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Chinchilla care?

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#16 ~Bumble~

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 05:12 AM

I do agree with that, I do feel like a kitten is the BEST for me in every case but I honestly do prefer more exotic pets? I feel like cats are to... common.. 

though if we do get a cat, we have to get it after the hamsters..pass so yeah..

I'm debating on a chinchilla, a rabbit, and a cat

I don't know-

I'm going to be COMPLETELY honest and say, I feel like it would be like this for me: cat > rabbit > chinchilla

Chinchilla may be out of my list just because my dad says they are ugly and that I would want a more cuddly pet but at the same time a very floofy pet? WHAT'S SO UGLY ABOUT A LIVING FLOOFBALL?!?!

Anyways, a cat vs rabbit

Which one...cat would definitely be the right one for me

But I would prefer rabbits more..

But if I get a rabbit, I might want a cat too..

but if I get a cat.. I might want a rabbit too...

I think I just might have to be a petting zoo keeper.

 

I honestly feel like rabbits will be more work, I DON'T KNOW

I mean I guess I have much MUCH more time before I get a pet... but I don't know..

 

 

no offense to cats though, I love them too :3

Hm...I understand where you're coming from-maybe you could look into getting a more exotic cat, like a Maine Coon! They are like living floofballs too   :laughing:

I just feel like a cat is the best pet for you as they have sooooooo much personality, and will become part of your family. I honestly don't know how ppl without cats survive...lol  :rotfl:

I understand you also want rabbits, but I just feel like they are harder to take care of and clean up after, and you might not get as much out of owning one as a cat. But, they are still great pets and are sooooo cute! It's a hard decision...

I guess you could always get a kitten and an exotic pet as well.. Reptiles such as leopard geckos or snakes could be good options.

I hope this helps you!  ;D

 

(Edit: rereading this, i realize this is really cat biased, but what can i say? i love cats :3)


Edited by ~Bumble~, 05 February 2021 - 05:15 AM.





#17 PeanutTheDwarf

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 07:15 AM

Rabbits are a lot of work. Also they are not very cuddly. If you want a cuddly exotic pet it would be super hard to find. Maybe a main coon cat??


Edited by PeanutTheDwarf, 05 February 2021 - 10:27 AM.

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#18 ajuniceuhamsters

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 07:18 AM

Rabbits are a lot of work. Also they are not very cuddly. If oyu want a cuddly exotic pet maybe rats??

AGREED.

100%

:)



#19 lil BIG dwarf

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 10:14 AM

Rabbits are a lot of work. Also they are not very cuddly. If oyu want a cuddly exotic pet maybe rats??

I disagree with the rat suggestion. Rats aren't very cuddly (they tend to be more on the mouse like energetic side, with a few exceptions), and they also need to have groups constantly (so if one dies, you need at least 2 as similar ages is benificial and its hard to STOP owning rats), a very large cage, etc;.



#20 PeanutTheDwarf

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 10:27 AM

I disagree with the rat suggestion. Rats aren't very cuddly (they tend to be more on the mouse like energetic side, with a few exceptions), and they also need to have groups constantly (so if one dies, you need at least 2 as similar ages is benificial and its hard to STOP owning rats), a very large cage, etc;.

Ooh ok. I will edit 



#21 saige

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 10:14 PM

Hm...I understand where you're coming from-maybe you could look into getting a more exotic cat, like a Maine Coon! They are like living floofballs too   :laughing:

I just feel like a cat is the best pet for you as they have sooooooo much personality, and will become part of your family. I honestly don't know how ppl without cats survive...lol  :rotfl:

I understand you also want rabbits, but I just feel like they are harder to take care of and clean up after, and you might not get as much out of owning one as a cat. But, they are still great pets and are sooooo cute! It's a hard decision...

I guess you could always get a kitten and an exotic pet as well.. Reptiles such as leopard geckos or snakes could be good options.

