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1

Q & A / Is it worth it?

« on: April 16, 2011, 07:09:21 PM »

Okay, So I've been trying to figure out how my little Leo could have some safe outside of his cage time. Of course NOT purely unattended. [I might sit on the floor and do some homework in my books.. Not gonna lie. Lol.]

I've tired just letting him run around my room, freely. Bad idea. Haven't had the chance to block off my bed yet.
He has a yellow ball, that is his size, and he seems to enjoy, but he doesn't get much time in it now a days, due to the fear of over-heating.
I'm going to try the bathroom idea, but I don't want to take up the bathroom for a good hour when I live in a house with three other people and it's our only bathroom. Lol.

So while I was walking around the pet store, just looking to check out cages, and see how much they are and what not, so when I get some extra cash I can get him a bigger cage, I came across playpens. And I was wondering if maybe that seemed like a good and safe choice for now? Or if it would seem more like a problem than a safe route.

This is about the one I was looking at - the large one, of course. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751787
I figure I could put some of his huts in it and what not to give him some places to hide in and feel a bit at home, but give him some run around room in a safe cut off area?
I know that they are jumpers. So I know I'd have to sit by the playpen and watch him.

But I was just wondering what any of you all thought, or if anyone has used anything like this? Is it a good idea to try this? 

2

General Chat / So Happy!

« on: April 13, 2011, 09:14:29 PM »

Okay, so as of late I've been having a few bonding problems with my Chinchilla and him sitting under my bed all the time and hiding from me. While I try to figure out how I can block off access to my bed I've been putting Leopold in his yellow ball. I know it isn't the most fun for him, since he really can't jump or run under and in small hiding places, but it keeps him safe and out of trouble for the time being, because I'm doing some spring cleaning in my room and it's not the safest to let him roam, and the only other 'safe' place is the rest of the house INSIDE his ball, due to our two small dogs, who are more scared of him then he is of them, and our cats who think it's cool to whack at his ball with their paws, but usually give up when they can't get it to move. But anyway!

When I first put Leo in his ball, he wanted NOTHING to do with it, he'd sit in one place, pawing and trying to chew at the walls and doing what ever he thought he could to get OUT of it. And when I finally felt bad for him, after watching him paw at the walls only to end up spinning out of control like those hamsters who loose their footing in their wheels and go for a ride. Which made me laugh so hard to watch him spin in his ball... Lol. Poor Little Guy! I would let him out and back into his cage, and as soon as I let that ball door open he'd be out faster than you could say sliced bread!

But the other night, I had it. I couldn't stand leaving him in his what I think, small cage, until I can find the money to get him something bigger, and the thought of having to chase him out from under my bed after letting him have some time out, I just put him in his ball. I wanted him to have some out time, that would not stress him out, or me out with the fuss of having to get him back into his cage. So while I watched a movie in the living room, I let him sit in his ball, ever so often looking over at him only to find him rocking in his ball. At one point, I completely zoned out. And after a good hour or so, I found him running up and down the halls and into one of our other main rooms. I was so happy that he was using his ball! So much in fact, that I let him roam around until he seemed to sit in one place for a little while, thinking he was tired of his ball I went to put him back into his cage. To my surprise, when I opened the ball up he didn't jump out right away like he normally did. I had to tilt and give the ball a slight shake to get him to come out of the darn thing. It made me feel so happy that he could have some out time without the stress and fuss of going back into his cage!

And what makes me even more happy, is that just before I wrote this, I went to let Leopold out and in his ball, I thought I'd try and let him jump into his ball on his own, usually I would have to grab him and fight to put him into, but tonight! He got in all on his own after sniffing the sides of the ball! And he is running around as a write this. I am so happy that he is using his ball until I can figure out how to block access to my bed, and get my room all spring cleaned out! 

3

Q & A / Unsure of what to do.

