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[Leslie]

A few years ago, I bought a wire bottom cage because it seemed so much easier than the drop in type.  Ever since then, I have had nothing but problems with my chinchillas peeing all over the place.  It's like they don't understand the difference between the bottom of the cage and the levels.   I have done absolutely everything I can to make them understand.  I have covered almost every inch of the levels with wooden boards or tiles.  They will find any little space to pee through.  They pee through the ramps.  They especially love when a wooden board gets hay or a bunch of chewed wood on it....THEN they pee right there on the board. 

A friend of mine recently bought a new cage and I cautioned him about the wire bottom, but he was won over by the "easy" cleaning aspect.  His chins have started peeing from the upper levels now as well.

When I put a pile of shavings on top of the wire bottom, they go nuts for it.  Chins love the "digging" thing and chewing on the shavings!I feel bad for taking that joy away from them! 

I blame wire bottomed cages.  I think it's a bad idea.  Does anyone else have the same problem?  Unfortunately I'm stuck with mine...but maybe this will help someone else?

[ChinchillAZ]

I don't see how anything would be different if there wasn't wire bottoms in the cages?   

[Abby W.]

Yeah, I agree with chinchillAZ.  I have used both wire and solid bottom cages and have not found a difference in their peeing habits.  Most of mine either go in a corner on the lowest level they can get to (in both types of cages) and the ones who don't do that seem to just go wherever they happen to be standing.

I have also found that it is easier to keep solid bottom cages cleaner and drier because I can just scoop out the soiled shavings daily and replace with fresh ones, whereas the wire requires scrubbing and drying, which also means having to remove the chins from the cage for a period of time.  I also found that with the wire bottom cages my chins all got dirty feet and butts, no matter how often I cleaned.  Since I put them in solid bottom cages this problem has all but disappeared. 

[Sweetnessheart]

I have had wire bottom cages from the beginning.  My chinchillas don't seem to pee outside of the cages at all.  They just pick a corner and that is where they mainly go.  They haven't ever had a problem on their wood shelves.  They might get messed if they have a touch of upset stomach, but I just wipe it off with a damp cloth.

I also have the breeding cages with the solid pans and my chinchillas like to kick the shavings out of the way and sit on the bare metal.  I guess they are used to being on metal (wire). I have noticed in this type of cage they do pee at the edge and sometimes do wet outside of the pan.

[Leslie]

I don't see how anything would be different if there wasn't wire bottoms in the cages?   

Makes sense to me....they relate the smell and feel of the shavings with peeing.  If they don't have that, all the levels seem the same.

[Jo Ann]

  I have used both wire and solid bottom cages and have not found a difference in their peeing habits.  Most of mine either go in a corner on the lowest level they can get to (in both types of cages) and the ones who don't do that seem to just go wherever they happen to be standing... I also found that with the wire bottom cages my chins all got dirty feet and butts, no matter how often I cleaned.

  They can get dirty feet and butts on upper levels as well as a wire bottom. Watch out for Bumblefoot ... comes from being on unclean wires and on wires constantly.

I also have the breeding cages with the solid pans and my chinchillas like to kick the shavings out of the way and sit on the bare metal.  I guess they are used to being on metal (wire). I have noticed in this type of cage they do pee at the edge and sometimes do wet outside of the pan.

They love the smoothness and the coolness of a clean solid bottom.   If you have a good thermometer and a room with lots of cages ... check the temperature of the room near the cage before and after putting in fresh pine bedding ... you'll probably see a rise in the temperature of the cage area/room between the time before you put it in and emmediately after putting it ... I do ... 1 to 4 degrees.  And they love to have the chips to chew on!

I don't see how anything would be different if there wasn't wire bottoms in the cages?

Chinchillas with solid bottom cages covered in litter, will usually choose one or two areas to use to urinate in (generally the back half of a cage) ... as a rule.  They will not/do not like to lay in wet bedding, so they pee in one area and eat and sleep in another.   With wire bottom cages they can lay wherever it is dry ... but it is not always clean.

