variety

As the season winds into full swing, it’s important for humans and chinchillas alike to slow down, enjoy the importance of air conditioning, and revel in the glory and sweetness of summertime! We have a daily routine outside of dusting and cleaning that I love to indulge in with the babies: the calming joy of music! Because the hearing capabilities of chinchillas closely resemble that of humans and may not be as sensitive as many originally believed at the conception of chinchilla studies, we and they share more than just the love for their happy existence. Our chins hear the same tones and pitches as us! As we know ambient sounds are universally soothing, we can also deduce (and observe!) that the experience of television and soft music is a real treat for chinchillas.

music koko

A few guidelines for picking the perfect music for your chinchillas can be well-guided with a similar approach as song selection for an infant: the smoother, softer, and more harmonious, the better. Some of our favorites are a mix of cheerful and calming classical music, including select works from Giovanni Palestrina, Bach, Mozart (especially his wind sonatas and concertos), and Debussy. Ah, how the chins swoon! They cuddle by their speakers and nap the days away, all while exercising their minds to the peaceful sounds of yesteryear. We use a laptop with USB speakers for easy portability and control, and loop chinchilla-approved music continuously throughout the day.

music2

As for television, although I don’t practice this form of meditation with the chinchillas, it’s just as pleasing and offers visualization in tandem with vocals for their lazy days. The best type of programming would be a child’s program – nothing too action-oriented or containing too many sharp sound effects or exclamations. Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer are all fan favorites!

1music

Volume should be set depending on distance of speakers from cages, existing ambient sound from your air conditioner and dehumidifier, and type of acoustics in your chinchilla room. Generally speaking, the volume should be audible but not loud to the human ear (think: a toddler should be able to drift to sleep easily in this soothing environment). A great way to test for acoustics and best volume is to stand next to your chinchilla cage and set different volumes until you find yourself being lulled into a happy dream state – just kidding, but you know what I mean. If you have some time to relax and shuffle through idyllic songs, I suggest sitting with your chins and finding a few alternating playlists to their liking: variety is always good, even in soft doses. Happy listening, fluffballs! 🙂

lu fi music

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Hanging toys: the cutest, most heartfelt way to watch a chinchilla struggle without a twinge of guilt! They’re also dental-friendly treats that keep your fluffs engaged and entertained during long work or school days. I love chinchilla-safe woods and chews because they are a fabulous non-food way to make your chins happy and show them that you care – not that they need even more from you to be spoiled with! But really, just one more chew toy couldn’t hurt.. (and seriously, it couldn’t!) 😛 So, today’s post is all about how to make DIY hanging toys!

Lulu Fifi Lady Hanging Toy

There are only a handful of tools that are needed to make a very simple hanging toy:

Chinchilla-Safe Woods and Chews, 6″ or Smaller
Drill with Thin Drill Bit
Solid Craft Wire or Pliable Metal Wire
Hook to Adhere Toy to Cage Bars
Pliers to Cinch Wire Ends
Wire Cutter or Strong Scissors to Cut Wire

Craft Wire Drill Wood

The first step is to gather your goods! We use apple sticks, pear sticks, chunks of pine, and vine twirls – but some all-time favorites include natural loofah, blocks of pumice stone, shredder tape, and more! Feel free to read about chinchilla safe woods and chews to get some ideas for your own custom toys. Over time, you’ll come to realize which woods or chews your chins prefer. Another great tactic is to use the barkless wood that your chins have already partially demolished; it’s a thrifty way to re-purpose the seemingly unwanted sticks (they’ll be slower to go at them, but they’ll begrudgingly get to it eventually). Then, I drill through the center of the wood, but wood vendors tend to sell pre-drilled wood for easy toy-making.

wood and fine toys

The next step is to cut your wire to the desired hanging length, adding on a little extra just in case. I typically cut the wire to 12″ and remove any extra length prior to finalizing the toy. It’s important for your wire to be made out of a solid metal to dissuade exploratory chewers (although they’re typically too preoccupied with the hanging toy to consider munching on the wire). Another great way to put your mind at ease is to either fill the wood to the very top so that there is no exposed metal, or to hang the toy strategically so that the exposed area is not reachable. I have seen other varieties in toy-making such as seagrass or chains, but it ultimately depends on what you know to be the safest, best option for your particular chins. So far, there have been zero issues with our construction and the final products are spot-on for my five furry babies.

Muff going for his chew toy

For the top of the toy, I’ll wrap the wire tightly around the hook, using pliers to tuck the edge away. Since we go through faulty glass water bottles every few months, I make sure to keep the hardware for hanging toys – the hooks are perfect for the cage bars, because they’re made for just that! Another good alternative would be shower hooks, as they’re self explanatory and easy to work with.

Water Bottle Hook and Pliers

The funnest part for me is next: to string all the toys on the wire in my favorite order! I like to mix up the different woods and chews to offer some variety for the chins – plus, they look really nice when they have some diversity to them.

Mittenmaus Hanging Toy

The trickiest and final part is to close off the hanging toy. If you’re using a thicker wire, you can simply use pliers to close off the toy in a “U” with the wire and call it a day. Using a thinner wire is easier to work with initially, but is a tad tougher to close off. The way I do it is to string the wire through the last stick – enough slack for the wire to wrap around the stick twice – and thread the wire through the hole a second time, pulling the wire flush to the stick. Because this type of craft wire is so malleable, it will secure itself easily after being pulled and be unable to be readjusted without pliers. The last step is to cut the excess wire flush with wire cutters or strong scissors (although after a certain amount of practice, you’ll be able to calculate the perfect amount of slack not to need to cut the wire at all).

Drilled wood and secured wire Secured wire in drilled wood

And voilà! There we have it – hang away and watch your happy chinchillas struggle with sheer delight! 🙂 The more toys you make, the more endless variety you’ll find that there is! You can make toys in all different sizes and shapes – the fun is being able to take some time out of your day and do something that takes your mind off of how much money, time, and energy you spend on your chinchillas by creating something lovingly by hand for their spoiled enjoyment!

Koko Hanging Toy