Chinchilla cages
I've seen so much discussion about cages... Which one is right? Why not this one? Why can't I have this one it's prettier?
Well let's bring this topic to light. I've owned chinchillas for years and yes I have had some babies pop up. I was looking into breeding and met a wonderful breeder who was very willing to help me but after the countless hours of research and asking her several questions I decided it was best if I only kept pets.
First off let's start with there is no wrong cage or right cage. However, there is right and wrong on your situation (breeding, babies or just pets) and if you choose not to listen or learn you can hurt your animal which in my eyes is cruel.
Yes we all start somewhere but it's our choice to listen and learn the proper care.
Top things to know:
* NO PLASTIC! Plastic can cause blockage if chewed on. Yes I've seen people say "Well my chin has had plastic in it's cage for years with no problem"... That's great for you but not every chin is like that. Chins chew, it's in their nature and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I tell anyone who comes to me for advice, no plastic. If you absolutely have to have plastic in their cage, cover it with fleece.
* Chinchillas love to jump. It's best to have a cage higher than longer. No they don't need ramps to climb down. As long as they have ledges to jump from that aren't far apart, they are fine.
* Metal is your friend. Pans needs to be metal or they will chew them and your chinchilla can escape. If you absolutely can't buy a metal pan and have to use a plastic one, wrap it with fleece so the chin can't chew on it.
The most popular pet cage... The ferret nation and critter nation
Ferret nation: According to several it's the best pet cage you can own. The ferret nation is big and nice. The wire is great for when they jump around. You should replace the plastic shelving with wooden ledges. And the plastic pans for metal which is offered by Bassequipment.com. The ramps should also be taken out or covered as seen in the picture. I've owned several FN cages and they were great if you only have a few chins and the room for them.
Critter nation: Looks similar to the ferret nation but there are 2 major differences. 1) The bar spacing is smaller and 2) the wire is thinner which is easier to break the welds on. Again, the CN is a great and nice cage and the metal pans can be ordered from Bassequipment.com. I've only owned one CN since getting into chins. It was nice but again I had the same problem as the FN not enough room to have it.
Onto pet store cages, I get this question alot.
Cages bought from a pet store are fine as long as you take the PLASTIC OUT! You can turn any metal cage into a chinchilla cage as long as it doesn't have any plastic in it including the pan.
Prevue hendryx rat & chinchilla cage: This is an all metal cage (except for the pan). It does have a wire floor instead of solid floor, which can be removed. I've owned 2 like this, they are good cages.
Prevue fiesty ferret cage: This is a good cage as well. The only downfall is the middle grate. Most people cover it with fleece or remove it. And only one side of the doors open. It looks similar to the FN and the CN but it is much smaller in size and the 2 downfalls mentioned above. The one I owned, the bars weren't as heavy as I hoped and the welds broke in 6months of owning it.
Kaytee complete chinchilla cage: Not a bad cage, but okay for only one chinchilla. Again the plastic would need to be taken out and a metal pan added but with wooden shelves it is fine.
Homemade wooden cages: I've personally had a few of them built. Bad idea... Don't get me wrong the cage was very nice to start with. But after a few months, I couldn't get the urine smell out of the wood. Yuck! It was nasty and I will never do it again. The smell wasn't the only problem, bacteria was another.
Honestly in my opinion it's best to buy an all metal cage which some chinchilla vendors offer. It is cheaper and better overall. But not everyone has that option. It doesn't matter which cage you buy as long as it has no plastic, a metal pan (preferred or a wrapped plastic one), wooden ledges and of course the esstensials (Water bottle and food bowl) it is fine for them. Many pet owners will tell you, you have to have the FN or CN to make them happy which I have found out over the years that's not true.
Below is an example of an all wire cage provided by Tiffany's chinchillas.
I'd also like to add a post on breeding cages. Tiffany Whitlow was nice enough to allow me to use her picture for this specific post. Click the link to go to the post or go to my blog and look up chinchilla breeding cages
