Chin_Up_Sunshine
Chinnie Paparazzi
Hello Fellow Forumers!
SO, I'm going on an international vacation next month and my darling husband will be watching over my boys in my absence. I'm writing up a Chinformation Sheet for him, since they are MY pets that he acknowledges, and wondered what other chinparents wrote up for their chin-sitters. I'm guessing at least someone out there also has backup files of their Chinformation ;]
I'll share mine first which is obviously a little more us specific such as not including any kind of playtime (don't want to take any chances), and I've made a few orders to arrive while I'm gone so I know they get enough fresh chews.
Toki and Riku must be kept at temperatures below 70degrees F. Be sure and turn on the portable AC unit before going to work each day so they are cool throughout the day, but you can turn it off when the evening rolls around since the evening temperature averages about 50degrees F. On days when you know it will be particular humid (over 35%) turn on the dehumidifyer as well.
Each day, refill the food dish with fresh pellets, place a couple handfulls of hay in the hay tube and refill the water bottle with fresh water from the Pur pitcher in the refrigerator. You must use the filtered water as tap water may contain Giardia spores, chlorine, excess calcium, etc. which can cause a variety of problems that chins do not have the ability to fight against, while we do.
Because we live in an area with higher humidity, give the boys a dust bath every other day by placing both dust containers located on the bottom rack of the cage in the top of the cage (further away from the wheel) and letting them roll around for about 10-15min. If they seem shy about dusting, just give them some space, but be sure and remove the bath containers as Toki likes to chew on the plastic one when he decides he's finished dusting.
Each day be sure and give the boys a fresh chew either on the kabobs or you can place them in their hands or the ceramic dish. They are likely to drag them around and drop them on the floor somewhere. I have a few packages addressed to me that will contain different kinds of wood, pumice, and loofah. Please let me know which woods the boys seem most enthusiastic about. Riku in particular is often uninterested in whatever I have to offer him: herbs, oats, cardboard, whole wheat pasta, so if you notice him sitting and actually chewing the whole piece of wood, write it down so I can note it for future buying. I also like to hammer the hay cubes onto the kabobs, which sometimes they want and sometimes they don't.
The cages can be cleaned by shaking out the fleece liners-or using the dust pan- every other day (they will love you more if you do it daily, as chinchillas are a little OCD like me!) and washing in the washing machine with detergent and vinegar once a week. Wipe down the cage shelves with either vinegar, a mixture of vinegar and water, or hydrogen peroxide every so often. Do NOT use any other kind of cleaner as they are toxic to chinchillas and the fumes can lead to respiration problems. Exchange the bedding as often as you like, but leave a little of the soiled bedding in the pan as they are still getting used to being "litter trained" and they still occasionally pee elsewhere. They will poop wherever, whenever and the more the better so that will always be scattered about.
If the boys fight, you notice soft poo, you notice drooling, a lack of energy, problems walking straight, or any other problem, they are already registered at the Exotic Clinic 831.647.1147. There is a spare cage in the carport for transportation or quarantine in case of an injured chin and a second water bottle. IF an emergency were to arise, you may need to create an eating supplement of equal parts water, the canned pumpkin, and ground pellets (use the coffee grinder for a finer grind) which you can spoon feed. Wrap the boy in one of the designated pet towels to help keep him stationary. There is also anti-fungal spray for fungal growth in their fur and neosporin and the bandages in the bathroom for the cleaning of injuries until you can get them to the vet. If you need to pick them up, hold them by the BASE of the tail closest to their body and support their (probably flailing) body as you hold them close to you. If you hold the tip of the tail it can and will break off, which is both irreversible and very painful.
Anything anyone thinks I've left out?
What do YOU put in YOUR chinformation sheet for petsitters/family?
SO, I'm going on an international vacation next month and my darling husband will be watching over my boys in my absence. I'm writing up a Chinformation Sheet for him, since they are MY pets that he acknowledges, and wondered what other chinparents wrote up for their chin-sitters. I'm guessing at least someone out there also has backup files of their Chinformation ;]
I'll share mine first which is obviously a little more us specific such as not including any kind of playtime (don't want to take any chances), and I've made a few orders to arrive while I'm gone so I know they get enough fresh chews.
Toki and Riku must be kept at temperatures below 70degrees F. Be sure and turn on the portable AC unit before going to work each day so they are cool throughout the day, but you can turn it off when the evening rolls around since the evening temperature averages about 50degrees F. On days when you know it will be particular humid (over 35%) turn on the dehumidifyer as well.
Each day, refill the food dish with fresh pellets, place a couple handfulls of hay in the hay tube and refill the water bottle with fresh water from the Pur pitcher in the refrigerator. You must use the filtered water as tap water may contain Giardia spores, chlorine, excess calcium, etc. which can cause a variety of problems that chins do not have the ability to fight against, while we do.
Because we live in an area with higher humidity, give the boys a dust bath every other day by placing both dust containers located on the bottom rack of the cage in the top of the cage (further away from the wheel) and letting them roll around for about 10-15min. If they seem shy about dusting, just give them some space, but be sure and remove the bath containers as Toki likes to chew on the plastic one when he decides he's finished dusting.
Each day be sure and give the boys a fresh chew either on the kabobs or you can place them in their hands or the ceramic dish. They are likely to drag them around and drop them on the floor somewhere. I have a few packages addressed to me that will contain different kinds of wood, pumice, and loofah. Please let me know which woods the boys seem most enthusiastic about. Riku in particular is often uninterested in whatever I have to offer him: herbs, oats, cardboard, whole wheat pasta, so if you notice him sitting and actually chewing the whole piece of wood, write it down so I can note it for future buying. I also like to hammer the hay cubes onto the kabobs, which sometimes they want and sometimes they don't.
The cages can be cleaned by shaking out the fleece liners-or using the dust pan- every other day (they will love you more if you do it daily, as chinchillas are a little OCD like me!) and washing in the washing machine with detergent and vinegar once a week. Wipe down the cage shelves with either vinegar, a mixture of vinegar and water, or hydrogen peroxide every so often. Do NOT use any other kind of cleaner as they are toxic to chinchillas and the fumes can lead to respiration problems. Exchange the bedding as often as you like, but leave a little of the soiled bedding in the pan as they are still getting used to being "litter trained" and they still occasionally pee elsewhere. They will poop wherever, whenever and the more the better so that will always be scattered about.
If the boys fight, you notice soft poo, you notice drooling, a lack of energy, problems walking straight, or any other problem, they are already registered at the Exotic Clinic 831.647.1147. There is a spare cage in the carport for transportation or quarantine in case of an injured chin and a second water bottle. IF an emergency were to arise, you may need to create an eating supplement of equal parts water, the canned pumpkin, and ground pellets (use the coffee grinder for a finer grind) which you can spoon feed. Wrap the boy in one of the designated pet towels to help keep him stationary. There is also anti-fungal spray for fungal growth in their fur and neosporin and the bandages in the bathroom for the cleaning of injuries until you can get them to the vet. If you need to pick them up, hold them by the BASE of the tail closest to their body and support their (probably flailing) body as you hold them close to you. If you hold the tip of the tail it can and will break off, which is both irreversible and very painful.
Anything anyone thinks I've left out?
What do YOU put in YOUR chinformation sheet for petsitters/family?
