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1

Q & A / Re: Flying Saucer

« on: July 30, 2010, 03:17:09 AM »

Yeah the fact that it was mesh was a huge concern to me when I saw that in his cage. I'd never buy something like that >.<;

I've tried moving it to the bottom area of the cage, hoping he might jump on it when he goes up to the top. I have seen him touch it and spin it...and I've been able to get him to climb onto it with treats a few times. I also tried fastening it to a piece of wood in case it was moving too much when he jumped on it.

Still no running though

2

Q & A / Re: Flying Saucer

« on: July 28, 2010, 02:03:51 AM »

I'll try measuring it to see just what the diameter is...I feel like he should be ok though if he can just figure it out.



the "temp wheel" was awfully cramped  ...and super loud

I've tried spinning the saucer when he's in the cage to show him it moves. The only other thing I could find was placing him on the wheel and holding a treat out so he'd walk towards it. But he's not big on being handled yet, and I don't want to make any negative associations.

*plays the waiting game*

3

Q & A / Re: Flying Saucer

« on: July 27, 2010, 02:47:56 AM »

No offense taken. I know chins and plastic are taboo... Mine just isn't really much of a chewer. I think I'm lucky in that he seems to prefer the texture of wood and has a lot of it.
I didn't pay for the wheel he has either...But when I can afford to I'd really like to get him a nice metal wheel like a chin spin or the real saucer

My chin doesn't go near the thing. >.<;

4

Q & A / Flying Saucer

« on: July 26, 2010, 06:22:21 PM »

For those of you that have them (plastic or metal) how long did it take your chin to adjust?

I got my chin one but he just sulks because I took away his old wheel when I put him in the new cage.

I feel bad because it seems like when I let him out he's more interested in finding his old wheel and running on it then he is exploring o.O; I don't feel that he should be running on his old wheel though as it's one of those mesh ones Petco sells that are too small. It was a temporary buy as his wheel before that broke.

5

Q & A / Re: Diet?

« on: July 26, 2010, 06:08:14 PM »

@ Jmdebb

When my ferret was a wee-little weasel he really had a thing for eating fabric...and a had a ton of cat toys that were all fabric.

It took a long time to find all of the toys... so for a while he had a lot of ferret lax and I found myself always having to check his poop. He's since grown out of that but he does have free range of two rooms including my bedroom (except when the chin is out) so I just tend to keep an eye on it. Never looking for anything in particular...just making sure things look "normal". Just habit I guess But there's nothing you're missing.

I thought that Alfalfa pellet is more for baby and mommy chins? Then Timothy is more for the adults?

Well actually now that I think about it...that's how it is for rabbits. Maybe I have things confused. 

 I guess I need a pretty even balance between the two then?

6

Cages / Re: Cage Thread

« on: July 25, 2010, 04:08:51 AM »

Having a pet room can quickly turn into a madhouse. Especially when you have to accommodate the needs of different species...and apparently my camera is living 4 years in the past.

This is all temporary...bass pan and shelves will go in ASAP although he isn't really a big chewer. Then a more aesthetically acceptable way of getting up and down. But that's way more planned out and sturdy than it looks. 

7

Q & A / Re: Diet?

« on: July 25, 2010, 03:53:10 AM »

Ok I'll let him finish off this bag and see what I can get locally.

You have some fancy treats on your site so I'll have to order some in the future

He seems to love cheerios though!

I wish I knew more about the trees in my back yard...

Chin diarrhea sounds fairly similar to rabbit diarrhea...thank you for the poop health guide! ...I feel a little crazy after having a ferret and having to check poop all of the time...so I know all too well how important that is.

8

Q & A / Re: Handling/Taming Chinchillas ect.

« on: July 24, 2010, 03:03:53 PM »

Thank you

Lol....my mistake I don't do these conversions too often. But that's still not bad

He does bark at me if I try to pick him up so I've just stopped that. It doesn't help that my boyfriend thinks it's cute and wants to poke him...-.-;

I meant to say litter boxes rather than pans too. My mistake as well. But still...he doesn't really seem to chew on his litter box. It's like he has so much wood and I think he enjoys the texture of chewing on it more.

9

Q & A / Re: Diet?

« on: July 24, 2010, 02:42:38 PM »

Hmm I didn't think hay would wear their teeth down. I'll be sure to grab a bag of Timothy ASAP though.

If I were to feed alfalfa as well this is something I should do every so often whereas with the Timothy he should always have right?

