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Post by peckerpenguin on Jan 25, 2017 14:47:06 GMT
Hello, I'm hoping my parents are going to buy me a chinchilla and cage etc for my birthday in February. I have had chinchillas before in the past but the cages had wooden shelves. This cage my parents are looking at has wired ones. I don't like the idea of wire as I'm worried they will get thier feet stuck. The ramps I'll take out but I was wondering if there is something cheap I can lay down on top of the wire like plywood or something like that??
Please help
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 14:50:21 GMT
I'm sure Chinchillas get bumblefoot like degus if they're left on wire. You can cover it with hemp flooring, thin sheets of wood (chin people will be able to tell you which wood, I'm guessing kiln dried pine is fine), fleece, coco-fibre liner, cheap tiles from hardware shops there's lots of options! Hemp is like natural fibres and it's very thick, cocoliner is much the same but made from coconut shell hull.
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Post by moletteuk on Jan 25, 2017 16:28:02 GMT
Can you tell us what cage you are considering? The most common ones with wired bases like the Lazy Bones ones, would not be big enough for chinchillas. You are looking at a minimum size of something like the Aventura or Liberta Explorer2 cage.
Also it's much better to get a pair of chinchillas right from the start, they do much better with company. Have you checked out rescue places and rehoming sites, there are often chinchillas looking for new homes?
I'm going to sound like I'm nagging now, but if you are still living with parents, have you thought about how you will be able to commit to a pet that lives for 20 years?
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Post by randomname on Jan 26, 2017 10:14:13 GMT
Hi peckerpenguin It's great you're doing your research before you get your new friends, it will save you a lot of trouble later on. The advice given so far is all spot on. Chinchillas DO get bumblefoot on wire mesh, & in my experience it it awful to clean (I call mesh cages cruddy poop collectors for a reason!) They can also catch a toe or foot pad in the mesh causing a nasty accident. The minimum size cage for a chinchilla would be this kind of thing www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=456&pf_id=68616 but bigger is better. This kind of thing www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=456&pf_id=68280&ptm_source=google&ptm_medium=shopping&ptm_campaign=under10_68280&gclid=COzlqYbF39ECFQONGwodhboOlA is way too small & cruel. The first cage is so easy to keep clean & hygienic, the second is a nightmare to clean. Just because a website or petshop says a cage is good for chinchillas it doesn't mean it is! Do lots of research, you'll see you need a huge cage. All rodents (except hamsters) need to have at least one friend to live a happy, healthy life. Chinchillas, rabbits, degus, guinea pigs & gerbils are particularly prone to depression when they don't live with friends. Their lives are not happy or healthy & they get very stressed & depressed. Please get a pair of chins, it really doesn't cost much more than having one. If you do plenty of googling, you'll see every website, rescue & even breeders will only sell pairs, or a single to bond with one you already have (which can be difficult - much easier to adopt a pair already together) There are lots of pairs of chinchillas in rescues, & you'll know they are fit & will have seen a vet. When you buy from preloved or get from a breeder that's not so certain. Plus you'll be rescuing your chins plus the ones that the rescue takes in since you made space - double karma! Let us know what area you're in & we'll try to help you find a rescue near you. Having said that, I couldn't find any in rescues near me & I was desperate to have some chins in the house again, I found my lads on Preloved. I paid £100 for a huge (new) cage & 2 lovely guys - much cheaper than a breeder would have been. The lady was moving to Australia & wanted to find a good home. Luckily they are in great health & have settled in lovely. I had a chinchilla previously that my vet asked me to take in. He was super sad & lonely on his own & had really bad dental issues. We tried everything to help, but it got too bad in the end. I would also have a think about the age thing as moletteuk suggests. You may need to plan what will happen if you go to uni & can't take them with you. Will your parents look after them? What would happen if you moved into your own place & they didn't allow pets? 20+ years is a long time to plan for, but it needs thinking about. Can I ask what happened to your previous chins? Am so sorry if it sounds insensitive. Just want to ask if you had to rehome them as if you did, you'd need to think about what caused that & if you've addressed that problem now. Sorry if that's too nosy - just trying to help you make the best plan for when you get you furry friends.
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