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1

General Chat / Re: Chico Chewing Bedding

« on: July 07, 2010, 01:02:08 PM »

Well, thank goodness!  He really seems to like this bedding more than what I had before, besides the chewing he's been throwing himself around in it and sending it flying like it's a play-toy! 

Thanks for the good words 

2

General Chat / Chico Chewing Bedding

« on: July 07, 2010, 01:41:26 AM »

I use the aspen bedding for Chico -- at first it was the type that is very fine, small pieces, but last time I needed some the only kind available was more like aspen shavings, not as small.  Now I am noticing Chico chewing on it, possibly actually eating some of what he chews.  He seems to like to go after the pieces that are slightly darker in color, I guess because they stand out.

His appetite is still fine, he is eating normally re his hay and pellets, and his droppings are normal, so whatever chewing or eating he is doing of the aspen shavings does not seem to be affecting his digestion -- but I'm concerned.  Is there any risk to him from chewing or eating the aspen shavings?

3

General Chat / Re: Exercise Wheel

« on: May 26, 2010, 06:25:03 PM »

That chin-spin from QualityCage is definitely the way to go!  Thanks SO much!

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4

General Chat / Exercise Wheel

« on: May 26, 2010, 02:47:27 PM »

Chico loved his original wheel -- ran in it like crazy a lot, and slept under it.  However, the bar that stuck out in the center of it lightly brushed over his back when he ran and I found fuzzy bits of his fur.  His back does not look bald or anything, but it concerned me to see the fuzz. 

So I bought another wheel, one of those Silent Runner ones, which has the advantage of only having a small knob in the center rather than a bar that sticks out.   

He can't seem to get up the same speed in the new wheel.  It is made of a different plastic, and he looks more like he is "bouncing" in it than running.  Also, because it curves slightly inward around the outer rim, his droppings kind of collect in there and rattle around.  He does like to sleep IN this wheel, he curls up and looks like he's in a cradle.  But he's not running much in it. 

I can put the first wheel back in.  But should I be bothered that it rubs some fuzz off his back?

5

General Chat / Re: I tried the harness & leash!

« on: March 17, 2010, 02:10:36 PM »

That's the type harness I was really looking for!  What are these called, and where did you get yours, if you don't mind me asking?

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6

General Chat / Does your chin suck its thumb?

« on: March 17, 2010, 01:33:33 PM »

Mine does!

Actually, Chico puts his mouth on the top of his right paw.  He'll sit up and hold it up to his mouth like that, or sometimes he stretches out and rests his head on his paws but with the right paw up to his mouth.  For all the world, looks like he is sucking his thumb, it is SO cute!  Also, kind of seems like it is a "self comforting" thing that he does.

And he likes to sleep upside down under his wheel sometimes, too. 

7

General Chat / Re: I tried the harness & leash!

« on: March 17, 2010, 01:30:14 PM »

What type/size harness???  I have a soft harness I've used for rabbits, but it's too big for Chico.  Bought a ferret harness (medium) last weekend to try, and it's way too small for him ... I'll keep it in case I ever have a hamster again 

Anyway, I took some yarn, braided it, and made a simple harness out of that which fits him and is comfortable for him.  The first time I had him out on it, he ran around mostly trying to get under stuff to hide, and then kept avoiding my touch when I put him back in his cage.  But the second time (yesterday), I carried him around for a while, took him outside to sit on my lap in the breeze, etc., then let him run around the livingroom a bit before returning him to his cage, and he didn't avoid my hand later, so I think he's adjusting quickly to the idea and kinda enjoying it. 

Still, I am wondering if there is a specific harness size that I could get?

8

Health / Re: Droppings irregular sizes

« on: January 04, 2010, 02:37:22 AM »

My Chico's poos are irregular in size too.  I have just figured that it's a result of how the waste moves down the intestine, since I would imagine that different nutrients absorb at slightly different rates in the system. 

I agree it is always always important to keep an eye on those poos, though!   

9

Q & A / Paper Roll -- Is It Safe?

« on: December 23, 2009, 05:32:47 PM »

I'm wondering if the light-weight cardboard rolls that come with paper towels and T-paper are safe for chins to play with and chew on? 

Think I have seen that they are, but I am wondering about the glue used, so thought I'd better ask!

10

Q & A / Re: Picky about hay, they are.

« on: December 18, 2009, 01:25:33 AM »

Chico liked to spread the hay out all over the cage, the floor, everywhere, LOL!  But it makes it hard to clean his cage, so last week I thoroughly washed out a tin can (hominy came in it), made sure there were no sharp edges where the lid was removed, and now I just put a handful of hay down in the can and put the can in his cage -- he pulls out a little, but mostly eats what he pulls out.  Much less mess.  The hay kind of "wedges" in the can, so he can roll and push the can around and even at that, not much comes out. 

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11

Q & A / Re: New Chin, Just Checking on Couple Things

« on: December 13, 2009, 11:56:34 AM »

I'm still working on getting Chico used to being handled ... slow going! 

