COMMENTS
I use fleece liners in my cage that I swap out once a week to launder. They're super easy to take care of, safe for the chins, and make an adorable addition to the cage.
Thanks foe the great tip!
I use pine shavings *BUT* only because Tango's cage is designed such that he does not have access to the litter (his droppings fall through the metal grating into the litter tray below - he doesn't walk directly on it). This is important because the pine bedding found at the pet store is not kiln-dried and thus is toxic to chins if ingested.
I apologize for my lack of contribution lately. I hope to get an article up this week!
Amanda :)
I used to use that same bedding in lavender for my hammies, but it gets real messy. So I decided not to use it for chinchillas (imagine how messy it'll be when they kick the beddings).
I find it cheaper to buy aspen pine bedding in bulk.
I clean bi-weekly, but because my chins pee in the same spots within the cages, I remove the wet beddings weekly.
Good point one chin is much easier to clean up after than a whole herd. Spot cleaning is probably a pretty good idea considering the corners really get the worst of it.
I use the Katee Soft-Sorbent lavender beading in my young chins cage, and it seems to eat quite a bit of it... Does anyone think there is a problem with this?
Hi Cole,
Are we talking about a piece or two, or does it eat it like it eats its food?
Either way, I recommend getting a cage which eliminates the bedding concern altogether by getting a slide-out litter pan that goes under the wire floor of the cage. Click on "Product Reviews" on the menu bar above to see the kind of cage I'm talking about. Then you can just buy a big bag of bulk wood shavings, since the chinchilla won't have access to it anyway. It keeps the chin up off the dirty bedding and you don't have to concern yourself with whether the wood used to make the Softsorbent is on the safe or toxic list (since I couldn't find the exact species used on their product page).
Even if you aren't yet able to get a drop-in style metal cage just yet, I highly suggest getting the *plain* SoftSorbent variety and getting rid of the lavender perfumy stuff, especially if your chinchilla is eating it: http://www.kaytee.com/products/softsorbent.php
What brand of food are you giving your chinchilla? It's possible that it's a variety that isn't firm and fibrous enough for your chin to grind with his teeth, so he/she is grinding the bedding. OR maybe the lavender scent is making the chin think it's food...?
Make sure also to provide enough chew toys such as backed twigs (see the Safe Wood for Chinchillas page off of the homepage) and pumice stones.
Let me know how it goes.
Amanda
Thank you for the advice... Ya i actually have a cage like that but i left the wire floor out because I thought skrat (my chinchilla) might prefer to have the bedding to dig around in if he wanted to... maybe thats not so? Also, Nutriphase Gold Chinchilla formula is what we've been feeding him... it came with the cage. Do you think this food is ok? We've only had skrat for a week or so so it's all still kind of new to us haha...
Also the back of the bag of lavender bedding says that it contains no pine or cedar aromatic oils... could it still not be good for him?
Ok, I gotcha. I would say as long as you notice the eating issue of the bedding, go ahead and put the floor back in to be safe. The packaging mentions the pine and cedar because those are the main wood species in products still marketed toward chinchillas that are actually toxic! But there are several species to be concerned about. Here's a link to my article about safe woods and toxic woods to show you what I mean: http://www.chinchillaplace.com/chinchilla-blog/?Tag=Safe+Woods+for+Chinchillas
The occasional dust bath *should* satisfy Skrat's desire to roll around. I recommend offering him the dust 3 times a week, so his skin doesn't get irritated. In the mean time, let me do a little comparative research on the food since I'm not very familiar with that one. Are you also supplying loose timothy hay?
Congrats on your new little guy! Super cute name - it makes me laugh :P) I'm glad you stopped by Chinchilla Place - I'll definitely look into the food and get back to you. Let us know if you have any questions!
Amanda
Ok, well thanks very much for your input! I'll be sure to return if I have anymore questions :)... Ya perhaps I will try putting that floor in... I was actually thinking of just putting a big bowl of carefresh bedding or something in his cage on top of the wire floor to play around in if he wants... Oh and p.s... Yes, I've been giving him timothy hay :)
Hi Cole!
Sorry for the delay, I had a chance to research Nutriphase Gold for chinchillas a bit and it seems to measure up pretty well in most categories. My only red flag with it is that the fiber content is a bit low. Chinchilla diet should at least have a fiber content of 16%, (18% is recommended), while Nutriphase Gold only has 14%. Something like Mazuri or Oxbow might be a better diet for Skrat after the Nutriphase is gone.
Because Mazuri is becoming so widely known, most pet stores are willing to order it for you, if they don't have it in stock already. This is the diet I recommend. It also doesn't have any artificial coloring.
