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[cadillactaste]

Well we just took out an edible log that was sold to my husband from a pet store. [No surprise to me for I've had some pretty strange advice or comments come out of the mouths of employees that work in pet stores. If you don't know the answer it's more intellegent to say..."I'm not sure" then to make up things as you go along...I mean did you ALL know that Hedgehogs are NATIVE to Ohio!  ] But...I seen someone had one of these in a picture of their cage. Is it a good item to look for? I really don't wish to purchase MORE items that are harmful to our chinchinlla. And put his health at risk. If you have anything that your chins love that I might be able to pick up at Petsmart...If you wouldn't mind sharing it would be appreciated.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751782


http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751764&keepsr=0


I also seen Lava Stones can be added onto that hanging treat toy...is that a good idea...Back when we had Chinchillas over 11 yrs. ago...all we did was give them a Pumice Block to chew on. Which I heard on another forum isn't good to do... I'm so lost and feeling I don't know as much as I thought I had.


I'm picking up a small carrier due to my son wanting to share his new chinchilla to his 2nd grade class next month during show and tell. [And I'm pretty sure that his teacher would RATHER the chinchilla verses our Ball Python] And the cage thingy we had brought him home in I felt was way to small...And I need something to make it simpler when needing a vet check up so I figured I might as well purchase a small carrier for him, preferably a metal cage one.

[Deeliteful]

I have a treat kabob in both cages . I give them lava bites they love them and its a way to help them get their teeth in check. The mineral chew im not sure about occasionally I will put a chilly cone on mine its got calcium in it but that is only occasionally . I put apple sticks and safe wood chews on mine as well. It has a bell on it so be prepared to hear "ding ding ding ding" at night lol.

[cadillactaste]

Thanks...I will add those to my list of items to look for.

[Jo Ann]

  

I'm picking up a small carrier due to my son wanting to share his new chinchilla to his 2nd grade class next month during show and tell.

   Please do NOT let your son take the chin for show and tell in a school ... regardless of what grade it is, but especially not in the lower grades.  Children are precious and when they see something that looks soft and furry, they want to love it by hugging it tightly.  When that happens ...  they hurt the chin, the chin bites in self-defence  OR they kill it by breaking one of the tiny ribs and it punctures the lungs ... a very painful death that takes about 24 to 36 hours before the chin actually dies.  Chinchillas are nocturnal and prefer to sleep during school hours.  The temperature of the school room is probably to hot for a chinchilla.  Chinchillas are very skiddish and become frightened at loud and/or sudden noises ... these are found in school rooms constantly.  The stress of the day could cause him to become a fur chewer which is not healthy or pretty.  Please do not subjet the chinchilla to a room full of kids that are not accustom to chinchillas and how to act around them.   

   I'm so lost and feeling I don't know as much as I thought I had.

Don't feel bad ... we are all learning every day that chinchillas are sensitive to much more than we once thought they were.  As chinchillas are exposed to more and more, we are finding they are even more fragile than once thought.

If you don't know the answer it's more intellegent to say..."I'm not sure" then to make up things as you go along ...

Employees in pet stores usually do not want to admit that they do not have the knowledge needed ... they don't want to appear stupid and figure since you are asking, you don't know either, so it is safe for them to state, as fact, what they think to be fact ... which is usually wrong, when it comes to chinchillas. 

Individuals giving you the wrong information is bad enough ... but what is worse is when the manufactures of animal products do the same.  Manufactures see that chinchillas belong in the rat family and they assume that chinchillas can have anything that rats can have ... but they can not!   There is one manufacture that puts out a "starter kit" for chinchillas which contains the cage ... a cage that is NOT safe for chinchillas ... even though it states that it is safe for them, it is not.

Chinchillas need:  1) high quality food (Mazuri, Traditions or Oxbow)
                        2) a lava stone constantly to help keep their front teeth worn down to the proper size
                        3) fresh water daily (do not add water to the bottle ... wash rinse and refill it)
                        4) hay (for nutrients and to help keep their side teeth warn down to the proper size)
                        5) pine chew sticks (most economical when made by you)
                        6) dust bath dust not dust bath sand and a container to put it in ... a glass loaf pan or cookie jar works great
Above are the things they really need on a daily basis ... anything else is something special you want for them.  Chinchillas are easily pleased and many items around the house will make them happy and keep them busy.  Empty toilet paper rolls, a box cut out to make windows and doors (they love to play in and on these),  an empty cereal box or Kleenex box, Popsicle sticks, paper towel rolls and a hut you can make them (instructions are on my website in the Chinchilla Booklet)

Please make sure any toys purchased for your chin are not made of aluminum or have aluminum holders.  Aluminum is a soft metal ... chinchillas have been know to eat soft metals ... this is not good for them, but they do it anyway.

   Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

Thanks JoAnn...I hadn't planned on actually taking out the chin from the carrier but having them look at him. The teacher never allows the children to leave their seats for show and tell...It's her rule. Even when it's an educational toy  brought inthey aren't allowed to touch it...but it would be noisy... So I guess it'll be the snake we take to the school that day...the teacher will be "thrilled"...[NOT...she's afraid of snakes but is willing to allow me to bring it in.]

I ended up buying the "find it" game due to the kids all curious but not allowed to touch...I guess she wouldn't break the rule even for that toy...I am sure she has her reasons...


A link that explains the toy...and just a super cool link all around for those looking for something unusual. I ended up buying for a christmas toy for the classroom. So now they can play with it on rainy days...
http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/find_it_games/find_it_kids_edition.cfm

[cadillactaste]

JoAnn...I explained to my son about what you said...and that we could take the snake...He stated he would rather just take pictures of Nibbles...to share with the class. That way Nibbles won't get scared by all the noise or get to hot. Ahhh why didn't I think of that...

We still have the small hamster cage with handles for a carrier that I picked up. It's great incase I would need to take a trip to the vet office. And larger to transport our other chin home verses the tiny carrier we used with Nibbles.

I bought a chin chiller as well...a feed holder that mounts on the side of the cage. A wire ball thingy for hay...and a toy thingy that you can put lava stones on and other things...he's only chewed on the lava stone so far...Oh...and a bottle scrubber to help with cleaning his water container.