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[Rabbit9]

My breeder said that she really liked my cage, so I thought that I would share it with the forum.  This is an EZCare bird cage that I configured for my chin.  It seems like the perfect size, with a solid pan and heavy gauge wire.  I added 1"x6" ash shelving to give him plenty of room to climb.  He sleeps in his tube and trains for the chin marathons on his flying saucer.  Bryant is right at home in this cage.

[Snickerdoodlesmom]

The cage is the right size, but keep in mind that plastic can cause intestinal blockage in chins. You also have to be careful what wheel you use; I think some can cause spinal injuries (but I don't think yours can).

[GrayRodent]

I like it. That is almost identical to what I have. I converted a large (5' tall) parrot cage for mine. I had some issues with the floor though when I stretched some wire mesh over the metal tubing of the cage frame after removing the original floor. I wired it in place and my chinchilla managed to get a foot snagged in between the tubing and the mesh and lacerated a toe. He has fully recovered from his injuries now but it was quite a scare. I floored it in with solid wood planks except for one panel that is wire mesh on a wood frame so he does not have access to the tray. This allows me to line the tray with a towel and ditch those messy pine chips. He consistently uses that one panel to urinate in. My biggest gripe is that the urine sometimes spatters off the frame so I have keep a rubber mat under it. Eventually I'll build it in with sheet metal.

Minimum wheel size for a chinchilla is 14" otherwise you risk injury. It might be different for a flying saucer though since it doesn't constrain their spine as much. It is true that best practice is to avoid plastic in the cage. Plastic can be harmful or fatal if ingested. If your tube is plastic I recommend you replace it with a wood or cardboard alternative in case one day he decides plastic is yummy.

Also I'm not positive but it does appear you are using a wire hay ball. These are super dangerous for chinchillas and there have been incidents reported on this forum with them. If you have a wire hay ball it should be removed. Chinchillas can get their heads stuck in the bars where they meet in the middle like a hub and can't get themselves free sometimes injuring themselves or getting hung from a shelf.

Anyways, that is an awesome chinchilla cage. It is way better than many cages marketed for use with chinchillas.

[Rabbit9]

I use the original ceramic bowls that came with the cage for both pellets and hay.  The tube is PVC, but its covered in fleece.  It makes a cozy spot for Bryant to nap.   

I really like the easy clean up with this cage.  The cage has angled sheet metal on the outside which funnels anything falling out of the cage back into the tray.  The tray is as wide as a large 30-gallon trash bag, so clean up involves sliding the tray out into a bag, dumping it out, and refilling with fresh pine shavings.  The flying saucer is much better than a wheel.  Bryant gets to really stretch out and get in some exercise, and you don't have to worry about injuries.

[GrayRodent]

That's cool. I empty my tray into a trash bag the same way. I sweep off the towel with a broom and wash it in its own load.
I would make sure your chinchilla doesn't have access to the ends of the PVC where he can get his teeth around it. The fleece is probably a good deterrent.
I totally agree the flying saucer design is the best option when your cage has the floor space for it.