Any Suggestions?

[dayofhope]

Hey guys, I wanted to make a summary of chinchilla rules so I can print it off and never be in doubt about if I'm remembering something correctly or not. If you can, can you approve that it's right, and give other suggestions on things to add?

What I'm going to be printing:

Chinchilla Rules.

Note: nothing on here will be about health, breeding, picking out a cage, or chin color name.

Water: filtered or reverse osmosis water. Change this every other day.

Food: Oxbow (usually most expensive), Tradition, Nutrena, Purina, Mazuri.

Treats: Old fashion rolled oats, dried rosehips, dried rose petals, plain cheerios, uncooked spaghetti.

Bedding: kiln dried pine, aspen, carefresh ultra, fleece liner(blizzard or anti-pill). No cedar.

Hay: timothy hay, hay cube, alfalfa is okay but not very healthy. Standlee timothy/alfalfa mix cubes.

Dust: Blue Sparkle, Blue Cloud.

Toys: boxes, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, pumice, willow ball, finger trap, lava ledge

No: plastic, salt wheel, fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds,

List of How To's: http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15265

UNSAFE WOOD:
Cedar
Pine that hasn't been kiln dried
Apricot
Cherry
Peach
Prune
Plum
Nectarine

SAFE WOOD:
Apple
Arbutus
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Cholla (a form of cactus)
Cottonwood
Crabapple
Dogwood
Elm
Fir
Hawthorn
Larch
Magnolia
Manzanita
Mulberry
Pine (kiln dried or baked)
Pear
Pecan
Poplar
Sequoia (Redwood)
Willow


//
Also, this might not be the smartest of questions, but since it says it's 100% Polyester, can you use a 100% Polyester blanket as a liner? And do you have to do the sewing part? (I'm really new to fabric stuff and a failure at sewing machines.)

So would something like this work? http://www.walmart.com/ip/50X60-Micr...orpho/14123142

Or this? http://www.amazon.com/Luvable-Friend...1&sr=8-4-spell

If blankets aren't a good idea, I'll be willing to make it, this was just an idea and I was wondering if it would work.
Thanks!

 

[GorillaJTA]

Food: Oxbow (usually most expensive), Tradition, Nutrena, Purina, Mazuri.

I would also note that one needs to find one that works and stick with it... Not just but whichever is available.

Also, this might not be the smartest of questions, but since it says it's 100% Polyester, can you use a 100% Polyester blanket as a liner? And do you have to do the sewing part? (I'm really new to fabric stuff and a failure at sewing machines.)

So would something like this work? http://www.walmart.com/ip/50X60-Micr...orpho/14123142

Or this? http://www.amazon.com/Luvable-Friend...1&sr=8-4-spell

If blankets aren't a good idea, I'll be willing to make it, this was just an idea and I was wondering if it would work.

Thanks![/QUOTE]
The reason for blizzard or no-pill fleece is that if it is chewed, it falls apart rather than unraveling in threads- so there is less chance of a blockage if it is ingested. Fleece should still not be used if a chin chews it. I cannot tell if either of those have a threaded base.

 

[Laurie]

dayofhope you make me want to weep with joy. A new owner who actually listens! I would add this--I do not change my water everyday. I have not changed water daily for the 6 years I've owned chins and never had an issue. I do clean and sanitize the bottles once a month though.

Treats--they can also have 1/2 of a small plain shredded wheat. Do not give these more than 3 times per week.

Cuttlebone is not necessary you can add that to your no list.

alfalfa hay is not bad but most chin pellets are alfalfa based therefore you do timothy hay so they aren't getting too much alfalfa which could be harmful to their digestive system. It is ok to give small amounts of alfalfa cubes or hay if you have it--just remember to be restrictive with it and allow small amounts

 

[dayofhope]

The reason for blizzard or no-pill fleece is that if it is chewed, it falls apart rather than unraveling in threads- so there is less chance of a blockage if it is ingested. Fleece should still not be used if a chin chews it. I cannot tell if either of those have a threaded base.

Okay, that makes sense. I'll get some fleece next time I'm at the store.
I just heard about tile lining, is this easier than fleece? Does it matter what kind of tile is used?
I'll try to stick to the same food type as best as I can, I was planning to head to the store soon and see if any of the quality foods are available. If not, I'll probably order some online.

So it's not problem to go longer without giving fresh water? I'll probably just change her water when cleaning her cage, then.
And I'll add those to the list.
That makes sense about the alfalfa too.

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[greychins]

I'll try to stick to the same food type as best as I can, I was planning to head to the store soon and see if any of the quality foods are available. If not, I'll probably order some online.

