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AAAGHGHHH
I couldn't help myself, I emailed this person after reading this post.

ORIGINAL CL POST::
I am looking for a free chinchilla or hamster for my son, He wants one very bad. Thank you
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MY EMAIL REPLY::
Hello,
I don't mean to butt into your business, but chinchillas aren't the best pets for children; I own 4 of them, so I can attest from personal experience. They live up to 20 years (longer than dogs! As long as cats!!!)
First and most importantly (during the summer, like it is now), You MUST have air conditioning in the room they're going to live in, because they can't sweat--if the temperature is above 75 degrees in their cage area, they can (and will) overheat and die. There is a lot of misinformation on the internet about an 'equation'--temp plus humidity cannot exceed 120 or 150, but either way, both of those are INCORRECT. If the temp was 100 and the humidity was 20%, the chinchilla would be dead long before the temp in the room reached 100. They'd die at 80 degrees, and that's pushing it--most have heat stroke (which means brain damage) at 75 degrees.
Also, they're most active at dawn and dusk, so probably when he's just waking up or after he's gone to bed. My chinchillas 'wake up' around 8 pm and don't go to sleep until about 6 am, which is good for me as a night person...but not for a child.
They're messy--they poo a lot, like rabbits, and they like to push it off of their shelves onto the floor. They need a large cage, dust baths (NOT water baths--which means that the level of dust in your home with quadruple--it gets everywhere and it can't be helped). You should be prepared to clean chinchilla poop and change litter/shavings/cage liners (which they pee in) at least once a week, because all children make excuses occasionally, and whether you can make your son clean the cage or not, the animal should not be made to suffer because you didn't think you'd have to clean the cage.
They need a large cage, not something tiny like a guinea pig cage--and a glass tank (like a hamster would be in) is totally unacceptable--so that's a pretty big expense, even if you're getting the chinchilla for free. The food is cheap, though, because they need food without all that crap in it that petco and petsmart sell (JUST pellets), and they don't need fresh fruits or vegetable (in fact, they CANT have them) like rabbits. They need a big wheel to run in--NOT wire, because their toes or legs can get broken, and only plastic IF they don't chew plastic, which can be very bad for them. These wheels are quite expensive.
They need play time, and you CANNOT get one of those plastic balls that you stick hamsters in so that the chinchilla can run around--they will overheat and die in the ball, no matter the room temperature. When they have play time, you must make the room safe like you would for a baby, PLUS you have to get all cords and wires out of reach of the chinchillas. If they can chew it, they will. If they're not supposed to chew it, they'll chew it even more. The less you keep an eye on them, the more they chew (they're smart.).
I don't mean to bombard you with information you probably don't want, but I just don't want to see another chinchilla up for rehoming on CL...please get your son something that requires less work, like a hamster. Chinchillas are too much work for a child.
Sincerely,
Brittany
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That's a really nicely balanced response to the parent's post. I'm going to choose to believe that s/he is following your advice.
 
smhufflepuff said:
That's a really nicely balanced response to the parent's post. I'm going to choose to believe that s/he is following your advice.
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Thanks! I also posted this ad::
http://rochester.craigslist.org/pet/1867398811.html
For those who can't see it or if it expires, the text is::
I have seen many posts recently claiming that chinchillas are 'great for kids of all ages'...this is a lie. It GREATLY varies on what you want your child's responsibility to be, how mature your child is, and how often you will be there to supervise the child/chinchilla interaction.

I have a friend in New Jersey whose chinchilla hopped the play pen during playtime, and was caught by my friend's 3 year old. She tried to hug the chinchilla, but as a 3 year old doesn't necessarily understand the word 'fragile', she hugged him too hard and the chinchilla died. This was a traumatizing accident for everyone involved, especially the 3 year old!

