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I almost feel like Im getting new chins...cause I'm sooo excited for you!!
You are getting some pretty lucky girls! Keep us updated :)
 
Aww, thanks Shooper!

Luckily my husband and I got a large tax refund when we were expecting to have to pay! So I bought tons of custom wood shelves, a big exercise wheel, lots of fun chew toys, a super cute hay box (the cut out where the hay comes out is shaped like a chinchilla), and a few other fun things. I still just need to get a hidey house and, of course, my chinchillas!

I also bought tons of fleece last night so I can make my own cage liner and hammock.
 
Congrats! which wheel did you go with? We will *NEED* lots of pics of their homecoming!
 
I went with a cheap one at first (that's probably going to be SUPER loud). But I'll get a more expensive one after a few months when I have more money.

This one is 16" and "handmade". I think it's aluminum or metal. I'm sure it'll be SUPER annoying, but it's just a placeholder wheel until I can get a better one.
 
Be careful with the chins not being able to spin the wheel. Some of them are too hard for them to spin. Honestly, the babies shouldn't have a wheel until about 6 months anyway. Same goes for treats.
 
Yeah, I'm just going to save the wheel for when they're old enough. I did read that before. But it's included in the shipping costs so I decided to add it because it was cheap (I'm super cheap). Haha!

I didn't buy any treats. Just some wood chews in various shapes and designs. :)
 
Quick question!!

I'm making my own cage liner. I'm going to be using fleece. How do you guys usually make them?

Will it work fine if I put a layer of quilting batting between to layers of fleece? Or is that not absorbent enough?

I use fleece for my guinea pigs, but that's so much different. lol
 
Great, Stackie! Thank you!

I have two different fleece fabrics and the batting already. That's exactly how I thought I should make it, so that makes me feel better. Haha! Now if only I could sew in a straight line. LOL

I'm going to attempt to make a hammock, too, but I need to get some metal grommets first.
 
OH! I just thought of another question!!

For my guinea pigs, I spot clean daily and I just use a hand held vacuum cleaner. Is this ok to use with chins, too? I don't want to scare them and I wouldn't do it for the first few weeks while they're getting used to me. But once they start going out of their cage for playtime, if I'm vacuuming in the same room will it freak them out?

If it will, I also have a brush and dust pan. Or I could just take the fleece out and shake it out in the garbage. I'm up for any suggestions or ideas.

My guinea pigs were scared of the vacuum at first, but now they popcorn around and follow the vacuum when I clean their cage. They get so happy because they know their cage will be clean once it's done. Haha!
 
Haha! Ok, that's very good to know. It's just so easy to do. I'm sure they'll be curious about it or be scared the first few times, but like my guinea pigs, they'll get used to it in no time.

I'll try to think of more questions. I'm sure I'll have some. LOL As much as I wish I could pick up my babies right now, I'm glad I still have a month left to get everything ready.

:)
 
Hi and congratulations on the new babies they are adorable.
I don't know how you can stand it to wait until the middle of May:hair:

I use a shop vac to clean cages and at first it will freak them out a little. I bought the one with the quiet technology so it isn't quite as bad as a regular shop vac.

I also went to the flooring store and got MARBLE 12X12 tiles for less than $2.00 each. I did some checking and the marble stays a little colder longer than the granite. Either will work though.
Good luck with the new babies and congratulations again you've picked a good forum for info :thumbsup:
 
OH, good to know! I'll definitely get marble then. They should have some at Home Depot or Menards probably.

I wish I only had to wait a few more weeks, but it's still a little over a month! I'm going to go crazy. Haha!
 
Just thought of another question!!

I have a water filter. It's just a Brita water pitcher with filter. Is this good enough to use?
 
If I remember correctly, Brita filters do not filter out the microbial cysts which are the main concern with chins. PUR stage 2 filters do. You'll want to look on the filter packages, they should tell you what they filter out. The main thing you want to look for is microbial cysts.
 
Gabby88 said:
Just thought of another question!!

I have a water filter. It's just a Brita water pitcher with filter. Is this good enough to use?
Click to expand...

Nope. As Stacie mentioned, some brita filters do not filter out microbial cysts, including giardia. I believe that brita's faucet filters now filter that out but not their pitcher filters. I use the pur stage 3 water faucet filter for the sink in the basement where my chins are. My fridge also has the built in kind of Pur stage 3 water filter.
 
Ok! Looks like I'll need to buy a new filter then.

Over $1000 later and I'll finally have everything ready for my chinnies. Haha!! Good thing I got a large tax refund this year.
 
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