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vikaca

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2015
Messages
6
Location
Greece, Kavala
So I am reading a lot that chinchillas shouldn't run a lot out of cage... Especially if they are still young. But it makes me wonder, in freedom, they do run a lot, nobody is limiting their playtime...
My baby is 2.5 months old and she stays out of cage many hours. Her cage is not big though... So I don't want to keep her there. And, in general, I don't want to keep a pet caged... Only when it's necessary (at night).
I don't see any problems with that. The first days when we bought her (she was 1.5 months old back then) she was out of the cage even at nights (she was keep escaping from her cage :D she is too small), so she was really happy about it.
Her playroom is not so big (our bedroom), but since the summer is coming, I wanted to let her run in one more room (we call it - freezing room), because it gets really hot here in summer, and I don't want our baby to suffer from it, so the other room would be more comfortable for her.
So how is it? Should she stay out of cage so long or not? Everytime I put her in the cage, she rebels a lot, trying to eat everything what's possible just to escape.
 

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No. It is up to you as the owner to be responsible and do what is best. Sure, she probably loves being out of her cage and will throw a fit for awhile when she's in there, but it is not safe for her. They can get into MANY things and unless your entire house is 100% chin proofed, it is in no way safe for her and downright dangerous honestly. She is also using a ton of energy when she is out exploring which is energy she should be using to grow. You already posted that she was having seizures, which is a big concern with an animal so young- and I'm willing to bet they were caused by hypoglycemia due to being so young and so active outside the cage, while weaned too early.

If you feel bad, buy her a bigger cage. Many people make plenty of toys and such for them to be entertained with. When she's older, you can get her a wheel. My guys love their cage and would rather be in it than out playing. The cage is for their safety. You're lucky nothing too bad has happened yet. Sorry to be blunt, but if you wanted a pet that could roam un-caged, a chinchilla was not a good pick.
 
I think/hope the playtime when young thing has been covered and explained enough, but just to clarify you are right that in the wild they don't have limited play (other then the cold of the night and the heat of the sun), but also they don't grow as big and their lifespan is only 5-10 years. If a shortened lifespan is fine with you then that's your choice, but captive chins should live 15-20 years some have been know to live even longer (the oldest I've heard of was in his 30s!).
As to the issue of free roaming, there was a thread a few years ago http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36443 debating that very issue. Keep in mind this is talking about adult chins too. But unless the room is completely chin proofed, meaning no wires or cords, no fabric other then fleece (assuming she doesn't chew fleece) no wood (furniture, base boards, cabinets...) that has been treated in anyway (painted, stained, sealed, etc), no plastic, nowhere she can get behind or in where you can't reach, no carpeting, and the list goes on and on. It is possible to have a chin proofed safe room though so don't get me wrong on that, but it's just not easy. It's just a lot easier to just buy a big enough cage for the chin and supervise her when she is out. You can also fence off an area if you want, but keep in mind chins can jump 5'.

As for the cage you posted, that does not look like an appropriate chinchilla cage. For 1-2 chins the minimum cage size is 2' x 2' x 3', bigger is better, and there should be nothing plastic in the cage. The bar spacing should be no more then 1/2" for baby/young chins and no more then 1" for adults or the chin can and will escape. A plastic bottom to the cage is a problem too since the chin can chew through that. Plastic can also cause a blockage in her gut if she swallows it, requiring emergency surgery to remove it or she will die. Also, of course she is going to throw a fit at first when you cage her, most chins do, especially when they have had free roam. But if you don't give in they do settle down and learn that throwing a fit isn't worth the effort. Also there should be nothing in the cage that is unsafe to chew on, and plenty to chew on, chins need to chew all the time to wear down their teeth, so chewing everything up in the cage should be a good thing not a bad thing. As said chinchillas really aren't a good choice for non caged, free roaming pets, the human environment is generally not safe for them unsupervised.
 
You really should listen to everyone that's already responded. It seems like your reposing hoping to find a different answer. You've been given advice on how to do your best to have a happy healthy chin- you can see the health issues with your current treatment. Even if it may cause short term unhappiness, do what's healthy long term. It also looks like you have tupperware in your cage- please remove anything plastic. If your chin chew it and ingests any is could cause an impaction leading to serious health issues or death.

here's some info I had typed up already for a new owner that needed help.

Food
Please do not feed any food that has more than just pellets. Brands like Kaytee and Charlie chinchilla are sold in stores and marketed for chins, but are not healthy for the animal. The mixed in pieces are basically super unhealthy and usually not things that should be in a chinchilla's diet at all. These can cause diabetes, gas build up in the gut, and other serious medial issues. Good foods include Mazuri chinchilla pellets, Oxbow chinchilla pellets, Tradition chinchilla pellets, or Purina Rabbit Manna Pro or Pro Show. Pellets should be supplemented with Timothy hay (without anything like carrot pieces etc mixed in) Many people free feed both pellets and hay, and chinchilla obesity is rare in chins on a proper feed.

Treats
No treats are needed for chins, but if you want to give some, a single Cheerios, a rosehip, or pinch of Post shredded wheat a day would be healthy. You can also try a handful or alfalfa or orchard grass hay, as long as they're still getting plenty of timothy. You never want to give enough treats that they aren't getting the nutrients of food they need. Also anything high in sugar/water content is bad, this includes raisins and most other fruit (even dehydrated). Many of the petstore and brand treats out there marketed for chins aren't good for them (like yogurt covered things). Instead of getting treats from a pet store look at threads and vendors on chins-n-hedgies.com for chin safe treat ideas, then either get treats from them or take a trip to a health food store or your grocery store. Just remember- no extra sugar or chemicals. And again, generally one small treat a day is it, chins don't eat much and you want them to be getting all the nutrition they need and not a bunch of junk food that's unhealthy.

