quirkyxkayla
Active member
Hello all. Just thought I'd share a story with everyone, if anyone cares to read, that is! It's long, yes... but I hope someone will have the will power to read it all.
I suppose it was destiny, or either my immense love for animals that led me to where I am now. Either way, I've accepted the fact that I was meant to rescue. I rescued a baby squirrel five years ago. His eyes were still shut and he couldn't walk. The vet told me to let nature take its course, but I fought for that little booger. He's five years old now and I've tried releasing him into the wild many times, he always ends up right in my backyard. He's endured so much that he now has a permanent cage in the corner of my bedroom. Throughout the course of my life I've taken in countless stray cats and dogs, working adamantly to find them homes so they wouldn't go to the shelter. Never did I think I would rescue chinchillas though.
My boyfriend, Will, and I have owned our chinchilla (named Dude for his wall surfing antics
)) for almost a year now. We "rescued" Dude from someone who had gotten him from a pet store and couldn't give him the attention he needed. I never thought of owning any more chins. Or at least, not for now. This all changed a few weeks ago when a friend of a friend of a "friend" found out I had a chinchilla. They had two females and clearly stated that they didn't want them anymore. I suggested a few things for them but I knew the person didn't really care about re-homing them or sending them to a rescue.
My heart broke but Will stated that we did all we could for now and we should try to move on. I tried; it didn't work. I ended up contacting the person and asked how things were going, this is when I discovered these two girls were being rabbit food and corn. The owner didn't know what a dust bath was and they were being housed in a fish tank!! I've read worse cases of rescues on this forum, but this was pretty bad to me seeing as how my chin is spoiled rotten!
I talked it over with Will and we were very conflicted. Dude is a dude, obviously. So we couldn't keep the girls with him. Would we have the money to take them in? Millions of "WHAT IFS" ran through our heads and I'll admit I lost sleep over it.
I asked for pictures from the owner, thinking of sitting up an adoption thread here to see if anyone could help. That's when I saw a thread by greychins (Ashley) about a railroad near me. I wanted to see if I could help, since I felt so helpless regarding the two girls. We talked and I'd just like to say she is a great person and so kind, she was willing to take them in.
I got the pictures from the owner and without hesitation, Will and I picked them up as soon as we could. They had no quality of life where they were. Sure, we're not experienced expert rescuers or vets, but I knew they would be in better hands with us than with their owner. We put Dude in the top of his FN cage and the girls in the bottom. I expected them to be scared and possibly mean due to the neglect, but they are the sweetest things ever. So curious about everything!
The first night we had them they got diarrhea, I searched these forums frantically for answers, inwardly expecting an inevitable date with the vet the next day. However the next day everything cleared up and they acted like nothing was wrong. We waited; they only got better. I guess it was just the stress of moving and a new environment. They were covered in pee when we got them. We've had to teach them how to take a dust bath, and I'll admit it's quite hilarious. Everyday, I painstakingly pick out all of the corn from their old rabbit food while mixing in 1/4 of oxbow to transfer them over to the healthy stuff. They settled in quite nicely and are now known as Lucy and Luna. I've talked to all of my reliable friends in an effort to find them a home, in hopes of keeping them near me and not putting the task on greychins.
Finally, we've (hopefully) found them a home! A friend of Will's wants them and has been reading up on them, but won't be able to take them in until he gets their cage and all the proper accessories. I'm hoping this won't fall through. (Ahh! I'm such a pessimist sometimes!)
Things were going good for a few days and then the original owner contacted me again. They stated that they had a friend who had taken the brother of the two girls and that person didn't want his chin anymore either! :banghead: What do Will and I decide to do? Drive three hours away to pick up this poor, un-dusted, little fluff ball and then drive three hours back home.
:hilarious:
Loki is his name now and he is still very skiddish and scared. Completely unlike his sisters. (Whether they're actually related or not we'll never know, but we go with it. Ha!) We bought another cage and everyone is doing great. I think we've decided to keep Loki for now, or at least until we can get him used to people. He is so little and makes so many sounds! Dude had never muttered anything aside from the occasional "HEY DON'T PUT ME BACK IN MY CAGE RIGHT NOW!" bark. :laughitup: But Loki is so vocal. He chirps under his breath and we just chalk it up to the equivalent of a cat purring.
And this is our story so far. I never thought I'd be where I am right now, taking care of four chinchillas! But I'll honestly say that I do not regret it, I never will. I know I helped these little critters and I've grown to love them. It's going to be hard for Will and I to let Lucy and Luna go, even if we've only spent a week or so together. We've spoiled them in the little time we've had them. Today we spent $60 on all of them, buying new food and chew toys! They are like my babies.
I just wanted to get their story out.
I don't claim to be some big rescuer or anything.
I know I'm not some big qualified adoption agency.
I'm an eighteen year old who loves animals.
I saved some chins from a very bad situation and
I wanted to let others know that rescuing might
be one of the most rewarding things ever.
It's not for everyone, and I don't really
advise anyone doing what I did.
I know I jumped into getting them, but I
had confidence, determination, and this wonderful
forum to help me along the way.
So I'd just like to say thanks to everyone here who
was brave enough to take in that first neglected chin.
And hey, this transcends chinchillas, thanks to anyone
who decided to take in that ten year old cat from the shelter.
Thanks to anyone who picked up those strays and
got them spayed and neutered.
