Funny how things work out!

[farthing]

Yes, I know but so often we see people who take on animals without considering the consequences.
In this case they had Tyler for 5 years, so I guess at that time they hadn't considered moving abroad. What would happen to them if we hadn't taken them, that is why we took them! They are in 2ft long by 18inches deep by 3ft high, we have ordered them 6ft by 2ft by 3ft cages, cost a fortune but hopefully they will enjoy the rest of their life. I have to say, taking in smaller animals has made me realise what a bad deal they get- tiny cages and no vet treatment when needed, but as far as I know they feel stress and pain just like other mammals!
Chinchillas live for 10-20 years, and are often kept in tiny cages for the whole of their lives. I was amazed at how active, agile and intelligent they are.... you may say I'm a convert!

[dandysmom]

That was new info to me about the horrible conditions some small mammals are kept in, like the chinchillas ,,,, terribly sad and inhumane. Bless you and OH, farthing for what you do for these little ones.

[angieh]

One thing is for sure, no chinchillas will ever have such a caring home.

More blessings from me!

[lynz85]

good that you could take the wee things in! it is awfully sad eileen, the conditions could be better if people would research before buying animals and the pet shops selling them were better educated!! they are kept in too small living conditions in the pet shops and when people buy them, take a cheaper smaller cage. i cant go into one pet shop here because i get angry for the wee things, even the signs they have up have wrong information on them!!

[Elaine]

Sadly pet shops are there to make a profit. I remember when I was in the pet shop only too well, and people get really really stroppy with you when you try to get them to buy adequate cages for housing the animals. I remember a couple came in with a small ornamental, painted, wooden cage and wanted some finches to go in it. I refused to sell them the finches to be put into the tiny toxic cage, explaining that the paint was probably toxic to the birds, the cage was not big enough to house them and not practicle for cleaning purposes, the birds would have hurt themselves on the small sharp end of the nails poking through the wood etc etc.
They in turn called me everything under the sun and put a complaint in against me.
I am so so pleased to get out of that place, it's gone bust now thank god.

[lynz85]

sounds like the pet shops could all do with an elaine!!! the manager of that one got all stroppy with me when i questioned the size of the TANK the rats are kept in(rats should never be in a tank!!) she also refused to tell me where they came from, hmmm breeding farm perhaps! i always feel awfully sorry for the ones in the 'adoption' bit, so i just dont go in there anymore.

[farthing]

I am even more horrified at the cages that are sold for birds Elaine. Of course big cages cost a lot, but comparatively speaking, they are not bad value. I hope Elaine agrees that we try to buy as big as we can and since her visit we bought Murray Mouse a 3 ft cage for £100. If an animal is to stay here we intend to make it as good as possible, and hope that when we have our open day it will make people see the options there are out there on line.
Its really bad that there seems to be no legislation to protect these animals, still when you think about it even dogs and horses can be caged/ stabled for hours and it is seen as perfectly respectable. Only yesterday our volunteer was saying his friend had reported somebody for keeping a dog in a cage ( too small for it to turn round in) for the whole time it was inside, and that was most of the day.

[dandysmom]

Elaine, I didn't realize your former place of employment, that toxic pet store, was out of business! I must have missed a post (or God forbid, a senior moment! ).What wonderful news, couldn't have happened to a more deserving group, could it?

[Kazz]

I am not keen on the caged bird idea but bigger is better cage wise, same as small animals why keep a hamster in a space that is only just enough to take 10 steps.

Its is cruel I think, as budgies fly for miles in the wild yet can just about hop in a cage.

Glad you have taken them on, but why can I ak do people choose chinchillas as pets in the first place.

There are a couple of articles that say people are "obsessed" with merecats now and the craze for minature pygmy pigs I never understood either.

[angieh]

Kazz - your comment had me Googling yesterday about the domestication of chinchillas. There weren't many articles but it seems that the poor animals were bred for the fur trade as early as 1910 and one article said that chinchillas had "lost their fear of people" and were truly domesticated and made good pets. I suppose the only good thing about it is that chinchilla fur isn't common in coats any more ............... although maybe in the Andes?