Chin-proof play area suggestions.

[JaeTea]

Does anyone have any suggestions on creating a "chin proof" play area for you chins?

I'd love to take them out and let them run around for a few minutes every day.

Letting them loose in my room (or any room in my house) isn't realistic.

 

[Brandon]

-Cover bottom of walls with cardboard, as chins will chew walls.
-Make sure all wires are out of reach.
-Make sure there is no furniture that can be chewed by the chinchilla.
-Make sure there are not crevices that a chinchilla can get stuck in or get hurt in.
-Make sure there are no loose papers, etc that a chinchilla can get into.

What helps is if you get down on your hands and knees, crawl around the designated room and look for any dangers that a chin can get into from their point of view.

 

[Puddles&Chubbs]

I made a big cardboard wall that can cover any area. The thread along with a pic is

here

 

[Jenn]

I use two playpens attached together for a bigger play area. Tinkerbell isn't much of a jumper and this has worked for me so far. But I am going to make it more secure by attaching large sheets of cardboard to it.

I had tried to let Tinkerbell run freely in the house and even with me watching her, she still found cords, and wall corners, and wall molding, chairs, etc to chew on so the playpen has worked fabulously for me.

 

[Jyss]

Many people also use their bathroom. Usually there wont be any wires exposed and anything that could potentially be harmful is easily put away.

 

[Sandi]

Many people also use their bathroom. Usually there wont be any wires exposed and anything that could potentially be harmful is easily put away.

My chin was a jumper, in an instant he leaped onto me then the top of the toilet and then to the sink, then bam, right to the floor (all done in literaly two seconds). He hit the ground hard and I was terrified that he had broken something because he seemed to be moving in a very disorienting manner, then he stopped moving. We ran to the vet's where, after xrays, found nothing to be broken but most likely was a mild concussion from the fall, he was ok after about an hour or so. My point is that even in the bathroom, something can happen, just keep a careful eye on him/her.

 

[Chinnies]

I block off half of my basement with tall, solid objects (boxes usually work well with me) and then I use those playpens (the tall, wire ones) to block off areas in the play room they can get under.

I just blocked off and arranged what I could and knew they shouldn't have, then, while they played, I would learn what they could still get in to and I would block that off as well and go from there.