Ignorant Chinchilla Owners on YouTube!>:(

[Katie_2013]

I was just watching chin videos on YouTube, in the comments people were saying that chins need wire based floors:cry3:, the dust bath should be left with them,:banghead: FEED RAISINS!,:tantrum: oh and here's the kicker, chins should be in FLAT CAGES WITH NO SHELVES! :hair:I'm quite surprised, I never knew this stuff!! I wish I could take all those chins away from their owners. I'll be their new mommy who doesn't abuse them!:hug2:

 

[Claire D]

I'm sorry but none of what you are describing is abuse - not what most people advise on the forums, sure, but abuse? Nope. *shrug*
As absolutes ("you must" do this or "you must" do that) I don't think anyone here would agree with most of the comments you've posted but there are always exceptions to every "rule" - chinchillas don't read the rule books.

If a cage is big enough then no shelves won't hurt (although we know chins do like to jump so shelves and ledges are enjoyed by chins) as long as the chin can bounce about with enough space - we wouldn't recommend no ledges though.
Wire bottomed cages - in the UK that's what most chinchilla owners use & again, we use shelves, platforms etc so the chin isn't on wire 24/7.
Dust baths left in cages - I've got some (mainly rescue) chins who have dust baths in their cages with no problems what-so-ever. No dry skin, no peeing in the dust, they can bathe when they want and sit in there to sleep if they want ...... what's the problem?

I actually think some of the YouTube videos from self-titled, supposed 'chinchilla experts" are often more dangerous & filled with inaccuracies than some of the 'pet' videos I've seen. I've seen people advocate all sorts of nonsense we'd never recommend on the forums.
Most of the accurate, correct information, even when given by properly experienced chinchilla owners/breeders, gets ignored or the OP and their supporters post abusive replies which I find very sad.

Sometimes you just can't fix stupid.

Honestly, for the sake of your blood pressure, I'd steer clear of YouTube for a while.

 

[ticklechin]

Malo chins in my house get their bath 24/7 with no problems and like Claire said, some of the nasty looking foster kids got it to with no problems.

 

[Pikaia]

I know how you feel, Katie. We have a locally-owned pet store here in town and I went there to get glass water bottles. I decided to take a look at the chinchillas and wasn't real happy with what I found. Surprising, huh! They kept the chinchillas in guinea pig cages, with no hay, nothing to chew on and wire bottoms. I do understand that these chinchillas are not being "abused" since they did have water and pellets. I also understand that this is a temporary situation and they can't provide the absolute best standards that we do.

What grinded my gears though is that they are selling these same guinea pig cages (with no shelves) as part of a "new chinchilla kit". So people that are purchasing chinchillas are getting these cages and thinking this is exactly what a chinchilla needs! However, it is up to the pet owner to seek out correct information of what their pet needs before purchasing the pet. Needless to say, I didn't purchase anything there.

 

[Katie_2013]

I guess I didn't explain the 'abuse' part. There was a guy intentionally aggravating his chins and was allowing them to chew on paper with ink and glue. And had plastic littered about the floor. And by wire cages, I mean they were reccomendIng that no type of bedding be used. And one person stated that "jumping around is bad for chins" and that they should be kept in guinea pig cages.

 

[Buddy]

Yeah when I first got Bubbles I went on to youtube to find videos of chins in little tiny cages, like a time hamster cage. I was appauled and upset. You can't do anything though, so from that day I decided not to look at youtube!
My chin has a wired floor, most cages in the UK for chins do :S I thought that was best? That way sawdust doesn't get all over he feet and fur..
She's also had her dust bath left in her cage since I first got her. Never have I Seen her wee in her bath- Apart from now! Which is very odd for her indeed as she's one to be very clean! She hates to feel dirty and not groomed, bless her
Some people who have had chins previously may have had bad experiences with their chin running around their cage- after all it's easy for them to miss place a step and break a bone.
But most chinchilla cages should have wooden ledges. My old cage before I got this one was wire all over- So I used to lay down cardboard on the second and 3rd floor!
A guinea pig and rabbit hutch I would guess is a little abusive though? I've seen people on youtube put them in balls to run around!! that made me livid!
Stay clear of youtube is all I can say

 

[Katie_2013]

I plan on it, as far as chin videos goes. I used to watch them all the time(before I found this forum and learned so much) I lived to watch the chins get scritches, but now I have eleanor