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[LindyLu]

So my older chinchilla, Dewey (5 yrs), is obviously very clever - and tends to urinate in the same area most of the time. So I decided to stick a litter box (it's a rabbit litter box, filled with soft-sorbent) into his cage and see if he takes to it.

(Note: the litter box IS made of plastic, but Dewey is not a chewer! He is picky about which chew toys he will use, and otherwise chews nothing. I wouldn't recommend a plastic litter box to "just any" chinchilla).

Anyway... without any coaxing of "teaching" he just started using the box on his own! It's like he KNEW right away, and without fail he hops in there everytime he needs to pee! What a good boy!!! I am so impressed with him!!

Anyone else have box trained chins? Did it take awhile to learn, or is it normal for them to figure it out on their own so quick? What sorts of boxes and litters do you use?

[Crimson_Ham]

Sorley and Xochitl are box trained (either just knew or were trained before I got them... dunno which) and I use a small cardboard box with SoftSorbent in it for them. I use this because Xochitl chews everything she can get to and with a cardboard box (a safe one, uncoated) it doesn't matter if she chews on it I can always get a new one.

I'm working on training Dagda (almost 3 months old) with a plastic litter box as he will only chew certain things and hasn't chewed nearly so much since he calmed down after we got him home... I think he's a nervous chewer mostly, and doesn't chew the plastic, but he likes to chew on cardboard. <--great way to recycle the tp rolls lol. now if only the other fur babies liked to chew them... So far he's going in the box about half the time but I'm sure he'll do better as he gets a little older.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Most chins will not pee outside their pee pan. Mine have the full floor or their cages to pee and they all pick a spot. So it's easy to find the spot and put a litter pan there if you didn't want to fill the whole floor with shavings.
When mine are out for play they have a pee pan on the floor that they will use.
I have one fella out in the laundry room one night washing off his shelves with no pee pan around. I noticed him scooting around like he was looking for something when he sat on the metal dust pan & pees.
Had the same chins out for a trip to the feed shop one day, and when I got back I was stood up chatting with hubby about our little adventure when he started getting really antsy, just as I asked him what was his problem, he peed on me.  I just wasn't listening when he was trying to tell me.
Chins are much like cats that way, and will only pee outside a litter pan if they have too.
Now there is the exception to every rule, so don't freak if one doesn't get it 

[Jo Ann]

  

When mine are out for play they have a pee pan on the floor that they will use.
I have one fella out in the laundry room one night washing off his shelves with no pee pan around. I noticed him scooting around like he was looking for something when he sat on the metal dust pan & pees.

  And would this metal dust pan be the one you use when cleaning the cages? 

Had the same chins out for a trip to the feed shop one day, and when I got back I was stood up chatting with hubby about our little adventure when he started getting really antsy, just as I asked him what was his problem, he peed on me.      I just wasn't listening when he was trying to tell me.

Yep, that's one of the first things I tell someone with a new chin ... if it seems content, then suddenly seems to want down ... let him down or prepair to feel that warm moist feeling.   

   Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Cha ching

And would this metal dust pan be the one you use when cleaning the cages?

Yes it would  Your smarter than the average chin there Jo Ann 

[LindyLu]

debbie...what sort of "litter" do you use in their pee pans?

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Pine shavings.

[LindyLu]

I thought pine was toxic for chins...?

[Debbie.nl.ca]

That came up about 5 years ago that it could be harmful, and it could to small animals with respiratory stress. It was said cedar was the harmfull choice when I started with chins, and everyone was using pine.I have never used cedar.
I've been using pine with my animals for over 35 years, with everything from white mice to chinchillas and everything in between.I have never had a problem,so I'm sticking with the tried and true.
I said when it came up that if I found it was causing any problems I would change, but I haven't so I'm still using.
It's a personal choice. I also used unprinted news print,buying ends rolls from the news paper printers.

[LindyLu]

hmm... okay. I am a fairly new chin-parent, and was told to never use pine. I've been told aspen would be the safest to use. I was curious what others were using. Thanks.

[Hoppinchins]

I Use pine. I'v had my chins for almost a year. i'v never had a problem. I have never bed told that pine was bad, just ceader. I was told that pine and aspine were fine to use.

[Jo Ann]

hmm... okay. I am a fairly new chin-parent, and was told to never use pine. I've been told aspen would be the safest to use. I was curious what others were using. Thanks.

  If you go out and cut a branch off of a pine tree and put it straight into the cage ... that would not be to good for your chin.  Wood always should be seasoned before putting it in the cage.  (You can do it in a "hurry-up"  manner by placing freshly cut wood on low, heat in the oven ... but I would not suggest doing that ... there's just to much that can go wrong.) 

Wood should never have chemicals on or in it.  The pine shavings you buy in the stores is usually seasoned, completely dry and free of any chemicals.  Pine chips is all I have ever used and have never found it to be harmful to my little ones.  Aspen is good also, but I do not think it is necessary.  It looks and feels nicer/softer, but that's about it, in my opinion.   

   Jo Ann