31
South West USA / Re: MANY Chinchillas for Sale (AZ/CA/NM/TX)
« on: December 14, 2007, 09:58:58 PM »
Just a few days now... I will need to know by noon Sunday if I'm going to be heading to Texas with more than two chins! 
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32
Guestbook / Re: Hello from Canada
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:45:48 PM »
Doesn't "chinchilla" translate to "poop machine"? 
Welcome to the forum!
Welcome to the forum!
33
Q & A / Re: New chins with lots of questions!
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:44:53 PM »
I don't know what kind of doors you have that your chinchillas can open, but... That could be a very big problem for you. Even if my chinchillas could reach the door knobs with a jump, they couldn't twist it to open it and they certainly couldn't pull it when it weighs SO much more than they do... 
Unfortunately, some chinchillas are biters. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with having a bad experience. (Which isn't to say that your chin hasn't experienced something bad... I'm just saying it isn't necessarily fact.) In the 5+ years I've been breeding chinchillas, I've had ONE chinchilla born here who just thought that biting was one of the best things ever. He wasn't nearly as aggressive as your girl and didn't bite me every chance he got, but he would bite when the mood struck him. The trick was to find out how to get him to stop. In his case, he liked it when I blew in his face, so that didn't work. Saying "NO!" loudly and firmly didn't phase him, as I was pulling my hand away and essentially giving him what he wanted. I had to wear thick gloves and let him bite without pulling away while saying, "NO!" loudly and firmly... And this started to work. This may be something that you can try with your girl.
I would suggest finding a way to prevent her from getting out of the cage until YOU are ready for her to be out, which I wouldn't recommend doing until you've bonded with her more and she isn't biting you whenever you reach into her cage. This will take time and a LOT of patience on your part... It may end up being a battle that you never win, unfortunately. Not all animals can be "tamed."
Unfortunately, some chinchillas are biters. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with having a bad experience. (Which isn't to say that your chin hasn't experienced something bad... I'm just saying it isn't necessarily fact.) In the 5+ years I've been breeding chinchillas, I've had ONE chinchilla born here who just thought that biting was one of the best things ever. He wasn't nearly as aggressive as your girl and didn't bite me every chance he got, but he would bite when the mood struck him. The trick was to find out how to get him to stop. In his case, he liked it when I blew in his face, so that didn't work. Saying "NO!" loudly and firmly didn't phase him, as I was pulling my hand away and essentially giving him what he wanted. I had to wear thick gloves and let him bite without pulling away while saying, "NO!" loudly and firmly... And this started to work. This may be something that you can try with your girl.
I would suggest finding a way to prevent her from getting out of the cage until YOU are ready for her to be out, which I wouldn't recommend doing until you've bonded with her more and she isn't biting you whenever you reach into her cage. This will take time and a LOT of patience on your part... It may end up being a battle that you never win, unfortunately. Not all animals can be "tamed."
34
Q & A / Re: Chinchilla vitamins; to buy or not to buy?
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:32:26 PM »
Keep in mind that too much vitamins are not necessarily a good thing. Your chinchilla should be getting all of the vitamins he needs with a high quality pellet and plenty of fresh hay. If you're looking at the teeth and they are not dark yellow to orange in color, additional calcium is needed. However, if the color of the teeth is as it should be, too much calcium can be bad. Too much calcium can cause constipation, white deposits in the chin's urine, and bladder stones.
35
Q & A / Re: New here! Lots of questions.....
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:27:17 PM »
Welcome to the forum!
I buy organic rosehips on eBay in bulk. You can give one a day. Rosehips are an excellent source of Vitamin C and, like people and most other mammals, your chinchilla will pass any unused Vitamin C through her urine. For apple wood, I tend to buy that in bulk from various chinchilla breeders who sell supplies. You may be able to find that on eBay as well. She can have access to only apple wood if that's what she wants and that's what you want to give her. There is nothing that says she HAS to have other wood. But if she stops chewing on the apple wood, I would suggest trying to give another wood to encourage her to chew. She should have wood in her cage at all times for chewing.
I buy organic rosehips on eBay in bulk. You can give one a day. Rosehips are an excellent source of Vitamin C and, like people and most other mammals, your chinchilla will pass any unused Vitamin C through her urine. For apple wood, I tend to buy that in bulk from various chinchilla breeders who sell supplies. You may be able to find that on eBay as well.
She can have access to only apple wood if that's what she wants and that's what you want to give her. There is nothing that says she HAS to have other wood. But if she stops chewing on the apple wood, I would suggest trying to give another wood to encourage her to chew. She should have wood in her cage at all times for chewing.
36
Other Pets / Re: new family member..
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:18:54 PM »
What a cutie! Congratulations.
37
South West USA / Re: MANY Chinchillas for Sale (AZ/CA/NM/TX)
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:17:30 PM »
The trip to El Paso is a week away! If anyone in Texas is wanting to get a chinchilla from me, now is the perfect time. The buyer who is meeting me in El Paso is willing to transport between El Paso and Houston.
38
South West USA / Re: Standard/Mosaic Breeding Pair
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:15:58 PM »
This pair has been separated. Kalli is now paired with another female (Lenga, a Medium Tan) and Kent is currently living by himself. Kalli and Lenga are available for $275 as a pair or Kalli is available for $150 alone. Kent is available for $65.
39
South West USA / Re: Homo Light Tan/Mosaic Breeding Pair
« on: December 09, 2007, 02:13:35 PM »
This pair is on hold. Nougat and Gwyn are heading to SoCal at the end of the month.
40
General Chat / Re: Christmas Greetings from a few of my Chins
« on: December 04, 2007, 06:41:26 PM »
Didn't work for me... :-[
41
Q & A / Re: hammock
« on: December 04, 2007, 12:13:26 PM »
I think that it's a matter of opinion and really depends on your chinchilla as to whether or not you want to use this. I wouldn't use it with my chinchillas because I would worry that they might decide to suddenly dart out of it while I was destracted by something else, thus injuring themselves. But if yours likes to be in it and you know the risks involved (potential injury and overheating, as you mentioned) then it is up to you as an informed owner to make the decision about what is right for your pet.
42
General Breeder Chat / Re: Made my first sale!
« on: December 04, 2007, 12:08:56 PM »
OH! Sandy and SALLY! In your original post, you said Sandy and Sandy... It wasn't that I thought they would confuse them, as I knew they were different colors. It was that I thought, "How confusing to the chinchillas, to both be called Sandy." 
43
Q & A / Re: treats
« on: December 04, 2007, 12:07:18 PM »
Treats are not an essential part of a chinchilla's diet. One treat a day is MORE than enough. (Mine are lucky if they get one treat a week!) Anything other than pellets and hay is considered a treat. The treat you give should generally be no larger than the size of a raisin, so you certainly wouldn't want to give a shredded wheat square (which is much larger than a raisin) AND a raisin.
44
General Chat / Re: A moral dilema - I really need some advice.
« on: December 04, 2007, 12:44:13 AM »
I don't know what to tell you... Another A/C can always be purchased, but, seeing as how he's still getting used to you, you might consider moving her out of the room instead.
45
Parent Chat / Re: Internet Cheating...
« on: December 04, 2007, 12:42:16 AM »
I frequently answer emails by providing a link to my site, where I know the answer can be found. I don't think there's anything wrong with helping to "guide the way" without actually answering the questions directly.