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[mikasauntie]

Well, we thought we were so smart!  We put big poster boxes (3'x4'x maybe 4 inches wide) behind and along one side of the chinchilla cage to keep Ari from messing up the walls.  The cage is 3 feet tall.  Then, we though we would be even smarter.  We have some fencing that we strung across the middle of the room to keep the chin from getting under the desk and into the bookcases.  Great!  Now Erin can sit in there and do her homework while Ari has some fun right outside her cage.  A periodic glance and we're all happy...not!

Erin looked up from her math book to see Ari happily sitting on top of the cage.  She went over to get that little critter down and Ari jumped and ran...right into the open top of the poster box behind the cage.  What a surprised little chinchilla we had! 

And no more experimenting with doing homework while the chinchilla plays! 

(The fencing is great, buy the way.  Its called something like Ferret Playpen and it is a bunch of connected panels that can be looped around into a circle.  And then folded up into a manageable size and stored in the closet.  the bars are too narrow for Ari to squeeze through and there are not enough horizontal pieces for her to climb out.)

[Debbie.nl.ca]

They never cease to amaze me.
I was in a tizzie just the other night when I couldn't find a newborn.
I knew she couldn't get out and had to stand back and thinnk like a chin.
Sure enough I found her shimmied behind a tube hung from the upper level and above the birthing box.
Rushed me out.


She can't get to the upper level, as I took the ladder out, but Mom still can.

[Jo Ann]

    

And no more experimenting with doing homework while the chinchilla plays!

Chin Play Time should always be one-on-one time!   

She can't get to the upper level, as I took the ladder out, but Mom still can.

Wanna bet?   

    Jo Ann

[mikasauntie]

Tonight I caught our little darling running around the outside walls of the cage - like a furry lizard running horizontally across the side of a wall.   At least now I know she did not FLY up to the top of the cage the other day.  What will she think of next? 

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Wanna bet?   

 
No Never!

[Jenova]

Chong squeezes in between the two cages and runs up and down in there like a spy scaling a building.

I just made my gallery.. finally, so I can actually show you a picture.

[Abby W.]

That is too funny!    I thought my chins were acrobatic, but they have yet to scale walls like that!

[mikasauntie]

Love that photo.  "spider-chin!"

[Jenova]

The worst (best) thing is that Cheech, even though she is the older one learns from him and tries to do his tricks. She's not quite as graceful, or as small and that is funny to watch.

I watched Chong planning to jump over a barrier, testing how far he could run up the cages and trying it a few times until he had it just right, then he leapt off the cage, onto the other one and over the barrier. So much for chin proofing, eh? 

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I love it perfect shot.
That's what mine do any place they can.
I've been meaning to rig up a toy so they can shimmy.Must give that some more thought. ::nod::They sure love to do it.

[Jenova]

I want to rig up some tubes in the play area, but because I want to do a long stretch they'd have to be clear in case they got stuck in there and it's just a case of finding safe ones. Then they can shimmy all over the place. It would be like the chinchilla equivalent of hamster tubing.

[Jo Ann]

I want to rig up some tubes in the play area, but because I want to do a long stretch they'd have to be clear in case they got stuck in there and it's just a case of finding safe ones. Then they can shimmy all over the place. It would be like the chinchilla equivalent of hamster tubing.

I don't know of any that are clear and chinchilla safe, other than glass and that could be a bit dangerous in itself.

That is a great picture!  They can get just about anywhere they want to get ... given the opportunity and, as you said, the 'practice'.

   Jo Ann

[mikasauntie]

Ari's become very focused on chewing walls in the past week.  She has lots of toys to choose from but I apparently "forbidden fruit" tastes better.  I hate to put fencing up because the best part about being out of the cage is seeing how high up the wall you can put your little chin footprints.  Its hard to bounce off of a wire fence.  Is there anything else we can do to discourage the wall/paint nibbling?   

[Jenova]

Since you've already said 'no' I think your little one will want to do it all the more now...
Not that that's much help. If I don't want them to do something I usually try to ignore it because I know if I utter the word no they'll try to do it all the more, but walls isn't something you can really ignore...

[Jo Ann]

 

Is there anything else we can do to discourage the wall/paint nibbling?   

I've heard of many ... you might want to try one of them:
1) rub lemon peal over the spot (very bitter)
2) hot sauce (kinda mean to do that, I think)
3) cover it with a thin wire mesh cloth
4) blow in her face when you catch her (they really don't like that at all)
5) if you have a squeaky toy that is loud and has a high-pitched sound ... squeeze it every time the little one gets near the spot ... they are not fond of those kinds of noises and learn quickly they will hear that every time they get close to the spot

I am sure others may have some suggestions also.

  Jo Ann