# Decisions



## RatBaby (Aug 30, 2013)

As a few of you know, I bought a double critter nation last week along with a chinchilla. I had intended to sell the chinchilla, who I have named Ringo, to a pet store. I couldn't bring myself to a week ago because he was just so cute when I picked him up. I really didn't know a lot about chinchillas before I brought Ringo home but I have done a little research this week and have found that Ringo might not be the best pet for me. In the past week Ringo has jumped out of his cage several times and I had to chase him around my room for an hour or so each time to catch him. I couldn't just let him run around my room because my room is by no means rat or chinchilla safe. I usually let my rats just roam on my bed with special blankets. Anyway, Ringo has bit me hard enough to draw blood on several occasions. I've read that chinchillas aren't like rats or any other small animal. They don't bond with their owners very well and they just don't need the attention that rats do. Ringo's biting and fleeing have left me feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. I'm not sure what to do with him. I am his third home in his three years of life. I've been trying to stick it out and just love the little devil but a part of me wants to find him a new home. He currently lives in the bottom half of my critter nation while my two rats live in the top. I bought the critter nation intending to purchase a couple more rats and open up the entire cage to them. With Ringo here I really don't want to put more rats in the top half of my CN. I want the two boys I have now to have all of the space to themselves. Anyway, I'm overwhelmed. I know chinchillas can live 10-20 years and I don't know if I can see myself dealing with bratty Ringo for that long. I'm not really enjoying him that much and I feel like he should be with someone who enjoys him. However, I would feel bad sending him off to another home already because he just got here. I need some advice and words of encouragement. Benny, Theodore, Ringo, and I all thank you very much.


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## RatBaby (Aug 30, 2013)

Also, I'd be hard for me to find Ringo a new home because I know I can give him a good, safe home myself. I wouldn't want him to go to someone who would neglect him.


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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

I can't blame you. If he lived as short as rats do, sticking it out would be a different story but that is a lot of commitment for an animal you didn't really want. Have you posted any ads on places like craigslist? People seem to love chinchillas so it shouldn't be impossible to find him a good home; hopefully with someone who knows what to expect.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Wait, they can live that long!?
Well, now I know my boyfriend's mom 's chinchilla died from neglect and not old age for sure. He was no where near even ten years and she claimed it was old age.

But yeah that is a long time to care for an animal you aren't bonded to.

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## RedFraggle (Jun 4, 2012)

Poor Ringo. He's just being a chinchilla. They are a highly social animal like rats so he isn't going to be happy on his own, he needs company of his own kind. They are also very athletic. It's not his fault he's not like a rat and it's wrong to expect him to be cuddly and friendly. Are there any Chincilla societies that might be able to help you find him a new home in a group?
He's a living being, not a commodity and getting him with a cage with the intention of selling him on and keeping the cage devalues his existence in my opinion and I find it very upsetting.


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

I don't see what's wrong with being honest about it. The OP gave the chinchilla a shot, but is ultimately not willing to commit to it's care for the next 10+ years. I just made a similar decision with fire belly toads - I no longer have the time to make live food runs for them (very out of my way and I had bad expierences with mail order ones), so I gave them away to someone who wanted them. It isn't as though the OP was going to put the poor thing to sleep!


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## RedFraggle (Jun 4, 2012)

You didn't buy the toads to get the tank though right? 
I have no issue with deciding a pet is wrong for you, but buying an animal to get it's housing with the intention of selling the animal on is plain wrong which is what the OP stated they did.


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## rayne (Sep 5, 2013)

Getting awfully tired of seeing people get berated for just about everything here. May have to move on from this forum. 

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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

rayne said:


> Getting awfully tired of seeing people get berated for just about everything here. May have to move on from this forum.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Welcome to pet forums. Move on to another, and you'll see the same thing.


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## Crezzard (Jul 20, 2013)

Advertise him as free to an experienced chinchilla owner. Go and check them
Out before you let them
Have him to make sure they have a decent cage and friend for him x


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## rayne (Sep 5, 2013)

Daniel said:


> Welcome to pet forums. Move on to another, and you'll see the same thing.


No, not actually true, though your input is appreciated. 

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## Crezzard (Jul 20, 2013)

rayne said:


> No, not actually true, though your input is appreciated.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


The point Daniel made about her buying the cage and chinchilla off of Craig's list is actually a pretty good point. To get it just because you wanted the cage for the rats knowing that the chinchilla would have to find a new home is very cruel. It's stealing its home... That's where it's lived its life. I'm sure the owner who sold the chinchilla wanted it to go with the cage for a reason. 
I hope the chinchilla finds a nice new home with someone who wants to put the time and care in so that it lives a long happy life. There's nothing worse than a pet being passed around from home to home. 


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## RedFraggle (Jun 4, 2012)

It was me that criticised, not Daniel, and I stand by my comment.


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## Crezzard (Jul 20, 2013)

RedFraggle said:


> It was me that criticised, not Daniel, and I stand by my comment.


Sorry xx 


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## September (Jul 30, 2013)

I agree with RedFraggle and Crezzard, it was irresponsible and downright wrong to get an animal just to get the cage and then fault the animal for being exactly what it is and not what you want it to be.


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## HeatherElle (Aug 16, 2012)

September said:


> I agree with RedFraggle and Crezzard, it was irresponsible and downright wrong to get an animal just to get the cage and then fault the animal for being exactly what it is and not what you want it to be.


Agreed, I think you made a big mistake here but what's done is done. Is there a humane society nearby that you can surrender the chinchilla to?


