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[Annick]

Hi Everyone!!

I am a new chin owner, I have two.  We're not sure on names yet.  I've been reading the forum to see what there is for me to learn.  My chins are about a month apart, one born this April and the other born in May.  The older one is a lot bigger.  I have some questions due to litter training them.  I have a large ferret cage for them and I bought 3 litter pans.  I noticed the older one uses the litter pans pretty good while the younger one just goes wherever... and only sometimes he'll go in the pans.  How can I get him to go in the pans?  In the forth corner I have a cozy bed for them.  They both sleep in it but I've caught them peeing in it too.  Is it confusing them because i have 3 pans?  Should I only leave one?  I have decided to use fleece liners instead of bedding and I put the bedding that I do have in the pee trays.  I use Eco bedding on top and some pressed wood pellets for the bottom of the trays.  Keeps them heavy so it doesn't move.  Let me know if you guys have any advice?  It's been 3 weeks so far since I've had them.  Will the younger ever pick it up?  Is a month a big difference in chin years?  Should I only have one pee tray?

Thanks a bunch!
Annick

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Welcome to the wonderful world of chinchillas & the Club.
Your babies are still very young, how exciting for you.
I have never really used pee pans as such, mine are the full of the cage floor so I have shavings on the whole floor of the cages.
I do have some houses on the floor, though most will sleep up on a ledge, or in a higher house.
The only time they sleep on the floor is when it's warm or there are kits with Mom and then they don't stay down there long.
Most will pee in a corner while some of mine will pee right around the water bottle, hay rack, or food dish.
The older should teach the younger as she seems to not have learned yet.
I have never used bedding as bedding, but do put a fleece blanket in a house on the floor for moms to give birth.
Everyone does things a little different,and all chins are different.
We'll hear loads from you I'm sure. there is so much to learn and if you find one that knows it all lets us know.
I learn somthing new everyday.

[Jo Ann]

   Yep, we are all still learning.  The more you learn, the more you find out there is to learn.  Chinchillas are fascinating little creatures.

I don't use the pee pans either, and I put bedding all over the floors of the cages also.  Most chins choose a favorite place to go and will go there most of the time.

  I have decided to use fleece liners instead of bedding and I put the bedding that I do have in the pee trays.

Changing those daily could really keep the washing machine busy!

  I use Eco bedding on top and some pressed wood pellets for the bottom of the trays.

Keep in mind chinchillas usually nibble on (and consume) some of their bedding and that the compressed wood pellets will expand when they are wet  ... and ... that a chin's tummy contins liquids.  I would hate to see what might happen if the chin's tummy liquids caused the pressed wood bedding to expand inside of him/her.   

  Jo Ann

[Annick]

Hi there!

Thanks so much for the responses!  These are all new things I'll keep in mind.  So much to learn about chins.  I've been reading all the articles and threads that i can on this forum and website.  It's such fun to watch them play and jump around.  Another question I have is what should I do if they nibble on my arm?  Sometimes when I'm moving stuff around in their cage or tidying up the place our older chin who is 3 months will nibble on my skin.  Not a hard nibble but I always gently push him away cause I'm afraid he learns to use his teeth on skin.  Since we've had them (about 4 weeks now) only he, has bitten my boyfriend.  Just prior my boyfriend had broken up a piece of raisin to give to them and I think he sniffed his finger and bit down a little.. and then bit down so hard it broke skin and bled quite a bit.  He's not done it again cause now we make sure we wash our hands.  I'm just so afraid it becomes a habit and i want to nip it in the bud if it becomes one.  Do chins go through a terrible twos stage?  Should i be worried about a teenage period in their lives?  They are just babies now but I'm just kinda worried.

Thanks,
Annick

[eddiing]

hello!

my chins will always come to my arm and start nibbling, just simply offer something else for them to nibble on? for example a new apple branch? Or often times i will use my finger of my other hand and just gently lift their heads up a little, usually it works for me, maybe it will work for you!

-eddiing

[Jo Ann]

   If it is a gentle nibble, he/she is grooming you ... a show of love and affection for you from your chin. 