Both of these diets are alfalfa based, so I recommend supplying timothy hay to balance the diet (for our readers).
Hope this helps! How is the bedding eating situation going?
I use kiln-dried pine i get from the feed store. anything scented you use for a chinchilla is not good for them because they are sensitive to strong odors. it can give them upper resperatory infections and it can be toxic. this is the same reason you shouldnt use cedar bedding. fleece is also safe to be used in the cage. =) hope this helped.
I've been trying to think of things that would be safe alternatives for chin bedding... Other than newspaper, my brother gave me the idea of using dried leaves from outside. We live in the middle of the woods, so they're plentiful...I know I'd have to make sure to only get leaves from non-toxic trees and plants, but otherwise do you think this is a good idea?
Hi Rachel,
Interesting question... I don't currently know if dried leaves are safe for chinchillas. I have often heard that just because a particular species of wood is non-toxic, it doesn't mean that the fruit isn't (and vice versa) but I don't know if that follows for the leaves as well. I will have to find out and get back to you. What kind of cage does your chinchilla have? Is it the drop-in kind, where the chin walks on a grate above the litter tray, or does the chin walk directly on the litter?
For the record, newspaper is absolutely *unsafe* for chinchillas.
Let me get back to you.
Thanks,
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
I have never used newspaper myself, but I did read an agricultural study done by Ohio state that suggested newspaper was now a safe bedding for animals http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/0136.html. If you have other sources that suggest it is not safe, please include the links so our readers can get all the facts. The leaves idea is interesting.
They walk directly on the litter. I'm saving up to get them a better cage, with a pull out litter tray. But a decent cage is sooo expensive. =\ My female chin just had kits this morning, too...so I'm wanting to make sure whatever bedding I use is okay for them as well. Mom's picking up a bag of that 'eco bedding'..made of recycled paper or something. It seems to work really well. (As long as the chins don't eat too much of it, of course.)
Anyway, let me know what you find out about the leaves. Many thanks. ^^
Well, being a Michigan Wolverine myself, I know better than to trust anything that comes out of Ohio State, haha! No but seriously, I'm skeptical because the article refers mostly to livestock and as we well know, what's true for many animals, is not always so with our exotic chinchillas. Here's my non-professional opinion:
1) You never want to introduce into your chinchilla's environment anything about which you do not know the content. You can't be sure that the newspaper is using organic ink and, as this article even says, advertisements do not have to follow the same organic guidelines even if the rest of the paper does. I did find this link with an interesting comment regarding the content of the ink: http://www.sewardbreeders.com/page2.html .
2) Chins really seem to like to try to eat paper. If there's a single piece of paper in a room, Tango will find it. As you know, excessive amounts of paper can block a chinchilla's intestines (I don't know why newspaper would be any different.) http://www.southfloridachinchillas.com/page_4.php . I know of a fellow chin owner who's young niece fed his chinchilla a large amount of paper, without his knowlege, and the chin died soon after of a bowel obstruction. VERY sad :(
3) Newspaper sheets are not particularly absorbent. Therefore, if your chinchilla decides to roll around in his/her urine, this will make the fur wet and it can mold.
That being said, if your chin's cage has a slide-out pan, so the chin doesn't have access to the bedding, you can use basically whatever's cheap (that's why I always say, among other reasons, that a high-quality cage with a slide-out pan is a good investment). Also, the above comments are in reference to sheets of newspaper. I don't know about the safety or efficacy of the newspaper pellet bedding.
As with anything, I guess it's your risk. I just figure that, if there are available products that I know are not harmful, why take the chance with something about which I'm unsure? I asked my go-to chinchilla expert about it as well, so I'll definitely let you know what I find out when I get a response. Interesting discussion!
Amanda
Alright folks, the chinchilla guru gave thumbs down to both newspaper and dried leaves. Here's why:
Newspaper - it stinks, we don't know what the ink is made from, and the ink rubs off on the chin's feet and fur. It's not very absorbent and tends to "glue" itself to the bottom of the tray. If the chins chew it, it can give them an intestinal blockage. This is the same reason she can't use the Carefresh bedding with many chins because they try to eat it. She runs a chinchilla rescue and says she's seen it all in the chins that are brought to her!
Dried leaves - can't believe I didn't think of these things, but now that I know, I definitely agree in advising against them. Leaves are not absorbent and start to mold when the get wet (and of course stink! eww!) But more importantly, if you recall the woods that we give to our chinchillas to chew have been scrubbed and baked to remove any chemicals or pesticides that could have drifted onto them. You could not clean the leaves (and it would be a nightmare to try!) Also, dried leaves are the perfect home for small insects and larvae. You wouldn't be able to pull off all the microorganisms that could be harmful to your chinchilla *especially* if he or she is walking directly on them.