Most chinchillas will pee on any level inside the cage ... even if we don't see it ... remember, their active time is while we sleep.   Take an alcohol wipe or a warm wet white wash cloth with mild soap and go over the top levels and balconies of your chin's cage and see what it looks like when you finish.    
Would you like to sleep on that same wire with your nose against the wire?

 
Jo Ann

[ChinchillAZ]

I use wire bottom cages and have ever since I've owned chinchillas.  All of mine go to the bottom level and into whatever corner they prefer to urinate.  They don't go on the shelves as a general rule.  I have also never had a problem with bumblefoot.  That's what the solid shelves and pine houses are for...  It allows for a solid resting surface.

[Jo Ann]

True, I even have 6" wide pine boards laying at the bottom of the very few wire-bottom cages I do have.


 
Jo Ann

[chinclub]

I no longer recommend cages with wire shelves because so many chinchillas will go up to the top of the cage to pee.  The easiest way to fix that is to measure your wire ledges then go to Lowe's or Home Depot and have them cut you some untreated pine boards to fit.  You will also need to get some screws and some very large washers.  Place the boards on top of the wire and then screw them in from the outside of the cage (with the washer on the outside of the cage as well)  The washer is so big that it keeps the screw from falling through the wire and keeps the board on tight. (Same concept as the install for the leap-n-ledge if you own those)  Be sure you place screws on all 3 sides of your wood to keep it from sliding.   Most chinchillas will not pee on the wood so your problem is solved.

[Stacy]

I have 2 of the wire bottom cages and they pee in one corner but it still ends up out side of the cage.

[Leslie]

Jamie that's a great idea with the washers and screws.  I have wooden boards but they bounce around and make a lot of noise.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I like solid bottoms in my cages, for all the same reasons mentioned.
I have had a couple that got into the habit of peeing on shelves. I put them in shorter cages so they wouldn't have so far to go.
I have even seem one back his bottom off a shelf a pee down to the floor.
As they are all so different in there likes and dislikes, I'd keep playing around with the cage until I found the right set up for each chin.
If they were peeing on a certain shelf, I'd remove it or block, and see what they do.
If you put in a pine bottom as Jamie suggested, or even get a pan made to fit that should solve your problem, if it was caused by the wire bottom.
If it's just one of "those" chins you'll have to keep playing and modifying the cage until you find what works.
Just thinking, what if you put him in a small cage that he has to pee on the floor for a few days.He might get the hint.

[Leslie]

I have even seem one back his bottom off a shelf a pee down to the floor.

Yes!  That's exactly what one of mine does.  They both actually like to climb onto the ramps where it is impossible for me to cover the surface (they would just slide down and not be able to climb the levels) and pee in that position!

I have put a wooden board on the bottom of the cage and put the food bowl and water down there.  So far it has helped a lot.  My Ninja has to go all the way to the bottom of the cage several times during the day so he's not so lazy.  He's one of those chins that's up a bunch during daylight hours....I think it was mostly laziness that kept him peeing from the top.

I have 2 of the wire bottom cages and they pee in one corner but it still ends up out side of the cage.

YES!  Our poor walls! 

[ChinchillAZ]

Our poor walls! 

I hang shower curtains on my walls and wipe them down or replace them when necessary.

[Jo Ann]

Hint:  When you use a shower curtain or shower liner to cover the wall ....
Take it all the way to the floor and under the stand, or it will ruin the carpet/hardwood floor and even take wax off of a tile floor.
      One lady I knew, took a shower curtain to the floor and under the stand, and to make sure it would not run off the end, she smartly placed a piece of 1" x 2" x 4' board under the plastic sheeting about 4" from the wall.   But, with the busy holidays, she forgot to check it and wipe it daily, so, it ran off on to the floor from each side instead of the end.   

 
Jo Ann