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

rayne said:


> Getting awfully tired of seeing people get berated for just about everything here. May have to move on from this forum.
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I fail to see exactly what is so bad in this thread that it would incline you to leave this forum. Maybe other threads you've seen, but no berating is being done in this thread. People are acknowledging that OP made a very irresponsible decision and bought a pet without knowing anything about it or what they were taking on just to get its cage and then sell the animal again. If it bites chances of it getting adopted again or getting adopted and then being sold once more slim and raise, respectively. Now they're in a very sticky situation with an animal that is not suitable for them, aloof, an escape artist and lives 10+ years. There's no justification to be done here. There's no excuse for buying pets BEFORE you do research. It's the truth that this was a mistake. You can't sugar coat everything when people mess up. You can wait for another deal to come up and not take in an animal you know nothing about instead.

But maybe people are being a little harsh. It has been acknowledged that it was a bad idea and I think the point that really needs to be raised is that every single person can learn from their mistakes. If OP feels very guilty right now they can learn from this guilt and it can help to prevent it again from the future and they can now take the best possible steps to rehoming the chinchilla to a much more suitable home and learn from what has happened here. Post ads up and ask for experienced owners. Even if it takes a while to find a good home he should be going to someone who knows how to handle him properly. We are all human beings and we all mess up and I can bet every single person on this thread, including myself has done something stupid on impulse. Now fix it.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

I hadn't even thought about it but I do agree. I've seen several critter nations for sale before that were only to be sold with the animal that I passed up because I didn't have means to care for said animal. I've even passes up animals free with their cage because again I didn't have means to care for said animal. 
It's very stressful for the animal but to condemn them for their mistake and to be so harsh seems well too much. 
I understand that it is cruel and unfair to the chinchilla but not every person on the forum needs to come by and make the OP feel like scum because of their mistake.

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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

I've only noticed someone being criticized on this forum a handful of times, and each time it was justified. It's hardly berating to tell someone they made a mistake and to think about the animal they used next time. I'm just glad this person decided to give the animal a chance first, and they seem to care about what happens to him now.


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## Crezzard (Jul 20, 2013)

Siringo said:


> I've only noticed someone being criticized on this forum a handful of times, and each time it was justified. It's hardly berating to tell someone they made a mistake and to think about the animal they used next time. I'm just glad this person decided to give the animal a chance first.


I don't mean to offend but I don't see how she's given it a chance... :-( 


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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

Crezzard said:


> I don't mean to offend but I don't see how she's given it a chance... :-(
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


OP intended to give the chinchilla to the pet store right after buying the cage, but decided to keep him and try to care for him, but has since learned that he/she can't do it. I don't think it was right what he/she did anyway, but they did try and now they seem to care what happens to the animal.


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## mistymornings18 (Aug 13, 2012)

I've seen what rayne is talking about as well. Not involving me but in threads I've read. For instance a few days ago someone made a thread and a poster commented with something and another poster quoted her with really rude comments.
Also seen it in the cage section and it wasn't just me who thought that the rude poster was going way overboard. The majority of commenters also said it. 
I can think of at least two more incidents in the last few months were the berating was not justified and more of an I don't agree and I'm always right attitude then a true issue that deserve red it. Though honestly I don't feel that anyone has any right to berate another person on here as we're all supposed to be mature forum users not children who come here to be fussed at or on the other foot know it all rude people who can't be polite to save their lives. 

Bit anyway, onto the topic at hand. Op, I think you'd be better off trying to rehome him... As pet owners we can do all the research we won't but until we get the pet won't filly know if it's right or not for us. I commend you for trying to make it work for Ringo, and there is a chinchilla forum that you can approach I'm sure. Good luck. 


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## RatBaby (Aug 30, 2013)

You guys. I mean this in the mostloving way possible. Get a life. You guys need to stop digging sodeep into this whole thing. Yes, I bought Ringo with the intention ofselling him because I wanted his cage. Some of you may think I'mcruel for doing so but honestly I don't feel bad. Don't get me wrong.I felt bad about intending to separate Ringo from his home and that'swhy I DIDN'T. I never said in my original post that I was still goingto find Ringo another home. I am undecided. I AM giving Ringo achance because like many of you I feel that he deserves to have onestable home. Some of you have said that I'm a cruel person. I'd justlike to defend myself and say that I am not a cruel person and Idon't really see how I could be seen as one. I bought Ringo and hiscage because my two rats, who I adore, were living in a hamster sizedcage. I have seen other members of this forum ridiculed for keepingtheir rats in the same size of cage. I also want to say that I didnot want to spend over two hundred dollars on a cage. I found acritter nation for a decent price so I bought it. I don't feel badfor doing so. Also, I should add that I'm living with my parentsthrough college and at first they did not want me to keep Ringo. Oh,I shouldn't have bought him in the first place? Well, I did. BuyingRingo and his cage was going to benefit my rats so I did it. My ratslove their new cage so I'm happy. As for Ringo, again, I amundecided. I love animals as much as all of you do. I'd like to addthat when I picked up Ringo his cage was a disaster and reeked offeces. There was dust from his dust bath everywhere and I had topower was the entire thing. I believe that Ringo's previous caretakerwas neglecting him because of these factors. Ringo is being welltaken care of and I am currently working to train him to not bite orjump from his cage. I realize that it may be a long haul but, likeyou, I believe that everyone deserves to be loved and since I amRingo's third home I am trying hard to make it his last. He is wellfed and gets plenty of attention as there are five people who live inmy house. I don't really know what else to say other than slowly I amtrying to form a bond with Ringo. You guys may decide to continue tocriticize my decision but it's really not going to do any good. Iwrote my original post for advice about chins and kind thoughts. Atthe end of the day, I'm trying. I'm human and you may think I made amistake but I really don't feel like I did.


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