I hope this helps you!  ;D

 

(Edit: rereading this, i realize this is really cat biased, but what can i say? i love cats :3)

 

I disagree with the rat suggestion. Rats aren't very cuddly (they tend to be more on the mouse like energetic side, with a few exceptions), and they also need to have groups constantly (so if one dies, you need at least 2 as similar ages is benificial and its hard to STOP owning rats), a very large cage, etc;.

You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day >:((

Thank you <3

I've looked slightly a bit more into animals

And my dad even says a cat is right for me 

I'm pretty sure the main reason I didn't want a cat in the first place was that they would all be like the stereo typical cat where they just ignore you and knock down stuff T-T


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#22 ajuniceuhamsters

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 10:18 PM

 

You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day >:((

Thank you <3

I've looked slightly a bit more into animals

And my dad even says a cat is right for me 

I'm pretty sure the main reason I didn't want a cat in the first place was that they would all be like the stereo typical cat where they just ignore you and knock down stuff T-T

 

Let me just say that my rabbit has the personalitiy of a cat T^T

I've never owned a cat but they seem like a good pet :)

 

funny ancedote: my uncle's cat is scared of my rabbit and when my rabbit goes to play with her she hides under the couch



#23 saige

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 11:00 PM

Let me just say that my rabbit has the personalitiy of a cat T^T

I've never owned a cat but they seem like a good pet :)

 

funny ancedote: my uncle's cat is scared of my rabbit and when my rabbit goes to play with her she hides under the couch

hehe, but I'm still deciding what pet but probably a cat would be right for me :)

I DON'T KNOW-



#24 Robin~

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Posted 05 February 2021 - 11:54 PM

If you're only able to get one animal I would absolutely not recommend rabbits. They must be in pairs unless you have some rare circumstance where your rabbit cannot be bonded, and even then I would highly suggest having some form of communication between the pen's bars.

 

Cats can be nice, but I would recommend against getting a "kitten" per se. Just keep in mind that kitten will grow into an adult cat and live with you for the next 15-20 years--it's not something you can take very lightly.

 

If you're looking into mice maybe a solo buck would be best? :)


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#25 saige

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Posted 06 February 2021 - 01:37 AM

If you're only able to get one animal I would absolutely not recommend rabbits. They must be in pairs unless you have some rare circumstance where your rabbit cannot be bonded, and even then I would highly suggest having some form of communication between the pen's bars.

 

Cats can be nice, but I would recommend against getting a "kitten" per se. Just keep in mind that kitten will grow into an adult cat and live with you for the next 15-20 years--it's not something you can take very lightly.

 

If you're looking into mice maybe a solo buck would be best? :)

Oh sorry, I should have stated it clearer. By 1 I mean like one group of mice, somewhere you can put them in a same place if that makes sense? Of course that would have to make the space bigger but if you get what I mean :)


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#26 ~Bumble~

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Posted 06 February 2021 - 05:29 AM

 

You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day >:((

Thank you <3

I've looked slightly a bit more into animals

And my dad even says a cat is right for me 

I'm pretty sure the main reason I didn't want a cat in the first place was that they would all be like the stereo typical cat where they just ignore you and knock down stuff T-T

 

You're welcome!! <33

Nice! Which animals are you considering as of now??

And before you think about getting a cat, you have to take into consideration if you have the available space, time, and money. Would it be indoor or outdoor, or both? Could you (or ur family) afford to take it to the vet? Do you have the time to handle it often and possibly own it for 15+ years?

Just some questions you could ask yourself. :)

Haha, cats can be like that sometimes, but they're def. not like that all the time!  :laughing: They do have their bad and good moods (like ppl). In the end, it's worth it tho!

If you get your cat as a kitten, it is more likely to become a friendlier, less standoffish kitty, as it will be used to you, but you will have to take care of it longer. 

It all depends on what you want! You could maybe visit a local shelter and look at some kitties, or if you're more interested in an exotic or purebred cat, you could visit some professional breeders. 

