going to a hardware place and getting some metal sheets and cutting them and drilling some holes in them and then attaching them to the sides with metal clips, but I wasn't sure if there was something easier. Anyone have any advice? My chins absolutely love pushing whatever they can out of their cage.

[Jo Ann]

Hi Carrie,

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Chinchillas!  They will steal your heart away! 

Careful of the type of guard you get.  If it is within reach of the chin and made of plastic, cloth or aluminum, the chins will chew/eat it.

 Have you thought of getting a larger tray/base and setting the main cage inside it? 

Or making a PVC pipe guard around it?   PVC pipe is found in most hardware/plumbing stores and can be cut and connected with 45 degree elbows of the same material at the corners. Placed inside or outside of the cage, they will block off much of the mess the chins are trying to pitch out.      It can be purchased in sizes 3" to 6" diameter in most stores.

 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Hi Carrie,
A big welcome to the world of chinchillas, your going to have a blast for years to come
My cages are made with 1/4 mesh, not much gets out,but I do cut cardboard and fit around. They can't get their teeth through to chew.
I have also used pexie glass pieces, screwed on with pine blocks inside the cage.
Gives them a little something attached to chew also.
Put pine around even inside, and just replace it when they chew it up. Should take them a spell.
I just keep looking until I find things that will work, you'll need a good imagination with chins in your life.

[Jo Ann]

I have also used plexie glass pieces, screwed on with pine blocks inside the cage.
 

Great idea, Debbie!  I'll have to try that with the ones I have in the living room. 

 
Jo Ann [/i]

[Chins To Love]

I love your pics, very cute chins.

[Misskitz]

My friend lives in Charleston! she says, she loves going to summerville its soooo nice there. (i also think so because i've been sent postcards from there! )