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[Abby W.]

*Gulp* Here is my website up for review:

Virginia Chinchillas

I just updated everything so hopefully it is all accurate.  Thanks guys!

 

[Jo Ann]

I see you still remember most of what I helped you learn about chinchillas.    And that you have continued to learn from others.
 Index Page

I decided to reasearch local breeders.

    Should be: I decided to research local breeders.  (Only one miss-spelled word in the whole site!)
Ashe was a dark ebony/violet carrier, but looks like a dark tan in the photo.

Before You Buy Page
1st Paragraph, 

need to consider the costs ... initial vet visit to ensure the health of your new pet

,
I think I would want to add needing to put aside monies for any suprise future visits to the vet.  Those vet visits can be sudden and expensive when a chin becomes ill/hurt or has a problem, that is not the time to be short on funds.   Just a thought

 

Chins should be taken out for playtime for at least thirty minutes each day.  If you plan on keeping two chins this is not so important, as they will keep each other company and play together.

 
Knowing you, I don't think you meant for it to come across as you could ignore them because there is two of them, but it seemed that way to me.  For a chinchilla that is not in a breeding program, but is more a member of the family, regardless of how many there are, it is just as important to spend time with all of them on a daily basis.

What Kind, Where and How Many?
You might want to touch on not placing two chinchillas together of opposite sex, until they are of breeding age.
Health Problems to Look For
You make a reference to good and bad signs to look for, mixing them together, then say,
 

If you do not see any of the above signs, chances are you are looking at a healthy, happy, well-socialized chinchilla.

  This statement is confusing. 

What else do I need?
Exercise Wheel You might want to mention the minimum safe size (15" diameter) of the wheel that should be used.

Dust and "Bathtub"
 Your chinchilla should never be washed with water, as this can lead to illness.

 
You might want to explain why. When you tell "Why", people understand and will usually remember better than a statement made, but without an explanation.

Photos
You might want to put all your chins (except the white ones) against a white background and the white ones against a dark background ... this will give you a good contrast and true color for your photos.   

Your site is easy to use, contains good information and has good eye appeal.  Something to be proud of.   

 
Jo Ann   

[Abby W.]

Thanks Jo Ann!  I really like your suggestions, especially about the explanations to other people.  Sometimes I tend to be a little too short and to the point, and assume that others know what I mean, when in reality I have totally lost them 
I will try the darker chins against a white background and see how that works out.  I wondered if that would provide a better contrast, but then I wasn't sure if having different backgrounds on the website might look funny.  We'll give it a try though and see how it goes.

[Jo Ann]

The pictures look much better, to me anyway.  How do you like the contrasting color effect?

 
Jo Ann

[Abby W.]

I agree.  Their colors are much easier to identify against the white background.  Thanks for the help!

[ChinchillAZ]

ON THE INDEX

You say that Max was your first chinchilla, but have a picture of Bee saying she was your first chinchilla?

You mention that you will only buy from a breeder who hand-raises their kits...  I assume you mean you'll buy only from a breeder who constantly handles the kits from birth.  "Hand-raising" actually means that the kits are removed from the parents and raised completely by a human.  This is something that prospective chinchilla owners will contact me about and say that they want, as this is something that is recommended in birds.  Unlike birds, chinchilla kits need to be around their parents and can still bond quite well with people.  I would recommend clarifying that part...  Unless you actually do mean "hand-raising."


ON "ABOUT CHINCHILLAS"

There is a column on the right side that is white.  This appears under the first paragraph (about the cost) and above the "What else do I need?" section.  I can't figure out why it's there.

I would mention that very few vets operate 24 hour clinics, so you need to have not just one but at least two vets that you trust in times of emergency.

You mention that opposite sex pairs will breed if placed together, but you might want to discuss this a bit more.  People frequently think that they want their chinchillas to bred, but this isn't always the best thing to do, especially if someone is just starting out with chinchillas.

You mention that there are different color mutations, but you don't really discuss what they are.  You may want to mention at least the primaries (Black Velvet, Beige, White, Ebony, Violet, Sapphire) even if you don't get into the combinations of these colors (Pink Whites, Wraps, etc.).

You have a paragraph about how many chinchillas to buy a few paragraphs after you've touched on this subject when discussing deciding on the sex of the chinchilla.  I would recommend putting these sections closer together for better flow.

When you discuss questions to ask before buying, I would mention asking the type of food being fed, since this is something that is very important.  If people don't know this, they could suddenly switch pellets and cause GI upset.

Personally, I do not think of temperament as having anything to do with health.  I have chinchillas that don't particularly love a new person as soon as they meet them, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with them health-wise.

You mention bald spots along with fungus and chewing, but you do not mention that these can also be a result of fur slipping.

Under "Cage accessories," you may want to mention that having plastic inside of the cage is highly discouraged.

You mention dust baths under "Exercise Wheel."  I think this was an accident based on the fact that you recently added the wheel part.

I would caution the use of the statement that chinchillas should never be washed with water.  Some breeders use water baths before shows and, if someone hears this conflicting information, it can cause them a lot of confusion.  They may also think that the breeder is doing something wrong when they really aren't.  Instead, you may want to mention that properly drying a chinchilla after a water bath can be extremely difficult and it is unnecessary in most cases.  In this same section, you say, "They can be bought inexpensively, or easy to clean, and contain the dust quite well."  I think you mean, "They can be bought inexpensively, ARE easy to clean, and contain the dust quite well."

You mention only fruit based treats...  I personally don't give fruit based treats very often.  Some chinchillas get soft poos if given fruit based treats on a daily basis and listing some non-fruit based, "drier" treats would give new owners some alternatives.

Under "Health Warning," you may want to mention that normal weighing of your chinchilla can help alert you to illness before the chinchilla is actually showing specific signs of illness.


OVERALL

I would unify the font size on your pages.  It goes from very large on your index page to much smaller on your information page to even larger on your memorial and sale page and really huge on your contact page.  Unifying the font will add a consistency that makes your site look more professional.

The color scheme is nice and the layout is crisp.  I think that it's a very good page with nice information.

[Abby W.]

Thanks ChinchillaAZ!  I think you offered some really good suggestions.  As I said before I am not always the best communicator, tending to be kind of short on words, and assuming others understand what I mean.  I really appreciate your help!

To clarify, Max was my first chin, but I kind of don't count him, since he was with me for so short a time, and he was not really handleable.  Bee was the first one I really bonded with.  I guess I should make that clearer on the page. 

[Dan]

Great site, you did well fixing what they mentioned. I love the color of that Beige Sapphire!

[sashasmommy]

awesome!