Chinchilla swing

[Twilight Chinchillas]

OK this is a demo I just made up. It's a swing, and I'm sharing to see if there is any interest. It will include a pillow. The chain will have some wood for your chin to chew on. A combo of pine, colored, or uncolored, and some coins/ and pieces of wood with the bark still on them.


I know there is some debate on screws vs non. I can do either. I personally use screws so I can replace the wood, (often the front of their houses) but I am OCD about watching my chins. Harder chewers I use glue vs those that tend not to eat their houses into pieces! With the swing, they shouldn't be able to access the screws.

Also I will add your Chinchillas name w/ my wood burner tool at no charge. Extra personalization of course I'd add a bit extra.

I can color just the outside of the wood if you wanted some color, leaving the inside natural.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

I think it might be more sturdy - if thats possible - if you hung each supporting chain individually - I am not sure my chins would like it as I see it swinging too much when they try to get on it...the craftmanship looks great though!

 

[3CsMommy]

Seconding. At least two of mine flip out when something they're standing/sitting on moves more than a smidge. I don't think Nova's been in their hammock yet.

 

[ErinsChins]

I have a few that would love it! Though I agree that I'd prefer the chains be hung individually. I'd be very interested when/if you sell these.

 

[ABBY W.]

Ditto. These looks great, but I think hanging the chains individually, and maybe shortening them a little to minimize the swinging a little would work better. I'm definitely interested if/when you want to sell some.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Thanks guys! The chain will actually be 4 separate pieces vs together in the photo. I was man handling the swing on my own so just clipped them together for the photo.
The chain won't be the same as in the picture. It's 2.0 mm and I'll be using shorter 1.6 mm pieces so I can fill it part way with some wood pieces. I just got a shipment of chain yesterday, and hadn't cut anything up, and it only had 12 inch pieces. I do agree with you Abby, shorter would be much better in the case of a chin. I'm going to be trying one out on my tester Elvis and see what he thinks tonight.
Thank you for the input it does help tremendously! I'm also thinking of trying my hand at a duplex or multi level house. To many ideas and only one set of hands SUCKS!
Another question. Does anyone know how the heck people get those cute cut outs in the wood? I have an old hay holder from Heidi on the old forum, and it had a leaf cut out for them to get the hay. I was thinking scroll saw? Not really good at the technical stuff. No way would I do those by hand!!! I'd cut off a finger. I'm a walking disaster as it is, and blood thinners and sharp instruments don't always mix if you know what I mean! :tease:

 

[alli713]

My only question would be what happens when the chin chews the edges and gets down to the chain holes? Then it won't work, so I wonder if there's a way for you to put the chains through the bottom base?

 

[tati121]

I'm also thinking of trying my hand at a duplex or multi level house.

Yes yes yes!! I only have 1 chin but he loves his hidey house and I think it would be nice if he had a multi level house with pathways between the different "rooms" and such.

Keep us posted!!

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Hmm I could try making another sample swing and see how it would work with the holes in the bottom. The fleece pillow might be able to cover the holes if I did it just right.

Not sure if I could still add chew bits to the swing or not or if it would get in the way? The idea with this swing was that the swing would have pieces of wood for them to chew on hopefully keeping them distracted from the sides of the swing. I could also drill the holes down lower away from the edge. Another idea is making 2 replacement sides, with holes for someone who might need to replace the wood at a later date. Or a packet of replacement wood to add to the chain? As for the chain once the swing is no longer usable it could be taken apart and the chain still utilized for making one's own toys. I replaced the O rings with split key rings.

I did screws on the outside of this swing, and see no way the chin could get to it. Making replacement of the wood easier. Of course with any house/wood material some will chew it up more than others, that's when they can come back for another! lol j/k

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Just call me the OCD Queen! Here are updated pics. I don't have any wire cages so Jury rigged it and used a piece of wire! Here is my vision with the toy pieces.
Would those interested in the swing like something like refillable parts to hang on the swing, or wood to replace the sides if the chin did chew down that far? I'm still going to play around but just more input is needed. TY

 

[Sdo9396]

I think it looks adorable!

 

[Paws4Chins]

How much would you be selling the swing for? I am very interested.

 

[SamiJami]

I know that Ezio would L-O-V-E the swing!! Altair hasn't been on swings since his amputation, but the lava one I have they both would get on all the time.
I would prefer more wood to refill. Ezio likes standing up when he chews, so I'd have to fill up the chain more to make him happy. I don't think the screws will be a problem. They don't like metal. The hardest thing for me would be finding a place to put it in my cage @_@

 

[emily]

I want one

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Ok I just made 3 more today! I went with Alli's advice and made the chain come up from below the house so they can't chew their way down to the chain having it fall. It's actually larger than my other demo. Had to use a bit more hardware also to come up from below, but in the end I do think it would be safer. Now I'm not sure what to charge yet! Trying to add up materials etc. I was thinking along the lines of $25-30 max. Suggestions? Would this be fair,to much??
The total package would include the following:
*Wood swing with hardware
*Large over sized pillow in your choice of fleece. I have maybe 7-10 different prints of fleece.
*Chewing material for the chain. Some of the items I'm using to fill for the toy pieces are bagel bites, wood coins, pine squares, ABC blocks, dyed wood etc.
*Personalization. This would be your chinchillas name on the box. I can color the sides of the swing also if you like. If you wanted more than this would be extra but not much. Extra would be maybe a crown, hello kitty etc. Something not to complicated.

Now if someone wanted one of these with out the chain, and wood chews, I could make one and put bolts,wing nuts and washes to hang from the side. Especially for those special needs guys. I'd charge less of course, but would still include a big pillow.

I want to make it affordable, but also worth my time too. Just because I am who I am, I always throw something in to say Thank you! I'm very much about customer service, and believe in making the customer happy.

 

[Jazicat]

I love the idea of selling it without the chain and wood because I love doing that myself. I think this is something I'd get for at least two of my three boys.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I love the idea of selling it without the chain and wood because I love doing that myself. I think this is something I'd get for at least two of my three boys.

I could certainly make up some more if you were really interested. :wink2:
I have some adorable boy fleece patterns! One of them is pirates, the others are camouflage, puppies, and monkeys!

 

[Amy555]

Pirates you say?... My boys dont like anything unstable but maybe just the box and pillow with cage hanging hardware would be nice.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

Pirates you say?... My boys dont like anything unstable but maybe just the box and pillow with cage hanging hardware would be nice.

Here is the print.
Also, if you wanted to add anything the swings/houses fit perfectly into a medium rate box, and has some room left. I could make a matching hammock, etc with the print I have.

 

[3CsMommy]

Suggestion: Sink an eye bolt into the base from the outside and attach the chain to it. With the sides and the entire thickness of the bottom between the chin and the hardware, it's going to be darn hard for him/her to chew the attachment points out.

I like the idea of a multi-level house. I've been fiddling w/ a design for one myself.