Follow Us on Twitter

This may seem silly, but I've created a Twitter account for Come Chill with the Chinchilla. You can now follow us by searching for Nimbus Menz or @ChillWithNimbus.

I'll tweet links for the new blog posts, photos, tips, random happening throughout the day with Nimbus as well as retweet tweets from other organizations like Oxbow Animal Health, Petfinder, Pet Emergency Guide, Humane Society and PetSmart (Is it Pet Smart, Pets Mart or Pet's Mart?? Does anyone know?).

You can also follow my personal Twitter - although I'm on it intermittently - by searching for Lex Menz or @StarStruckHotel. I tweet the photos used on this blog and the new posts. That makes up the most of my tweets these days, but I try to throw in a personal sentence or two for my aunt, who reads my Twitter. She's not a social media person, so she doesn't have a Twitter and isn't on Facebook. In order to keep up with my day-to-day life, she checks out my Twitter and reads this blog since we can't be on the phone every day.

So, if you'd like, follow us and send us a line. I know it's easier to follow someone on Twitter than Blogger, especially if you don't have a Gmail account. After several tries, I finally added the ChillWithNimbus account onto my Twitter app for my phone. That was hilariously difficult. The end result was changing my password.

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If you're interested in learning a bit more about me, I was raised in a small town outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Our house was always filled with animals. We've owned several cats, a turtle, a lizard, a snake, a hermit crab, hamsters, dogs, a guinea pig, a miniature goat, and salt and freshwater fish. Aside from our domestic pets, my mother has rescued injured wildlife and raised monarch butterflies to release for the Mexico migration. I might as well have "animal lover" in my DNA as my mom instilled in me such a passion for nature at a young age. While kids my age were watching "Doug" and "Hey Arnold," I was watching "The Crocodile Hunter" along with its various spin-offs and "The Jeff Corwin Experience."

By the time I was 7, I had created my own zoo on paper. Sadly, I never followed my dream of becoming a zookeeper or owning a zoo (at least not yet), but I still tap into my passion for animals every day. There are my beloved pets, of course. There's this blog, which has really created a deeper bond and fascination with Nimbus. Then, there's my local "business" Fins & Fur Pet Sitting. One day, I'll write a memoir about my pet sitting experiences. There's never been a dull job! 

Volunteering at a cat rescue

In tenth grade, I started going by Lex after leaving a private school I attended for nine years. It was at my new high school that I fell in love with journalism - the career choice I'm pursuing now that I've graduated from Western Carolina University. I enjoy the behind-the-scenes view you are allowed to get through immersion in reporting, and I don't feel that print journalism is a dying field, especially not in smaller towns like the one I currently live in.

One of my favorite newspaper issues

With my free time, I enjoy writing what I hope will be published novels one day (as cliche as that sounds), painting pottery, boogie boarding at the Outer Banks, visiting zoos across the United States, reading (some favorites are "The Time Traveler's Wife," "Vulpes the Red Fox," "The Great Gatsby," "Three Weeks with my Brother" ...you can find me on GoodReads), participating in community theatre, volunteering at the animal shelter and watching as many movies as possible! 

The promo poster for the musical "Brigadoon." I played Jane.

That's a small picture of me and my life outside of Nimbus and Sparta. Right now, we live a quiet existence in the Appalachian Mountains beside a bubbling stream. Hopefully, we'll be moving soon to start the next phase of "The First Adult Job."

Hope you enjoy the Twitter feed, and keep checking in here. I appreciate all of your advice about Nimbus's injury. He has boundless energy, and he's actually taking his new medication quite well. I still worry, but he looks like he's on the right track to full recovery. 

The sign for my zoo!

Bath Time!

This is Nimbus's favorite time of day.

Watch the video HERE! Blogger is currently being difficult with video uploads.

It shouldn't be a daily activity for your chinchilla, but it is an enjoyable experience for both of you. Although, I will say that filming this video of Nimbus has left me with an itchy nose and tight lungs. I typically try to stay away when Nimbus is taking his bath because of the dust, but this video moment was too cute to pass up. According to Pawnation, "Too much time in the dust bath can dry out your chinchilla's skin, which manifests with scratching and dry patches, and can possibly irritate her nose or eyes. Meanwhile, not bathing enough is stressful to your pet; it can leave her more vulnerable to illness as clumping fur saps the creature's body heat, and dirt and oil in the coat create fertile ground for skin disease. Dirty fur can lead to a chinchilla chewing on her own fur; if she ingests too much, intestinal blockage may result." The website recommends a bath "1 to 3 times a week." I offer Nimbus a bath about 3 times a week, especially after a short span of illness, which I'll talk about soon. You can also reuse the dust for a 3-4 baths.