In general, children don't like cleaning. Why get a pet for your child that requires daily sweeping of poo, bi-weekly changing of cage liners/shavings, and twice monthly (at LEAST) scrubbing of the cage floor and shelves??? If you have a responsible 13 year old, more power to you, go for it. If you want to get a pet so your 10 year old will stop whining, a chinchilla is NOT the answer.

Yes, some chinchillas can be very sweet and tame, and some children are exceptionally well behaved and understanding. However, in general, the phrase "chinchillas [or, this chinchilla/these chinchillas specifically] are great with kids of all ages" is not true.

If you are thinking of owning a chinchilla, PLEASE, I beg you, go to www.chins-n-hedgies.com and browse their FAQS and information. They are the best source for CORRECT information about chinchillas, both online AND what you would read in some books (specifically those Animal Planet books they sell at pet stores).
FOR EXAMPLE: Chinchillas should NOT have fresh fruits or vegetables, EVER. They should only have pellets as food-none of that crap with sunflower seeds and junk in there. They CAN NOT live in 'a temperature plus humidity which equals a number less than 120' 100 degrees plus 10 percent or even 0 % humidity = DEAD chinchilla! (They cannot sweat to cool down, like we can).
To summarize:
Don't get a chinchilla for your kid.
www.chins-n-hedgies.com
www.chins-n-hedgies.com
www.chins-n-hedgies.com
www.chins-n-hedgies.com
www.chins-n-hedgies.com!
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Hope no one minds the ridiculous amount of times I posted chins-n-hedgies haha...also, I posted the story about the 3 year old but it's actually no one I know, someone posted it on a thread here (I believe on the RIP Ivan thread in Memorials) but I figured it was a good example and I didn't want to say that I'd just 'heard a story'. A lie for the betterment of chinchillas, I can deal with.
 
I love craig's list. Its the most common classifieds. Yes, some people aren't good pet owners and even worse chin owners but it gives loving, knowledgeable people a chance to rescue them. I have called and inquired and when I learned of the poor conditions, educated them a bit as to how to care for them until they found homes bc they wree too far for me to get. I feel for the little guys. So many people get them for their young children and this never works out. They should come with labels that say "not for children ages -tp-"!!! I feel teenagers aren't even the best only bc they get bored or too busy. Anyways, yes there are idiots out there. You can't change that but you can rescue the poor unwanted babies on CL or at least try and find them good homes:)

Happy day to all!

I love all my chinnies. Rescues included!
 
Date: 2010-06-23, 2:49PM CDT
Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]

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We are looking for a Mosaic (not a painting lol) chinchilla. We described what we were looking for to a pet store and they said thats the color it is called. If you have one please e-m us the info! Thank you
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I dont normally look at CL, but I want another FN. I got my last one on here for 75 so I thought why not? This guy have like six+ posts about how his kids want a mosiac chin....
 
This just appeared in my CL. When I went back the happy flaggers got to it before I could get the email address. At least I copied the body of it before they got to it.

Chinchillas are not for everyone, they are not good with small children, or even older children with little patience. A chinchilla is not going to like you for the first few weeks or months. If you do not have 30 minutes to an hour to spend with your chin a day then don’t get one. They are extremely fragile, and can get sick without warning. If you do not work with them do not expect them to be your best friend. You have to take a lot of time to make them into great pets, and some still don’t come around. I have a 9 year old female who hates being handled, I cannot tell you how many hours I have sat by her cage with my hand in the door motionless to get to know her, but she still will not let me pick her up without a fight. Each vet visit is a nightmare.

Chinchillas are not dogs, cats, or rabbits. They will not sit and let you handle them and cuddle with you. Also, vet care for chinchillas is EXPENSIVE! I recently had a year old chin that sliced his leg open, the vet bills totaled $460. With $100 just for the anesthesia. It took two surgeries and three rounds of antibiotics. You also need to find a vet who knows chinchillas, not just one who knows "exotics," a chinchilla is different than other rodents.

