Introducing your chinchilla

INTRODUCING YOUR CHIN

DAILY

WEEKLY

MONTHLY

- CLEAN FOOD DISH
- CLEAN WATER BOTTLE
- WASH BRANCHES, SOLID SURFACES
- REMOVE DIRTY HAY FROM FLOOR

- CHANGE LITTER
- CHECK LITTER IN SLEEPING BOX
- BRUSH UP DRIED CRAP
- REMOVE SHED HAIRS FROM WIRE

- REPLACE LITTER IN SLEEPING BOX
- REPLACE DUST BATH
- DISINfECT CAGE
- CHECK FOR LOOSE CAGE PARTS

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	(www.chinbin.com) CARE FIRST FEW DAYS As much as you will want to be able to handle your new chinchilla a lot in the first few days, it's best not to. Even if she is quite tame when you get her, she will still need time to get used to you and learn to completely trust you. It is a chinchillas distrust that protects her in the wild, so don't take it personally if she doesn't seem to like you at first. TAMING You will want to start with just letting the chinchilla get used to the normal activities of your home, so leave her alone for a few days while she does this. This, of course, will include her getting accustomed to her regular feeding and dusting time, at which time you will have your hands in her cage. Just go about the normal routine (and be sure to make it a regular time each evening- she will come to count on this timing), putting your hands in the cage as needed, moving slowly so as not to frighten your new family member. As soon as she is comfortable with your hands in the cage (this may or may not be on the first day) then start to offer her a few treats. It's best not to try to pick her up just yet. Give her a bit more time and then start placing the treat in the palm of your hand so that she has to partially climb into your hand. A few more tries and she should be willing to retrieve a treat from half way up your arm. Now she's ready for you to try holding her a bit. PICKING UP Scoop your chinchilla up with one hand under her and one hand gently but securely on top. Chinchillas are most comfortable with the least restraint. She will fight it if she feels confined, but she needs to be safe, so just have a top hand available to prevent any dangerous leaps to the floor. Holding the base of her tail between the fingers of your bottom hand is good idea. She may eventually feel comfortable just riding around on your shoulder, but this can take some time and some chinchillas just never like it. EXERCISE / DAILY RUN Once your chinchilla is relaxed about her new home and being handled you can start letting her out for brief romps around the house. This certainly isn't necessary if she has a large cage with plenty of tiered shelves and a large wheel to get the exercise that is necessary for good health. If you do want to let her out, it's best to at least start with a small space like a bathroom, where you can easily catch her back up again. She should trust you well enough by now to allow you to pick her back up again without a chase, but one way or the other it is important not to "chase" her as she will then lose much of the trust she has built up with you. If she is reluctant to be picked up, move slowly to corner her, slowly putting your hands under her to scoop her up. This may take some patient perseverance at first, but within time she will anticipate it and not run away. Make sure that you give her something to look forward to after she is returned to her cage, like a treat or her dust bath. PLAY As I've mentioned before, chinchillas love to jump and climb, so provide plenty of opportunities for this in their cage as well as their play area. Branches for climbing and chewing on are a favorite, but they actually spend most of their time on larger, flatter surfaces. Provide tiered shelves in the cage and boxes are easy to provide in a play space. Nothing is loved as much as an exercise wheel. Make it large (14" diameter) as anything smaller can be hard on a chins spine. There are also several chew toys are appreciated. I offer rawhide chews (in moderation - they are rather fatty) as well as cow hooves, pumice blocks, branches, and the occasional cardboard (free of ink or tape). HAZARDS There are a few cage hazards to consider as well as several household hazards. In the cage be aware of the risk of wire hay racks, poorly built exercise wheels, and large gauge wire (babies can get out of anything larger than 1" x 1/2"). Household hazards are numerous: House Plants Electric wires Detergents, cleaning agents, chemicals, medications Kitchen: Stovetops, leftover food, pots and pans, dishwater Dogs and Cats (especially visiting ones) Doors Ashtrays Filled bathtubs, pails, or large vases Heaters, sunlamps Stained and varnished wood Textiles, plastics, plastic bags You can see why it's important to SUPERVISE your chinny on her romps around the house, or just keep her confined to a "chin proof" space. DUST BATHS Chinchillas need and love a daily (or at least 3-4 times a week) dust bath. Without it his fur will lose its softness and become oily and sticky or even shaggy. He should be provided with special chinchilla dust (much like the volcanic ash in his native habitat) which is finer than any bird sand and has (almost) no substitute. It is also very dusty and can leave quite a film of dust around your home, so find a suitable container with high sides, somewhat larger than the chin. A fish bowl or cookie jar with its opening at an angle work well. Clay or pottery containers, or sturdy plastic, also work well. Put the bath in his cage for only about 15 minutes each evening to avoid having it soiled with waste, and enjoy watching his delighted rolling acrobatics. I like to add about 1 part fine scoopable kitty litter to 2 parts dust to help keep the airborne dust problem to a minimum. One chinchilla owner told me that she used finely ground oatmeal for her asthmatic chin. OBSERVATIONS There are a few basics to observe in your chinchillas. You will want to check his teeth occasionally to make sure they are not overgrowing (which they shouldn't if he has plenty of chew toys) and they are a nice yellow color. Also, watch for slow or exaggerated chewing as well as goopy eyes - an indication of malocclusion (more information below). Also, observe the stools. Large, round, dry stools are good, while small, narrow stools indicate constipation. Soft, loose, sticky stools indicate diarrhea (more information below). Male chinchillas of breeding age should be checked occasionally for hair rings. Rings of hair around the penis can result from breeding and can cause serious problems. If he is cleaning himself excessively or appears swollen, inflamed, or prolapsed, this is an indication of a hair ring problem (more information below). Your chins general state of health is often indicated by his weight. It's a good idea to monitor this regularly. Also, because of his thick fur, visual observation of his weight isn't sufficient. Pick him up and palpate his ribs, spine, and pelvis, making certain there is sufficient padding in these areas. Chinchillas are rarely too fat. CLEANING

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