1. My chins live in a whole-wire cage with each space 1 cm in length, even the bottom part too, I have put a large piece of cardboard to cover it, but they always eats it,so,is the cardboard necessary? Will they hurt their feet if I remove the cardboard?

2. Is it possible to "potty-train" my chin? He is about 4 months old.

3. What's the best type of cage?

4. Can my chinchilla live in an aquarium?

5. What should I use to line the cage bottom?

6. What about food and water?

7. I was wondering if u have to change the sand everytime they have a dustbath .

8. I want to put a tree limb in my chinchilla's cage, but did not know if there is any wood that could be harmful. I want to put in a dogwood limb if it's ok. What are good woods to use, since she obviously will chew on it?

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1. My chins live in a whole-wire cage with each space 1 cm in length, even the bottom part too, I have put a large piece of cardboard to cover it, but they always eats it,so,is the cardboard necessary? Will they hurt their feet if I remove the cardboard? top

Try replacing the cardboard with a piece of untreated pine wood. The wood will give them a place to rest their feet, a great place to chew on, and will last a lot longer. submitted by Natalie, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

2. Is it possible to "potty-train" my chin? He is about 4 months old. top

You can expect him to poop wherever he wants to but you should notice a certain corner of his cage where he prefers to urinate. You can try to place a litter pan there and he may use it. submitted by courtnie, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

3. What's the best type of cage? top

They are housed much the same as a ferret would be, in a wire cage. Shelves are a must since they love to jump and climb. There are two basic floor choices: wire bottom and floor pan. If you choose a wire bottom then the spaces in the wire must be no larger than 1/2"x 1/2". I prefer to have the cage sit right on top of a floor pan full of pine shavings. The shavings make a nice floor for the chinchillas. They love to dig around in it and it is warmer for the babies. submitted by admin, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

4. Can my chinchilla live in an aquarium? top

No. The glass walls do not alow for airflow. As your chinchilla becomes active the inside of the cage can become warmer and your chinchilla could overheat. Aquariums also do not allow for the much needed shelves for your chinchilla to play on. submitted by admin, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

5. What should I use to line the cage bottom? top

Kiln dried pine is one of the cheapest ways to go. I prefer buying it in paper bags instead of plastic to avoid the strong small. Cedar should never be used in a chinchilla cage. Recycled paper shavings such as CareFresh are also a good choice. It tends to stay in the cage better than pine, however, it costs almost 4 times as much. submitted by admin, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

6. What about food and water? top

Chinchillas require fresh water daily which is best given in a glass bottle attached to the side of the cage. Plastic bottles will most likely be chewed on and destroyed. They need chinchilla pellets and hay daily. Timothy or Alfalfa can be used and are available loose or in cubes from most pet stores. Food should only be changes slowly over a weeks time to avoid tummy upset. Be sure to get a bag of food with your new chinchilla to avoid a sudden food switch. The Chinchilla food should not contain fruits or nuts. These are treats and should only be fed in strict moderation. We recommend Tradition Chinchilla Feed or Mazuri wich can both be purchased on line by the pound at www.LoneStarChinchilla.com. submitted by admin, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

7. I was wondering if u have to change the sand everytime they have a dustbath . top

Only if a chinchilla urinates in it. Otherwise sift out any poop and the dust can be saved for the next use. Through it out when it begins to lok clumpy. submitted by ashlee, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010

8. I want to put a tree limb in my chinchilla's cage, but did not know if there is any wood that could be harmful. I want to put in a dogwood limb if it's ok. What are good woods to use, since she obviously will chew on it? top

I believe Dogwood is OK. Here is a link to site with a list of safe trees. http://www.chinchillaparkplace.ca/trees.html submitted by Gina, answered by admin, last updated Sep 05, 2010