We have had a our sweet chinchilla for about 3 weeks. I think she is improving in trusting us, and certainly has a ball running around and bouncing off of the walls (literally) :) However, since she is nocturnal she stays up all night so there is only about 3 hours at night and 1 hour in the morning when she is awake while we are. She loves tv so we leave it on for her at night...and she just sits there mesmerized by it. When I come in the room in the morning she is still watching it....is she bored? is this healthy? I feel so guilty going to bed lol.
2007-02-18 09:20:20 · 4 answers · asked by nonlinea 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
It doesn't sound like your chinchilla is bored, it just sounds like your chin is being a chin :) Hanging out all night is what they do. It's true that they like a lot of attention, but they also can keep themselves pretty happy while you sleep at night. I had one of those rods you can hang in their cage with treats on it, and it had a bell on the end. Whenever I had people over during the night I had to take it out because the chins move around so much that my guests couldn't sleep. As long as your cage is of adequate size and filled with toys/chew treats, I'm sure your chin is busy entertaining itself (or enjoying Late Night with Conan O'Brien). It's a good idea to leave the TV on for her though. They recommend doing that if you have to leave your chin home alone while you're on vacation or something. A wheel is also a great idea. One of my girls can't live without hers, and the other one couldn't figure out what it was for, so it's a toss up really, haha.
Good luck
2007-02-18 14:07:26 · answer #1 · answered by hmx_mail 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chinchillas need a great deal of exercise. My suggestion is to purchase a wheel like the one superpetusa.com makes. It is the giant version and safe for the tiny feet of a chinchilla. Chinchillas also like to chew on pumice treats. Chinchilla dust is an absolute necessity and we suggest keeping it in a 1-2 gallon fish bowl instead of a hard plastic chinchilla house because chinchillas chew on everything and ingesting hard plastic can kill them. Be careful when purchasing toys to buy ones that can not be chewed into splintery pieces. Do not give cherry, walnut or certain other types of wood to chew. Pine shavings and pine wood are suitable. Be careful not to let the animal chew electrical cords because chinchillas are much like rabbits in this aspect and will chew any electrical cord. We suggest caging your chinchilla when it is going to be left alone. Chinchillas can live to the age of 18. Their bones are fragile and we don't recommend that children 10 and under hold them or carry them around.
2007-02-18 12:04:23 · answer #2 · answered by kriend 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Mine love TV also. But we don't' leave it on for them. Do you have space for her to jump around in the cage? Make sure you have safe shelves at proper levels (no more than an 12 max 18) inch drop) for them to hop around on, pine shelves are easy to make and also gives them something to chew on. I bet if you slept in the room for one night you would hear how they can entertain themselves. A chinspin or flying saucer (http://www.qualitycage.com/exwheels.html) are great for them, the wheel needs to be a minimum of 15 inches for them to properly use it, no wire for their little toes or feet to get caught in, and no plastic to chew on and safe so they dont' tip over and hurt you chinchilla. Mine have lots of safe chew toys, wood sticks and lava bits and a grapevine.
http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/index.php?
You can find lots more ideas how to entertain and set up your cage for a fun safe area for your chinchilla.
2007-02-18 13:08:16 · answer #3 · answered by B N 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just try to buy her some toys like a wheel or a squeaky toy. Try getting toys in the bird isle. I think she should be fine after that. The T.V idea is great. I think it will be fine leaving the T.V on also.
2007-02-18 09:43:32 · answer #4 · answered by Beth 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