Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Haru]

Hi everyone.
Thank you moderator for letting me in.

I wonder if anyone have tried sand as bedding.
My daughter had these chinchillas for about 5 years now, and lately I have noticed a small
fly infestations in the house. I've learned that these flies breed in decaying organic matter, I suspect
they breed on the wood bedding.
I wonder if we could use sand as bedding, but worried that sand may not be safe for the chins.
Expert's advice is highly appreciated.

[ABC Chinchillas]

I would not use sand. I have 100 plus chinchillas and use Pine, I do not have fly problems. Is your daughter cleaning the cage well enough and often enough?

[jmdebb]

you can also use aspen and carefresh but make sure he doesn't eat the carefresh.

as for the sand, i agree with star, it can be harmful, if he gets it in his eyes, or if it goes in his food....

[BambiLove]

I agree with both before me. My chin will always dust bathe if i put something that looks like dust/sand in his cage, and if your chin does the same, the sand might get in his eyes, and sand will ruin his fur. You can try carefresh, it's made out of recycle paper/fiber so fly can't breed there.

[ABC Chinchillas]

Fly's can breed in recycled paper and fiber for the record.  I would Never use carefresh it causes impactions if eaten. The only solution to preventing flies is to clean the cage better and more frequently

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I would think they'd try to roll in it too. Just like if you left the dust bath in their cage, eventually they will pee in it.

[Hoppinchins]

You can use fleece for bedding also. I use it and so do other people on here. They don't chew on it either. You can just wash it and reuse it. I forget what kind i got, because you have to get a certien kind of fleece so there pee doesn't stay on top of the fleece. 

[BambiLove]

Fly's can breed in recycled paper and fiber for the record.  I would Never use carefresh it causes impactions if eaten. The only solution to preventing flies is to clean the cage better and more frequently

Stop refering and criticizing what I said. yea i get it you would never use anything that I use, cookie, carefresh, etc. because it is super bad. She said she think the fly breed in organic thing so i was trying to help by suggesting inorganic stuff. Gosh i was just trying to help, no need to go after and attack thing that i said. Obviously you replied after I post my comment about carefresh but not jean's (which also mentioned carefresh) And this is not the first time...

[ABC Chinchillas]

So I am sorry you are feeling touchy and taking it personally honestly I rarely look at who posted a particular thing before I answer so I really didn't notice that I have been following you and criticizing you personally. This is going to sound rude because there is no nice way to word it but please keep in mind that the written word does not show tone and does not do a conversation justice, but I don't know who you are and I don't care who you are I have no feelings toward you one way or the other I am looking out for the chinchillas.


what ever I typed was not directed at you for any personal reasons I just disagree. I will share what knowledge I have and people can take it or leave it. I have a lot chinchillas and have been raising them for over 16 years If ANYONE posts something that I disagree with I can say what I think as well. I have nothing against you I just disagree. I perform autopsies I HAVE PULLED carefresh from intestines blocking the system Have you ever cut open a chinchilla that died from bloat? It is a horrible death have you every seen the translucent bubble of air it looks like an actual balloon. So I will warn people about it. either I missed Jeans post about the carefresh as I tend to skim or I just happened to post about carefresh after you happened to post.

and again with the flies I live on a farm I have seen people use paper bedding and flies can breed in that too so I will post that so the OP knows it can happen it was not a slap to you.  The cookies have a lot of sugar products I have those same cookies here for the horses I read the product list and I would not give them to the chinchillas. Apples are high in sugar content. which when broken down in the system causes bloat. I don't give fruit products to my chinchilllas. I have had a female live to be over 24 years old, a male who lived to be 19 and another one 20. I don't really care if you feel I am posting because of you. I am not I am posting information that I feel is pertinant. It just happens a few times I have disagreed with you.

