We've gathered various poll results from around the web (mostly from the Chins & Quills forum) and consolidated them here. These are the ones we found interesting and hope you do too.
Our vote for each question appears bolded.
1. Do your chinchillas have a hammock?
Yes and they hate it: 7%
Yes and they love it: 66%
I don't have one: 27%
Total votes: 62
2. What is your chinchilla's favorite treat?
Fresh Apple: 2.25%
Plain Cheerios (1 or 2): 3.44%
Dried Cranberries: 8.74%
Plain Shredded Wheat (1 tiny square): 5.17%
Raisins: 52.32%
Organic Cranberry Juice: 0%
Prunes: 0.66%
Fresh Grapes: 0.93%
Bran Flakes Cereal: 0.79%
Dried Apples: 2.78%
Frozen Grapes: 0.13%
Banana: 3.05%
Uncooked Elbow Noodle: 0.66%
Wheat Germ: 0.40%
Peanut (unsalted in the shell): 1.06%
Other: 17.62%
Total votes: 755
3. What type of pellet food do you use?
Briskys: 0.33%
Alice Kline: 6.06%
Kaytee: 8.49%
L & M: 2.76%
Mazuri: 57.33%
Other: 25.03%
Total votes: 907
4. What type of water do you use?
Always tap water: 38.31%
Only bottled water: 23.38%
A Britta filter (or similar): 34.42%
Both tap & bottled water: 3.90%
Total votes: 154
5. How long did your chin take to start using its wheel?
Less than a week: 78.38%
2 - 3 weeks: 12.16%
3 - 4 weeks: 2.70%
More than a month: 6.76%
Total votes: 74
6. What is the worst aspect of owning a chinchilla?
The mess they make: 15.13%
When they have health problems: 14.42%
Cleaning the cage: 9.69%
The noise they make especially at night: 1.18%
The expense of taking care of them: 2.36%
Behavioral problems e.g. biting, spraying: 3.31%
Their daily care needs and time commitment: 1.18%
They chew on everything: 11.35%
You can't leave them alone for days: 2.84%
Having them die on you: 18.68%
Birthing problems (for breeders): 0.71%
Always worrying about them: 6.38%
They don't like being touched and/or held: 8.98%
Other: 3.78%
Total votes: 423
7. What kind of bedding do you use?
Carefresh: 25.83%
Aspen: 21.19%
Pine: 41.72%
Cell-Sorb: 1.32%
Other: 9.93%
Total votes: 151
Entries (RSS)
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:11 am
oh yeah, Hay = good; chins will pretty much eat that stuff all day, you can feed them alfa too,
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:09 am
Alex, dont use mineral chew toys they contain salt, will kill the chinchilla pretty fast. Chinchilla's dont have a gal-bladder cant process salt, salts causes seizures and fits in chinchillas,
diarrhea can be caused by a number of things, I've had chins that had it for no obvious reason, and from eating to many raisins in one day (chuckle that one is greedy though),
for chew toys I tend to use, untreated wood, eg coffee stiring sticks, and specialized chin chew stones,
oh, chins love dried apricot, dried apple, and fresh apple in very limited doses (summer time for us), and ice in there too (little bits, and summer only).
August 8th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Teri,
We're not sure what supplies are available in Canada, but poll #3 above seems to indicate that not many people like L&M.
We'd recommend distilled water rather than a Brita.
August 8th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Hi,
My bf and I got a new 3 mos old chin yesterday. First off I want to know if this feed is any good. I have LM Animal Farms Vita-Vittles. Is this a good brand of food?
I have yet to purchase hay. Any kinds that are better than others?
I'm in Canada if it helps on suggestions.
Also, is Brita water okie for their sensitive stomachs?
Thanks for the Help
-Teri
June 18th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Hey!
Thanks for all the advice. I ordered Mazuri pellets and a grain supplement, which should be coming in shortly. I took all of the other things out of the food besides the pellets and Dusty has not had diarrhea all day! She is eating quite a bit of hay, which I think is helping. I just really hope that she stays healthy and the extra hay prevents diarrhea.
Thanks for all your help!
-Alex