Kimchi urinated on the bed! What's going on?

[Sailor_Orbit]

Hey guys,
I was playing with Kimchi outside of the cage, and she was playing for at least 15 minutes. But in the process she urinated on the bed! I wonder why that was. I mean I was using my rotary tumbler in the bathroom (separate rooms) to polish some silver, but even with that on, she seemed pretty normal. Except she pooped directly on my lap a couple of times. Maybe she's tired, but I am not sure what was going on with her. Right now she seems to huddle on the marble about to sleep. She still has a bit of diarrhea or possibly constipation but not as bad as before. She hasn't been getting any treats but I notice whenever she eats the oxbow pellets she goes to the bathroom a lot and it starts getting super dark and a bit long, maybe a bit of constipation, not quite sure. I wasn't giving her any but someone in my family decided to give her a small bowl for some reason. Then when I found it, I took it out. So for today I decided to use the oxbow pellets as treats and not so much a main supplement to her food. I clean out her litter with her timothy hay, everyday, then the big tray part of her cage, I clean out weekly. I also changed her bedding to aspen bedding instead of the kaytee cozy clean. when I first changed it to the aspen petco bedding, I think she was pooping a lot from the change. But yea it really surprised the heck out of me that she urinated on the bed! And a lot too. I dunno if it was a signal for her wanting to go back to her cage. I mean my husband let her out while she was still kind of tired, but you know she went onto the bed by herself. Normally when I am ready to put her back in the cage I pretty much use the dust bath house to get her back in. Otherwise when I do so by my hands, she loses fur. What do you guys think?

 

[Dreamlite]

They pee and poo where ever they are. They aren't like dogs who can be trained to go outside. You can litter train them to a point but its not 100%.

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

Oh I see, so they're kind of like hamsters, gerbils or mice.

 

[Bovril]

Yes, chinchillas are rodents. They're not dogs or cats and you shouldn't hold them to the same standards. Even though they might have a corner of their cage they prefer for peeing, if it's not readily accessible they're not going to 'hold it.' As for poop...I vacuum Bovril's cage every day and my bedroom floor twice a day because it just gets everywhere. The reality is that if she's on your bed or in your arms and she has to go, she will.

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

Ah I have hard wood floors so I just sweep any mess. I also bought some pee pads so if she needs to go on the bed it would be an easy clean up. Every time she poops I pick it up either way XD. Just wasn't really expecting the pee. I was asking the breeders and Petsmart about their behavior with going to the bathroom and they seem to say that the chinchillas are really good about where they have to go, or at least they said it won't go in your hand. It's part of the reason I bought a Chinchilla, but now that I know what to expect, I am doing everything to the best of my ability to keep things hygienic and easy to clean. Still say it's easier to change out her poop and the poop doesn't smell unlike the cat's. So the expectation wasn't really my fault since I asked before I purchased.

 

[mgonya]

My female never pees on the carpet or hardwood floors but the minute she gets in the tiled bathroom she pees on the furnace register!! I put a rug over it and she pees on that.

 

[Bovril]

It looks like you've learned one of the lessons many new chin owners face: never trust anything the people at the pet store tell you!

I wouldn't count on her not to go in your hands, either. I've been peed on by chinchillas many times and pooped on many more.

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

haha, well actually the petsmart people said it could happen. The breeder in Massachusetts said they don't poop in your hands. but probably because he trains them?

 

[mgonya]

I'd love to meet the chin that won't poop in your hands after you've held them more than a minute.:clap1:

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

Mine didn't XD I held her for 10-15 min in the pet store without her struggling and no poop or pee so far in my hands. Knock on wood

 

[Bovril]

How long have you had her? It'll happen sooner or later. bovril poops while I'm holding him all the time, but it's dry and compact, really like his food in a way, so I just ignore it and let it fall to the floor and its not a big deal.

Let go of any expectations you have of your chin controlling her bowel movements cause they're not realistic, but the mess is just part of having a chin.

 

[mknoblich1]

I think my girls get a kick out of pooping on me any time I hold them. I've only seen one of my girls pee once during play time and I've had them for about a year. Haven't had them pee on me yet but I'm sure it's coming

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

Bovril, Who says I am trying to control her? These expectations only came about from the advise of a breeder. Maybe his chinchillas don't poop on people's hands according to him. If you have read my previous posts. But please don't lecture me because I was only asking what is the reality. Isn't it good enough I try to find out information? If you do do research they can be pee trained with positive reinforcement. But like I said I prepared for her accidents by putting pee pads all over the bed.

She's 6-9 months I believe but they don't really know her age.

 

[Cuddlebug]

The fact of the matter is that it can happen, especially if you hold them for too long. Try shorter periods of time. I have not been peed on by any of mine but I have had them pee outside their cage if they are kept out for too long a period. If they start wiggling when they were calm, chances are they need to go pee and you should put them in their cage asap.

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

Has anyone tried to pick up the poop with their bare hands? Has anyone got sick from if so?

 

[becky12883]

I pick up their poop with my bare hands everyday. I have never gotten sick from it, and I'm sure no one else ever has either. Once one of my friends ate some poops on a dare, she lived. Chin poop isn't like a dog's or cat's or person's because they don't eat meat at all. Basically their poop is made up of undigested hay. If you search on the forum there is a thread about the strangest places people have found poop. Poop will be part of your life with any pet that you have and luckily with chins it comes in the form of brown tic tacs and not gross green steamy slimy piles.

 

[mknoblich1]

I pick up their presents all the time and have never had an issue and they leave me LOTS of presents.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

lots of 'presents' are good - a pooping chin is a healthy chin. As for them not pooping in your hands that was just luck. Chins have no muscle control in their anus so they can NOT control their poops

 

[Sailor_Orbit]

That's kind of funny. It's just funny to see them eat and poop at the same time. Yea I have picked up my chin a few times so far, I'm lucky, but lately I have been holding her less than a minute. When I see her struggle or wanting to go I put her back in the cage. Maybe after some time I can handle her longer.

 

[Bovril]

No, I said that she can't control herself, not that you're trying to control her, sorry. And I did tell you the reality--kimchi's going to make a mess. You CAN pee train her, but as far as I'm aware that's just to keep her cage clean; she's not going to hold it if her pee spot isn't accessible.