Wall-chewing chinchilla?

[TheTristanWong]

I used to release Jerry everyday for a run around the house. Always had a good time hiding in shoeboxes and bookshelves, laying little pellet sized poop everywhere and biting the walls (Is that normal?)

My mum stopped everything the moment she found little bite marks and dents in the corners of the walls. It was spoiling the house she says, and therefore only let's it bounce about the kitchen floor now...

Is it normal (or safe) for a chinchilla to chew the wall? It has paint that was from about 5 years ago, but he still seems pretty normal. Do your chinchillas ever chew walls? How do I stop this cause I really wanna see them scuttle around running from strangers, they're so adorable but confined to a small area... Any suggestions on how to stop the wall chewing?

Here's a pic of the wall that got filled it with something again, so it kinda got repaired but the bite marks are still visible. Didn't have a pic of the wall before it got filled in, sorry...

 

[kickster]

If I remember correctly, wall paint is not chin safe. If he seems normal then he probably just didn't swallow it. But if you want to let him roam, just have a small area that cardboard lines the walls and wires are not exposed.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Your chin should only be allowed out to play and roam in thoroughly chin proofed areas because they will chew on everything! Lining things with cardboard works well and you also need to ensure that there is nothing a chin can bite (like wires or other unsafe household things, particularly plastic or random food) that will do them harm. Many people just thoroughly chin-proof one room and use that for playtime because it's easier (and more attractive) than card-boarding an entire house.

 

[TheTristanWong]

Hmm... thanks for all your replies, I have no rooms available for a complete change into a chin play area. I can probably use the bathroom, provided there are no soap bottle on the floor and maybe even the kitchen so long as it keep's it's paws away from food. Yea it's pretty safe there. Another thing, do they chew wood, like wood used for shelves and cupboards? Ik there are people who have wood as ledges and I wonder if they chew that too. Thanks anyway.

 

[akane]

They chew everything. As they run around everything goes in their mouth. You have to protect corners and edges or else supervise so you can stop them when they show interest in something. Walls are made of drywall which is calcium plus a sulfate. Tasty calcium treat to chins and rabbits. All wood is tasty although some is more tasty than others.

 

[mgonya]

Both of my chins will do ANYTHING to get to a corner wall. They'll pretend they want to sit on my shoulder and then dive for it. To the point of obsession!! Chins chew everything. I never take my eyes off of them when they are out.

 

[TheTristanWong]

Hahah okay, well I've decided to barricade part of the kitchen to let them play. Thanks for your replies though!

 

[Zoaea]

Protect the edges of your kitchen cupboards with some cardboard or they will damage that too. Basically they love anything thats bad for them. T_T

I have an idea I want to try when/if I'm in a house with an extra room for the chin cages. That would be to line the walls with a chew friendly base board and use wood to protect any corners. Also to have no wires/cords in the room. That way they could bounce around with out me having to pull them off a wall every 2 min. >.<

 

[sandycandy135]

You could also get a play pen and just block off the cabinets and behind the fridge with it. I let my chinnies roam my bedroom but I block off my dresser and nightstand because they have wires behind them