Does that help? I know the safe bedding can be expensive, but if you invest in a cage with a slide-pan, you can get a large pale of pine bedding for next to nothing per year. Good questions! And thanks to my "chinchilla expert" for her knowledgable input ;)
Amanda
Thanks for following up on this Amanda! I didn't think that it would be very absorbent. Someone also recently asked me if kitty litter in a pull out tray would be a good alternative, but from what I know about kitty litter, it sounds like it would be harmful to have below your chin all day. Any thoughts?
My chin keeps making these funny "PSSST" noises... he only seems to do it when we are giving him attention and he will do it almost constantly (like once per second at times) and his nose will twitch from side to side as he does it... it sounds like they could be sneezes but they seem to be too constant to be sneezes... has anyone every heard or seen a chin act this way?
p.s. his nose and eyes do not run..
Hmm we have an article on chinchilla sounds http://www.chinchillaplace.com/blog/bid/4868/Chinchilla-Sounds but the one you are referring to sounds like he may be annoyed or startled. Try approaching the cage more slowly and getting down to his level when you give him attention.
I don't know about kitty litter in a slide-out litter tray. (For the record to those reading, it's not a safe choice if your chinchilla has a drop-in litter tray, where he/she walks directly on the litter.) I'll have to research that one to find out if the chemicals can irritate the chinchilla even aromaticaly. Honestly, I think the cheapest safe bedding for a slideout pan is Premier Pet's Natural Kiln-Dried pine bedding. It comes in a 4.0- cubic foot pack (compressed to 2.0) and is usually around $10. I've seen it at PetSmart, Petco, and Tractor Supply Co, though I'm sure smaller pet stores sell it also:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754694
Thanks so much for the info! I'm actually surprised I didn't think of those downsides to leaves...It's so obvious. Heh, I appreciate the help.
As far as kitty litter, my Environmental Science teacher uses it. I believe she mixes it with regular bedding, though. She has three chinchillas currently, and they're all fine. You wouldn't want to use it unless you've got a slide out litter tray, of course. But it should be fine if you don't use a lot of it. When we get back from spring break, I'll ask her about it and let you guys know for sure.
~Rachel
Rachel. Thanks for the info on kitty litter. Let us know when you hear back from your teacher and best of luck with you chins!
I stumbled across this article. I've had Benjamin (my chin) for about 2 months, and I've been using Carefresh. I'm glad that I now know not to use newspaper, as I was thinking about it.
My one big questions is about the slide-out litter tray cages people keep referencing. I was warned against wire-bottom cages, as walking on the wires can cause pain and arthritis in their little feet over time. Does anyone have any information about this?
At present, I'm using an old dog crate (the dog was a golden retriever, so the cage is of sufficient size). The cage has a slide-out tray, but no wire floor. Right now the only problem is that Benjamin throws his litter and poo out of the cage. I'm thinking about putting window screen on the outside of the cage to hold the litter in. Any thoughts?
tom,
i've researched and have found that chinchillas have brittle bones; easily broken if caught in anything. i must state most profoundly that a flat, smooth, mesh free cage bottom is much preferred for chinchillas. as convenient as a tray with a mesh bottom allowing droppings through might be, it simply isn't worth having to put a chinchilla down due to a broken leg caught in the mesh.
as for the screening around the edges, i would just say to be careful; anything a chinchilla can get its teeth around will be chewed! even the things that you thought were out of reach really arent!!! so again, be careful.
--kat
Thanks for the input on cage setup. I'm glad you agree with me on the wire cage floor issue. My cage doesn't have that issue. As for the screening, I think that the fleece issue mentioned above has solved my problem! I put a fleece on his cage floor and it's been absorbent and has stopped the problem of litter all around the floor. And I think Benjamin likes it better! He tried to roll in it like a dust bath when I first put it in his cage. It was adorable. Now I think I'm going to go to the bulk store and make a few cupped liners out of fleece.
Thanks again for your input!
-Tom
Is my chin the only chin that's litter trained? Heh. I use fleece to cover the floors of my chin's cage, but there's a litter box in there, and he NEVER pees outside of the litter box. Poop, sure, it's everywhere, but pee? Never. None of the fleece is ever wet. I have a Ferret Nation 2-level cage for mine.
Does anyone know if large animal shavings are safe for chins? We have a donkey and some goats and buy the shavings by the bale. The bale does not have a label on it. We are getting a chinchilla this Friday and I was just wondering if that bedding is the same as the kiln dried bedding.