Nothing will make your chinchilla's coat shine like a bath in brand new dust! It will become fluffier, softer and take out the oil better than the animal himself can do in his own grooming.

I've used a couple different types of dust, and I typically don't see much of a difference between the different brands. Currently, I'm using Poof! Blue Cloud dust made by the company Oxbow Animal Health. Blue Cloud, according to other chin owners, is a preferred type of dust, and I personally love the Oxbow Animal Health company. I use them for Nimbus's food and treats as well as my hamster's food when she was alive. According to their website, "The sustainable collection process for Poof! Blue Cloud dust involves no strip mining, explosives or tunneling. A layer of the dust is left at the harvest location, promoting revegetation of natural plant life. Recycle Blue Cloud dust as a soil additive in your garden."

Do NOT, however, use chinchilla sand. It's not the same as chinchilla dust and is harmful for their fur and lungs. In the wild, chinchillas bathe in volcanic ash in their natural environment. Ground pumice in chinchilla dust recreates what chins would use in the wild. Sand, however, is coarse and does not pull out the oil in the skin like the dust. However, there are some chin owners who say that sand is ok. According to Chinchillas4Life, a rescue whose "aim is to find loving 'forever' homes for our healthy chins" and "provide sanctuary for those that are too poorly or old to be rehomed," "the sand you use must be proper Chinchilla sand such as Sepioliate (no other types of sand)." However, Oxbow does not sell bath sand, and I really do trust their company. They've never let me down with their products, either in safety/appropriateness for the animals or their quality.

Image from Amazon.com

The Number 1 Rule is Hard to Follow

Chinchillas are mischevious, naughty and cunning.

And, Nimbus is the king of mischievousness, naughtiness, craftiness and wiliness. He is the child of a demon.

The known story of Nimbus's life began at a breeder's. Where he was born or how he ended up at the breeder is anyone's guess. At this breeder's, he served as a stud chinchilla, mating and mating and mating to create new litters of chinchilla pets and possibly (who knows?)... chinchilla coats! He had little interaction with any one chinchilla or people. He arrived at the rescue because the breeder's mom became ill. Unable to to even see to his chins, the breeder took them to rescues.

With this in mind, I tried to make Nimbus's transition to my home as easy as possibly... Well, note that I said tried. I was overly excited, at the same time, about this new, fluffy critter in my house. I probably overwhelmed him more than I provided a smooth transition.

Due to his background, Nimbus is not a people chinchilla. Now, most chinchillas aren't the cuddly, sweet pets we want them to be. It's just not in their nature. However, you can "tame" and "bond" with your chinchilla. One of the best suggestions I've read in order to bond is to hold your chinchilla for five consequent minutes once a day. I've tried to do this with Nimbus, but he's so fidgety that I feel like I'm squeezing him more than I'm bonding with him. Still, chinchillas will grow to learn their names and their owners in given time. Nimbus knows my voice, that when I say "Nimbus" I am speaking to him and what tone I use for disciplining.

Nimbus's first few weeks were a disaster. He chewed everything! Running after him was a constant chore and trying to get him in his cage usually ended with me out of the breath and a bruise or two on my knee from tripping over myself. Chinchillas are FAST! I had no clue what I was in for. Book covers, DVD cases, the wallpaper on my living room wall, the ethernet cable, pens, papers, iPad case, charger cords... you name it, he chewed it. His new favorite snack is my carpet. He'll graze on the stuff like a cow! I have two somewhat noticeable bald patches on my living room floor!

There's a point during the evening and nighttime play hours where you reach a breaking point, especially on a bad day.

The number one rule is "Never yell at your chinchilla." Forever Feisty Chinchilla Rescue Inc. is not only a beautiful organization but also boosts a wonderful, very informative website. The bulk of my research came from their webpages. A very helpful page is Emotional Health & Behavior. I learned more about a chinchilla here than any other website, and why not? The people in charge of this rescue have come in contact with hundreds of chinchillas since the inception of their rescue. They know how to keep them happy, how to keep them well and active and how to interact with all the different personalities present in the chinchilla species. The webpage reads, "Yes, chins are very sensitive, caring and emotional little critters. They are very curious and love to interact with their friends whether human or another chin." Thus, their number one rule is not to yell. Here comes in one of my biggest flaws: little to no patience!

