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31

News / Re: Virtual Egg Hunt - April 1

« on: April 06, 2012, 09:51:40 AM »

   Don't get frustrated ... get determined!   

32

Cages / Re: Ferret Nation Habitat Model 181, 182, 183

« on: March 12, 2012, 10:07:57 AM »

   Ferret cages are for ferrets, not for chinchillas.  The wire on the ferrett cages is spaced much to far apart for a small chin, especially a young one. 

You might want to check out Martin's Cages (http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/chinchilla/ )  They make cages that are approiate for chinchillas ... ones that are safe for a chinchilla.  They are also VERY reasonable with their prices.   


 
Jo Ann

33

Q & A / Re: How long can kits remain with their mother before they must be weaned?

« on: December 23, 2011, 11:17:59 AM »

   

... It means that it wants to be fed and mothered. Clyde would sometimes make this noise when someone came up to the cage too. He would squeak at a family member when they came to see him.

Feel very honored ... Clyde was telling you not only did he want to be a part of your family, but he considers you a "big chin" and a part of his family ... a very, very big compliment from a chinchilla.  He's showing he loves you and wants to stay with you.    

Give him a sniff and a chinnie kiss for me.     A chinnie sniff is when a chinchilla greets another chin ... they sniff each other's noses and usually down the side a little ways ... this is the 'proper'/'polite' greeting between chinchillas.

   Jo Ann

34

Health / Re: Pain or mating?

« on: December 21, 2011, 10:39:18 AM »

  

I'm still not right about the whole thing but I've researched the operation aftercare and Buddy's a lot younger so he shouldn't have the stomach complications that Hank did.

Age usually has nothing to do with digestive/stomach complications due to after care surgery ... IE antibiotics.  Antibiotics kill germs, even the good ones. The antibiotic can not distinguish the difference between the good ones and the bad ones, so it kills them all.   The good ones, called flora, help to properly digest your chinchilla's food.  If the food is not properly digested, it can and ususally will, cause a blockage sooner or later, unfortunately it's usually sooner.  What feces that do make it through are usually greenish in color ... this is a definite sign he's in trouble because he is not able to properly digest his food, regardless of his age.  When the feces/poop becomes fewer in number, smaller in size and/or dryer, your chinchilla is in big  trouble.

When taking an antibiotic, the probiotic needs to be given half way between doses of the antibiotic.  At least 4 hours apart.  The antibiotic needs time to do it's job and so does the flora, if given at the same time, it's as if you are trading one problem for another that may be even worse than the original problem.  A chinchilla's digestive system can not be stopped or slowed for more than a day, or there will usually be more problems instore for you and your chin.

A diet of hay and water is usually a good thing when a chin is sick or going into or coming out of surgery.  It is a less complicated diet and supplies everything your little one will need (food-wise) while it is getting better.   I usually give mine a mix of Timothy and Alfalfa hay during this time ... it's done grate for over 20 years for my little ones.  This is in my opinion and in my vet's opinion.

If, for some reason, your little one does become impacted, try giving your little one an almond ... if after an hour it has not worked, offer him a second one.  At no other time do I reccommend a nut of any kind, their systems are not made to digest the oils in nuts, but with a choice of possible death as apposed to giving them an almond or two ... only under these circumstances  ... is acceptable to me.

If you do decide to neuter your little one, please ask your vet to check on line first ... there are sites that are open to vets only ... here they share the problems and possibilities they have experienced and what they did to correct it, if necessary.  Never hurts to ask or make that request of your vet.  If he/she is interested in the health of your chinchilla, they should not have a problem conferring with other vets.  California Chins (www.cachins.org) is one place that does this on a regular basis.


Please keep us posted on him.

   Jo Ann

35

Q & A / Re: How long can kits remain with their mother before they must be weaned?

« on: December 21, 2011, 10:05:34 AM »

   Michael's Chinchilla Home Page is about the best I've been able to find to explain the different sounds chinchillas make.  There are sound bites with explanations of what each sound means.  You might want to check it out at: http://www.chinchilla-sounds.de/index_en.htm  I still go back and check it when I have forgotten what a particular sound usually means.   Always try to pay attention to what is going on around your chin when your little one makes different sounds.   