Depending on what stores you have around you, the ones you're likely to find (at pet stores like petco/petsmart) are Mazuri and Oxbow.... but they're like super expensive. With one chin, you won't be needing like 25 pounds, but the pet store has Mazuri for 2.5 pounds for like $9. So even with foods found in the petstores, you may be able to find it cheaper by buying it from a seller on here and getting it shipped to you.

So it's not problem to go longer without giving fresh water? I'll probably just change her water when cleaning her cage, then.

We don't give fresh water every day either, and have never had a problem. We have a Pur3 filter to filter our water. It seems like I'm washing waterbottles every other day as it is - we fill the bottles (16 oz ryerson bottles for the most part) and wash them once they are empty. Granted, many of our cages are colony cages, and so the water only lasts a couple of days, but I would be washing water bottles 24/7 if we refilled all of them every day. I would make sure the water isn't sitting in the bottle for weeks on end, but I also wouldn't go to the other extreme and say water should be changed daily.

 

[LovinTheSmallAndFurry]

Hey guys, I wanted to make a summary of chinchilla rules so I can print it off and never be in doubt about if I'm remembering something correctly or not. If you can, can you approve that it's right, and give other suggestions on things to add?

What I'm going to be printing:

Chinchilla Rules.

Note: nothing on here will be about health, breeding, picking out a cage, or chin color name.

Water: filtered or reverse osmosis water. Change this every other day.

Food: Oxbow (usually most expensive), Tradition, Nutrena, Purina, Mazuri.

Treats: Old fashion rolled oats, dried rosehips, dried rose petals, plain cheerios, uncooked spaghetti.

Bedding: kiln dried pine, aspen, carefresh ultra, fleece liner(blizzard or anti-pill). No cedar.

Hay: timothy hay, hay cube, alfalfa is okay but not very healthy. Standlee timothy/alfalfa mix cubes.

Dust: Blue Sparkle, Blue Cloud.

Toys: boxes, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, pumice, willow ball, finger trap, lava ledge

No: plastic, salt wheel, fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds,

List of How To's: http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15265

UNSAFE WOOD:
Cedar
Pine that hasn't been kiln dried
Apricot
Cherry
Peach
Prune
Plum
Nectarine

SAFE WOOD:
Apple
Arbutus
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Cholla (a form of cactus)
Cottonwood
Crabapple
Dogwood
Elm
Fir
Hawthorn
Larch
Magnolia
Manzanita
Mulberry
Pine (kiln dried or baked)
Pear
Pecan
Poplar
Sequoia (Redwood)
Willow


//
Also, this might not be the smartest of questions, but since it says it's 100% Polyester, can you use a 100% Polyester blanket as a liner? And do you have to do the sewing part? (I'm really new to fabric stuff and a failure at sewing machines.)

So would something like this work? http://www.walmart.com/ip/50X60-Micr...orpho/14123142

Or this? http://www.amazon.com/Luvable-Friend...1&sr=8-4-spell

If blankets aren't a good idea, I'll be willing to make it, this was just an idea and I was wondering if it would work.
Thanks!

:bow: What a FANTASTIC idea!!! I've often come on here searching for an answer to the 20th question I had that day, only to skim through thread after thread because I'd forgotten the original answer!

I'll be printing this list of yours out once you have the finished copy, if you don't mind....

I'd also been wondering about how often to clean water bottles. Thanks for adding this to your list. :thumbsup:

 

[dayofhope]

Depending on what stores you have around you, the ones you're likely to find (at pet stores like petco/petsmart) are Mazuri and Oxbow.... but they're like super expensive. With one chin, you won't be needing like 25 pounds, but the pet store has Mazuri for 2.5 pounds for like $9. So even with foods found in the petstores, you may be able to find it cheaper by buying it from a seller on here and getting it shipped to you.

Really? Every time I see something online, it seems like shipping would cost about ten dollars. Maybe that's for the bigger orders, I never can tell.

No problem! Glad I'm not the only one who does this!

Here's the list, and as far as I know, it's good to go.

Chinchilla Rules.

Note: nothing on here will be about health, breeding, picking out a cage, or chin color name.

Water: filtered or reverse osmosis water. Clean the bottle about once a week or so.

Food: Oxbow (usually most expensive), Tradition, Nutrena, Purina, Mazuri. (Stick with one type.)

Treats: Old fashion rolled oats, dried rosehips, dried rose petals, plain cheerios, uncooked spaghetti, 1/2 of a small plain shredded wheat. No more than 3 times per week.

Bedding: kiln dried pine, aspen, carefresh ultra, fleece liner(blizzard or anti-pill). No cedar.

Hay: timothy hay, hay cube, alfalfa is okay in small amounts(the food is based off alfalfa, so too much can be harmful). Standlee timothy/alfalfa mix cubes.

Dust: Blue Sparkle, Blue Cloud.

Toys: boxes, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, pumice, willow ball, finger trap, lava ledge

No: plastic, salt wheel, fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds, cuttlebone.