Hope this helps you!!  :goodvibes:



#27 saige

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Posted 06 February 2021 - 06:03 AM

You're welcome!! <33

Nice! Which animals are you considering as of now??

And before you think about getting a cat, you have to take into consideration if you have the available space, time, and money. Would it be indoor or outdoor, or both? Could you (or ur family) afford to take it to the vet? Do you have the time to handle it often and possibly own it for 15+ years?

Just some questions you could ask yourself. :)

Haha, cats can be like that sometimes, but they're def. not like that all the time!  :laughing: They do have their bad and good moods (like ppl). In the end, it's worth it tho!

If you get your cat as a kitten, it is more likely to become a friendlier, less standoffish kitty, as it will be used to you, but you will have to take care of it longer. 

It all depends on what you want! You could maybe visit a local shelter and look at some kitties, or if you're more interested in an exotic or purebred cat, you could visit some professional breeders. 

Hope this helps you!!  :goodvibes:

Right now, I am still a kid, 11 years old to be exact and my mom also agreed to get a cat in the future because we might be moving to a new house and she’ll get a job around next year and she wants me to have company when nobody is home (so no dog)

We do have vet bills, and calculated how much we would spend and seems like we can afford that :)

My mom personally likes to buy from breeders as in her words it’s, “More prettier” but me and my dad are considering adopting a kitty because adopting is better imo and there are bunch of kitties available where I live :) (it does depend on what happens at that time though)

If we do consider getting a cat, I would probably getting it in 2-3 depending on when my hamsters passes 

so I won’t be having to think about that right now :)

So mostly in the end, a cat would be the best solution for our family <3

thank you for helping!


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#28 ChinchillaDude

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Posted 07 February 2021 - 08:07 AM

I bought one from a very good breeder. Later on I bought a second hoping to bond them and the i introductions failed ultimately. One kept rejecting the other. So now I have two chinchilla and 2 cages.

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They are very happy though. They have to come out separately for playtime.
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#29 macaroonyum

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Posted 29 April 2021 - 09:20 AM

idk if you're still interested in chins but here I go

 

I've been asking a lot about other animal care recently and I've been really interested. We are going to move soon and I'm not getting another pet soon but maybe in August  :) My parents do know that I want a whole zoo of pets but they said they will allow one more pet like, cat, mice, another hamster, (maybe chinchilla), and a rabbit. I've asked about most of these pets but I got interested in Chinchillas recently. 

 

1.) I do know that they are a herd animal and they need to be in pairs or more. (is it okay if you keep one? or is pairs necessary or..??) Yes, chinchillas must be kept in pairs unless they have behavioral issues, cage aggression, or is suggested by the breeder. Still, giving bonding a try is encouraged, but there won't be any immediate, positive results and you may have to keep them separated for quite some time.

 

2.) If I do get a cage, I'm looking to buy this one: https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-485-Products-Hammertone/dp/B000QFMYWQ/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=chinchilla+cage&qid=1612452713&sr=8-6  (is this cage a good cage) This cage is alright, however you need to remove or cover the plastic pans with fleece covers to prevent chewing (plastic can be fatal to chinchillas if ingested and tears up their insides). I'd recommend the MidWest Deluxe Critter Nation Model 162 https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-Critter-162-leak-Proof-Measures/dp/B001NJ0DAY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=critter+nation&qid=1619657144&sr=8-1 as it is the best cage available and is very roomy, plus it has horizontal bars which is ideal for mounting ledges, food bowls, and water bottles (never give your chin a water bowl or let it get wet) and again, the plastic does need to be covered with fleece (I would recommend taking out all accessories except for the 2 large pans as the ladders and smaller ones are unnecessary and make the space cramped)

 

3.) Is taming easy? (I know it does depend on the personality but just asking) ​Taming can take some time, similar to hamsters. You need to give your chin AT LEAST one week to adjust to their cage and living environment, then slowly introduce yourself by feeding treats (no more than 1-2 a day). Take your time, and go slow. Never, ever lift up your chin's hide while they are in it, and DO NOT interact with them if they bark at you, wave their tail (typically a warning, unless you know otherwise) or attempt to lunge. Sit in a playpen or small, enclosed room with them for 15-60 minutes a day, letting them come to you and not trying to grab them or pet them. After they feel comfortable with your presence, give chin/ear scratches, pet if you'd like but most of the time chins don't care for petting or get annoyed.

