How important is time of day for playtime?

[aprinceton]

Hi everybody,
I'm a fairy new chinchilla owner (got my first 2 in June and had minimal experience with them before from classroom chins). I was just wondering how important it is to play with chinchillas at night. I'm homeschooled, so I think it would be great if I could move their playtime to the middle of the day so I could read or something while they play. Would this throw them off too much? Is night time better? I usually let them out for about an hour around 7 or 8.

 

[CalicoPrairie]

I'm new to chins as well, but I'm thinking that since they sleep during the day, that might be an issue for them. Having said that, my chins are always up for some play time, regardless of time of day. I'm reading that some chins are just like that.

The only thing I could think of that would be detrimental to their health would be if it were too hot during the day for play time. I don't see any reason you couldn't move play time up a few hours if it wasn't too hot and you were consistent about it.

 

[SuperDuper ChinnieBaby]

I agree with calico on that. Personally I would wait as long as possible or atleast till later in the day around dinner time to let them out. Then they got to sleep all day right. Most chins get grumpy in the day. So when letting him run ur chin my not have as much life to him while playing in the day as the later you wait. Its their natural awake time and they will really get there energy out and not be tired and can actually enjoy there freeplay...
But after so many times getting out at the same time I'm sure they will ajust to that specific time and sooner or later enjoy it and exspect to be out then
I'm a new chin owner as well but that's just my opinion on what I think about letting them out to early

 

[aprinceton]

Thanks for the opinions guys! I will probably keep playtime at right after dinner so I don't mess them up. Maybe I will spend some time with them while they're in their cage during the day.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

Chins do not sleep all day - they cat nap. They are awake in the early morning and late afternoon (early eve.) During the day read by their cage and talk to them - not letting them out then. Then let them out as you usually do. That way they get more attention.

 

[Chinups]

I would play it by ear based on their personalities. One of our chins like playing any time of day. The other hates being bothered from daylight to sundown. The chin that plays anytime used to let us know when he was tired. We used to sit on a bean bag in a play room and just watching him play and letting him climb all over us. When he was done playing, he would get cozy and start falling asleep. We then picked him up and put him away. You didn't mention how old they were, but if they're young, you'll want to minimize playtime anyway.

 

[SuperDuper ChinnieBaby]

Chins do not sleep all day - they cat nap. They are awake in the early morning and late afternoon (early eve.) During the day read by their cage and talk to them - not letting them out then. Then let them out as you usually do. That way they get more attention.

Sorry I didn't no I had to be exactly specific.. I ment to say they sleep all threw the day as in the day is when they sleep the most.. they mostly wake up to eat and go back to sleep they are or most of them groggy,tired, its there main time to sleep. And some grumpy in the day.. so really they do sleep all day that doesn't mean they sleep straight threw the day it means that's there time to sleep they are technically nocturnal. There awake time is night. So sorry for not being specific in my speach

 

[Amethyst]

Sorry I didn't no I had to be exactly specific.. I ment to say they sleep all threw the day as in the day is when they sleep the most.. they mostly wake up to eat and go back to sleep they are or most of them groggy,tired, its there main time to sleep. And some grumpy in the day.. so really they do sleep all day that doesn't mean they sleep straight threw the day it means that's there time to sleep they are technically nocturnal. There awake time is night. So sorry for not being specific in my speach

Actually no chins are crepuscular, not nocturnal, if you want to get technical. They are most awake, as Mt. Zion Chins said, during the morning and evening (dawn and dusk). Or put another way they sleep during the hottest and coolest parts of the day.

In response to the original post though, I use to have my chins out for playtime around 3pm when I was growing up, when I got home from school. My chins seemed to know that was when I got home and so would commonly be up waiting for me when I got home. So long as you aren't waking your chins up to do playtime and you aren't trying to have them play when it's hot out then there is no harm in an earlier playtime. They do learn to adjust to schedules, with in reason, so a few hour shift isn't that big of a deal. They may get confused a little at first, more from not getting let out when they normal do then from getting out early, but should learn if earlier works better for you.
If you want to read while spending time with them though it's better to leave them in the cage so you don't have to worry about not watching and them getting into trouble.