Hi PetEureka, welcome to the forum. Forum activity maybe a bit slow at times but everyone enjoys hearing about the chins activities, seeing their photos and in general sharing experiences. Lots of good advice here too.
Amethyst's recipe is basically the same one I make. I mix the critical care with purified water until it's a bit thick. Then I let it sit about 10 minutes to soak up the water. I want it to have the consistency of cookie dough, so I add water if to thick or more cc if it's to thin. I line a...
Mountain Rose Herbs sells certified organic herbs. You can buy either 4 ounces or a pound of a herb. Their whole hibiscus flowers are a favorite treat of my girl.
I'm surprised the vet gave you a dropper instead of a syringe (no needle) which is what you really need. I would call a vet and ask if you could have/purchase one from them. If the vet can't supply one you may be able to get one from a pharmacy. Explain you need a syringe for a very small...
I'm so glad your Zoey is doing better. Once her world is back to normal for her she'll get over being mad at you. At least that's the way it's always happened with my chins.
Reminds me of the bald spots the first chinchilla I had developed under both her front legs. Concerned I took her to the vet only to be told nothing was wrong except she was over weight. The extra "padding" was rubbing the fur off. When she slimmed down the fur grew back. Since you said it...
I've found decent length of shredder braid (20 or 30 feet) at etsy for less than $6.00 excluding shipping. I've also bought it at Chewy.com for a reasonable price.
I found finger traps at Hobby Lobby. I don't remember the exact price but it was under $2.00 for a package of 10-12. I bought...
I use the aspen shavings & discarded hay as ground cover in a small planter bed but mostly I put it in the trash. The poops work great as fertilizer for house plants and in the outside planter boxes.
It's all organic so I don't see why you couldn't add it to compost.
I'm another who doesn't like wire bottom cages. In addition to being a safety/health hazard (foot/toes caught & injured, wires causing sores on footpads) they are harder to keep clean. Scrubbing dried urine off wire mesh, no matter the size of openings, is a pain.
I use vinegar to clean the cages, a 50/50 mixture like you are using. Works great.
As for Clorox I won't use it around any animal. The vinegar solution is a much safer choice, works without toxic fumes.
But if you feel you must use bleach, use a very weak solution, rinse extremely well and...