One of the biggest mistakes a first time chin guardian makes is lack of patience! Showing your chin patience, having respect for how he lives and trying to see life the way he does will be one of the greatest things you can do for him. There are no words to describe how wonderful a trusting, loving relationship can be with your chinchilla. They are so sweet, affectionate, energetic and just plain silly at times. As much as we love and adore chinchillas, we are very honest to acknowledge that they are not for everyone. - Forever Feisty Chinchilla Rescue Inc.

They continue to say that yelling at a chinchilla, particularly when he's "barricaded" himself in a tight spot or is showing you aggression is only going to end in a destroyed, untrustworthy relationship for both you and him. But, one day, I just snapped.

* * * *

Back in August, I was finishing my last semester as a college undergraduate. It was a stressful time. I was caring for three pets and my two-bedroom house by myself while also attending classes and going to work. It was the first time I had ever been truly on my own, always living with roommates or my family in the past. I left a nasty relationship in April, and now, I had undergone a summer of emotional exhaustion and some physical illness as well.  By the start of classes, I was already exhausted and dead on my feet. 

Every Tuesday, I attended Advanced Creative Writing class from 6 to 9 p.m. I loved the class (it was taught by a quite popular Southern Lit author), but by the time I got home, Nimbus was bouncing and doing flips in his cage. It was exercise time, and he doesn't care if I'm sick, tired, have 2 hours of homework/work to finish or if I've eaten dinner. Of course not! He's an animal, and he needs to be cared for, even if it's at a discomfort to me. So, I let him run free and tried to relax at the same time. That rarely happens anyway, but he's especially naughty and energetic when he hasn't had 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. play times. 

Playing on the cat tree

Off he went!! It was one of those nights where "No!" and even approaching him weren't enough to deter him from chewing something he shouldn't. Instead, he'd hold his ground and provide the standard sign of an angry, possessive chin: tail swishing like a pissed off cat and a very distinctive noise that sounds like chinchilla swear words. It's not a bark or a grunt like if he's fighting with another chin. Nor is it the rusty, rasping cluck of a stressed/defensive chinchilla. It's a grunting, muttering sound. It means, "I want what I want, and if you take it away, I'm going to #@!* *&%!! #$@%&."

Exhausted and at my breaking point, I began a complete tirade, yelling at this furry critter bounding around the living room. 

"Nimbus!! Why?!?! WHY?!?! Why do you destroy my house? Why? It's been 6 months that you've been here. Six months! And, I've tried and tried and tried to bond with you. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've been nice to you, and I've bought you all these toys and everything. Yes, all of these toys. I keep spending money that I don't have so that you can have toys, great toys! But, no, you want to eat the walls and the books and the DVDs and the cords. Why, Nimbus? Why? What am I doing wrong? What have I ever done to you that you don't like me? Do you hate me? I've brought you into my home, which you've completely wrecked, and given you everything you could possibly want. I don't understand why you can't just stop chewing everything!!!!!!! Nimbus, why?? I just want to sit here and stare at a wall, but you keep eating everything. Fine! Just eat it! Just... I don't even care anymore. I don't know why I even bother!"

Obviously, there was more going on in my life than what started my outburst, because I then sat on the floor and started sobbing. It was just a bad night. And because of it, my relationship with Nimbus suffered. He'd didn't trust me for a few nights after that, keeping his distance and causing more mischief.

Yes, we're all going to have bad nights. Definitely more than one. Still, if you have too many bad nights without any patience, you're relationship with your pet is eventually going to be unrepairable. And then, every night will be a bad night. To help relief the stress and make the bond closer, try sitting on the floor while the chinchilla is running around. You can still watch TV or work on your laptop while keeping an eye on him, but you'll be at his level. He'll have access to you to sniff or run over you and check out what you're doing. Chinchillas are extremely inquisitive creatures and want to know the world around them, which is why chewing is a big factor. Chinchillas learn about their world through their whiskers and their teeth. When your pet nibbles on your finger, it's not because he wants to know what sauce goes with you best for dinner. He's reassuring himself that you are his owner. It's how he connects with you and nearly every object he comes into contact with. Also, pick up the house. Keep from getting up to grab a pen or other dangerous object from him that shouldn't be on the floor to begin with. Provide blockades like pillows and blankets stuffed in corners (obstacles that won't become chew toys) to keep him out of places that he doesn't belong. In this house, there are sneakers stuffed between the gap of the floor and the bottom of the oven. There is also a large construction involving three pillows, a blanket, a bag of bedding and a box to keep Nimbus from behind the couch. If it makes the house look cluttered, then you can always put these items away from friends and family members come over. The important factors are your chinchilla's safety and your positive relationship with him. It's not worth giving away your pet or suffering through a decade of miserable years just because the original plan isn't working. Try something new.  Recently, we rearranged the living room where Nimbus lives and plays (since we don't have a spare room for him to solely have). This has improved our relationship dramatically. Now, the cat toys have a box so he'll not chewing holes in the fuzzy mice's faces. There's more room for him to run around and uncluttered space for us to keep an eye on him. 