Ok, he was definitely having too many raisins...I'm so used to small animals that are prone to diabetes; it seemed really unusual that it was OK for him to be getting so much sugar.

What does diarrhea usually look like for chins? I ask because my rabbit got it severely once and it didn't look at all what I thought it would. I had no idea until I had gotten him to the vet.

He has a ton of stuff to chew on...He destroys those willow balls WAY too fast though.

@JBC I'd love to know how you dry sticks and what to use.

10

Q & A / Diet?

« on: July 24, 2010, 04:59:53 AM »

My chin is eating "Timothy Complete" by Kaytee. Is this a good quality pellet?


This is just the plain pellets with out all of the extra junk usually mixed into small animal food. My Dad insists that since it's made out of timothy that he doesn't need hay separately...But I'm not convinced...

I need to start feeding him the hay as well right? Will chins actually eat those "hay cubes?"

 Should his diet be more hay or pellet and what kind of treats would you all recommend other than raisins and other dried fruits?

...Also does anyone have any idea why it's OK for chinchillas to eat raisins? I know that most animals aren't supposed to eat them...dogs...ect. Although I can't exactly recall why...or maybe that was just grapes?

Just curious

11

Cages / Re: Cage Thread

« on: July 24, 2010, 04:42:20 AM »

Thank you. I was hoping there was a cage thread around here somewhere

So it looks like I can ditch the bedding in the bottom of the cage so long as my chin is litter trained? Maybe just dust buster all the little poop pellets once a day?

He went into my ferts cage and fell asleep on top of one of his sleep sacks so I'd say he approves.

Another option however is

I bought this ages ago for my rabbits...I realize it's mostly plastic...but I don't have the tray anymore (and have lost most of the plastic parts...lol) since it got cracked from being left outside in the sun. Maybe I could make (or have something made) for the bottom. The metal does have some rust damage though where it was chewed on so that would be a bit of a project...I'm lazy so I'll probably stick to the FN.

I liked the melamine cage in the other thread... I always wanted to build one when I had a rat...I found the materials to be surprisingly expensive though.

Debb what on earth is that green thing in your cage? A shelf covered with fleece? It baffles me for some reason xD

12

Q & A / Re: Handling/Taming Chinchillas ect.

« on: July 23, 2010, 03:57:51 PM »

Lol...I missed the free worldwide shipping. My mistake. 14 euro...so that's a little under 20 with shipping? That's not bad at all. It's nice to hear that for prey animals they don't seem too fearful. I've had a lot of rabbits and they're just so delicate...never adjusting to anything...and such attitudes.

It ticks me off too when he pushes my fingers away But at least I know it's normal.

This is his cage for now. I find that most litter pans on the market are plastic...so what do you guys use? I've yet to see him chew on it...but something else I'd like to swap in the future.




He's awake so I stuck my hand in his cage...apparently he's grumpy because he's just going in the corner and turning his back on me.  I guess I'll try again later.

13

Cages / Re: Cage Thread

« on: July 23, 2010, 03:11:39 PM »

That's right I forgot you can buy them one level at a time. I have the 142 rather decked out for a spoiled ferret.


But I'm finding that if I have his food and his favorite piece of bedding in the bottom part he really has no desire to go upstairs. So I've been considering closing off the top half of the cage (with the ladder) and flipping the bottom tray around and sticking my upstairs...and eventually ordering a "bass tray". Or possibly adding a third level.

14

Q & A / Re: Handling/Taming Chinchillas ect.

« on: July 23, 2010, 03:00:05 PM »

Thank you I'll try sticking my hand in there and see what he does...I wasn't sure if that was a good idea because I don't know how territorial they are...that would have never gone well with some of my rabbits.

One other thing he will do is sit at the exit of his cage if my hand is in the way, and he'll grab my fingers and just push them away and jump down. Is this unusual? 

Does anyone have any recommendations for products like "bimble pads" sold in the U.S.? I'm afraid shipping will be murderous...

I do have quite a few handmade fleece ferret hammocks and sleep sacks. I'd think maybe just placing some of those on the cage floor would be about the same thing?

15

Cages / Cage Thread

« on: July 23, 2010, 03:39:01 AM »

I couldn't find one from what I can see...seems people mostly stick to using the albums here.

It'd be nice if people could post pictures of just their cages custom/bought ect.

I'm looking for cage ideas and I'm sure other people would love to see

I have a ferret nation already but it houses a ferret. It's a great cage but having two feels like it might be ...overwhelming...