DOOOOOOONNNN'TTT DOOOOOO IIIIIITT!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unless you would swear that you're certain what is in a specific bedding, DO NOT put it in your chin's cage. Chinchillas are very sensitive in both their digestive and respiratory systems. If there is anything in the bedding that shouldn't be there, you will kill your poor furry friend!
Here is a helpful site I came across that discusses different options for bedding http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/faq/beddingfaq.shtml
You really SHOULD NOT use ant pine bedding. It is toxic for the chinchilla and other animals because there are toxins in them that help them smell good. It will mess up it's repiratory organs and his lungs, nose, eyes and ears.\
Kiln-dried pine bedding actually is safe. It is the fresh pine that is unsafe due to aromatic oils they emit that can cause problems to the respiratory system. Chincare has a great article on what is safe and unsafe. You can check it out here: http://www.chincare.com/Pages/SafetyandSuppliers.htm#safelitter
I have been wondering, can chinchillas actualy eat fleece and if so is it harmfull to them? I ask this because I am going to get my own chin in a few days! and one website said if your chin starts chewing on the fleece remove it, but I have not heard this from any other site I have been on!!!
thanks!!!
Hey Carissa,
That is a good question. Fleece is generally regarded as safe because it does not fray or have loose strings like most other fabric. That being said, if you were to notice your chin somehow chewing it apart, you should remove it from the cage. If swallowed, it could cause death from intestinal obstruction. Most chins do not show any interest in chewing this material, however. It's always good to be watchful though. Tango has a fleece hammock and fleece pillow in his hidey house.
Thanks for your question!
I stopped using regular bedding for Benjamin, my chin, because he would throw as much of it as he could out of the cage and onto the floor. He now has three fleece blankets that I alternate one at a time as a liner on the bottom of his cage. I think of it as cloth diapers for a chinchilla. He loves his fleece, and the first few times I put a fresh one in the cage, he tried to roll in it like it was his dust!
That's a cool idea, Tom. I've never heard of doing such a thing! Is it pretty absorbent?
It's not too bad at all. As long as I change it out regularly, it doesn't get too bad. Every once in a while, if it hasn't been cleaned in a while, the poo pellets will get mushy if he pees on them, but nothing too messy.
I have a cage with a pull out tray. Can i put baking soda as a deodorizer under the newspaper?
Hi Ami Jo,
Yes, baking soda is fine to use to control odor in the bedding in your situation since the chin does not have access to it. Thanks for your question!
Amanda
so, i got my chin, stormie, from a friend last friday but he has been worrieing me- he hasn't eaten much at all! I know it is a new brand of timathy hay but I have had him for 9 days!I don't know the past owner had a plastic igloo in his cage and I wanted to get that out and replaced it with a card board box that he has chewed up. What should I do?
thanks for your imput!!!
carissa
Carissa, does Stormie has grain as well as the hay? Are you giving him treats? One treat a day is enough. Also a friend suggested getting a small scale to weigh the chin which is a better indication of what your chin is eating. I used a card board box when we first got our chin. She chewed it up too. A friend gave me wooden platforms that attach to the cage. She loves to jump from platform to platform. She also gave me a fleece hamock. My chin loves to sleep in it. She doesn't even have a little house now. She either hangs out under one of the platforms or sleeps in her hamock. Good luck.
Hi Carissa,
What brand of food are you feeding Stormie? You might try switching to a highly palatable and nutritious pellet such as Mazuri or Oxbow if you aren't using one currently. I haven't found that Tango seems to notice much when I change the type of timothy hay - I doubt that is the problem with Stormie.
I do not advise using cardboard in your chinchillas cage at all as it can be toxic. I suggest instead using a hidey house made of a safe wood. Take a look around the site for some other suggestions. Here is the link to the list of woods that are safe for chins: http://www.chinchillaplace.com/blog/?Tag=Safe+Woods+for+Chinchillas . Also, here is the link to my article about chinchilla food: http://www.chinchillaplace.com/product-reviews/ . As a new chin owner you may want to read through all of the product reviews.
Congratulations on your new little guy! Watch carefully today to see if he is eating. If he is not, you should make an appointment with a vet immediately, one that specializes in chinchillas. Keep us updated!
I currently have a single level chin cage with three small ledges should I be getting a taller cage? I had a taller cage for a week but returned it because the chin threw cage out of the cage, there was poo all over the floor in the room, and the room became really dusty. What is the best cage setup for a chin?
sorry it took so long I was in and out at family gaterings. Anyway I give him what I got from his previous owner and that is Sunseed (Sunthing Special Sunscription) Vita Prima Chinchilla Formula. these are some things it says on the back of the bag:
has... high protein, hight fiber, its alfalfa hay based, lots of vitamins and minerals, fatty acids to condition coat and skin, no corn,contains- Papya, banana, apple, raisin, oats, and carrot.
oh, and yes I am giving him 1 small peice of apple or 2 small raisins per day.