Make a goal whether it be to become closer with your chinchilla or for him to chew less household items. Then, make a plan and stick to it. If you need any ideas, post a comment or send me a message!! Nimbus and I are happy to help!

Nimbus (right) and a chinchilla birthday card!

Baby's First Day

The moment I saw Nimbus, known as Jack at the time, I absolutely fell in love.

On the 2-hour ride to Georgia, my former boyfriend and I carried out heated argument after heated argument. We weren't doing so great those days, and after adopting Nimbus, our relationship went straight downhill for multiple reasons. We broke up 3 months later. During the drive, I kept flip-flopping back and forth about whether to adopt a chinchilla. My head was filled with worry. What if I killed it right off the bat? What if it just up and died like my guinea pig Nibbles? What if I hated owning a chinchilla? I couldn't just send him back to the rescue. That would be irresponsible and mean to this poor chinchilla being carted back and forth from the rescue to his new home to back to the rescue. 

But all those worries disappeared when I saw this little puffball jumping and banging in this old birdcage. His twitching nose. His bristly tail. Those big eyes. Little rounded ears. I was sold, and when the woman asked me if I wanted to hold him, my heart started racing. It was a miracle I didn't drop him. Fifteen minutes later, he was zipped into my cat carrier and away we went. 

Within the first 10 minutes of owning him, I made the biggest mistake since we've been together.  Back home, we didn't have any chinchilla supplies. Instead, we wanted to make sure that yes, indeed we were adopting a chinchilla and wanted to have him with us when we picked out the cage. Choosing a chinchilla cage can be difficult because you need to look at several factors: 

1. Is the cage material safe if the chinchilla decides to chew it? 

2. Is the cage material chew proof? 

3. Is the bar spacing small enough that he won't get his paws stuck when he's jumping around the cage?

4. Is the cage sturdy enough to handle a bouncy chinchilla?

5. And, of course, is it big enough?

So, to purchase our new friend's supplies and food we went to the local Petsmart. Horrible, horrible idea!!!! It was Saturday. It was crowded. It was a tiny store. It was dog training day. Mass hysteria!!! 

Finding the cage was the most difficult part. The food, the bowls, the toys, I already knew what I needed and what I wanted, but because I wanted to keep my boyfriend involved in the life of Nimbus, the process was dragged out in picking out items. Then, there was the cage. As Nimbus sat in the cat carrier in the bottom of the cart with the bright fluorescent lights, barking dogs and screaming children, my boyfriend battled with the different cages by pulling them out of their boxes to make sure they were the right size. We settled on the Chinchilla Starter, which comes with the cage, a sample of food, a wooden house and some other goodies that I believe we threw out because they weren't actually chinchilla friendly. What I liked were the different levels, all of which were made of safe wood.

After that horrible experience, we took off home, and I watched Nimbus on my lap become more listless and angry. I actually thought he was going to die before we even walked in the house. He refused to sleep and kept walking around with dull eyes and laid back ears. These are not signs of a healthy or a happy chin. By the time we walked in the door, I wondered how much more time we had left with him. I set the carrier in the bathroom, and my boyfriend got to work on building the cage. When it was finished, I said, "It looks kind of small."

And, it did. When we placed Nimbus in the cage, his ears brushed the top of the cage when he sat on the top floor. He couldn't stand on his back feet. I placed his Chinny Buddy (unfortunately, I can't find a link for this) in the cage with him, which he stared at, and closed the door. At this time, the cats were released from their holding cells in separate bedrooms. They sniffed and sniffed at this new animal, and we reinforced the idea that this new creature was part of the family with the squirt bottle every time claws popped out. Then, we waited. 

