Help new baby chins sleeping a lot

[tina000]

I just got my two 8 week old chinchillas four days ago. On the first night home both boys played all night long and the following day they woke up at 6 and played all night long jumping from ledge to ledge, but for the past two nights they have been sleeping most of the night, probably only playing for 4 hours each night. They sleep most of the day as well with short periods of waking up for eating and peeing. I keep their room at 68 degrees all day and night. Is this normal? Is it just because they are still babies that they sleep so much because other people say their chins wake up at 6 and stay up all night but mine have been waking up at 10-11pm and staying up till 1am and then sleeping again. They might be awake in the early morning but I wouldn't know because I would be asleep. As far as I can tell they are healthy and eating normal and drinking normally they are just sleeping so much and I'm worried please help.

 

[Woodsmoke]

Though people will say chins are crepuscular, that's only a rough description, my finding like most rodents I have owned is they nap on and off at all times and keep there own schedules.

crazy little critters I know my boys wake at 8pm for example play for 2hours, nap then wake up again at about 12.. this kinda matches the attention they get play times are about 8ish, then bed time at about 11.30 -12 so they get the over night top up of hay/pellets change of water and a chew treat. they just adjust to match living conditions to a degree.

 

[tina000]

okay thank you so much I was really worried

 

[Godofgods]

All of mine keep there own schedule. They are often up periodically then go back to sleep. They also love to hide away in there hut even when they are awake. - Chins that young however should not have out of cage play time. They can over exert themselves or over heat easily. They need to focus those calories on growing while they are that young.

 

[tina000]

thanks I did read that online and I don't allow them playtime outside of their cage. They do however play in their cage by jumping around on the ledges I built for them is this okay? Or should I take down the ledges?

 

[Dragonflye]

As long as the ledges are close enough for the chins to jump around on easily, I wouldn't take them down. Is their cage pretty tall?

 

[Godofgods]

you would have to make sure the ledges are close to each other and there is no spot where they could fall a ways down. Chins that young still developing there sense of coordination and balance.

 

[tina000]

I bought a double ferret nation and made fleece liners for the plastic bottoms until I can afford to purchase the metal pans from bas equipment. I also blocked off access to the bottom level until they are older to avoid them wasting too much energy. I have as many ledges as close as possible in many step latter like layouts. When I was putting up the ledges I was really worried about them falling or miss calculating a jump so I made them all as close as possible and made sure non were sticking out awkwardly in a way that could cause them injury. I also didn't use the ramps or plastic ledges because I read they are dangerous and bad for chins. They do not have a chin spin yet either because I read it wastes energy for growing chins. At what age would you guys recommend I allow them access to the bottom level and play time? My breeder told me wait until 6 months for playtime outside of their cage and maybe 4 months for the bottom level. Thanks everyone for responding!

 

[Godofgods]

If you jsut got an 8 week old chin then please pay attention to this part. a chin that young/small can fit through the bar of a FN cage and escape at will. That can lead to a number of obvious and not so obvious dangers. They will also have a higher risk of danger of hurting themselves in the fall if they are on the top level of a DFN.

I would strongly suggest either getting a small cage with 1/2 inch bar spacing or less or baby proofing the cage until they are older/bigger. Chins are highly deceptive in this manner. Just when you think they wont fit, they will surprise you. And once they do it the first time, they usually keep trying. Even if they are getting to big; and get stuck.

 

[tina000]

okay I will keep them on the bottom level. The breeder told me they should be fine in a fn cage and that she keeps them in a fn with no problem. One is 8 weeks the other is just over 3months but I say they are both 8 weeks because its just easier. do you think there is anything I can temporarily put something over the cage bars to stop them from trying to squeeze through.

 

[Godofgods]

yea, i believe its called hardware cloth. Iv never used it tho, so someone else would have to chime in on the specifics of it. But you can attach it on the inside of the cage to keep them from escaping.