They require dust baths 2 to 3 times a week and should never get wet. Chinchillas are nocturnal, and will not always be happy to play when you are. They prefer it to be quiet during the day. Chins need to be kept is cool temperatures, with a max temp or 80 degrees. I keep mine in an insulated room in the basement, away from noise and frequent activity. They will be noisy at night, and like to climb and jump. Chins like to be high up, in dark places, putting an old towel over the cage is a good idea. They will chew anything! Yes anything. One night I found the lead of a pencil still attached to the metal containing the eraser, just the wood was gone- how they got it I have no idea. If you have a male you will have to check for hair rings, not a pretty sight. It involves pulling hair from around the penis to prevent constriction. If female you have to worry about her going in to heat, and be aware that she may be moody and not want to be held at that time.

Chinchillas need special diets of chin specific pellets and a constant supply of hay. They cannot metabolize sugars so treats must be limited. They need things to chew on as their teeth never stop growing. Never under any circumstances feed a chinchilla raw veggies or fruits. They cannot digest the raw plants, and are also prone to bloat.

Remember each chin is an individual and may not conform to your or my standards. Some maybe put up with things that others won’t. Be careful not to stress out your chin, they can literally die from being stressed out. The point of this post is to challenge YOU to do your homework, know what you’re getting into before you get into it. Too many times I have taken in chins that were taken home and expected to just become part of the family. It just isn’t that easy.
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Fairly accurate I thought. Wish I knew who posted it.
 
People on craigslist are so stupid! I've been looking for a female so Maddie can have a friend. A few month ago I found an ad for some chins and I emailed the person. I told them I belonged to here and that I have a chin I'm looking for a friend and that I knew they'd need to be quarentined. Well i got an email back saying I didn't need to quarentine them because the don't carry anything :)hair: ) and besides it was hard to introduce them and they still might not get along. And I ignored the 1st part and told them once again that I belonged here and you guys are very helpful with all that and I would have an extra cage. Well I ended giving up because this person frustraited me (telling me the "proper" way to care for a chin...yea whatever). Well 2 days ago I saw an ad for a "rescue" closing that needed help. I sent a short email saying I had a female already and I'd love to adopt another and I ask for some info. I get an email back saying "Sorry. Can't help you." FROM THE SAME PERSON AS BEFORE!!! So I ended up flaging her post and putting up another letting everyone know. And she sends a reply saying I told her that chins need to go to the vet and I was just trying to throw the 2 in together. UGHHH!!!!! I'm just so frustraited. I was trying to help the "rescue". I would have even taken a male and made sure he was never around maddie...I just wanted to help and it turns out it's some crazy lady. -.-
 
p.s. sorry I just had to vent. I can't belive she tried to say that I expected to throw them together...I love maddie, I'd never risk her health like that.
 
bpayne1217 said:
I told them I belonged to here and that I have a chin I'm looking for a friend and that I knew they'd need to be quarentined. Well i got an email back saying I didn't need to quarentine them because the don't carry anything :)hair: ) and besides it was hard to introduce them and they still might not get along. QUOTE]


I had almost an identical experience, chins listed as "rescues." I said I wanted to see the vet report and was told that they didnt go tot the vet because they looked "extra healthy." He then told me that he bought them at an auction because he thought that the other person was going ot use them for fur. He tried quarentineing them for a week, but since they were so healthy and fun he just stuck them all together.... and he also admited to breeding, but doesnt use a vet because chins never need to go to a vet. Yeah, because they are invinceable. IMO its a guy who grew too fast and doesnt have the knowledge to know what hes doing. He then told me that the chins wouldnt suit my "needs." What the heck? because some of them bit him when he was handleing them "For a second i thought I almost broke ones tail." OMG:hair: He now wont respond to any of my emails... Im thinking about calling animal control.....
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LilanChilla said:
This just appeared in my CL. When I went back the happy flaggers got to it before I could get the email address. At least I copied the body of it before they got to it.

....

