Chinchilla Blog

Hello! What a gorgeous boy Tango is. My Max is a bit aloof, but show him a raisin and he's cuddling in no time. 
 
 
 
Does Tango or any of your other chins sometimes stop sleeping in their boxes? Max has taken to sleeping beside and sometimes under his wheel. His box is oh-so comfy, but he seems to have lost interest in it. 
 
 
 
I appreciate any insight you might have. -Kelly

Hi Kelly, thanks for your post! Food sure is the way to their hearts, which is why it's so hard for me to say no when Tango's met his treat quota :P 
 
 
 
That's a good question. My first inclination about why Max wouldn't want to sleep in his box would be that he's probably becoming overheated in there. Some days that fleece is a nice retreat for the little guy, but when his temp starts to rise, he's just as comfortable on an open shelf nearby. I would imagine that chins sleep under the wheel when they are feeling vulnerable for one reason or another. They are closer to their "scent" in the bedding below and may feel safer beneath that big metal wheel. The airflow in this location is also probably better here than the box on warm days. 
 
 
 
I would first suggest cleaning out his box of any droppings and hay or food debris, if you haven't done so already, and if there is a fleece pillow or lining of sort, give that a thorough cleaning as well. If he's still uninterested in his box, try trading out the fleece/pillow for a granite or marble square so he can still enjoy the privacy of the box, but stay cool at the same time.  
 
 
 
Finally, I've found two other great chinchilla accessories that Tango really enjoys when he's not feeling like being in his hidey house. One is a chinchilla hammock, which I buy here: http://www.geocities.com/forchinatechins/chincessories.htm and the other is a Chilla Pilla which I buy here: http://www.freewebs.com/simplychintastic/ . These are comfortable alternatives if Max seems to be thinking outside the box :) Let us know how it goes! 
 
 
 
Amanda