It's good to be here among chin lovers - animal lovers.
:]
I suppose it was destiny, or either my immense love for animals that led me to where I am now. Either way, I've accepted the fact that I was meant to rescue. I rescued a baby squirrel five years ago. His eyes were still shut and he couldn't walk. The vet told me to let nature take its course, but I fought for that little booger. He's five years old now and I've tried releasing him into the wild many times, he always ends up right in my backyard. He's endured so much that he now has a permanent cage in the corner of my bedroom. Throughout the course of my life I've taken in countless stray cats and dogs, working adamantly to find them homes so they wouldn't go to the shelter. Never did I think I would rescue chinchillas though.
My boyfriend, Will, and I have owned our chinchilla (named Dude for his wall surfing antics
)) for almost a year now. We "rescued" Dude from someone who had gotten him from a pet store and couldn't give him the attention he needed. I never thought of owning any more chins. Or at least, not for now. This all changed a few weeks ago when a friend of a friend of a "friend" found out I had a chinchilla. They had two females and clearly stated that they didn't want them anymore. I suggested a few things for them but I knew the person didn't really care about re-homing them or sending them to a rescue.My heart broke but Will stated that we did all we could for now and we should try to move on. I tried; it didn't work. I ended up contacting the person and asked how things were going, this is when I discovered these two girls were being rabbit food and corn. The owner didn't know what a dust bath was and they were being housed in a fish tank!! I've read worse cases of rescues on this forum, but this was pretty bad to me seeing as how my chin is spoiled rotten!
I talked it over with Will and we were very conflicted. Dude is a dude, obviously. So we couldn't keep the girls with him. Would we have the money to take them in? Millions of "WHAT IFS" ran through our heads and I'll admit I lost sleep over it.
I asked for pictures from the owner, thinking of sitting up an adoption thread here to see if anyone could help. That's when I saw a thread by greychins (Ashley) about a railroad near me. I wanted to see if I could help, since I felt so helpless regarding the two girls. We talked and I'd just like to say she is a great person and so kind, she was willing to take them in.
I got the pictures from the owner and without hesitation, Will and I picked them up as soon as we could. They had no quality of life where they were. Sure, we're not experienced expert rescuers or vets, but I knew they would be in better hands with us than with their owner. We put Dude in the top of his FN cage and the girls in the bottom. I expected them to be scared and possibly mean due to the neglect, but they are the sweetest things ever. So curious about everything!
The first night we had them they got diarrhea, I searched these forums frantically for answers, inwardly expecting an inevitable date with the vet the next day. However the next day everything cleared up and they acted like nothing was wrong. We waited; they only got better. I guess it was just the stress of moving and a new environment. They were covered in pee when we got them. We've had to teach them how to take a dust bath, and I'll admit it's quite hilarious. Everyday, I painstakingly pick out all of the corn from their old rabbit food while mixing in 1/4 of oxbow to transfer them over to the healthy stuff. They settled in quite nicely and are now known as Lucy and Luna. I've talked to all of my reliable friends in an effort to find them a home, in hopes of keeping them near me and not putting the task on greychins.
Finally, we've (hopefully) found them a home! A friend of Will's wants them and has been reading up on them, but won't be able to take them in until he gets their cage and all the proper accessories. I'm hoping this won't fall through. (Ahh! I'm such a pessimist sometimes!)
Things were going good for a few days and then the original owner contacted me again. They stated that they had a friend who had taken the brother of the two girls and that person didn't want his chin anymore either! :banghead: What do Will and I decide to do? Drive three hours away to pick up this poor, un-dusted, little fluff ball and then drive three hours back home.
:hilarious:
Loki is his name now and he is still very skiddish and scared. Completely unlike his sisters. (Whether they're actually related or not we'll never know, but we go with it. Ha!) We bought another cage and everyone is doing great. I think we've decided to keep Loki for now, or at least until we can get him used to people. He is so little and makes so many sounds! Dude had never muttered anything aside from the occasional "HEY DON'T PUT ME BACK IN MY CAGE RIGHT NOW!" bark. :laughitup: But Loki is so vocal. He chirps under his breath and we just chalk it up to the equivalent of a cat purring.
And this is our story so far. I never thought I'd be where I am right now, taking care of four chinchillas! But I'll honestly say that I do not regret it, I never will. I know I helped these little critters and I've grown to love them. It's going to be hard for Will and I to let Lucy and Luna go, even if we've only spent a week or so together. We've spoiled them in the little time we've had them. Today we spent $60 on all of them, buying new food and chew toys! They are like my babies.
I just wanted to get their story out.
I don't claim to be some big rescuer or anything.
I know I'm not some big qualified adoption agency.
I'm an eighteen year old who loves animals.
I saved some chins from a very bad situation and
I wanted to let others know that rescuing might
be one of the most rewarding things ever.
It's not for everyone, and I don't really
advise anyone doing what I did.
I know I jumped into getting them, but I
had confidence, determination, and this wonderful
forum to help me along the way.
So I'd just like to say thanks to everyone here who
was brave enough to take in that first neglected chin.
And hey, this transcends chinchillas, thanks to anyone
who decided to take in that ten year old cat from the shelter.
Thanks to anyone who picked up those strays and
got them spayed and neutered.
It's good to be here among chin lovers - animal lovers.
:]
