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Original poster

Tell me all about chinchillas.

20 replies

HaveYouTakenLeaveOfYourCervix · 18/02/2012 22:31

DD has fallen in love (last time it was a horse so i'm slightly relieved).

Mess?

Smells?

How often to clean out?

Teeth and biting?

Cage size?

Cats?

OP posts:
Original poster
HaveYouTakenLeaveOfYourCervix · 18/02/2012 23:19

also males? females?

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 18/02/2012 23:33

I can help. Dd has got two, we've only had them two weeks though.

You need a pair. No difference in males or females really. Females can spray piss on you from across the room if you annoy them, they have good aim. But this is done rarely. Boys need to have their penises cleaned every couple of weeks, there are YouTube tutorials for this. We got boys. Hmm

They live to over 20 years. They don't smell, they need a big cage. 3ft x2ft x 18" is the minimum for two. They can't have Anything plastic in their cage as they'll chew it and it's toxic to them. They should come out their cage once a day for a run round. They chew everything to need supervising when out.

They don't bite, bit bark like a dog when scared. Ours are friendly already, quite tame. They don't like cuddles as such but happy to scamper up to you for a stroke. Our cage has a pull out bottom so I've put newspaper on the tray and just swap the paper over weekly. Seems ok so far.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 18/02/2012 23:47

Do they have to be inside or can they have an outdoor run? Which could in theory be huge if you've got the garden space (and someone who's handy with the nails,wood and mesh)

And dustbaths? They need that chinchilla sand too?

I knew they were long lived, but 20 years? Shock That means commitment.
Are there alot in rescue? I'd imagine people buy them without knowing what it entails.

And what about deguses? Are they similar?

(I've got common or garden cavies.Not exotic) Bless them!

Original poster
HaveYouTakenLeaveOfYourCervix · 19/02/2012 09:50

wold they drive the cats insane and get eten?

OP posts:
catsareevil · 19/02/2012 09:53

They will drive cats insane.

They are too small to be safely let out with cats.

catsareevil · 19/02/2012 09:56

They can bite, but its not usual, and doesnt really hurt or break skin (something to do with the shape of their teeth).

You will need a bath and sand, but its not a big deal, both are readily available in larger pet shops.

Original poster
HaveYouTakenLeaveOfYourCervix · 19/02/2012 10:09

i wasn't thinking of letting them loose together - more imagining bad cat breaking into the cage and eating the little dears.

hmmmmm maybe have to put her off and get a goat.

OP posts:
Sneezeblossom · 19/02/2012 10:17

They live for ages and they bite and they don't like being held. Get a guinea pig instead.

catsareevil · 19/02/2012 10:49

If you got chinchillas I think that they would be best kept in a room that a cat couldnt access at all. They are much too interesting to cats! Like the biggest mice ever Grin

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 19/02/2012 10:59

I second GPs sneeze.
They are luffly, snuggly pig-like, don't do this climbing,whirling round thing and very rarely bite (only if they mistake your skin for food,if it smells of food) but it's a pinch not a bite.

DD (9yo) carries her boar round on her shoulder and he loves it.

VivaLeBeaver · 19/02/2012 11:50

Chinchillas rarely bite.

I think they need to be kept inside.

We have cats, the chinchillas are in a bedroom and the door is shut so cats can't get in.

ragged · 19/02/2012 12:20

isn't there a high risk of the GP boar fatally falling, 70isa?
GPigs are not as low maintenance as I thought, many people now argue they need to be kept indoors which means a large run around space.
I look after 3 boars for friends & one of them is a little psycho, drew blood biting DD yesterday (he wanted carrot, not her finer, admittedly). And he sh*ts for England.

I vote Rats. Low time commitment, lots of fun. But would still need separation from cats. Not many things go well with cats.

ragged · 19/02/2012 12:21

finger

catsareevil · 19/02/2012 12:22

ragged

Not even other cats Grin

VivaLeBeaver · 19/02/2012 14:50

Rats stink, we used to have rats and even though they were cleaned out every week they smelt.

Original poster
HaveYouTakenLeaveOfYourCervix · 19/02/2012 14:57

so where do you keep the cage? we are currently arguing discussing cage placement. Aren't they nocturnal? do thet chew and scrabble all night?

OP posts:
mycatsaysach · 19/02/2012 14:58

rats bite hard too

VivaLeBeaver · 19/02/2012 15:56

Ours are in dd's bedroom. They don't keep her awake. They're not nocturnal but crepuscular, so are active early mornings and evenings.

They need to be away from any areas that get the sun as they can overheat in the summer.

catsareevil · 19/02/2012 16:32

Mine are also in DDs room. No problems with night time noise, and keeping the bedroom door shut means that the cats and chins stay separate, and the chins can run about in a safe envionment when we let them out of the cage.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 19/02/2012 16:46

ragged I'm still Shock and Sad at the GP1 tumble, but it was me carrying him not DD. I was carrying one on each shoulder so had my elbow under his bottom and my hand round his back (same with GP2).
They got very excited going out to the pighouse and he struggled out of my grip.
DD has a hand on his rump, the other across his body and he's on her chest with his nose in her neck rather than like a parrot Grin

And, thankfully, not fatally.He's whizzing about the ramp like a good'un.

I'm especially Blush because I've had GP for years and was horrified to have made such a stupid error.

GP1 nibbled my finger yesterday (I was holding parsley in my other hand)
And yes, he (and his brother) pooh for England .

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