« on: April 10, 2011, 11:51:23 AM »

Hi! I have recently adopted a chinchilla [March 26th] because I felt that I have been in need of a companion in my life, and a dog just didn't seem to fit into my busy and stressful life. I use to own a chinchilla before [about 2 years ago, my ex-boyfriend kept him when we broke up] that I had gotten it from a human society, and of course to be expect they are both very different animals, but I am so unsure of what to do.

I adopted, Leopold from a lady and her two sons. I never meet them, I had my boyfriend go and pick him up for me, and it was my mother who found the AD and called for me, because she knew I really wanted another Chinchilla. They were the only two people that talked to the woman about the pet. I was told by my mother that Leo, who she called Rocky, I changed his name due to some personal issues between my sister and her lost cat, who was named Rocky. But anyway. I was told that Leopold was very friendly, didn't mind being held and would take treats from your hand and liked to run around outside his cage and play and that her two sons gave him  most of the attention.

I know it takes some time for your chinchilla to get use to you, and that they are very shy and easily frightened creatures, but I feel like either I'm doing something wrong, or how he was raised with his past owner(s) may have affected him? He's about 2 and a half years old, from what I was told.

When I first got him, he seemed okay with me. I was able to get him to sit with me - sort of, he struggled a bit, but at least he didn't bark at me like he would at my mom or my boyfriend if they tried to touch him. He even took a raisin or two, but mostly inside his cage, if he was outside he'd take it, nip it, and drop it. Which my old Chinchilla use to do too. But since then, he hasn't and won't eat any treats that I offer him.

When I let him out of his cage, he runs around for a little bit, avoiding me almost all the time, unless I'm laying on the floor on my stomach, and not looking at him, then he'll climb on my feet, the back of my legs, and run off. My room isn't very big, but it is the only good closed off room away from our two small dogs and our cats... I usually let him out after I get home from work, since I work closing shifts and it's after 11 pm I thought a Nocturnal pet would be perfect! Specially since I stay up late anyway. Sometimes when I let him out, I really just let him out run around, and I'll sit on my bed and do homework... Letting him do his own thing while I do mine. Of course he'll run around the room, jumping, sniffing and what ever else he does for a good 10 minutes or so, and then he'll retreat to hiding under my bed under I have to fish him out to go back into his cage.

At first, I would sit on the floor with some hay and try to get him to come to me, which he would, then I would pick up a struggling Leo, pet him and talk to him for a minute or two and put him back into his cage, where he'd run around and chew on the wire sides making loud annoying noises wanting to come out again. I was able to get him to come to me when I wanted to put him away after a few minutes of petting and talking, but a few days later he wouldn't come to me, he'd sit under my bed and stare at me, he'd come to me but if I made any movements to pick him up or touch him, he'd bolt back under my bed... So I went to using his favorite little pink house, and put bath dust into it. It'd take him a few minutes to come out from under the bed and jump into the bath, and once he was in, I'd block the hole and put him into the cage with his bath house... Which in affect, would cause him to jump out and try to race my hand to the door, which of course he never made it and would have his jumping and wire chewing fit again. Now he won't even fall for the bath time trick to getting him back into his cage...

I can't reach him from under my bed, and that's the only place he goes to when I let him out of his cage. I have tired keeping him in those plastic rolling balls that you can get for them so they can run around in a ball, but he doesn't seem to like it, unlike my past chin. He just sits in it, pawing at the sides wanting out of it... But I almost dread letting him out, because I know at the end of the night when I want to go to bed, I have to fish him out from under my bed... Which I hate doing. I know you're not suppose to chase them, but I don't know what else to do... I usually chase him out with a boom stick, and drop a towel over him, which keeps him from running away... but now he's getting tricky...

He won't have anything to do with me [I can still pet him under his chin or behind his ear when he's in his cage, but that's it], he won't take treats from me, won't come to me if I sit on the floor while he's out, and won't come out of his cage if I sit in front of the door. I fear that I might have ruined my bond with my little friend.

I've also thought about getting him a bigger cage, the one he came with is only a one level cage, and maybe a friend.. and hope maybe that might keep him from wanting to sit under my bed all the time and actually run around and play?