The World of Chin Toys - The Poisons and Death Traps

PLAY TIME! I love picking out toys for my pets. Sadly, my pets are never as excited about the toys as I am (except when it comes to Sparta and his cat nip), but I feel like I'm buying presents for myself. Own up! You love that you get to play with them, too, while spending time with your animals. The other day I came home with a flyer toy for Sparta and Sansa, which has interchangeable ends like the feathers, the streamers and the fuzzy tail. I hope I explained that toy right. I feel like I've only created a vague image. However, it is a fascinating toy as Sansa will do back flips in the air trying to catch the feathers or fuzzy tail. It also helps distract her from Nimbus's cage at night.

For chinchillas, toys have specific regulations for safety reasons. Chinchillas have such sensitive digestive systems that many toys found in Petsmart or other pet stores which have chinchilla images on them are actually very dangerous for them. Chew blocks with dyes and specific treats will more likely hurt them than create fun play time. I'm going to take a random, unnamed super pet store and go through some of their products. This means I cannot post links, but I will post links to safe, entertaining toys from chinchilla specific stores in a future post.

Not to Buy:

No, no, no! Photo from wag.com

1. Run-around balls - According to Forever Feisty Chinchilla Rescue, these are death traps. Not only are they made of plastic, which if eaten by a chinchilla is a health hazard, but they are suffocating. "I call it the 'Torture Ball', but many in the chinchilla community call it the 'Death Ball'. Get the picture? These balls do not allow air flow (despite the slits), and your chin can easily overheat. They are very unsafe for your chin. Your chin also poops and pees in them, which means that is getting tossed around as he is moving around. The chin also has no control when in one of these and can bang into furniture or fall down stairs. For those of you who have one of these and think your chin likes it, well -- he doesn't, he is trying to escape from it. Throw it away and find a better and safer way for your chin to get exercise." I didn't mean to quote this whole paragraph, but it's beautifully written and 100% true. 
2. All Living Things Rainbow Chews - This goes back to the fact that dyes are dangerous. They are advertised as "non-toxic," but they also boast fruit flavors. Where do the fruit flavors come from? Also, chinchillas don't eat fruit (although some suggest that a seedless apple piece on a rare basis is a cute treat idea). 
3. Super Pet Silent Spinner - I tried to use one of these with my hamster, and she absolutely despised it. With one side of the product blocked off with a wall, the side can rub on the side of the animal. Feisty Chinchilla points out that some buyers reviewed the product poorly due to "the wheels coming off the bearing. These are very poor quality overall and a safety risk to your chin and a waste of your money. Other unsafe running wheels are: Comfort Wheel by Super Pet and Run-A Rounds Exercise Wheel, which should never be given to your chin." 
4. Specific types of wood - Natural chews are, of course, made from different types of wood. Those types which can hurt a chin include "almond, apricot, beech, black locust, black lotus, blackwood, box elder, buckthorn, cashew, cedar, cherry, chestnut, china berry, Chinese snake tree, chokeberry, citrus woods - orange, lemon, grapefruit, etc., cypress, ebony, elderberry, eucalyptus, fir, ginkgo, hemlock, holly, honey, locust, hydrangea, juniper, kumquat, laurel, mahogany, mango, manufactured/glued woods like plywood or fiberboard, maple, mesquite, myrtle," according to TJ's Chinchilla Supplies. 
5. Cardboard from household products - Watching your chin nibble and roll around with a toilet paper tube may be adorable, but it's dangerous for two reasons. First, the cardboard is harmful to their digestive systems. Also, their heads may get caught in the small tubes. How would you get them out? By trying to slide a scissor blade between the chinchilla head and toilet paper roll? Or, take a knife and try not to cut too deep?
6. Plastic - Igloo homes, colored tubes and the fun constructive activity toys usually made for hamsters and gerbils are pure poison to a chin tummy. That goes for household items, too. Move the broom. Put the remote control on high counter. Ours sit on top of the DVD organizer where he can't reach... well, most of the time. Nimbus once climbed up the DVD organizer by pressing his feet against the DVDs and the wall to shimmy his way to the top. Never underestimate the power of chins! Hide your tennis shoes. Keep electrical cords out of reach with special covers or hidden spots. Our couch blocks the new ethernet cord, and the television cords are bundled together behind the TV. We can easily see if Nimbus pops between the TV and react quickly to get him out. Don't purchase a plastic water bottle. Move your cell phone. Yes, they'll go after everything.
7. Certain metals/fabrics - Brass, copper and zinc are not to be brought into a chinchilla's play area. Finally, cotton and leather are dangerous as well. So, pick up your sexy thigh-high leather boots. Plus, you don't want chisel teethmarks on the edges of your favorite party shoes. Believe me! I've made that mistake. My favorite work shoes look like I took a dull spoon and dug into the toe.

A happy, natural chinchilla environment. Photo from test.seocasestudy.org