See:
"Judging the Quality of Internet Care Information"
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  HEALTH & LIFESTYLE misinformation and care myths index/ the essentials, or basics, of chinchilla care (cage accessories, about safe housing and homemade cage designs)/ heat and humidity can be life-threatening (articles, emergency, keeping cool)/ estimating chinchilla age/ shipping, transporting or travelling with your chin (resources and additional articles, checklist)/ chinchillas and allergies: not "allergy-free" (reducing the allergic impact of hay and dust  Health & Lifestyle Pages: * Chinchilla Behavior: Relating to People & Animals adoption source, or background, and behavioral expecations (pet breeder, ranch, pet store, rehoming, rescue)/ general characteristics of behavior/ routines (exercise, sleep and covering cages)/ initiating bonding, a hands-on approach (first contact procedure)/ relating to your chinchilla (chin scratches or grooming, playtime bonding, catching and handling)/ environmental stress (attitude and behavior determinants, basic ways to prevent stress, potential stress factors)/ anti-social behavior (biting; urine-spraying- single female chin syndrome; rearing up and chattering teeth; hostilely pursuing, cornering, fur-pulling)/ facts about discipline/ behavioral rehabilitation: addressing biting and urine-spraying/ relating articles/ compatibility with other animals (chins and buns don't mix)/ as classroom pets -and- are chinchillas a good pet for children? (pets for kids) * Chinchilla Introductions and Group Dynamics introducing chins: precautionary notes and pointers (intro method warning)/ cage within a cage (cwac) method of introducing chinchillas/ the social disposition indicator: negative, positive, inexperienced, conclusion/ maintaining group compatibility (preventing conflicts, causes for conflict, the two kinds of mounting) * Chintelligence and Communication communication (general characteristics, hear chinchilla sounds, speech recognition)/ taming or training chinchillas (additional articles)/ clever chin stories, chintelligence articles/ the tv attraction * Dental Health dental health (articles and photos, dental formula, facts and problem prevention, crossley articles)/ malocclusion (defining; articles and photos; environmental factor- calcium deficiency, inadequate tooth wear, implementing changes to address calcium deficiency and malocclusion; symptom progression of malocclusion)/ supplementing vitamin c for dental health (articles, vitamin c sources)/ supplementing calcium to correct calcium deficiency (calcium metabolism, moderate ca:no p calcium supplementing, articles, bladder stones in perspective, calcium sources)/ positive results from vitamin c and calcium supplementing: correcting calcium deficiency, reversing malocclusion (herd of maloccluders; casper in japan; henry, sugarpuff and dinky in the uk; sasha's miracle) * Exercise and Play exercise and environmental stimuli (chuffy's story, exercise for breeding chinchillas)/ exercise wheels (safety criteria; suppliers; reviews and demonstrations)/ using a harness/ out-of-cage exercise time (chin-proofing and other precautions, eyesight and agility, escape artists, if a chin is stepped on) * Grooming, Fur and Skin Health grooming (articles, accessories, the right dustbath container)/ dry skin/ callouses (bumblefoot)/ missing fur? (medical explanations; wear, rubbing; fights; fur-slipping; fur-biting, chewing, barbering; fungus)/ care myths: the wet bath (administering) -and- withholding dustbath (dustbath massage, dry butt-bath) * Healing: Ailments & Remedies don't kill your chin with "kindness!"/ health articles (medical and anatomical, senior health and cataracts, vet articles, vital statistics)/ antibiotic and penicillin warning/ anesthesia/ household remedies/ seizures, fits, convulsions (articles, brain infection)/ curing giardia (articles, oreganol article)/ protozoan parasites in captive chinchillas/ common kidney diseases in small pets/ hair rings and prolapsed penis (photos and articles, hair ring removal, treating a prolapsed penis)/ eye irritations/ incontinence and urine scald (articles)/ quarantining new chins/ digestive system ailments (additional articles, rectal prolapse of the intestine or bowel, the gastrointestinal system and gi stasis, bloat, enteritis, lower gi disease, hepatic lipidosis)/ contagious diseases (ringworm and giardia, pasteurella, pneumonia, rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease (vhd), ectoparasites, listeriosis, human herpes virus, rabies and monkeypox, frenkelia microti) * Nutrition nutrition articles/ nutrition in captivity: approximating the wild diet (malnutrition, wild diet and nutritional requirements)/ provide a variety of hays (additional articles and guaranteed analysis charts)/ pellets, a dietary staple of domestic chinchillas (pellet brand analysis)/ treats vs. health hazards (a guide to dietary extras)/ why distilled or filtered water is best/ handfeeding and formulas (articles, formulas: complete diets, supplementary)/ two studies of the wild chinchilla diet, and plant photos (2002, 1983, puya berteroniana) * Origins and Wild Chinchillas Today chinchilla types, or species (articles, photos of the chinchilla species, species description, scientific classification- how chinchillas differ from viscachas)/ wild chinchilla conservation status for short and long-tailed chinchillas/ recent wild chinchilla research and links: history, life in the wild/ las chinchillas national reserve in chile/ sights and cultures of the andes/ the great mf chapman hoax (facts: 1, 2, 3 and conclusion) RESCUE, REHOMING AND CLASSIFIEDS guides to responsible rescue and rehoming (rehoming by contacting rescue: hoarding vs legitimate rescue; rehoming by direct placement; articles)/ adoption fees and dangers of ftgh, "free to good home" (bunchers, hoarders or collectors)/ usa & international rescues and shelters, petfinder shelter status/ you can sponsor a rescue chinchilla!