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[Snickerdoodlesmom]

I want to know if any of you have owned other exotics while living with a chinchilla. For example, I am interested in owning a degu, fennec fox, and sugar gliders in the future without compromising ownership of my precious Snickerdoodle. Are chins likely to become ill when living with other exotics? Can they catch diseases from them that may not show symptoms in humans?

[GrayRodent]

My mom has an African Grey parrot although I do not have a chinchilla though I want to keep one after I move into a more permanent home.

Each animal will have a tendency to carry different kinds of parasites so do you need to be careful. Chinchillas and most rodents are known for being potential carriers of giardia. Hookworks and tapeworms are also transmittable. Of course anything a degu or sugar glider can catch is probably transmittable to a chin. Any new pet you bring home should be quarantined for a while to make sure no contagious disease shows up. With rodents the stress of relocation (or injury or unrelated illness) can cause parasites that it is carrying (with no symptoms) to take hold and cause problems.

I don't know much about Fennec foxes. Best practice when working with exotics is not to allow them to share or use the toys, cages, or bedding with other pets and to wash your hands before and after handling them.

[ohio chinny]

are you really sure you want a fennec fox? I haven't herd of ANY type of domestication efforts for that species... sure they look cute, but when i looked into their diet and habitat, it said (and I quote the National Geographic website)
"These foxes dwell in small communities, each inhabited by perhaps ten individuals. Like other canids, male fennecs mark their territory with urine and become aggressive competitors when mating season arrives each year."
it also says that they live in underground burrows, and "Fennec foxes are opportunistic eaters. They forage for plants but also eat rodents, eggs, reptiles, and insects." (you did mention that you have other pets)
they also mentioned
 "These foxes are cream-colored with black-tipped tails. Their adorable appearance makes them favorites of the captive pet trade"
the whole under ground burrow/community dweller desert habitat would in and of itself be a challenge to replicate, the marking sounds like it would be a definite hassle, and the fact that this species is involved at all with captive pet trade... I'm not saying you haven't done your research, but i definitely urge you to do some more if you haven't more than one or two information sources, from what i see, keeping this kind of animal would take a lot more commitment, (not to mention time effort and money) to take care of, a whole nother level in comparison to chinchillas (most people concider chins to be a high maintenance pet) i just wish for ANY (I'm not targeting you here) person considering taking on a new exotic pet (or any pet for that matter) do ample research first, so as to know just what they're getting into... and for its involvement with captive pet trade*, i would also look into the legality of the method you may or may not eventually choose to obtain one or more of these animals, such as where they come from, importation laws, as well as state laws about the keeping of exotics, you may be required to spay/neuter any animals you obtain, as well as possibly regester them with the state

_{*-(someone please correct me if i am wrong, but I believe that this is the term used for when native peoples capture wild animals for sale as pets in other countries, and is often involved with black market retail)}

[GrayRodent]

Parrots can be associated with smuggling activity even my mom's Congo African Grey. These parrots are usually numbered and given leg bands. We got ours removed for fear of injury and known complications for having these bands. It could only be done by the vet who had to process paperwork to do this. So a reputable breeder should have the right paperwork and paper trail. Legality of ownership is another story. We used to have a quaker parrot. They are illegal to keep in Georgia because they are agricultural pests but are legal in most states. We left that one with a relative in Illinois who knew someone who really wanted him and he has a good home. Its easier to find a good home for small birds as these are relatively easy to care for. A large parrot is a huge commitment though and not everyone can handle them.

I also did a search on fennec foxes and came accross a breeder's website with information about caring for them. It seems they are pretty wild and it takes a lot of commitment to keep them tame. Like ferrets they cannot be free to run around in the house and are dangerous to other pets. They can get hurt or ingest something toxic to them and must be closely watched when out of their cage. They also bark at night and can be a nuisance although dogs are like this. Which is a big reason I personally don't want a dog. I doubt there will be someone who will want to take it off your hands if you find you cannot handle it so you will need to know exactly what to what to expect. Looks like they can live to be 14 years and probably won't make a good pet especially if you go to school or get a job where you are out a lot. Of course I could say the same about chins but chins (generally) can do well on their own. Foxes require frequent socializing with humans to thrive or they will stop eating. Physiologically you are probably looking at some differences that will make a vet hard to find and they cannot be given live vaccines like cats and dogs or they can get the diseases they are being vaccinated against.

At least these are my conclusions from the information I found online. I would think a sugar glider would not be a good pet to have at the same time as a fennec fox or a chin for that matter unless you can assure they will not encounter each other. Gliders also require a lot of attention to stay emotionally healthy if not kept with another else they can become prone to self-mutilation. (Which is reason I do not want a sugar glider).

[Jenova]

Also some prey species like chinchillas can become very agitated and scared when there are predators in the house. A cat moved into my house, long story, but two of my chinchillas were so scared of her. It can cause them to stop eating and worse, not even from the animal physically injuring the chinchilla, but just through fear. So I would think carefully about what pets you get and what temperament your chinnie is.

[mojito]

If you do get another exotic I have heard to not house them together. The main problem with them living in the same cage is that they have different diets and it can be dangerous if they eat one another's food. Other problems could be that different species can have different sleep schedules, and territory issues (esp being 2 different species that don't live together naturally), among other things.
If living in a different cage it would probably be fine. I know people who own hedgehogs and sugar gliders and have no problem.

I currently have 2 chins in my room, along with 2 cats, a dog and a horse (although he doesn't live with me). Although I have let my dog in my room (not anymore because my newest chin gets too scared ) I never let the cats in because of predator-prey issues.

[Deeliteful]

I have had Rats during the same time I had my chins . Never housed them together in the same cage thats just bad. I just washed my hands real good before dealing with either of them . If I fed the rats I washed my hands and fed the chins etc .

I had Degus too . Thing with Degus are they are messy very very very messy . You need to have them in an aquarium that is fairly large . They can chew through just about anything plastic and they are escape artists. They also need to have a wheel . Mine ran that wheel day and night . You also have to be careful on what you feed them . They are technically diabetics so you have to watch the feed and make sure there isnt any molasses in it . Out of all the animals I have ever had Degus are the only ones to ever bite me . I have had Chins for many years now and they have never bitten me . Rats never bit me . Even My hamster has never bitten me . Degus, a little more high strung for sure. If you get them be prepared . They are soo entertaining to watch but they need special care. Maybe even more so than chins.