How to potty train a chinchilla in one place

One of the difficulties that novice rodent owners sometimes face is finding the answer to the question of how to toilet train a chinchilla in one place. Given the size of the pet, large cages are bought for him, and if he relieves himself anywhere, then the problem of unpleasant odor becomes acute.

Toilet organization rules

You must first determine what should be the toilet for the chinchilla. Experts recommend 3 options:

• purchase of a specialized tray in a pet store. The main disadvantage of such a toilet is its manufacture from plastic, which the animal quickly gnaws;
• use of forms for baking, trays, baking sheets. It is recommended to choose dishes made of metal or ceramics and with sides of about 5 cm;
• isolation of the corner of the cell. Less convenient than the previous option, because the rodent can pull the filler throughout the space.

Basic rules for arrangement:

• the tray or tray must be placed only at the bottom of the cage;
• the best filler option is sawdust or special granules.

Experienced owners strongly do not recommend choosing sand or hay as a toilet filler.

How to potty train a chinchilla

Potty training a chinchilla may vary depending on the current situation:

• the animal has just been bought and settled in a new cage. In this case, specialized actions are not required, it is enough to put a tray with granules and observe the actions of the pet;
• relocation of a rodent to a new home. It is necessary to place the pallet in approximately the same way as it was in the old cage, and continue to use the previous filler;
• the chinchilla completely ignores the offered tray and uses the rest of the cage as a toilet. In this case, you need to understand the reasons for this behavior.

The last case described is the most common question asked by novice owners. Before you start using the various training methods, it is important to understand that the toilet is used only for the process of urination. The act of defecation by chinchillas is not controlled, but the feces of rodents almost do not smell, and quickly harden, which facilitates the cleaning process.

The main reasons why the chinchilla ignores the proposed tray

Protest

Something does not suit the rodent in his life or the arrangement of living space.

Shooting a jet

Such a reaction is usually directed at males, but sometimes the cage also gets it. In this case, the drops freeze on the walls and shelves.

Misunderstanding

The animal does not consider the allocated space and tray as a toilet.

Tray instability

Chinchillas are uncomfortable urinating in a wobbly fixture.

The wrong place

A rodent may have its own idea of ​​where a place for privacy should be located.

To teach a chinchilla to the toilet, you must be guided by the following recommendations:

• determine as a place for the toilet a corner that the chinchilla herself chose to empty her bladder;
• remove the drinker and feeder to the other end of the cage;
• when correcting the need on the floor, collect waste and transfer it to the toilet for soaking in the smell;
• praise and reward your pet with treats after successful attempts;
• change the filler every week, leaving a little dirty to preserve stable aromas – after the end of accustoming, you can replace the granules and sawdust completely.

If a puddle occurs on the floor or shelf, wash thoroughly so as to completely eliminate the “aroma” of urine and treat the place of embarrassment with a lemon slice or a specialized agent.

In situations where it is not possible to wean a chinchilla from shitting all over the cage, then the following means should be tried:

• change the location of the toilet;
• purchase a filler of another brand;
• change sawdust to pellets or vice versa.

DIY pet tray

Given that the optimal solution is trays made of metal and plastic, you can do little on your own: drill specialized holes to securely attach the toilet to the cage wall.

If wood is considered an acceptable material or required to maintain the integrity of the cage design concept, then you can put together a chinchilla tray yourself. For this you need:

1. Connect 3 or 4 pieces of plywood with screws or self-tapping screws to give a triangular or quadrangular shape.
2. Attach the base.
3. Glue the film to the bottom.
4. Pour in the filler.

Chinchillas are extremely shy creatures and have different personalities. For full-fledged interaction, the animal must be tamed, accustomed to itself. After that, you can begin to solve the “delicate” problem. Experts confirm that there are extremely capricious animals, but they can also be persuaded – just be patient and continue regular attempts.

Video: chinchilla cage cleaning