It could also be his/her way to say ... "Quit fooling with stuff in the cage and play with/or scratch me!"

A warning nip is usually pretty hard and is rarely done unless they feel threatened.

Raisin/food residue or smell can often produce a bite ... their day vision is not that good, so, due to the smell, they think it is a treat!  You may want to place a bottle of the hand sanitizer near the cage to remind everone to wash their hands (and face) before handling/touching the chins!

... my chins will always come to my arm and start nibbling, just simply offer something else for them to nibble on? for example a new apple branch? ...
-eddiing

  I see your little one has you well trained ... nibble your arm and they get a treat or chew toy!  They are very smart!   

  Jo Ann

[eddiing]

   I see your little one has you well trained ... nibble your arm and they get a treat or chew toy!  They are very smart!  

  Jo Ann

lol.. i am a sucker for chin kisses..

[AliPie003]

My chins pee all over their shelves. Is there a way to get them to stop doing that? It is a mess and they walk in it.

[Jo Ann]

My chins pee all over their shelves. Is there a way to get them to stop doing that? It is a mess and they walk in it.

    You have referred to one of the little ones as "he" ... are they both male? ... or is one a male and one a female?

As a general rule, chinchillas are very clean animals and do not urinate on themselves.  This is very unhealthy and could easily set up bacterial infections. 

Accidentally walking in it is another situation.  Where are they when this happens?  On a shelf? On the floor?  Or in one of the pee pans?  Do you use a bedding?

Can you post a picture of the cage and of the chins, please?

   Jo Ann

[Annick]

Yes AliePie003  I'd like to know a way to stop that too.  My chins don't pee on the shelves.  I'm trying to litter train.  But they pee in the corner where they sleep and then the sleep in it.  Most of the time they will get up and go pee in the corner but sometimes they'll pee there and sleep.  I thought it was because I had a cozy bed for them and they were confusing it with a litter tray but even when i remove the cozy bed they'll sleep in that corner and pee sometimes.  Is this because they are still too young?  Like wetting the bed?

[AliPie003]

They don't really pee on themselves, just on the shelves and they walk through it sometimes. They are all males and I do use bedding, which they do go in most of the time.

[Annick]

Hi AliePie,

Have you tried maybe completely washing all the pee off the shelves?  Maybe if you wash the scent off they might think twice before doing it.  Also maybe try putting some pee soiled bedding on where you want them to go instead like in the bottom of the cage.  I have no clue if this will work...  but its' kinda what I'm doing to try to litter train my chins. 

[Jo Ann]

     You are in a bit of a dilemma here ... the shelves are beautiful and it is obvious you have put out allot of money out on them ... bad thing is ... wood is porous and is holding the odor/scent of the urine ... as long as it is in the wood, they will continue to pee on them.  As long as the urine stays on them their fir will be stained, but my concern is the bacteria buildup on the shelves.  To my knowledge, the only safe thing I know to do is sand down past the stains and to clean it with is vinegar and water ... rinse thoroughly and allow to dry completely before putting them back in the cage.  Any time you have a solid shelf there is a possibility of this happening. 

Even with wire shelves, you have to regularly clean them.  With wire shelving and wire floors, allows the urine passes through down to the bedding, but some urine will remain on the wire as it passes through.  Wire cages are easily cleaned with a steam cleaner or a power washer or even with a hand held shower head in the bathtub.  The more levels in a cage, the less likely the chins will be to go to their special place in the bottom of the cage to urinate.  This is why most of the chins in a multi level cage will sleep on the top level, unless there is a hut on the lower level.  (They don't want to get peed on by another chin above them.    )

In a single level cage a chinchilla will choose one area to urinate ... this is usually the area opposite of the side where the food and water is located.   A single level cage with leaping ledges is usually best, unless you want to clean constantly.

I would replace the wood shelves with wire shelves and provide narrow leaping ledges and a couple of pieces of wood on the bottom ... these can easily and economically be replaced.   Chinchillas do not need to be walking on wire constantly ... especially dirty wire ... this can cause bumblefoot (very painful) ... this is the reason for the leaping ledges and wood pieces on the bottom of the cage.   

   Jo Ann