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[Woodstock]

So basically my girlfriend and I are planning on getting a couple chinchillas coming up in a couple months and I had a few questions:

1) I want to make a cage for them and I basically have the whole thing figured out except the bottom. I don't want a wire mesh bottom because I don't want to hurt their little feet, but I don't know what to use for the hard bottom. I feel like metal is too loud, plastic isn't durable enough, wood isn't easy to clean... are there any other options?

2) We're planning on gettin 2 females from a breeder. So they'll be between 3-6 months old. Is it ok to raise them in the same cage from the beginning? I've heard that females can be territorial and I don't want there to be any issues.

I think that's it for now, I'm sure I'll think of more later.

[Jo Ann]

   Glad to see you planning ahead!  Good questions!

I feel like metal is too loud, plastic isn't durable enough, wood isn't easy to clean... are there any other options?

Plastic is not only not durable enough, but is also dangerous for a chinchilla ... They will chew and consume it.  Sharp edges can cause cuts in the walls of the digestive tract, setting up infections.  Plastic in any part of the cage is a 'no-no'.

Wood, as a tray or base is not really practical.  Wood is porous and can harbor bacteria every time it is peed or pooped on by the chinchillas.  Many use it as shelves and leaping ledges ... these are easy to replace and economical.

Wire floors are fairly easy to clean, but must be cleaned, with a wire brush & soapy water, weekly to remove any urine or poop particles that are left on them so that the chin will not develop bumblefoot.  Walking on wires constantly (even clean wires) will eventually irritate the pads of the paws.  Pieces of wood or chinchiller blocks can be used on wire floors so the chin will have smooth surfaces to stand on regularly.

Solid metal, for a base/tray is really not loud and is the best in the long run.  Stainless steel is the most expensive on the front in, but the most economical in the long run.  It looks the best and is the easiest to clean.  (Do NOT use bleach on it.)

HINT: Shelves should always have a very slight slant to the inside of the cage (poop and pee will roll down to the bottom of the the cage and not stand/stick on the shelves as easily.

   Jo Ann

[Jo Ann]

   If you know you want two chins, It is best to get them both at the same time.

As a general rule, females become territorial when it comes to their kits, their cage (if they were in it alone first) and/or another chinchilla is in the picture is when it tends to become apparent.

Males can be very territorial when there is a female present in the same room that is in season ... they have been known to fight to the death for the right to breed her ... weather or not they can even get to her.

Chinchillas, as a rule, are very social and most will get along with most others ... but ... Any two chinchillas, male or female, adult or kit, may or may not get along.  Each one has it's own personality ... some personalities will, as with humans, conflict.  Did you ever meet some one you just instantly did not like?  That's a conflict of personalities to the extreme ... this happens in the chinchilla world also.

2) We're planning on gettin 2 females from a breeder. So they'll be between 3-6 months old. Is it OK to raise them in the same cage from the beginning? I've heard that females can be territorial and I don't want there to be any issues.

I would ask the breeder if he/she would mind housing them together for a week or so before you pick them up, so that they will be accustom to each other and to know if they will get along.  This should also help their transition to a new home.  Any time I knew someone wanted to get a pair (male or female or male and female) I would put them together before the new chin parents picked them up.

   Jo Ann

[jmdebb]

i agree with joann on the metal ones, or steal whatever they are called.. , i have ferret nation cages and they come with plastic bottoms so they have to be taken out and you put metal ones in that bass equip makes.. sometimes i put fleece on the bottom of the cage, but most of the time i don't.  i especialy like it because it's always cool.. so it's like you have chinchiller all over the cage.

[Woodstock]

Wow! Thank you so much for the advice  ! Yea I talked to a pet store this weekend and they told me they'd work on getting the chins accustomed to each other before we were able to pick them up.

As for the bottom of the cage, I was leaning toward getting a linolium or something like that bottom, but i might just go with the metal if it's not that loud. Also thanks for the idea for putting the ledges leaning inward, i never would have though of that

I'm really excited to start building now 

[Jenova]

You'll want to put bedding on the bottom anyway. Something like carefresh is not only safe but as it's made from paper/cardboard it'll dampen out any noise.

[Srqt]

You'll want to put bedding on the bottom anyway. Something like carefresh is not only safe but as it's made from paper/cardboard it'll dampen out any noise.

I've heard mixed things about carefresh. I know the majority of carefresh users are happy with it but I have heard one too many stories about a poor little chinnie eating it and it causing severe issues.

I use kiln dried pine myself.

[LindyLu]

I use fleece. Seems I'm one of the few that does!
As mentioned, the ferret nation cages come with a plastic tray for the floor. I just cover it first with a baby mattress protector/diaper pad (it absorbs well) then with a plain fleece blanket. (Tucked around it really well).
I love it because the chins can't scatter bedding everywhere and make a huge mess out of it. And it's a breeze to clean....you just pull out the soiled blankets, and tuck in a fresh one. I throw the soiled ones in the washing machine with HOT water and I use a "sensative" detergent with no perfumes or dyes.
 I've never had a problem with chins trying to untuck the blankets or chew the tray. Dewey isn't a chewer anyway....but even Schroeder and Daisy never bother it (and they were/are major chewers!)