Hope this helps!

 

36

Health / Re: teeth....missing?

« on: December 21, 2011, 08:37:56 AM »

... I stay away from the balls as I heard that chins can overheat in them.  I would have to talked to one of the other members on here to ascertain that though. ...

When you consider the balls, be very careful and take lots of precautions.
Close all doors and windows and block off all staircases.
Chinchillas can learn to guide and increase the speed of the balls.  Balls have been known to 'pop' open and release your chin when they hit an immovable object.  This is the very reason I quit using one.  One of my little ones discovered how he could escape when running it into the dining room table leg.
Balls can get stuck under chairs and other furniture (even if they can not go all the way under it).
Balls comming to a stop or getting stuck near an air vent can cause a ball, especially in winter, to become super heated quickly.
Never, never, never every take your chin outside in a ball ... they can get over heated by the sun ... and ... if it were to pop open, your chin would probably become a nice, but fuzzy, snack for a neighborhood animal.
Keep in mind that time in the ball is time you must keep a close and  constant eye on your chin.
Nothing smaller than the JUMBO size is acceptable.  Anything smaller, will effect the growth/curve of the spine, same goes with the wheels used for exercise.
When playing in the ball, your chin is confined and the ball will hold in heat.  Overheating is definately a concern. 
The room must be cool and play time in the ball short.
It has very little ventilation to bring in fresh air and allows body heat and fumes to accumulate inside of it.
If playing in it, and nature calls, it will throw urine back on them while they are in the ball playing. 
Their poo/feces can get stuck to their feet and fur while playing inside the ball.
The ball should be washed and dried between each use.
Never consider a ball to be a chin-setter for you ... watch them at all times while they are inside the ball! 

   Jo Ann

37

Q & A / Re: Viable playtime options?

« on: December 21, 2011, 07:33:01 AM »

   Glad to see you here at the Chinchilla Club Forum and Welcome to the Wonderful World of Chinchillas!
To quote you

They were treated well, handled often and are generally pretty tame.

 Keep this practice up ... they can become wild or unsociable easily, if ignored.  If left unattended in a room to play ... this is not so much play time as it will become considered another "bigger cage" for them if they are being left alone to play in that room all by themselves.   They will come to consider it 'their big cage' and feel you are punishing them when you put them back in their own cage, because it is smaller.  When you play with them and stay with them during playtime in this room ... the room is like a 'park' they get to visit, not like their home they live in most of the time. Keep this room and playtime a special treat for them, not just another bigger cage.  

Whiskey sounds like a 'normal' chinchilla ... they are naturally curious and love their freedom!  But, you are their chin-parents and responsible for keeping them safe ... as   as it may seem at times ... especially when they get loose.  
One of my Chin's favorite place to hide was inside the drawers of the filing cabinet and the dresser or chest of drawers ... tight spaces, but if they get in or under, they can travel from drawer to drawer from inside the shell of the cabinet.  I only found him when he rustled some papers.  

Placing their treats in a plastic container and shaking it before giving them a treat, lets them know something good and special is in your hand and they will get it if they come to you ... having them come to you is much more pleasant and safe, for you and the chins, than it would be to have to chase them down to catch them.     Treats are just that ... treats.  Something special to be given few and far in between.  To much is not good.

Chin-proofing:
#1 When attempting to chin-proof, get on the floor, seeing everything from their point of view, as well as your own.  Keep in mind, you'll still probably miss something, so watch them carefully at any and all times that they are out of their cage!
#2 Keep all doors and windows closed while your chin is out playing, he could run to another room when the door to that room is opened by you or someone on the other side of it.
#3 Keep a light weight baby blanket, sheet, pillow case, butter fly net or coi pond net handy to help catch him without hurting him. Their dust bath container is also a safe and enticing place for a chin to run where you can catch him.
#4 If he is stuck in a tight place, wear thick gloves ... he is scared and probably hurt and, for this reason only, may bite, when he normally would not do so.  First time I was bitten was when one of my little ones got stuck under the central air unit.  He was stuck, hurt, scared and could not get out.  Eventho I was helping him, it hurt, and in his defence ... he only did what came natural ... to attempt to protect himself.
  