A very angry Nimbus and his Chinny Buddy

In proper etiquette when bringing home a chinchilla, you should wait 3-4 days before opening the cage and letting him explore. I thought this was a horrible idea since they need daily exercise and playtime. In his cage, there was no way Nimbus could do that. Instead, he sulked and squished himself between the bottom of the wooden second floor and the top of his rounded woven grass bungalow (see right hand bottom corner below). He just sat there. I didn't see him sleep for days. In fact, it wasn't until I did some more research and draped a dark sheet over 3 walls of his enclosure that Nimbus finally felt secure in his surroundings. I highly recommend doing so.

The day before his new cage arrived

By the end of the second or third day, I couldn't take it anymore. He looked on the verge of dying. I couldn't tell what was wrong. It wasn't heat exhaustion. It wasn't intestinal blockage. It had to be plain, ole misery. I took a large square piece of Tupperware and filled it with Blue Cloud chinchilla dust. Holding the dust bath up to the cage door, I unhooked the latch and whispered to Nimbus. After a few minutes, he started to come out of the door. As soon as he realized what was in front of him, he dove into the dust bath and began flipping about.  I've never seen a creature so happy!! In fact, he even gave The Squeak!

The Squeak is the ultimate goal. You want to achieve The Squeak from your chin. It means they are the happiest they can be, and it is usually accompanied by popcorning. You'll know it when you see it, and it comes with a huge sense of accomplishment. It's not the little grunts of foraging and exploring but a high-pitched little squeak. It sounds similar to their sneezes.

After that bath, Nimbus's level of activity and interaction improved, mostly. But, there was still something missing, and it wasn't found until we bought the new cage! 

There's No Excuse for Not Adopting

I didn't know better as a child, but the reptiles and small mammals I owned growing up came from pet stores. During my college years, however, I discovered petfinder.com, an extremely useful website to find "the pet of your dreams." If the local animal shelter doesn't have the type of dog or cat you're looking for, Petfinder will show you where to find that pet who needs your love. Search by location, type of animal, breed, age, gender and characteristics (house-trained, size, child-friendly, special needs, etc.). There's no excuse for not finding the animal you're looking for, even pure breeds are found in animal shelters.

Right now, there are chinchillas all over looking for homes outside of pet stores.

For instance, I went to Petfinder just now and searched for chinchilla, San Francisco, California (a random pick) and young. And, Petfinder found 37 chinchillas.

Raider - 3 years old, located in Culver City, CA at STAR Eco Station rescue. He needs special attention because he's a biter and hasn't been properly handled in the past. He coat is fluffy and white with gray smudges. His adoption fee is $50.

Paprika - young, located in Red Oak, TX at the ChinChildren Chinchilla Rescue. She's the normal gray coloring with a chubby face. Her adoption fee is $75. 

Chilli - born May 1, 2013, located in New Market, MN at the Windmill Animal Rescue. His owners were forced to give him up to allergies. His adoption fee is $100, or he can be sponsored.

Chilli

Poppy and Clover - young, located in Greensboro, NC at the Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network. They are a bonded pair and would not do well if separated. The rescue said that they are a perfectly behaved pair of sisters.

I didn't post these few random choices to convince you to buy a chinchilla because of the adorable photos but to show how diverse in color, age and personality in chinchillas available for adoption.

You may ask, "Well what about the poor chinchillas in a pet store? They need homes, too." Yes, you're absolutely right, but buying from a pet store supports the industry of constantly breeding animals in order to make merchandise or products... a.k.a. pet chinchillas for pet stores across the world.Consider this:

1) When I was young, my mother bought me a guinea pig from a chain pet store, which shall remain anonymous. Nibbles the guinea pig died in my arms seven days later because she had been sick the whole time. I believe that pet stores care for their animals to the best of their ability. However, there can't be enough employees to constantly check and play with each animal. Chinchillas require 1-2 hours, at least, of playtime outside of their cages every day. Where would they even play in a pet store?

 2) Pet store chinchillas will not be used to human company because they haven't been played with as stated before. This can lead to biting and grumpiness. A good rescue will work and interact with the animals on a daily basis to ensure their happiness and health.

3) You're going to pay a much higher price than you want. Nimbus's adoption fee was $44. A chinchilla at PetsMart is $139. Ouch! Your new pet is already going to cost a lip-biting amount when first starting out. Why make it worse for yourself by paying a ridiculous price demanded by pet stores and chinchilla breeders instead of adopting one that was abandoned at a rescue?