I don't dare let him just come out on my arm, which he seems perfectly willing to do -- I have to be able to have control of him so he doesn't get loose in the house.  But he doesn't want me to pick him up, so I have to kind of/sort of chase him around in his cage for a minute or so before he'll let me snag him by the scruff of the neck and lift him out.  I then hold him against my chest with one hand (firm but gentle) and feed him his raisin treat -- usually one raisin cut into 3 or 4 pieces. 

But he squirms and wants loose, so usually I only end up holding him for about a minute before returning him to his cage. 

It's not that he doesn't like me.  If I just rest my hand and arm in his cage, he'll usually come and put his front feet on me, and scootch his body up close.  He'll gently bite at my fingers, and sometimes will rest his head on my hand, and he'll keep this up usually as long as I leave my hand in the cage.  On other occasions, if I put my hand up flat against the side of the cage from the outside, he'll come and scootch up close to my hand on his side of the wire. 

Do they ever just relax and nestle up when being held? 

Oh, and he has a really cute little habit.  He'll be running around, doing whatever, and then he'll just stop and hunker down and put the top of his right paw in his mouth and stay like that for a while.  Sometimes he'll do it when he's sitting up on his back feet.  At first, I thought maybe he was chewing on that foot, but he's not, there's no fur or skin damage.  But it looks like he's "sucking his thumb" kind of, and he also seems to do it at times when he's feeling a little stressed (like after hearing a loud unexpected noise in the house, etc.).  SOOO cute!

12

Q & A / Re: Help me learn past the basics!

« on: December 07, 2009, 12:43:26 PM »

If you can't get some "chin things and food" locally, I think everything is available on the Internet (thank goodness).

 

13

Health / Asleep with Eyes Open?

« on: December 01, 2009, 11:03:50 AM »

This morning when I got up, Chico was sitting on the second floor of his cage when I went out to say Good Morning to him.  His back was to me, he was facing toward the kitchen, eyes open.  I spoke to him several times and he didn't move, and his breathing rate didn't change.  So I reached in and touched his back, and he still didn't move.  I petted his head and his ears lowered a bit, and I stroked his back a number of times but he still didn't move.  But then, all of a sudden, he seemed to "wake up" and whisked up to the third floor of his cage as if very startled. 

Was he asleep with his eyes wide open?  I am kind of wondering if he might have epilepsy and was having a petit mal seizure.  Can chins have epilepsy?  Usually when he's asleep during the day in his hut, when I check on him his eyes are shut or mostly shut. 

14

Q & A / Re: New Chin, Just Checking on Couple Things

« on: November 29, 2009, 12:00:38 PM »

Thanks so much for the reassurance, I really appreciate getting more of a feel for what I might expect -- for one thing, the information gives me more ability to judge whether his behavior is probably normal or a sign he may be sick. 

He was out and about last evening pretty early for a change, dug in to his pumice stone and did a bunch of chewing, ran up and down and bounced off cage walls a bit, ate, etc.  He was still out this morning when I got up, sitting on the second floor ... but might have been asleep with his eyes open, because he didn't pay me any attention when I went over to say "Hi", but after I'd petted his back 3 or 4 times, he suddenly shook himself and ran down to his cave and curled up in there.   

15

Q & A / Re: New Chin, Just Checking on Couple Things

« on: November 29, 2009, 12:16:47 AM »

I don't mean to simply prolong the thread, but I keep finding "a couple more things" (maybe I should rename my little guy "Columbo"). 

First, last night I gave Chico one tablespoon of pellets -- mixed Oxbow Chin with the rabbit pellets he has been eating (by the way, those are bagged as Timothy Hay pellets, so even though rabbit pellets I guess they are next best thing to Chin pellets).  And by this morning, he had eaten about half that tablespoon.  He did also eat a bunch of hay, though. 

And I found out more about his past.  My sister and nephew were out for a delayed Thanksgiving, and they know my step-niece and her family better than I do, see much more of them. 

According to sister and nephew, Chico should be somewhere between 2 and 3 yrs old.  He has never been handled on a regular basis, certainly not daily.  He was properly fed, watered and his cage kept clean, but he never had any toys or things to play with before, and pretty much no one paid much attention to him.  He got loose once in the house, and it took my nephew and all 4 of my step-nieces and step-nephew to work at catching him which took about 45 minutes before he was finally cornered and picked up. 

With the above history (pretty much of social neglect), I am impressed that the little guy is as friendly as he is with me.  I mean, he has nipped but he actually puts up well with me picking him up and will certainly let me reach in and pet him without fussing.  I can take a paw in my hand and hold it, I can stroke his tummy and pretty much any part of his body I can reach and he puts up with it. 

Still, he is much more of a "hidey-Chin" than he probably would be if he'd been made more a part of his former family.  Given this history, can anyone venture a guess as to how long it may take to bring him out of his shell, gain his trust?  I do realize that right now he is still adjusting, as any new Chin would be, so that is also a factor. 

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