Post by clover on Sept 19, 2003 18:54:54 GMT -5
This is my recent depressing experience with neglected chinchillas.
A breeder friend contacted me and asked me to adopt 3 chinchillas from him. I said no at first cos I'm very busy, have no space and my bf might throw a fit. But he was very insistent. He said he just wants me to see them. I was reluctant, but he said they were neglected and abused by their previous owner, and he was helping to look for a new, permanent home for them, where they'll be safe and become normal chins again.
So I went to take a look. When I first saw them, I was shocked. I've never seen chinchillas so skinny before. They lacked the round shape totally, and looked like rats. Their fur was chewed up and matted. My next reaction was fury. I was ready to start firing questions when my breeder friend started explaining to me. I think he noticed the look on my face.
These 3 chinchillas are afro violets. A family of mama, papa and son. Their previous owner worked long hours, and neglected them. He bought the parents at first cos he liked chins. Then after they gave birth, he became busy with work and left them alone. He didn't feed them regularly, sometimes not at all. They had no toys and had a depressing and boring lifestyle. They chewed up their own fur from boredom, and learned to distrust humans. I tried to pat them and pick them up, I got bitten.
I was so angry and upset. My friend said that he knew that when I saw them, I wld understand what he was trying to tell me over the phone. I knew what he meant now. I told him at first that maybe I can help find homes for them cos I dun think I have the space. But he refused. It's either I take them, or he'll keep them himself. He won't offer to anyone else, cos these 3 need vast amts of care, and he doesn't trust anyone else will really care for them. So I took them home with me.
I adopted them with a fee. It may seem like a sale to you all, but I'd like to just say, that I paid $150 for these 3 afro violets. 3 undernourished, fearful of humans, miserable chinchillas. That's $50 for 1 chin. I brought them home and they are now safely enscounced in a cage I bought from petchin.
I like the cage alot.
Anyway, now, they get dinner right on time, at 8pm every night. And I'm slowly increasing their food intake. These 3 eat alot. Plus, petchin has given me fantastic advice on fattening these 3 up. And I called Little Pets Wonder and finally got to speak to Juliana. She also gave me great advice. Hopefully, within a few months time to a year, this 3 will grow bigger and become normal chins. They are active and alert, but very timid. They still bite, but they wld rather escape than face a confrontation.
At first, when I told my bf, he was quiet. I knew he was mentally calculating all the money and work that 3 extra chins wld mean. I brought him into the room and showed him after he got home from work. My bf didn't disappoint me. He immediately got upset at their condition and opened the cage door to pat them. He was appalled that chinchillas cld become like that. I knew from his glances to and fro the chins, that he was comparing the big difference between our healthy beloved chins, and these new 3.
This experience has me really riled up abt irresponsible pet ownership. The friend who rehomed them to me, said that he was afraid to put an ad up for their adoption, precisely cos pp wld take them just to breed them or exploit them. It was very upsetting to me. He had me promise to keep them with me always and to take very good care of them. I'm just glad that I have friends like petchin, who very willingly offers me good advice. There are other chin owners who give me their support and suggestions on how to make life better for them. So at least for these 3, life is getting a little better.
I named the mother chin Caley, papa is Egan, and the son is called Haruki. I named them with my bf's help. Maybe the names sound fancy, but I wanted them to have grand names, to reflect that they have a bright future ahead of them
A breeder friend contacted me and asked me to adopt 3 chinchillas from him. I said no at first cos I'm very busy, have no space and my bf might throw a fit. But he was very insistent. He said he just wants me to see them. I was reluctant, but he said they were neglected and abused by their previous owner, and he was helping to look for a new, permanent home for them, where they'll be safe and become normal chins again.
So I went to take a look. When I first saw them, I was shocked. I've never seen chinchillas so skinny before. They lacked the round shape totally, and looked like rats. Their fur was chewed up and matted. My next reaction was fury. I was ready to start firing questions when my breeder friend started explaining to me. I think he noticed the look on my face.
These 3 chinchillas are afro violets. A family of mama, papa and son. Their previous owner worked long hours, and neglected them. He bought the parents at first cos he liked chins. Then after they gave birth, he became busy with work and left them alone. He didn't feed them regularly, sometimes not at all. They had no toys and had a depressing and boring lifestyle. They chewed up their own fur from boredom, and learned to distrust humans. I tried to pat them and pick them up, I got bitten.
I was so angry and upset. My friend said that he knew that when I saw them, I wld understand what he was trying to tell me over the phone. I knew what he meant now. I told him at first that maybe I can help find homes for them cos I dun think I have the space. But he refused. It's either I take them, or he'll keep them himself. He won't offer to anyone else, cos these 3 need vast amts of care, and he doesn't trust anyone else will really care for them. So I took them home with me.
I adopted them with a fee. It may seem like a sale to you all, but I'd like to just say, that I paid $150 for these 3 afro violets. 3 undernourished, fearful of humans, miserable chinchillas. That's $50 for 1 chin. I brought them home and they are now safely enscounced in a cage I bought from petchin.
I like the cage alot.Anyway, now, they get dinner right on time, at 8pm every night. And I'm slowly increasing their food intake. These 3 eat alot. Plus, petchin has given me fantastic advice on fattening these 3 up. And I called Little Pets Wonder and finally got to speak to Juliana. She also gave me great advice. Hopefully, within a few months time to a year, this 3 will grow bigger and become normal chins. They are active and alert, but very timid. They still bite, but they wld rather escape than face a confrontation.
At first, when I told my bf, he was quiet. I knew he was mentally calculating all the money and work that 3 extra chins wld mean. I brought him into the room and showed him after he got home from work. My bf didn't disappoint me. He immediately got upset at their condition and opened the cage door to pat them. He was appalled that chinchillas cld become like that. I knew from his glances to and fro the chins, that he was comparing the big difference between our healthy beloved chins, and these new 3.
This experience has me really riled up abt irresponsible pet ownership. The friend who rehomed them to me, said that he was afraid to put an ad up for their adoption, precisely cos pp wld take them just to breed them or exploit them. It was very upsetting to me. He had me promise to keep them with me always and to take very good care of them. I'm just glad that I have friends like petchin, who very willingly offers me good advice. There are other chin owners who give me their support and suggestions on how to make life better for them. So at least for these 3, life is getting a little better.
I named the mother chin Caley, papa is Egan, and the son is called Haruki. I named them with my bf's help. Maybe the names sound fancy, but I wanted them to have grand names, to reflect that they have a bright future ahead of them
...
Hope to see their pics soon man...