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KerlySue

Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
7
I just picked up my first new chinchillas tonight, I've been doing as much reading as I can and still have a few questions, I'm sorry if they are stupid or obvious questions.

First, after moving the chins to a new house I know it's best to let the settle in before play time or too much interactions, but should I still offer dust baths inside their cage in the mean time?

Second question, the cage that I got them in has just a plastic tray on the bottom (I replaced it with a sheet of melamine) but at the moment there is no lip or guard around it. As far as I know they have always been using just fleece on the bottom with no bedding, should I continue with just the fleece, or see if they would use a litter pan with bedding? I could even build something with a guard on it, just don't want to build something if it's not going to work. What has everyone else had success with?

Again sorry for the possibly stupid questions. You guys are all amazing for helping us newbs :):)

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So do you mean you have a piece of melamine covered in fleece? Melamine is toxic if chewed on so I hope you mean the edges are not accessible.

Yes you can give them their dust baths in the cage if you want, just don't leave the dust bath in there all the time. A couple 10 min or so baths a week is plenty for most chins.

Chins don't need bedding like other rodents, they don't burrow or make nests so the bedding is more to absorb pee and make the floor more comfortable. You can try putting a pan of litter in the corner, but no guarantee they will use it. Although most chins do choose a specific corner to pee, and that is where you put the litter pan, not all chins do. My current two just pee where ever, so I gave up on the litter pan. I use fleece liners 3 layers thick to absorb the pee, and change them out regularly. A lip or guard around the cage will help contain some of the poop, hay, and other mess though, they may learn to pee in the litter box, but can't be trained to poop in a box.

Depending on what you have for a cage you can also get metal pans. Bass equipment makes them i think up to 3" high.
 
Yes the melamine is covered by fleece, but I will soon be either getting kd pine or look into the bass pans, just trying to to get everything organized and safe as possible until I can order some things online.

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