 4) Once again, you're supporting an industry that uses animals to constantly reproduce, go through pregnancy, go through the process of labor and birth, have their babies taken away, and then they're thrown back in so that they can reproduce some more. That's pretty brutal, in my opinion. One of my friends is a psychology graduate student in Virginia. For the clinical trials, he and his fellow students test their experiments using live rats. Let me wholeheartedly say that I do not agree with testing on animals, although some of my friend's arguments make me weigh the scales in harm vs. help and so on. However, if you don't believe in testing on animals, how can you support a system that treats them like pet assembly lines? Just think about it.

Now, if anyone would like to counter me in my arguments with statistical proof, please do so! I'm not being sarcastic or sardonic. I'm 100% serious. If I'm wrong, I want to stand corrected.


Anyway, I demanded to myself that I was going to adopt my pet chinchilla. Now, I love Petfinder, but because I live in a small town where the nearest urban city is an hour away, (but I wouldn't consider it as big and diverse a city as Charlotte where I grew up), I had location limitations that Petfinder couldn't overcome. One chinchilla I found was over the state line in Tennessee. However, the rescue admitted that this was their first time having chinchillas and asked for an adoption fee equivalent of that to a pet store. I was shocked and discouraged. It was a price I couldn't afford. But, I refused to give up. So, I began searching the rest of the Internet and discovered the Georgia Chinchilla Rescue in McDonough, Georgia on Facebook. A major stroke of luck!! They were only a couple hours away, and the manager of the rescue had a selection of about seven chinchillas. There was Jack, Mary Kate and Ashley, Paris, Nicole, Gracie and Max. As I was searching through the pictures, I kept coming back to Jack. In every one of his themed photos, he struck a cute little pose like he owned that camera. Sitting on his hind legs, little front paws crossed, he was the picture of perfected adorableness.

I contacted the rescue, which was a out-of-her-home organization run by one woman. Sadly, due to time constraints and financial difficulties, she had to stop rescuing chinchillas for the time being back in July. She adopted out the rest of her chinchillas, except for one. I was so nervous contacting her. After weeks of researching and learning the ways of chin ownership, I wanted to impress upon her that even though it was my first chinchilla I would care for it so that it lived a long and happy life. She provided me with a questionaire that inquired about different aspect of chinchilla ownership and how I planned to personally accomplish them. Also, my answers would reflect, in her opinion, which chinchilla would fit my lifestyle the best. Here are some questions... questions you should ask yourself before adopting a chinchilla:

1. What is the size of the cage you will be using?
Answer: We are have our hearts set on purchasing the All Living Things Deluxe Chinchilla Kit from our local PetsMart. It has two platforms and a bottom tray for lots of climbing and room. Its dimensions are 31" L X 17.5" W X 28.5" H with 7/8" bar spacing, which will be covered by wire mesh (except for the top). Here is a link for this product: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752703.

That cage is a no-no, by the way! We never ended up buying that cage! 

4. What type of bedding are you planning on using?
Answer: We love the CareFresh Natural bedding. We used it for our hamster, and the package says it is also a good fit for chinchillas. It is completely safe and does not harm small animals' lungs.

6.  How much research have you done about chinchillas? What do you know about their basic needs and care?.
Answer: Right now, I am waiting for my library books on chinchillas to come to our local branch. However, Stuart and I have done some research, but we wanted to do in-depth research through a book rather than the somewhat untrustworthy Internet. We know that small children do not mix well with chinchillas and that we must handle our new pet very carefully. We also researched their very sensitive dietary needs. They should not receive a lot of treats, especially ones with sugar. They also need wood chews for their constantly growing teeth. Also, we know that chinchillas require a lot of attention because they can get lonely. We wish that we could adopt a pair, but right now, we have room for one. Because of this, we will give it as much attention and love that it deserves.

I couldn't have been more excited when I got her reply: "Everything looks great! . . . I know you're wanting to meet them before you decide, but from what you've told me, I recommend thinking about Jack or Gracie."

Gracie was the calmer one, the rescuer said. She was a slightly older chinchilla, although not considered old by any standard. Her coloring was beige with brown spots on her ears. But, if you know me, I like to do things the hard way, and I had completely fallen head-over-heels for little Jack, the sweetest-looking chinchilla in existence. In fact when the rescuer wrote "Jack is a little more high energy than Gracie" I didn't realize just how much energy she meant!

Little Jack became my beloved Nimbus. I guess I was drowning in the cuteness because I missed that mischevious glint in his eye... and I brought home a little devil!

Nimbus's adoption photo