Never scream at or hit a chin for biting ... figure out what you were doing wrong at the time, and don't do it again.  Tell him (in a sharp high-pitched tone) "no-no" and put him back in the cage.  Time out.  Chinchillas want attention and love ... the most productive way to make him stop something is to pull an immediate 'time out' in his cage or a small travel cage, not play with him again until the next day and he will usually figure it out very quickly.
 They love and want to be loved and will usually try to please you and will stop doing what you do not like, once they know what that is.  (Chewing is the exception ... chewing comes naturally and is a necessity for a chinchilla.)

The kitchen is an especially 'no-no' place for chinchillas.  Dishwater, tight places (under and behind stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers not to mention open/closed cabinet doors), hot elements, open containers of no-no food to eat, liquids to drink or fall into, and glass to brake and fall on.  Also, the kitchen can often be one of the hottest rooms in the home.

The bathroom is one of the easiest rooms to chin-proof.  Cover any hole that is 1" or more in diameter.  Never leave cleaners out (they are usually in plastic and chins love to chew)! Put away any tubes of toothpaste and medications as well as Efferdent and Alkaselzer.  Close the toilet bowl lid.  Empty the bathtub/shower/sink of all water and dry them ... chins should never get wet.  Do keep in mind: chinchillas love to chew ... anything ... including and especially (but not limited to) wood cabinets/doors/door frames and, last but not least, molding!  These are dangerous for your chins and expensive for you to have to replace. Chins should never be outside their cages unattended.  Playtime is funtime and should always be one-on-one time with you and the chinchillas.  This time is as much for you as it is for them ... I've never known a day a chinchilla could not make me smile.

If a chin gets loose ... they love to play hide 'n seek ... no sitting on the living room chairs or couches or beds until the little one is found ... they love to hide under and in dark places ... don't take the chance of squishing one!  

Any electrical wire that is exposed to air, and is not enclosed, is exposed to a chin ... they dearly love to chew ... no crispy critters, please!  Not to mention the cost of replacing electrical cords, computer cables and plug-in power strips.
Cover electrical outlets (toddler safe plastic plug covers) ... they love to stick their little paws into any small openings they can find, to see what is inside it ... plus ... if they were to spray ... liquid is a great conductor of electricity.

Keep your computer and other electronics in a different room ... chinchillas shed very little and is so fine it's hard to see, but, their very fine fur can find it's way inside your computers and TV air/cooling vents.

For chinchillas, books can be a special delight to chew, rip and eat ... but not at all safe and very expensive.  Same goes for boxes of pictures or albums.

Basically ... anything a chin can squeeze into, fall in, eat or drink (that is not healthy/safe for a chin), anything he can get his little paws in or on and anything he can sink his little teeth into needs to be safely stored away or guarded by you, when he is having playtime or escapes from his cage.  

   Jo Ann

38

Q & A / Re: Just a few questions...concerns...

« on: December 15, 2011, 09:57:02 AM »

    Definitely remove all plastic!  Their little systems can not digest plastic and it can cause havoc with their tummies and intestines.  It can kill.
Also, remove any and all aluminum parts before putting a toy or a holder in their cage.  Aluminum is a soft metal and the chinchillas will chew it, with the same results as plastic ... trouble, with a capitol "T".  We decided to purchase very expensive aluminum trays, because they would not rust, only to find out they would chew the edges, leaving what looked like a serrated knife edge.  [Photo below.]  The damage in the picture was done in one night.

If you can't find a wooden hut fairly quickly ... oatmeal  or tissue boxes work great ... they are chewable and disposable!  I usually peel off the outer layer if it has allot of color on it ... not fond of the idea of them eating ink.

Toilet tissue rolls,   http://www.luvnchins.com/VideoSimpleChinchillaToys.html  (especially the large ones), empty paper towel rolls, a paper bag anything that they can chew on safely, climb on or in safely, and/or drag around is usually enjoyed by the chinchillas.  

Except for the long term sturdy ones, like the flying sauser wheel, expensive toys are generally for our bragging benefit only.  (Except for the long term sturdy ones, like the flying sauser wheel.)
Check out the pages in this section:  
http://luvnchins.com/ChinchillaSupplies.html  Take a look at the expensive huts that lasted less than a month.