Hi Susan,
I definitely recommend a taller cage with multiple levels - they are more stimulating and allow the chinchillas to jump and stretch their legs to remain active and healthy. I have rims on the outter edges of the shelves that really help cut down on the droppings that fall out of the cage. Check out my article on cage recommendations here:
http://www.chinchillaplace.com/product-reviews/bid/6585/Cage
Thanks for your question!
Hi Carissa,
Although I am unable to find the nutritional information for that Sunseed food online with percentages of nutrients, it is not one of the high-quality pellets I am familiar with. It sounds like it has a lot of added components (like all of the fruit) that a chin should not have in large quantities. In fact, these are often used for treats, though I never give them to Tango. I recommend switching as soon as possible to Mazuri Chinchilla Pellets or Oxbow pellets and cutting out treats altogether. It sounds like Stormie could be preferentially loading up on treats and not getting the nutrition he needs. Chinchillas really do not need all that "extra" stuff and they can even be unhealthy. Please check out my article on recommended food pellets here: http://www.chinchillaplace.com/product-reviews/bid/8787/Chinchilla-Food-Pellets
Here is another article from Chin Care, a trusted source, that you might find helpful in your food research as well:
http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/Nutrition.htm#pellets
I think you'll find that switching to a high quality pellet will make all the difference for Stormie. Mazuri is highly palatable and nutritious and doesn't contain sugar. Often when mixed with the "prettier" food, chinchillas still hand pick out the Mazuri! (I sound like a sales rep, lol, but promise I am not!) I think that will really help get your little guy on the right track. Please keep us updated and let me know if you have any questions!
Does anyone know how we can get our chins NOT to pee in the corners of the wooden shelves (they have a 'condo' with multiple wooden shelves and mesh floor with under-tray with litter). We know one of the chins uses the mesh with litter to pee in, but the other two insist on peeing on the upper lever shelves. We've just changed out the old shelves for new ones, and we'd like to keep them dry and sanitary. Has anyone heard of any safe/non-toxic herbs or scents we can use to keep them away from the corner?
Thanks,
Hilary
A few days ago my chin started to eat a poop pelet and I gently took it from him because I didn't know if it was sanitary! Is this normal chin behavior!?I'm guessing he took it for a raisin.Oh, Amanda did you get my email?
thanks!
carissa
Hey Carissa!
As gross as it seems, it is a normal behavior. In fact, chinchillas sometimes produce special "pellets" called cecotropes which are intended for consumption because they allow the chin to recycle nutrients and digestive enzymes. These have a different look to them - they're smaller and softer and I'm not sure if I've ever actually seen one. I just catch Tango occasionally eating his regular poop. Eww :P It won't hurt them though.
I must not have gotten your email - sorry! When did you send it? Will you try sending again?
Hey Hilary,
I sure wish I had an answer for you, but controlling potty behaviors isn't something I have much experience with, unfortunately. I have a friend who's chin would pee in his food dish constantly. She finally put an extra dish on the bottom of his cage on the grating over the litter tray and so he had one clean one to eat from and one...uh... other one. :P Have you tried putting a piece of the same wood on the bottom tray to see they might start using that instead?
hey, amanda did u get the email now? and what is the best and safest way to clean a glass water botle?and do chins sneeze?
thanks!=)
Hey Carissa,
You might have the wrong address - I just sent you an email.
It depends on the water bottle you have. Most glass ones are dishwasher safe, so long as you remember to refill it and replace it right away so your chin doesn't become dehydrated. I suggest getting two bottles so you can swap them out for cleaning. Often I will just use dishsoap and hot water to rinse out the bottle and mouthpiece if it's not a convenient time to put in the dishwasher. Just be sure to rinse it thoroughly so there isn't any soap residue. That could cause your chin to reject the water. As always, check to see that the water level is going down after replacing the bottle in the cage. If you know what brand of water bottle it is, you might be able to find out online if it is dishwasher safe. Tango has the Lixit glass bottle and I know that one is.
Yes, chinchillas can indeed sneeze, though I don't think I've ever heard one personally. Often when it happens, it is while the chinchilla is bathing, due to the fine dust. However, if you notice it frequently during other activities or you see nasal discharge, this could be a sign of an infection and you should see your vet to have it checked out.
Hope that helps!
Amanda