Just make sure to use plain fleece and not the microfiber extra plushy stuff. <---urine will bead on the microfiber, rather than absorb. For the most part, fleece is basically chew-proof, and it's really soft on their feet. Plus I can buy different designs/colors to spruce up the look of the cage every once in awhile.

[Woodstock]

Interesting idea with the fleece. I've never heard of that before. Do you wash it every day? or like once a week?

And I have heard some things about the carefresh. Though, nothing specific. And the pet store I talked to was very adamant about carefresh. They said it's the best. I don't really want to go with pine shavings because i want to contain the mess if I can.

Also, do you guys have any ideas for shelves and habitat type things for the cage? like ladders made out of dowels, I know i need shelves; how big should they be? are there layouts I should be considering?

[Ladykelia]

I've never actually used the fleece either but from what I understand people clean off the poops daily and wash them once a week. Many people make it into sort of a two layered thing (think pillow case shaped) with a pee pad in between to make it more absorbent, or like Lindylu You can just tuck it under the tray if your chinchillas don't bother with it.

It doesn't hurt to try out different kinds of beddings until you've found one you like. They all have their pros and cons

Fleece pros: soft on chin's feet, cheap and reusable, fun and colorful, safe for chins
Fleece cons: gross factor of washing off pet urine in your washing machine

Carefresh pros: not dusty, very absorbant
Carefresh cons: expensive, gets a funny smell from the urine after only a couple of days, potentially dangerous if chinchilla consumes a lot of it

Wood shavings pros:  cheap, smells pretty nice for up to a week, safe for chins even if they chew it
Wood Shavings cons: Messy and dusty. It may aggravate sinuses of sensitive people like me
   Note: Aspen is a better option than pine. If you do use pine, make sure it is labeled "kiln dried" or it may be unsafe for your chin (or any other small animal for that matter)

I've also used these weird little wood pellets that were kind of interesting, they soak up urine nicely and are relatively cheap but very heavy and it takes a lot of them to cover the bottom of a tray.

Alas, there's no such thing as the perfect bedding, you just gotta find what works best for you.

As far as shelves go, use kiln dried pine, and I suggest putting an inch or two high "poop guard"  on them, but use dowel construction or non-toxic glue to do this rather than nails. The shelves can be as big as you'd like but should be at least big enough for them to perch on, probably at least 4" wide. I would say ladders are totally impractical, they don't need them to get around and they would just be little shreds after a few days anyway   H

ere's a good website about furnishing your chin's cage: http://www.chinchillas2home.co.uk/cages.htm - the only thing they don't mention is a running wheel. I highly recommend the flying saucer http://www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CW030010&Category_Code=CW03, and  others would highly recommend the Quality Cage Chin Spin http://qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1802. Both are expensive, but either are worth it.

Looking forward to seeing the habitat you create for your chins!

[Woodstock]

Thanks for all ur input    !!!

You said something curious though. Don't use nails? why not? will they hurt themselves? And you said glue is OK? I haven't heard that before, but then again, i've only been researching for a couple weeks now.

I'll check out those wheels, but right now I don't know if I can afford them. Idk, we'll see.

And I will DEFINITELY post a pic of the cage when it's finished

[Ladykelia]

Well some people have used nails and have not had a problem, but being voracious little chewers, they could potentially chew the wood around the nail and expose the head which is sharp and could cut the little guys. Or if the nail is not long enough the pointy end could become exposed and cut them. Kind of a better safe than sorry type of thing. The glue should not be gaping out or anything, but as long as its non-toxic a little bit shouldn't hurt them if they happen to eat it, and I hear its surprising strong enough for little ledge type things or in constructing a nesting box. I'm not an expert though... take what I (and anyone else) say with a grain of salt and do what makes sense.

[Woodstock]

Will do. Also thanks for that link to the cage website. Really helpful 

[LindyLu]

I actually posted this in another thread for Jo Ann to see the cages I am currently using...but it shows the fleece:


I can quickly vacuum off poops every other day, and wash the blankets once or twice a week.
You can also see my cage set up. I have several different sizes of shelving, and the "kabob" chewers hanging all over. I have added a wooden hut to the baby's cage, and big guy has a "Timothy Tunnel" as well as a "chubez" (chew tube). They each have a little fleece pillow, and the baby also has a hammock. They also each have a chin chiller and a chew-proof bowl to perch on + an exercise wheel. The big one is a 15" "chin spin" made by Quality Cages. It's really quiet. The small one is a 12" "Silent spinner"....it works for little chins, but not full grown ones. The small cage is my temp.

I re-arrange every few weeks... and when the baby reaches 500 grams in weight, she will be moving in with my big guy.
HTH a little!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I always use gyproc screws, nails can back off from all the motion in the cage, and at some point you made need repairs, upgrading or any changes, unscrewing is so much easier.
If you go with a stainless steel pan you'll have it for life. 
I have always used pine shavings, and as my pans are open in the cage the pellets didn't work. They looked like roller derby chins