Water
Water should be in a small animal water bottle (there have been people use bowls even though chins shouldn't get wet- their fur is so thick they won't air dry and can get fungal issues) and use reverse osmosis or other filtered water. Tap water has microbes that could get chins sick, even at a level deemed safe for humans.


Chews and Other non-diet stuff
Chinchillas are in the rodent family, so their teeth constantly grow. Wood chews must be provided for chinchillas, but it must be chin safe. There's some wood they love and is good for them and are healthy chews like apple, grapevine, poplar, pear. Other woods are really bad and contain certain tannin's or other things that are toxic to chins. Bad woods include any fruit with a pit, peaches, cherries, things like that. Cedar is toxic to most rodents, not just chins (it kills stuff-that's why people make chests to store stuff in from cedar). Also, the trees the chew come from cannot be treated or sprayed with pesticides. Toxins go into the wood and can last extremely long times. Please do not make cages out of old dressers or other furniture. This wood is probably not safe for chins, especially with whatever stains/paints are on it.

Plastic is bad for chins. If they nibble on it and manage to eat some it could cause impaction in their stomach. This will cause major problems, hopefully with extreme medical help the chin may live with scar tissue in the gut and only have a few lasting issues, but many times it will lead to death. Even if your chin has plastic now and hasn't had an issue yet, it would be a good idea to prevent possible future issues. Replace plastic with safe wood/metal, or at least cover in fleece.

Wire mesh floors or wire ramps in cages are a no-no. this includes wheels. Chin feet can get caught and broken. And it isn't comfy either. (imagine your feet just standing on a grid, it would feel good where your body weight is only on a few points) Wire mesh can cause issues called bumble foot, where the chins feet basically get infected sores.
Because plastic and wire are bad for chins, wheels typically have to be ordered online. They should be 15 inches to give chins spines plenty of room. I have a ChinSpin, but there are a few other good styles out there.

Ramps/cage set up
Ramps are not necessary for chins- they hop around instead of waking, so ramps get in the way more than anything. Instead, it's nicer to have a bunch of small ledges. A good rule of thumb is to keep ledges hammock and other things spaced so there isn't a spot a chin can fall more than a foot if it mis-jumps. Every chin could have a clumsy moment and large falls can break bones. Many chinchilla owners end up with a ferret nation or critter nation cage. They are spacious enough, have good bar spacing, and are easy to clean.

Dustbaths
Chinchillas cant bath like most mammals. They have very dense fur that will not air dry. Because of this chinchilla get dust baths. It is a special blue cloud dust (not sand!) that is mined for chinchilla use. In the winter my chinchilla get a dust bath about once a week, but in the summer it can be every other day. It really depends on the humidity and how much the chin is shedding.

Fleece
antipill fleece is the only safe fabric for chins. Other fabrics can fray. Stray threads can wrap too tightly around limb or be eaten and cause digestive issues.

Chin-proofing for playtime.
If a chin is going to have playtime, an area or room needs to be sectioned off. Any cords, crumbs, baseboards, ect may need to be cleaned up and covered in fleece or cardboard to prevent the chin from chewing and eating it. Chins explore with their teeth, so everything is fair game. Get on the floor- look at everything. Make sure your chin cant escape the area- even tiny holes are possible escape routes. Chins can jump over three feet, so a baby gate may not cut it to block off an area. The entire playtime should be supervised. People with other pets- some animals like rabbits carry diseases that do not effect the rabbit, but are deadly to a chinchilla. These should be kept in a separate room and playtime should not be in the same area. If you have cats, you must be extra careful as well. Chins have died from one claw swipe under a door crack. Remember chins are prey animals, so keeping them safe (and feeling safe) from predators is a priority. Chins should never be housed near a ferret- ferrets may eat a chinchilla if given the opportunity.

Deathballs
The roll around plastic balls marketed for many small animals should NEVER be used for chinchillas. Many people think this is a great way to avoid chin proofing-it isn't. Chinchillas can overheat and die in one in under five minutes. There are many additional issues if the heat doesn't kill the chin first. The plastic air holes can catch a toe. The chin can hurt it's back attempting to move in one when their natural hopping movement is inhibited by the ball which necessitates more of a run. A scared chin may pee- which will get all over the fur and cannot air dry.

A few more notes,I know this is long:
vet costs- chins are exotic pets so vets that will see them are rare, vets that have had more than a two week class about all exotics are rarer still. Many owners and breeders suggest a $5000 savings account for "just in case".

intros/extra cages- chins can be very happy in pairs, but they are territorial. Introductions are difficult things and you need to do much more reseach before attempting this. Even if two chins are housed together, a spare cage is needed in case they stop getting along or one has a medical issue (who has blood it their stool?)

picking up- chins should be scooped up rather than grabbed. It feels less like a predator and doesn't damage their ribs. Do not pick up but the end of the tail- this can damage vertebra.

poop and hay gets everywhere. You will find it in the most unexpected places. You will not be squeamish about touching poop with your bare hands. Its honesty mostly a pellet like what they eat. Chins poop about every thirty seconds. That part cant be potty trained as their gut is constantly going.

Chins are crepuscular- they are awake at dawn and dusk.

Temperature- chins MUST be in AC in the summer. A chin will start to over heat above 70 degrees. You can tell by the redness of their ears. If you cant provide AC, don't get a chin.

There's plenty more to be wary of to keep your chin safe, and plenty of chin-safe fun things. Browse the chins-n-hedgies.com forum, use the search function, and don't be afraid to ask for more specifics.
 
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Stacie, Amethyst and Shenanigans have done an amazing job of explaining all this.
They know their stuff, and I really hope you listen to all their good advice.

Get a bigger cage. The bigger, the better.
 
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