Critter nation question

[Flukeke]

Hi everyone. I have had two chinchillas for about a week now, they are 4 months old. Recently I have been letting them out of there pen for some play time, the pen is in a toddler playpen which gives them a fairly large area to roam with some of their toys. However it seems that the first place they go is under the cage where there is a wire shelf. It is difficult to get them to come out of it. We have tried bonding with them and are at the point where they will climb on us if we don't move but at any movement they run.


Basically I am afraid we will not be able to get them out from under the cage or they will hurt a leg on the shelf. I have currently built a wall out of card board that blocks access to under the cage. I know they are going under there because they feel safe there, but I would rather just have them go back in the cage for that feeling.


Anyone else have those issues with a critter nation and if so how did you resolve it?

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[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

I have a FN and my boys love to run under it and started to make a habit out of walking on the wire rack on top. Because my boys are older I'm not very worried about it, but I covered the wire rack with a thick towel to prevent them from hurting their limps if they decide to walk on it. Because your chins are so little, I would recommend making sure that they are not able to walk over the bars and potentially slip between or on them and hurt themselves. Instead, provide them with other things to hop on and over and hide under during their play time (cardboard boxes work great!), that way they can have a safe playtime while also feeling like they have somewhere to hide if they feel the need.
You can also hold off on their play time until you have bonded with them more and they are a bit older. Some recommend very limited playtime for chins under 6 months old because of they can be prone to over-doing it and exhausting themselves during playtime.

Edit: Also, if they are having playtime in a play pen, why not just cut off access to their cage with the playpen? This might depend on what kind of playpen you have, some are completely enclosed structures (like a tent) and others are like a play area 'border.' Depending on what kind you have that might be a solution.

 

[Flukeke]

Thank you for the response. The playpen is of the border type. We have the critter nation inside of the playpen as an extra layer of protection incase they get out of the cage or jump off us when holding them. We were hoping that sitting quietly in the pen during their play time would help with the bonding process.

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[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Ahh, gotcha. I would just continue to block off underneath the cage and maybe put a thick towels over the metal bars to avoid injury. Good luck with your bonding! I think it's great that you're taking things at their pace

 

[chancesmomma]

i have cardboard down on the bottom shelf of my cage and chance runs on top and under all the time...i also would lay on the floor and have him come to me. a plain cheerio also helps with the bonding .just let one of them jump on your knee while sitting on the floor and have a good grip on the cheerio and over time they will let you pet them while eating the treat. it will teach him to not be scared of your hands but rather associate your hand with treats and pets or scratches. good luck, just be patient and very attentive and it will all be worth it :thumbsup: