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

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

1

General Chat / Re: HELP Travelling cross country with Chinchillas

« on: December 20, 2011, 11:08:43 PM »

Hey Everyone. Thank you for all the great advice!
We have successfully made it to Florida, tonight in fact. Both of my boys seems fine. We used the small cage we had originally bought them in to travel with. We covered them with towels while traveling to help them feel safe and used a box to temporary transport them in and out of the hotels.
We haven't moved into our new place yet as the movers are coming in a couple days with our stuff.

So far so good. 
As soon as we move into our place, they will be able to comfortably adjust.

2

General Chat / Re: HELP Travelling cross country with Chinchillas

« on: December 03, 2011, 12:04:23 AM »

Thank you for all the great advice. We really do feel better about taking them now. I like the idea of draping a sheet over the cage so they feel secure.
We will be doing a lot of sneaking them into the hotel rooms, we don't really feel comfortable leaving them where we cannot see them.
I know that actually traveling with them will be a different story.. i'm just hoping everything will be ok.
I cannot deny that while we feel better about the idea, we're still nervous. We wouldn't want anything to happen to them during the trip where we will be powerless to do anything for them...

3

General Chat / Re: HELP Travelling cross country with Chinchillas

« on: December 02, 2011, 02:35:58 AM »

Thank you for the advice. We're a small family, just me, my husband, and our two chinchillas. I really like your idea of having the sheet covering the cage.
We feel more secure about traveling with them knowing that it can be done with longer trips. We were so distraught about giving them up vs taking them.

thank you so much!.

4

General Chat / Re: HELP Travelling cross country with Chinchillas

« on: December 01, 2011, 02:04:50 AM »

Wow thank you. We feel much better about that. I cried about all night last night, and i was feeling depressed all day today.
We've been talking to other chinchilla owners about how to make the move easier.
Do you have any tips on how to prepare them for the move?? - ie. draping towels over the cage while driving and moving them from car to hotel to less then the stress. or putting the cage on the seat of the car or on the floor of the car while driving??

5

General Chat / HELP Travelling cross country with Chinchillas

« on: November 29, 2011, 11:57:12 PM »

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I are moving cross country from Los Angeles to Florida on December 17th, 2011. We estimate the drive will take us about a week.
We are in a conflict about our chinchillas. We want to move with them but it seems the risk of them not making it can be quite high. Even though the weather will be cooler in December so the risk of overheating is less of a risk, pneumonia is a concern. We are also concerned about the stress the trip will cause them- ie being in a small space for a long period of time and transporting them out of the car into the hotel room every night.  
One of our chinchillas got a really bad eye infection that transferred from one eye to the other, the first couple days we brought him home over a year ago.  We worry if something were to happen to them during the trip there would be nothing we could do for them. We do not want to watch them pass away during that week because of us.

On the other hand, giving them up is going to be extremely difficult  for us emotionally and we are not sure if we will be able to find them a good home in a little less than 2 weeks.
The breeder we originally bought them from has now moved to Mexico.
We want to do what is best for them.

Any advise would be helpful.
Thank you.

6

General Chat / Re: Making play time more fun

« on: February 15, 2011, 03:38:39 PM »

lol. that's kinda cute.

7

General Chat / Re: A lot of jumping

« on: February 15, 2011, 03:37:18 PM »

That's a GREAT idea. I will definitely be trying that. I love the box idea.

Is it alright if they eat the cardboard though? My chillas seem to put everything in their mouth.

8

Guestbook / Re: New Chinchilla Owners

« on: February 02, 2011, 12:49:23 AM »

Thanx!! They're really mischievous creatures. We've had them for sometimes now lol so everything is going good. They are always doing something they shouldn't be. It's very entertaining.

They are so much fun  enjoy them.

9

Q & A / Re: Play time

« on: January 28, 2011, 10:11:18 PM »

Thanks guys! I try to let my 2 out minimum of 2 hrs a day if not more. I feel really gulity when I miss a day, which isn't many, maybe like 1 or 2 a week.

But I read that chillas need at least 2 hours per day to be healthy and to have a strong bond to you. So it really stresses me out when I don't get the time to let out. They do have wheels and ledges to jump on so they don't just sit around.

Thanks for putting perspective in line for me.

I can't tell if our chillas are bonding with us. They mostly like ignore us and try to escape when we hold them.

 

10

Q & A / Play time

« on: January 27, 2011, 12:56:05 AM »

What is the standard amount of time (daily,weekly) do you guys allow your chins playtime outside of the cage??

and what's considered a healthy amount of time out of the cage.

11

General Chat / Re: A lot of jumping

« on: January 27, 2011, 12:53:53 AM »

Thanks guys! We've been trying to figure out different options for them, since our 1 bedroom apartment isn't ideal.

12

General Chat / Re: A lot of jumping

« on: January 25, 2011, 01:03:15 AM »

lol thanks. That is actually something that has crossed our minds. We thought maybe we were missing something.
But it seems like we're not.

So actually it's extremely helpful. We're first time chinchilla owners and everything is a questions.

Thank you a ton!

13

General Chat / A lot of jumping

« on: January 24, 2011, 12:21:02 AM »

Ridley loves to jump, he constantly jumps out of the playpen during play time. My husband and I feel bad because we can't let him just run around the apartment.
We usually tell him firmly 'No' (sometimes after we catch him) and put him back in the pen and then he'll jump out a few more times. We repeat the procedure a few times, then Ridley sits still for a bit then resumes.

Any advised on how to curb the behavior a bit? Saurumon is happy just running around for the entire time but Ridley loves to jump and we hate scolding him and having to constantly stand over the pen watching him..
It seems that isn't fun for anyone.

Thanks!

14

General Chat / Re: Ridley doesn't like me?

« on: January 24, 2011, 12:15:42 AM »

Thanks guys! yes I realize they have long lives and I keep reminding myself that a few months in their 10 years of life or more will soon be insignificant. I just wouldn't want him to be unhappy with us.
Saurumon is totally fine and doesn't seem to mind being handled, except by strangers.

We are definately working with Ridley and we are being as patient as can be.

Thank you again for your advice

15

General Chat / Ridley doesn't like me?

« on: January 19, 2011, 01:20:51 AM »

So Ridley seems to sometimes like me and sometimes not. When i try to pick him up from the cage he squeeks at me but after i press him close to my chest he's ok for a few minutes then tries to jump out of my arms. He does this a little less with my husband.

When I sit with Ridley and Saurumon in the playpen, Ridley jumps away from me when I try to pick him up. Saurumon doesn't mind at all, he's really interested in interacting.
The few occasions I am able to hold Ridley I give him a treat but then he just jumps right out of my arms.

Recently Ridley has discovered how to jump out of the playpen and when we pick him up after he jumps out he's very still, doesn't try to jump or squirm, almost like he knows he's in the wrong. After we put him back in the pen he'll sit and be still like he's pouting or sleeping. Saraumon just runs around the entire time and plays with the toys we put in the pen and on us. He's very still and very good when I pick him up but squirms when other people pick him up.


Ridley is usually not so squirmy when others pick him up but squeeks at me and usually jumps away. When I sit in the cage he doesn't always come over to me either, he just sits still (maybe asleep). When my husband sits in the cage Ridely will come over and jump on him. He seems to have spurts of activity during playtime, he'll sit still and then jump out of the pen repeatedly then sits still.
Not sure if this is just part of his personality??

Not sure if he dislikes me, and we're having a tough time bonding?

(hope this makes sense.)