List of How To's: http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=15265

UNSAFE WOOD:
Cedar
Pine that hasn't been kiln dried
Apricot
Cherry
Peach
Prune
Plum
Nectarine

SAFE WOOD:
Apple
Arbutus
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Cholla (a form of cactus)
Cottonwood
Crabapple
Dogwood
Elm
Fir
Hawthorn
Larch
Magnolia
Manzanita
Mulberry
Pine (kiln dried or baked)
Pear
Pecan
Poplar
Sequoia (Redwood)
Willow

 

[greychins]

Depending on what stores you have around you, the ones you're likely to find (at pet stores like petco/petsmart) are Mazuri and Oxbow.... but they're like super expensive. With one chin, you won't be needing like 25 pounds, but the pet store has Mazuri for 2.5 pounds for like $9. So even with foods found in the petstores, you may be able to find it cheaper by buying it from a seller on here and getting it shipped to you.

Really? Every time I see something online, it seems like shipping would cost about ten dollars. Maybe that's for the bigger orders, I never can tell.

Well, shipping won't be cheap, no. But for example, at the pet store you can get 2.5 pounds of Mazuri for $9 - which means you would be paying approx. $3.6 per pound for the Mazuri. On the other hand, I can fit 12 pounds of Mazuri in a medium flat rate box and get it to you for $25.95 including shipping (and there may be people who sell it cheaper than that). Still not cheap, but that brings the cost (per pound) down to $2.16 per pound. When comparing it that way, it doesn't sound significant. However, if you were to buy 5 bags (2.5 pounds each = would total 12.5 pounds) at the pet store for $9 each, you'd be paying $45.... versus $25.95 to have the same 12 pounds of food shipped in.

Plus, when you get it from someone online, like someone on the forum or a reputable chin store, you can likely find out the mill date and you know it's fresh. Just off the top of my head, I can tell you the food we have was milled 4-1-11.... who knows how long the Mazuri at the pet store has sat on the shelf...

 

[dayofhope]

Hmm, that definitely puts it into perspective. I'll think about it, and talk to my mom about it. She's kind of confused as to why I am suddenly more interested in getting quality brands for my chin. :hmm:

 

[dayofhope]

Sorry for the double post, but card board is okay, right?

 

[Dusty Foot Prints]

I would also suggest that you specify that the Purina food is the rabbit "show" line. I always buy from Essentia (Crysta) so I don't have a label, but I think it's Purina Rabbit Show Chow, and the former name was Purina Advanced Nutrition Rabbit.. but I may have those mixed up.

 

[Brittany]

Water: filtered or reverse osmosis water. Change this every other day.

I just wanted to add that not all water filters will work. With chinchillas you need to find something that filters out cryptosporidium and Giardia (check the filter labels) Many people on here use PUR filters. To my knowledge there is only 1 brita filter that does the job, it's the faucet mounted filter with 'advanced features.'

 

[dayofhope]

Are cardboard and popsicle sticks okay?

I added the Purina thing to the list. Thanks, I was confused as to whether they have chinchilla food. lol.
And I'll check to see if my filter does that.

Here's the list so far:



Chinchilla Rules.

Note: nothing on here will be about health, breeding, picking out a cage, or chin color name.

Water: filtered (something that filters out cryptosporidium and Giardia) or reverse osmosis water. Clean the bottle about once a week or so.

Food: Oxbow (usually most expensive), Tradition, Nutrena, Purina Rabbit Show Chow/Purina Advanced Nutrition Rabbit, Mazuri. (Stick with one type.)

Treats: Old fashion rolled oats, dried rosehips, dried rose petals, plain cheerios, uncooked spaghetti, 1/2 of a small plain shredded wheat. No more than 3 times per week.

Bedding: kiln dried pine, aspen, carefresh ultra, fleece liner(blizzard or anti-pill). No cedar.

Hay: timothy hay, hay cube, alfalfa is okay in small amounts(the food is based off alfalfa, so too much can be harmful). Standlee timothy/alfalfa mix cubes.

Dust: Blue Sparkle, Blue Cloud.

Toys: boxes, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, pumice, willow ball, finger trap, lava ledge

No: plastic, salt wheel, fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds, cuttlebone.

List of How To's: http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=15265

UNSAFE WOOD:
Cedar
Pine that hasn't been kiln dried
Apricot
Cherry
Peach
Prune
Plum
Nectarine

SAFE WOOD:
Apple
Arbutus
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Cholla (a form of cactus)
Cottonwood
Crabapple
Dogwood
Elm
Fir
Hawthorn
Larch
Magnolia
Manzanita
Mulberry
Pine (kiln dried or baked)
Pear
Pecan
Poplar
Sequoia (Redwood)
Willow