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[Abby W.]

I was just wondering when it is generally considered safe to put kits in a multi-level cage.  I have several moms with older kits (5-6 weeks) and they are getting pretty antsy in their maternity cages, even though they get exercise in a play area every night.  I would like to put them back in their big multi-level cages but I wasn't sure when it would be ok for the babies.  Thanks!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

How tall is the multi-level?
Most mine are now born in the cage Mom lives in. I just pull the Dad out.
With in a few days kits are climbing all over.
Then I keep all my at 36 inches high or less now. 2 or 3 levels of shelves and just as much floor space.
If I was taking them from a super low to a super high cage, I would do a graduation with another size or two in between.
This could mean blocking off a portion of a larger cage, and gradually giving them more of it, or lots of different sized cages.
By the time they are 8-10 weeks mine can get any place they want anyway.
I would start letting them play in any new cage for a spell before I transferring them over.Just to make sure they can get around, and give them a chance to get to know it.

[Abby W.]

All of my multi-level cages are 36" high, the maternity cages are 18".  I have solid shelves in each of the multi-level cages.  I wouldn't want my newborns in them though, as they might fall from the higher shelves.  But I think I am going to give the older kits a trial run in them (some supervised playtime, as you suggested) and see how they do.   Thanks Debbie!

[Megan]

I have stopped moving my females, and leave them in the cages they've always been in and just pull the male.

Cages are 30 x 18 x36", with 3 shelves (one across the back, measuring 8" wide x 30" long), two across the sides , one below and one above the shelf across the back (18"long, 8" wide). I haven't had any problems as of yet with the kits, or moms ignoring them.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

The kits will climb the cage doors in days of birth. If there is a way up they find it.
I haven't had one fall in a 36 inch cage either but I know how nerve wracking the fears can be, how we all worry.
We all do what works best for our set up, and our nerves.
I have found it's just as well to make the cage baby safe, by giving them ways to get up safely.
It's the 5-6 foot cages I worried about the most, and would take the kits and Mom out.
With lower cages now and more floor space, it's less stressful on Mom to take the Dad out.
Abby the older kits should be just fine in the bigger cage.As they are used to smaller cages I would give them play times in  it first.
I think you'll be quite surprised at how well they do.

[Abby W.]

Debbie,

I took the two oldest kits and let them have playtime in one of the larger cages.  Wow, they had no problem at all!
About a minute after I put them in they were bouncing off all four walls, leaping and climbing just like they had been doing it since birth!  It was amazing how well they took to it, so I went ahead and left them in.  I put mom in after that and they have been great!  I guess I was just being a worry wart...Thanks so much for your help! 

[Debbie.nl.ca]

That's awesome Abby,
Some fun to watch eh!

I guess I was just being a worry wart...

We all do that that's never been a problem, better safe than sorry.

[Jo Ann]

By the time a kit is 4 to 6 weeks old, they are usually OK to put in a multi-level cage, especially if one or more of the levels (in addition to the bottom) is a full floor.
     As Debbie said

We all do what works best for our set up, and our nerves.

 
     Kits are born fully furred, eyes open and playing within an hour usually.  As a general rule, they will, within the first 24 hours climb as high as they can go (usually to the top), but they can not climb down, so they turn loose and drop to the bottom.  For safety, I would put them in a whelping cage (if the mom is in a big cage), but being a breeder, my breeding cages are not tall anyway, so mom is not stressed because she remains in that cage.
  If it is a surprise birth for someone and they can not get the whelping cage, I usually suggest closing off the upper floors.  I always like to air on the side of what I feel is the safest for the chinchilla when advising other people ... I measure that from my own nerves.   
     With a good mom or a seasoned mom, with only 1 or 2 kits, they will rarely abandon the kits.   BUT ... with a new mom or a mom giving birth to 3, 4, or more kits ... I do not like to give her a place to go and take a chance the kits will chill or go hungry.   I have seen a mom with a litter of 4 squeeze inside a play tube to get away from them for a period of time.  When there are only one or two kits, they have 6 teats to rotate on, if there are 3 or more kits, there is not much room for rotating and she will become sore and seek relief by getting away from them.  OR if two happen to fight over the same teat and damage it, often mom will try to "run for the hills".
     Lots of time, we have to take each individual situation and go from there on our decisions.  Safety first never hurts!

 
Jo Ann

Check out the kit below ... the cage is 0nly 10" high and plenty of soft bedding in the floor.  I put them in this "holding cage" while I cleaned their regular 18" high breeding cage and added extra bedding to land on.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Aww what a cool pic Jo Ann,
Boy can they climb.
I like to stager shelves too, keeping 6-8 inches being the most they can fall.