Bath House, Hay Box - Input Please

[chinsmom]

:hmm:Okay, I currently have the ceramic chin shaped Chinchilla Bath for my guy, but lately, the little snot takes a bath then goes to sleep in it!! I've heard that these are not really the best for baths, but make a good secondary hidey since they stay pretty cool, I am looking at the plastic house shaped bath houses, and I would like input - what works best/is safest. Second, I am looking for a hay container. Currently I have one of those Rollin' the Hay containers, which I would now not suggest due to the possible dangers of limb injury/plastic chewing. I am currently using a coconut shell half, but it's getting awfully messy. Any suggestions/input will be greatfuly accepted. Thanks all!!

 

[Ash]

Threewingedfury makes hay bags that work pretty well with the mess. As for a house? You can use a glass fish bowl, they work well. Or the glass candy jars with lids that they sell at Wal Mart.

Are you taking your dust house out or leaving it in? They should only have it for about 15-20 minutes, or offer it during playtime a few times a week.

 

[Carol~Anne]

I use this little plastic dust house. It's made by Living World but I'm not sure if they carry them in the US.

I've got three wooden hay boxes: Two that are built right into the cage and the other one I got from someone on here who makes them; it's a bit small though. I also came up with the idea to use a regular metal can and attach it in two places to to the cage wire. I like it b/c it's deep and holds quite a bit of hay. You do have to make sure the can you use doesn't have sharp edges though and if it does you have to sand down the edges to make them really smooth so the chins don't injure themselves on it.

 

[chinsmom]

Thanks!! The hay bag had been suggested, but he seems to like sitting on everything - and I do mean everything - that's why I was looking into boxes, I saw some in some of the cage pictures that had tops on them. On the dust bath, I don't leave it in there for more than about 10 minutes, but what he does is, takes his bath, then immediately takes a snooze. He will then get out and go into his tube to finish his nap. Sometimes, he will just sit in it before taking his bath - I think it's usefulness as a bath house has come to an end. I will most likely just put it in his cage as an extra hidey since he seems to like lounging in it - silly little chin!

 

[mothergoose]

I found I was wasting a lot of hay by using a hay ball so I bought a metal bowl that attaches to the cage. I use the same type of bowl for their food. They don't waste one piece this way!

I love your cage! I'll be setting up my new martin cage this weekend. Hope you don't mind if I borrow some of your ideas!

 

[Sandi]

I've found that no matter what I use for hay, the chins will just make a mess of it. I have 2 that will dig through "everything" to get to that one perfect piece of hay and then just ignore the rest of the mess they made :wacko: Most of the time I just put a little hay all over the ledges.