well, I'm not EXACTLY a new owner... but I sure could use some help

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rachelmz

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So I've had my standard gray boy for awhile. And he is great and happy and a nice chinnie. Today, I adopted a new chin from someone who could no longer care for him (he was in a really awful home. His cage looked like it hadn't been cleaned in MONTHS.). So I have him here now, but he is really bad. He bites and makes a sound thats similar to a hissing sound when he is near my chin and he is just not a good chin. He is also very unhealthy and FAT. They had him on a Kaytee fiesta diet (I'm gradually switching him to Mazuri), they fed him treats GALORE, and he had no hay whatsoever. So, does anyone have any advice on how to handle my new chin?
 
First off, do not put the new chin with your old chin. They actually should have been kept in separate areas of the house to prevent any contamination if the new chin is sick, but that's obviously too late right now.

You just got the chin, many chins do not trust right away, and he's probably scared. Just give him time. It can take months for a chin to trust, especially if from a bad situation.

Leave him be for a couple days and just give him the food, hay and water. Then you can slowly try to interact with him and talk to him. Give him time.
 
Bless you for saving this little guy. Sounds like his previous conditions were yucky!
I am not experienced enough to tell you a whole lot about the new guy..other than time may be your best bet. I would do a cold switch to mazuri and take him off the kaytee completely..trash the bag..that food is JUNK! I just adopted 2 more myself..now I have 8 total. My new girls are shy and the only thing you can do is let them warm up to you..don't force it.
 
i would not put them in the same cage..........you didnt mention if you did or not.
i was in a similar situation, i recently adopted a chin that was on crappy food & got lots of treats, but his living conditions were ok. he was allowed to "roam" the house and here I can hardly get him out and its been about 5 months.
i would separate for a month, then put their cages next to each other, then try a few minute playtime. definitely change the food to what you are feeding your guy. and just give him time. try to pet him or at least put your hand in his cage to get used to you. that is all you can do............give him time.
 
I don't have them in the same cage. I held my chin up to the cage just to see what they would do.
 
And also, the cage he came with smells HORRIBLE. They had cats. A lot of cats. And the house smelled awful of cat pee. The smell is absorbed into the cage. As soon as I got the cage home, I scrubbed it. For two hours. And the smell just won't come out. I really don't have the money to buy a new cage at the moment, especially because now I'm going to be buying double food, double bedding, etc. And I'm afraid to use anything to clean the cage other than dish soap, because I don't want it to hurt him. Any ideas?
 
Craigslist. A used but still decent shape Ferret Nation should run you in the neighborhood of $100, a large "cat cage" type that's still quite good for a chin might be $25-$75. And if you poke around Freecycle, you might get lucky there too.

In a pinch, you could also ask someone with tools to help you build one. Kiln dried 2x4 pine board for the supports usually run about $4.00 for a 6' length @ the Home Depot near me, and the shelving (I use 1"x8" KD Pine) are about $5.00 for a 6' or 8' board. The expensive part of a homemade cage would probably be the mesh for the sides/door, so I'd guess a decent sized homemade cage would run you about $50-$75, but if you do it right, could last you *years*, which means you wouldn't have to buy another one if the guys can never get along in the same cage.
 
You're going to need to quarantine the new chin- meaning no contact whatsoever with your other chin, for about 6 weeks. This insures that any possible underlying diseases the new chin MAY have won't get to your current chinnie.

Good luck!
 
Use a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water to clean the cage - it'll kill the odors! Oh, and wear rubber gloves unless you want to smell like a salad!!
 
Ok, Rachel, no offense, but caring for 2 chins isn't all that much more expensive than caring for one. So "Double the food, double the bedding" isn't a good excuse. If you knew the condition of this chin, you should have been prepared.


If you have something to house the chin in temporarily(cat carrier maybe), you can wash the cage with a 50/50 bleach/water solution, then leave it sit out in the sun for a few hours so bake off the bleach. Knowing what kind of cage it is would help as well. Is it mainly plastic? All wire? What is it?
 
I do agree with Ashley. Usually an owner/rescue would not rescue a chin that they can not themselves rescue, i.e. bring to the vet if needed, keep in proper quarantine as to not get your other chin sick, etc. If you cannot even afford a cage, how can you expect to pay a $500 vet bill in an emergency? What if one of them breaks a leg, or not that they are both exposed to one another, what if they both get Giardia? That will cost a vet visit or two, or could be more. Exotic vets are not that cheap.

But, as for now, how about finding a cage on CL as suggested, or there is a cage at petsmart that is about $44 that will work just fine for now. Message if you want the name. If you post where you are, maybe someone has a cheap used cage they can sell you. I would try that too. Good luck with the little guy!
 
I also have to agree with the other two who have mentioned this. I sell food for $.60 a lb., as do many other sellers here. Food is cheap, as is hay, and bedding. The most I can think that you would have to pay for those 3 things to last two chins a month is $10.00 total (if you didn't have to pay for shipping on the food). The excuse really isn't warranted. If you didn't have the money to take in the chin you shouldn't have taken in the chin. I'm sorry if that sounds rude, but it isn't rude, it's real.

As for the cage, I say try craigslist.com. I was able to find a FN 142 on there for $80. A friend of mine in Jacksonville (EnslavedbyNinjas) was able to find a fairly large cage for $20.
 
Well, i bet he's biting because he's scared. I had to do really, really carefull and slow introductions with my two that are cage mates. I put next to each other and short brief periods together in the neutral zone and they did bond. If you get him out to run in an area daily and on proper diet--he'll get healthier. That was a crap diet he was on--poor guy. He's probably got a belly ache!! (and crabby too!)hehe
 
first.......take a deep breath & relax. honestly the extra food & bedding & stuff doesnt add too much BUT if one of your chins gets ill you definitley need to have some reserve funds. I have just spend nearly $1000 on my standard that is suffering with severe tooth problems. Aside from the money is the huge amount of time I need to spend taking care of him, hand feeding him, etc....... I am in NO way complaining. I love him. But if you can, find a safe place for the new addition. Do either a vinegar/water or bleach/water and leave out in the sun to dry. keep the bedding super fresh right now and wipe down the shelves every day so he gets used to you having your hand in his cage. it may take months for him to fully trust you. If you can try & search around for a used cage or save up to buy something new (the biggest/best you can afford). Even if you went with one of the cages with plastic shelves you could always replace them with wood.
And if you are handy or have a "handy man" perhaps he can help build you a cage.
Good luck.............it will all work out.
 
The best thing to remember is that it takes a lot of patience and sometimes a lot of time with these little guys. I've only taken in rescues and each one has been different but all have needed lots of time to come around.

My latest girl is still very unsure of me but I hope in a few months she'll be a bit better!
 
I agree with Tagna. Being patient and giving him time is the best thing you can do for him. Holding your chin up to his cage as soon as you got him was going to get a negative reaction no matter what. He came from a very bad situation and has to adjust to a lot of new things. I have had some really nervous and bad tempered chins come to us and with time and a lot of sweet talk (not pushing to hold them), they have become real cuddle chins.

White vinegar is one of the best cleaners you can use. If the cage has a lot of urine spots, use it straight and not diluted. It does work wonders.
 
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