   Jo Ann

39

General Chat / Re: HELP Travelling cross country with Chinchillas

« on: December 15, 2011, 09:22:10 AM »

   When you take the chins inside with you ... welcome or not ... always use your own sheet/blanket spread out under the cage and be sure to dump the sheet/blanket outside when leaving.  

Play time should be in the bathroom ... easy to clean up.  

Make sure they do not chew on woodwork or furniture ... that could cost you in more ways than one ... it might poison your chin if it has been sprayed and/or certain cleaners leave a residue on surfaces. 

Never let your little one play on carpet that is damp ... the cleaners used to shampoo it can enter his system through his feet if it has not dried completely or if it were to get wet again.

Remember ... extra charges can be added to your credit card if you mess up and don't clean up or get caught with them when you are not suppose to have them in the room.  Plan ahead!

Place something between the back of the seat or where ever you set the cage ... remember ... chins love to chew! 
Plastic sheeting between the area and what ever you use as a spacer between the cage and what is near them during travel.  Make sure the plastic is not directly exposed to the chinchillas.  They can reach most anything within 1 to 2 inches of the cage with their teeth (not to mention pulling it inside the cage) ... and about 7 feet accurately when they spray.  Protect your belongs as well as your chins!

Make sure all items inside the cage are securely anchored in place ... don't take a chance on squishing a chin.  Huts can be anchored/secured to the wire of the cage by using 2 large metal O rings and a long screw on each side or 2 on one side.  The rings should be large enough to span over at least two adjacent wires.  Place 1 O ring inside the cage between the wood and the wire, use the second O ring on the outside of the cage.  Having the two O rings used this way assures no slipping.  If you use wing nuts instead of regular screws, check them often, they can loosen during driving and transporting.  

Dishes should snap into metal holding rings or attach directly to the cage.  Water bottles should be glass and not used during the travel time ... offer them water during stops and over night.

I'm sure there are others that will have good suggestions, also.

   Jo Ann

40

Fun and Games / Re: I need testers for a new chinchilla game

« on: December 15, 2011, 09:07:47 AM »

   Chinchilla Match is not working.

Now that I have that out of the way .... They look great!  I've spent about 2 hours on there today, during which time I should have been cleaning house     ... Bill will understand.   

41

Cages / Re: Cage re-design??

« on: December 15, 2011, 07:13:37 AM »

   Beautiful cage and I like what you did with the shelves!

Are all your chins of the same sex?  Babies could easily get out of that cage.

   Jo Ann

P.S.  Sorry about fliping the photos, but I have a sore neck and it was hard to see them sideways.  

42

Q & A / Re: Minimum temperature

« on: December 15, 2011, 06:54:38 AM »

   You can also buy animal heating pads ... they go under the metal pan and stay at a low constant temperature as not to over heat the chins. 

If not that ... a wooden hut, or even a cardboard box, fairly well enclosed will also help them hold their body temperature in a confined area. 

Some people will place fleece in cages, but beware ... lots of laundry to keep it clean.

Lots of hay, as long as it stays clean and fresh, is nice and warm for chinnies.  Do keep in mind, once the hay is urinated on or gets wet from water, it can mold quickly.  Keep a close eye on the hay and change it out about every other day.

   Jo Ann

43

Health / Re: Chinchilla tail cut and swollen! What should I do?

« on: December 15, 2011, 06:38:02 AM »

   Sounds great!  

But, did the vet also give you a probiotic?  Something to replace the flora in his system?  An antibiotic kills all germs, the good ones and the bad ones.  Flora, one of the the good ones, must survive in order to keep the chin's digestive system flowing properly.  When using an antibiotic and a probiotic during the same period of time, they must be given at least 4 hours apart, or they will just cancel each other out, and it will be as if you are using neither.  A good probiotic is acidophiles.  This can be found in most health food stores.  Usually it is in a capsule form.  To replace the flora ... 4 hours after the antibiotic medication, open one of the acidophiles capsules and sprinkle about 1/4th of it on a small amount of food in a special bowl. Remember ... once the acidophiles bottle is opened, the whole bottle of acidophiles needs to be kept refrigerated or it will go bad.