 

4.) Is you&me Chinchilla bath dust safe? I wouldn't risk it. Even the slightest ingredient alteration can cause respiratory issues, patchy fur, etc. Blue Cloud Dust is the optimal choice for all chinchillas. Also, only give them a dust bath 1-3 times each week and never get them wet!!

 

5.) How much food do they eat per day? Approximately 1-2 tablespoons per day, some chinchillas are great at eating at their own will (unlimited supply, full bowl 24/7) but you need to monitor their intake.

 

6.) I heard they only eat pellets and hay? Yes, chinchillas have a fairly simple diet. They can also have treats such as goji berries, barley oats, rosehips, and bee pollen, make sure to stay away from any processed (typically store-bought) treats and anything containing high amounts of sugar. Etsy has a great selection.

 

7.) Which hay is good for them? Chinchillas always need an unlimited amount of regular timothy hay, or if you have allergies or can't find timothy, Orchard grass. Botanical and alfalfa hay is used for baby or malnourished chinchillas and should never be an adult chinchilla's main source of hay, however can be used as a rare treat.

 

8.) Which pellets do you recommend? Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla food. Oxbow is really high-quality compared to other brands like Kaytee, and Mazuri Chinchilla diet is a close second with Supreme Petfoods Selective Chinchilla diet in third. I don't recommend any other brands but these, if you can't find any of them order them online, and never get the ones with colorful bits and fruit in them as they are literal junk and high in sugar, just get plain old pellets. Also, Oxbow hay as well as toys are great too (don't give them any sisal (rope) or paper/tissue items, colorful items are ok) 

 

9.) I heard that mice, if they are aggressive at first, they will keep on being aggressive and not change attitudes? Does that go with chinchillas too? No, definitely not. Even if a chinchilla has gone through years of abuse, they will slowly warm up to you. Patience is key.

 

10.) How long of a play time should they have? About 1-2 hours a day, always supervised as they are very mischievous and love to get into things they aren't supposed to.

 

11.) Do they like human interaction? (though I might not get one that doesn't, is there some that do like interaction? Because if I do get chinchillas, I would be asking whoever I'm getting it from to let me hold them) Well, it's very mixed. Some chins are born sweet and love being handled while most tolerate it, then there are the ones who hate it. Ask the breeder or whoever if they like to be handled or not.

 

12.) Do they need wheels? Some people do have them in their cages while others don't and I don't know if it's mandatory or not. Wheels are an important staple in a chinchilla's cage as they are crepuscular and are active at night, so they want to run around while you sleep. They are very expensive though $50+ dollars, but the best wheel (a ChinSpin) retails at about $100.

 

13.) Do they have affection? (yes, I do know that it depends but, do some??) Of course! Most chinchillas absolutely adore chin rubs and ear scratches. They turn their head to the side and close their eyes, it's so cute! They also may squeak when they're in their cage because they want attention and will lean on the bars.

 

14.) Do they have a big odor? (I do know they don't smell, but is it like a hamster's odor or is it more than that or less?) Never had a hamster so idk, chinchillas are very sanitary and any excess oils get washed off in their dust bath, however they do need their cage swept every 1-2 days and fleece washed every week. They can be litter trained as well which makes cleaning a lot easier. Also, use gentle cleaners like Method Antibac (purple one I think) and don't use cleaners with strong chemical odors.

 

15.) I didn't want to leave it off as 14 questions so ehe teehee If you wanna learn more, please PM me! I'm happy to answer any questions. Byeeee


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