Quality Cage Crafters Mansion Deluxe Set Up

Hello! I'm new here, but not new to chinchillas. I've had Diego for about three months and he is happy and healthy. I splurged and got the Quality Cage deluxe bundle mansion... It has basically everything, and I also got the litter pan.

Problem and questions. I've had it set up, but it's not ideal. How do you use the cage guards? We figure out the shelf guards but really can't make the bottom cage guards work. He's still a baby, potty training isn't really going well, so I use pellet bedding.

I am trying to figure out an ideal set-up to make it easier to clean up and there were no instructions with any of the products. I spent over $800 on everything, so I want it to be the best it can be!

Another question. How do you clean the pine shelves and accessories if the chinchilla urinates on them? He doesn't usually, it's only happened once, but I'm not sure the most effective and safest way to do it!

Thanks for any input, I tried searching the forums, but I'm new and came up with nothing.

I can't really help on the guards, I don't have a quality cage, but I thought they just clipped on using wire rings. Looking at the photos on the website it looks like they go on the outside of the cage, not the inside like the shelf ones, but that's all I can figure out, sorry. Have you tried contacting quality cage to see if they could help?

One trick for potty training I've heard some people use is to put a rock in the litter pan, apparently they like to pee on them. Chins also commonly pick a corner to pee, and you put the litter pan there, but not all do so sometimes you have to try to train them. You can try to train them to just pee on the litter by slowly putting less and less litter in the cage each cage change until it's only in one area, put the litter pan there and hopefully they will just pee there. Not all chins want to or can be be litter trained though, some just pee where ever, and some decide they don't want to pee in a pan anymore. Also I wouldn't use pellet litter, it's dangerous if he eats it since it expense when wet which could cause a gut blockage. Stick with aspen or kiln dried pine shavings, they are safe even if chewed or eaten.

You can clean the wood shelves (and other cage accessories) with a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar, if the stain is really set in shelf though you can sand down the spot.

Thank you for the advice!! I need to go back ti the pine shavings.... It was just such a disaster. He'd kick it all out and make such a mess. I watched him with the pellets for a good long while and he ignored them. At first he nibbled but then left them alone. Once I figure out the guards and where he likes to pee it'll get better I'm sure. The shavings are way cheaper anyway!!

Thanks again!