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Cages

There are a lot of different suitable cages available. Some are made just for chins, others are made for other animals. Do lots of searching and comparing to find cages you like. One of my favorite cages for my pets is the Quality Cage, it is sturdy with lots of room and easy to clean and move. Other popular brands are:

Ferret Nation   ~   Marshalls

When looking at cages be sure to take into consideration things like ease of cleaning, and accessibility. There are many people who have purchased cages only to get them put up and realize they have no way to get a chin safe wheel in it! For pet cages wire spacing should be no more than 1". For baby safe cages you will want a one level cage with smaller spacing, such as 1/2" x 1". Plastic coated cages are not reccomended as your chin may chew the coating off. Similarly plastic bases or ledges can be chewed on causing digestive issues. Be sure that if the cage has a wire bottom or shelving that the chin has a solid surface easily accessible to rest it's feet.

Bedding

Cedar bedding is NOT safe for chins! It contains high oils and fumes that are hard on the chins respiratory system. Kiln dried pine and dried aspen for two of the most popular safe beddings, they can usually be found easily and economically.  Some people use Carefresh which is often acceptable. No matter what bedding you use be sure your chin doesn't eat it as it may cause blockages.

Dusting/Bathing

Chins are like "gremlins" in the fact you just never get them wet! All they need is a nice clean dust bath and they bath themselves. This can be one of the best parts of owning a chin, it's like a drug to them! It's the same as cats and catnip. You can place the dust in a clean  9 x 9 baking pan, bath house, or other chinchilla duster to use it. Remember that if you use a pan or other house with large openings the chinchilla won't be the only thing getting dusted!  If you want to help keep the dust down and your chin happy use a cookie or cracker jar to dust and for hiding! They are clear so you can see them through it, you can usually find them through your local Wal -Mart or discount store in the tupperware section.

Blue Cloud and Blue Sparkle are two of the best dusts to get, although most any dust will "work". When looking for dust it's best to find one that is  fine with some larger grains , but not too fine, and not too grainy. When a chin dusts the dust gets down into it's fur and then gets shaken out again, taking with dirt and oils the chin has picked up in it's coat. I personally can tell the difference when I dust with Blue Cloud or a different brand. I recommend dusting twice a week. Some chins need dusted more often, some less often depending one what they are used for, how often they're handled, the humidity and weather, etc..

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