Fairly accurate I thought. Wish I knew who posted it.
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I copied this and pasted it onto my local and hometown craigslist. I'm assuming the OP won't mind. I also added lots of links to these forums. If just one person reconsiders giving a chin to their brat, I will feel accomplished.
 
people are so crazy. why do people think all animals are like plants? oh just give them food and they are good.
 
I just saw this little gem:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/pet/1889788350.html

"I have a male chinchilla that needs a new home. You will get Dave and all supplies, large cage (3 'story' with ramp ladders), some food, etc. $150 re-home fee. They are wonderful pets, great around kids ( he does not bite). He is sooo soft and cuddly.

Chinchillas adore attention. They like it DRY. They like it cool/cold, and they need to dust bath from time to time (volcanic dust). He has a Purple 'house' on the top floor of their home is a dust house. He loves to go into that house, and spin, spin, spin (good for a laugh). Hope you have enough carrots!!! His favorite food."

Oh dear.
 
Yeah, several chinchillas have been coming up on CL here too. With pictures of cages where the poor chin is on a wire bottom all day, backyard breeders that feed their chins froot loops and raisins every day, even a supposed breeder who is downsizing their "heard" (as they spelled it on the site) due to a divorce but is asking $400 for an ebony mom and her kit because of her color and that normally she would ask for $300 each? Seriously, if you are that concerned about finding good loving homes for these chins why are you charging extravagant fees like that? They don't come with a cage or anything either by the way. And on their site they encourage feeding them greens and a couple of raisins a day, sheesh these people make my skin crawl sometimes. I especially love how you're not supposed to sell animals on there, just have small adoption fees and i've seen these supposed "small" adoption fees run anywhere from $500 and up. They really need to regulate that better. I like to look at CL to see if they have any good cages, but for the most part that place is the pits.

Don't get me wrong, there are good people on there sometimes and it does give a chance for a lot of animals to get better homes, but if you're looking to just make money off ripping people off and being a backyard breeder and adding to the animal overpopulation I think you should just pay for an ad and quit breaking the rules. Makes things harder for those of us that actually do care about the actual animal and not just the money that could be made/lost.
 
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that's messed up. i've seen pic's of chins on there too and they were feeding them frosted flakes . what are these people thinking? lets stick them in a wired cage and feed them nothing but raisens and cereal. i bet those chins on there never ever get out for excercise???
 
I use "wired" cages. That doesn't necessarily make a breeder or owner bad. People do things differently sometimes. Not everyone thinks that chins need huge cages either. My cages are smaller and the chins are happy and healthy.

As much as some of us don't like it, people can ask whatever they want for their chins or other animals. It doesn't mean that they will get it, but they can ask what they want.
 
And who ends up with the BYB chins they can't sell? The rescues, that's who. CAchins just got 15 chins from a BYB in the North Bay Area, the adult males are chewed up and weigh 300-350 grams, the females not much better and ALL have class 3 and up heart murmurs. How are we supposed to adopt out those chins? Why do people BUY chins from these animal hoarders? That is what BYB's are, ANIMAL HOARDERS.
 
My chinchillas are in smaller cages...breeding runs and are not let out for exercise. They don't even have wheels. They are perfectly healthy and happy, but those things are not necessities for a chinchilla's life.
 
Susan and Tabitha, the difference is you guys' chins are happy and healthy. I wasn't saying that they can't be happy in small cages, but a lot of these guys, the pics I saw, they didn't look very healthy, and they had nowhere at all to rest their feet. And Dawn is right, a lot of them then end up in rescues. Just makes me sad. Although I do admit sometimes I do enjoy reading some articles they post on there. Some come from shelter managers and stuff and it does make you think. And it does give the opportunity to find homes for animals that need it, so it isn't entirely bad. I was just frustrated in general because of the overwhelming amount of animals out there that don't have a place to go, it's sad. A lot of the dogs and cats don't even have all their shots.
 
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