Chinchila question

moraym

moraym

Active Member
Okay, for those of you who have owned one, or work at a pet store, give me the dirt. I need to know everything, especially the basics of buying and which one to get. I'm buying the fiance a chinchila, and I need some help.
1. Guy or girl? What are the differences in behavior, temperment, etc. Do I need to spay/neuter like rabbits to avoid certain behavioral issues?
2. Best place to buy from?
3. I'm allergic to rabbits and cats, but not to ferrets or guinea pigs, is this information relevant at all in determining if a chinchila is going to give me issues? I've held one in the store a few times, wasnt too bad, but thought my eyes ay have been watering a bit. What's the best way to determine if I'm allergic?
4. Type of cage reccomended, also type of "substrate" or food.
And anything else at all that I need to know before I've got yet another creature in the house. Thanks all.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Dude, you should call a vet about all this. But I can tell you one thing... They need a pan of sand in their cage. They jump in it and roll and roll and roll, to give themselves a bath. Real cute!! Remember to take pics!! Lotsa pics!!
 
joker_ca

joker_ca

Active Member
I had a couple of them, great pets very cute. I'll answer your questions in order
1. it doesnt matter if you get a girl or a guy they tend to have the same personality, but if you want two males you have to get them at the same time and need a very large cage. But thats not the case with a female, you can add another over time but keep in mind that there can still be some aggression to the new comer
You dont spay or nueter them but with males you have to pay close attention to their man hood, from what i remember you have to keep it clean from there fur and dust
2. DONT GET ONE FROM *****!!!!!!! try to find a breeder in your area and go play with them to find one that you really like
3. Im allergic to cats but i had no problems with them even when they where in there dust baths, but some people are allergic to the oils in there fur
4. Cage.....the biggest one you can get, a tall one is best since they love to jump and they can jump really high too, try to get one with very small holes or none at all because they can break there legs.
For bedding DONT USE CEDAR, try not to use pine its okay but not really good for them, I recommend paper bedding "CARE FRESH" less dust and no oil in it
but the one thing you need is a book on them that will really help you out on all the little stuff you need
and keep in mind they're nocturnal and make a pretty amount of noise at night but they where the best pets i ever had
 
moraym

moraym

Active Member
Yeah, it's definitely the chinchila that loves the dust baths. I've given the chinchila a dust bath at the pet store I frequent, been in there way too much. They get their chinchilas direct from breeders, and theyre not a major superstore like a ***** or something.
 
nikkoli110

nikkoli110

Member
I had a chin for a while, like 2 years, but when we got our puppy last christmas, the puppy loved him, but everytime the puppy would go near his cage, he would flip, making that awful noise they make, and he would aim his urine at him and try to get him with it. It was gross. So I put him in a separate room, and even when he would hear the dog bark, he would flip out. So he went to a good friend of mine who already had one, and he is doing good. I felt bad, but I had wanted a dog for a long time! Chins are great pets though, make sure to chin-proof whatever room or rooms you will keep them in, no electical wires they can reach, and nothing to run under, it took me like 2 hours to get him out from under my bed when he ran under there once. Also, buy a dustbuster! They poop everywhere, like ever step they take. Its kinda gross. But they are cute!
 
joker_ca

joker_ca

Active Member
one more thing these little guys are like a octopus, they can squeeze thruough a very small opening, i know through experience
 
moraym

moraym

Active Member
Nikkoli, their poop is pretty easy to pick up though right? Hard and small, aka rabbit poop, so I can just suck it up in my vac correct?
You also brought up a scary point regarding dogs. I have a 68lb lab-rhodesian ridgeback mix. It may not be possible to keep them in a separate room, however the chin will be high enough where it will not be in the dog's way. And my dog usually pays zero attention to tanks, fish in buckets, and other items above his head.
But will the chinchila freak out and urinate all over the dog? Because that is definitely a 'do not buy' sign.
 
nikkoli110

nikkoli110

Member
Yes the poop is easy to pick up with a vac, i just suggested dust buster, there small and easy to whip out whenever the chin is out, i wouldnt be too concerned about the chin, maybe if you get one of the cages that is on a small stand, maybe 1 or 2 feet off the ground? So maybe he wouldnt be too intimidated? At first my chin was fine, but then he just started freaking out. Not to be gross, but it wasnt a messy urine, just whenever the dog got too close, he squirted a little at him. But they really do make great pets, dont know if you could do this, but if you could bring your dog to where you are getting your chin, or maybe to a pet store just to see how he'll act. I dont know, this was just my little problem.
 
moraym

moraym

Active Member
Maybe I'll have to treat the chin like a bird and just cover the cage when the pup's in the room. Fiance has had rabbits in the past and has always wanted a chin, so i'm trying to get her one for christmas. Just don't want projectile urine in my new apartment.:nervous:
 
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