Cage bottom questions - please help!

[Spodumena]

Hello!
I have recently adopted 2 chinchilla brothers. The cage I bought was supposed to be safe for chinchillas, but upon doing research I've found that the bottom is not entirely great for them so I'm looking into ways to improve it.

The cage has a wire bottom that is 1/2 inch apart in one direction, but larger gaps in the other direction (probably more appropriate for birds?). As seen here:

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/little-zoo-flight-chinchilla--degu--rat-and-chipmunk-cage

I'm thinking about placing a tile in between the two houses on the bottom level where I see them constantly land during their frolicking around. But wanted to make sure -- are porcelain tiles safe for chinchillas (as this is what I have on hand)? This would just be an interim step until we have the supplies to refit the wire mesh bottom with 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch mesh.

Just want to keep the little guys safe! Thanks!!

 

[Godofgods]

Im honestly not sure about tile type. I dont recall ever hearing about certain ones being bad. At least no more then any others. Obviously if they are chewing or trying to eat them, or throwing them around then you have an issue. But that would be for any kind.

 

[IkiKolohe]

Aloha!!

Well, I apparently lost the huge long post I'd written when I lost my internet to hurricane Madeline last night, ****! Let's see if I can re-write it.

Types of tile would be granite, ceramic or porcelain. Any of them will work. You can use just 1, but I think if it were me, I'd tile the whole floor. Not only would it protect chinnie feet, but it would offer them a cool place to nap AND, as a bonus, would be pretty darn easy to clean. I would add a litter box (say an 8x8 glass dish with aspen shavings in it) for pee (we hope) and a good handvac to vacuum up those poopies that follow our beloved chinnie's around everywhere!!

If you use just 1 piece, I'd watch the edges to see if your chinnie's like the taste. If you tiled the entire floor, they couldn't get to the edges, could they?

Anyway, I hope this helps!

~Tina

 

[Spodumena]

Thank you for your replies!

I ended up going out and finding a marble tile as it just felt sturdier (and cooler). They seem to like hanging out on it and haven't bothered nibbling at it at all, but will keep an eye on it. Thanks - will consider tiling the whole thing!

 

[IkiKolohe]

Thank you for your replies!

I ended up going out and finding a marble tile as it just felt sturdier (and cooler). They seem to like hanging out on it and haven't bothered nibbling at it at all, but will keep an eye on it. Thanks - will consider tiling the whole thing!

Aloha!!!

Ever seen a dog flake out on a tiled floor when it's hot out? They do it because the tile feels cool on their bellies to cool off. Pretty sure chins feel the same thing - cooler to sleep on and it pretty much stays cool, not heating up with body temperature. I'll bet anything that if you tiled the whole bottom, you'd see your chins stretched out enjoying the coolness!!

Pictures please? We always want pictures!! Should be a forum rule, a picture must accompany each post or reply, heh :hilarious:

To that point, here's my latest pictures of Joey (3.5 months) and Kira (4 weeks), plus their baby pictures

Still waiting fir Kira to get old enough, so she can safely fly the 45-minute hop from Honolulu to my island... Looks like 4 weeks from today! The PRO being, my breeder is going to bond the 2 together so that'll be done before they arrive! CON? It's 4 weeks to drool over other chinnie photos and bug my breeder for new photos each week! Off to do some of that drooling...

A hui hou,
~ Tina

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[Spodumena]

Tina, Joey and Kira are just adorable!! Baby pictures! I wish I had baby photos of my little guys... but we got them at about 5 months. I will try to take some good ones soon. We've only had them for about 2 weeks and a bit, so I'm trying not to weird them out getting in their faces to take lots of pictures yet.... So far, they seem to be adapting much quicker than I anticipated. (I am *so* grateful that this forum exists to look for advice!!).

My little guys are strange though - they really seem to prefer being in hammocks or on wooden surfaces at the moment. I've been really stressed out over making sure we have the resources to keep them cool (it's been getting oddly warm recently in the UK...), so I've been keeping a close eye on them, but even on the warmest day, they were both hanging out and snuggling (!!) together in a hammock. :hmm:

I've been wondering about transporting chins on planes! This is getting off topic, but can chins manage short distances with the noise and the heat?