Maybe I am wrong...maybe you are wrong and should look at some of the products you use. But on the life of your chinchilla the one thing I am looking out for is the danger of carefresh. again I HAVE PHYSICALLY cut open a few chinchillas that died to perform necropsies and several times I have found they had eaten carefresh and it blocked their intestines. Next time someone brings me a rescue that is dying as it gets here (people tend to dump their pets like that) I will take pictures for you..... I have helped vets deal with the same thing the vets and I use such sad events as a chance to learn so often I go over there with the body or they call me when they have one.

[left027]

I personally use fleece bedding.  It works really nicely and the boys love to snuggle in it.  There are several guides on how to make the fleece diaper thing.

Now as for carefresh, I agree that it has its issues, however, some chins don't eat it.  So, if you're one of the lucky few then it very well could be an option.  It is more expensive though and the risks are severe if your chins do want to eat it. 

As for the argument, I understand that this is none of my business, but please keep in mind this forum is for obtaining safe and accurate information on chinchillas and caring for them.  I know it sucks when someone disagrees with you on here.  It feels like they're questioning your ability to care for your pet.  The fact of the matter is that chinchillas are not your average ordinary house pet and sometimes even though you've read something somewhere that says something you've been doing it very well could be wrong and sometimes it's better to differ to the "experts."  On the other hand, no one knows your chinchillas better than you.  For instance, if your chinchillas don't eat carefresh and seem to like it then don't fix something that isn't broken. 

The overall point of this forum is to obtain knowledge, if you feel like someone is attacking you on here then I suggest messaging them and asking if it is something personal or just a coincidence.  Perhaps you can work it out.  Best of luck.

[jmdebb]

You can use fleece for bedding also. I use it and so do other people on here. They don't chew on it either. You can just wash it and reuse it. I forget what kind i got, because you have to get a certien kind of fleece so there pee doesn't stay on top of the fleece.  

please don't take this the wrong way hop, but some chins do chew it.. a few of mine chewed fleece when i used it. and its just like the carefresh, if you ever notice holes in it, take it out, it can be dangerous if eaten.

maybe not many chew it and i just happen to have one of the few that does, but i just wanted to warn you all.

and ya know, i'm just wondering is there something in the cage that could be causing it.. i dont' know, just a thought.. or maybe can the cage be near a place that has something left out or near garbage and then maybe they are going into the cage.. maybe this is farfetched, but its just a thought so i thought i would pass it on. 

jean

[Hoppinchins]

thaks jmdebb, I did not know that. But i would deff take it out if i did see them chewing on it. There are also different types of fleece, so that would be why they are chewing on yours?

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Just my input on the subject,

I use fleece with all moms & kits. I have 2 males that will chew it, they don't get it.

I think the flies infest damp/wet areas, either from urine or a dripping water bottle.
In my years with chins I have never seen them, but we got a hamster that played tug tug with his water bottle that was continuously dripping on the wood floor of his cage.
I notice those teeny tiny flies someone mentioned here last spring on the door to the cage.
 Moved the hamster to a plastic bottom cage and secured his water bottle.  flies gone.

I have also found some chins will chew any thing while others nothing. How much of what they chew do they eat we don't know, until it's too late.
I know folks that still have plastic shelves and that are not touched.  I just couldn't !!!!

I have always used pine shavings and /or unprinted news print now and then. I have never had a problem, but have been advised by my vet and others that some chins are showing up with respiratory problems they feel are due too the pine.

No matter how long I'm at it I'll never learn it all, nor remember it. I need the kind folks here to keep me up to date and to nudge me if I goof.
We're all here to Learn and share.

So Haru you think you'll be trying the sand  I wouldn't 

[Hoppinchins]

really? I have pine shelves in there cage. I thought pine was always safe.

[jmdebb]

really? I have pine shelves in there cage. I thought pine was always safe.

i'm confused, what is this a response to...if it is to what i said.. if it is i just meant something that if she had some type of wood that might not be safe or was bad or something.. it was just a thought.

pine is safe..