I'm not trying to scare you by what I say, but just wanting make sure you have a good holiday with your little one ...  
But, if the flora/good bacteria dies and is not replaced, a chinchilla can become impacted/stopped-up in a matter of just a few days (2 to 5), because his food is not being digested properly.  When this happens, his system shuts down and he can die from this.  
Two of the first signs of this is that he will cut way back or even stop eating and his poops will become fewer in number and smaller.  
Please keep a close eye on his feces/poos.  If they become wet and sticky then/or smaller and dryer, he could be in big trouble. A chinchilla's poop should always be moist, but not wet ... soft, but not sticky ... oval and a healthy size, not smaller and dryer.    
Once a chinchilla shows sign of being sick, he can go down/get sick/die quickly, much more so than a Guinea pig, which is one of the worst for this, but 'chinchillas have the Guinea pig beat hands down', to quote my vet.   When a chinchilla needs help, he needs it right then, not later on.  A chinchilla will hide an illness until it is almost to late to do anything. {This is the only way they survived in the wild... a sign of illness or weakness made them easy prey.}  

The after hours and weekend cost of a vet are usually high, so it never hurts to be prepared ahead of time.  I like to avoid the problems to begin with, if I can.

   Jo Ann

44

Cages / Re: My chin likes to escape. Need help!

« on: December 13, 2011, 05:34:10 PM »

   You might get a kick out of this ... http://www.luvnchins.com/AChinsPointOfView.html  ... it's 3 pages.  

And this little video:  http://www.luvnchins.com/VideoLadyAndKit.html

45

Health / Re: Pain or mating?

« on: December 13, 2011, 05:17:33 PM »

 

Okay, I know the noise is related to mating but I'm wondering is it possible that not being with the girls could be causing him actual pain?

No, just frustrated.      He'll get over it.  

When I started this thread two weeks ago, Buddy was making horrible squealing noises that I've only heard in times of pain. Annie was sniffing at him through her cage bars and he was going mad trying to get in to her. He was fine the next day and has been for two weeks.

When this happens, I would move him to another room.  BTW  How close are the cages?

Tonight, I let the girls out in the hall for play and Pixie did a wee on the carpet. She does this every few weeks and Buddy usually goes mental bouncing around and making little mating squeaks if he smells it so I guess she does that when she's in heat??

 Probably.  
*Do you know how to tell if one of the girls are in season?*

Tonight, I let him out in the hall after the girls and forgot to clear up the pee first. Once he smelled it, he ran around making these pain squeaking noises. He was wagging his tail and making the mating squeaks too. I've checked him for hair rings and there doesn't seem to be one. Once I put him back in his cage, he stopped making the squeaking noises.

 The hopping and swishing of the tail is call the "Swish-swish Tail Dance".  This is a way of courting the female.  He will do a hop hop swish-swish and get this silly little grin on his face.  Males do this from the time a female starts into season until she lets him mate or she goes out of season ... which ever comes first.  Punkin, one of our dark tan chins, would do this anytime a female in any of the cages would be in season, we had over 140 females at that time ... Needless to say, the exorcise did not hurt him and he loved to show off for all the females, even if he could not get to them.  

I'm booking him in for his operation in the new year and I'm terrified but it's not nice to see him distressed and I think it's be so cruel to let him live his life like that.

If his operation is to neuter him, I would be terrified, too.  Chinchillas are very small and are not made exactly like other animals ... neutering is much more invasive for the male chinchilla.  Chinchillas do not respond well to surgery of any kind.  I will not let one of my chins be operated on unless it is a matter of life and death.  There are a few ... very few ... exotic vets that are well practiced in this area for male chinchillas.

To better understand  some of the sounds, you might want to check out this site ... it's one of the best I've ever been able to find. http://www.chinchilla-sounds.de/index_en.htm

Hope this helps!

Jo Ann

*ADDED:  If you notice in the two pictures of the female privates below.  In the one that says in season it shows slight swelling and a dot of red blood.  This female is in full season.  Also, females will tend to clean themselves more often when they are in season.