/ why rescue workers ask questions/ information resources (sites, lost pet resources, chinchilla hotel and temporary lodging, rescue programs for chins and other exotics)/ classifieds Rescue & Rehoming Pages: * Let's Home Those In NEED Before We Breed! the big picture in review (defining overpopulation and "good home")/ casualties of reckless breeding/ we can curb chinchilla neglect, abuse and homelessness!/ pocket pets, what rights?/ "family in desperate need," insightful humor/ selections from, "we are their heroes" * The Rescue Report photos and actual case descriptions from chinchilla rescue workers: introduction/ links to rescue, rehoming stories/ counting the rescues/ near death experience/ dorm room neglect/ dire consequences of irresponsible breeding/ thirty inbred chinchillas/ ftgh fiasco/ chinchillas left out with trash/ abandoned outside in summertime/ death trap cages/ crippled kit/ neglect survivors/ helping to turn things around/ spiffy's frat house nightmare/ the many costs of rescue work/ warning to rescuers about people wanting "cheap breeding chins" * Setting Standards for Responsible Pet Chinchilla Breeding, Ownership and Neutering breeding or mating myths/ recommended reading/ breeding basics for the surprised new chinparent (rotational feeding method)/ standards for responsible pet chinchilla breeding (our philosophy, breeding standards, nfb: "not for breeding" factors!)/ screening for responsible pet chinchilla ownership (examples: adoption contracts and procedures)/ articles: breeding, mutation colors, baby-saving, determining gender, etc./ zebedee's story: hand-raising kits/ neutering (articles, introduction, why neuter, checklist, factors to consider)/ inbreeding, linebreeding and why pet breeders shouldn't (articles, breeding for health and temperament) SAFETY & SUPPLIER RESOURCES safety intro, product reviews link/ site safety and need-to-know index/ pet-safe cleaners/ safe litter or bedding (suppliers)/ safety items/ safe vs. hazardous chews (safe, effective chews: examples, cleaning and reusing cholla and pumice; safe wood: about safe wood, the list, cleaning, storing; toxic wood: toxic factors, the list, cyanogenic glycosides; chewing hazards)/ safe vs. toxic metals/ chinchilla collectibles/ search, shop chinchilla supplies (quick links, international suppliers & google search)
VET RESOURCES how knowledgeable is your vet?/ information resources (articles on choosing a vet, online vet advice, pet insurance)/ usa and international vets that specialize in exotics/ initial vet examination criteria and detecting illness (ears and paw pads, eyes, fecal droppings, fur, general attitude, heart and lungs, teeth, urine) MEMORIALS memorial and support sites, burial wares/ the message in memorials/ estate planning: prevent orphaned pets!/ do chinchillas grieve?/ death throes: a chin's final moments/ words of comfort at parting/ ChinCare's Dedication/ quality of life and euthanasia |
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| Stop Animal Abuse Topsites List | Sir Chin's Top | |||||||||||||||||
| Kingsboro Chinchillas Top | Top Animal Sites | |||||||||||||||||
| Top 100 Pet Web Sites | EuropeaN PeT ToP LisT | |||||||||||||||||
| Animals of the World | Ultimate Top 100 Pet Sites | |||||||||||||||||
| AnimalSites.com | The Little Critter Lover's Online Directory | |||||||||||||||||
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The Webmasters ... White & Nerdy! |
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Our Story Like many people, the ChinCare webmasters grew up with animals: dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, mice, chameleons, fish, horses, chickens, pigs and a turtle, bearded dragon, tarantula, ball python, racoon and squirrel. In 1997, right after we began dating, we got our first chinchilla on an impulse buy from a pet store. We were told that it was a boy, so we bought "him" a buddy... and a couple years later something that looked like a mouse was scurrying about the cage! YIKES! That was Hugo, the first chin born to us. After that surprise birth we had two more litters born to Hugo and his mate Deedlit while trying to get to the point where we could have all male and all female cage pairings. We weren't what you would call "responsible breeders" (we wish we'd known then about adopting from rescue first), we didn't know much about chinchilla genetics and we didn't have our chins' genetic/ medical and temperament histories. That's BAD. We learned our lessons, the "what not to do's," in this and other areas the hard way. So we decided to make it our mission to do research and compile a website that would serve as a hub, a directory, to all the online chinchilla care information so that others would be able to start out on the RIGHT track, as prepared, knowledgeable, conscientious chinparents. That's how ChinCare came about. After purchasing our first chinchilla in early 1997, our chinfamily grew as we became smitten with these charming, intelligent creatures. We adopted from pet chinchilla or "hobby" breeders, ranchers, and one reputable pet store that occassionally got a chin in who had a discharging eye, heavy scarring from fight wounds or a difficult temperament. In 2000 we began taking in only chins in need: abuse and neglect cases, rescue, rehomed, special needs and senior chins. Along the way we met and maintained communication with several authorities on the chinchilla, including published authors and scholars who've conducted field studies on the remaining wild chinchilla population. Our "herd" steadily increased (with rescues, we do not breed but don't begrudge those who breed responsibly) and since 2002 it has numbered over thirty, since 2003 we've been fortunate in having the frequent opportunity to work from home and that advantage has enabled us to spend time conducting informal behavioral studies of the character, temperament and social interactions of our chinkiddies. In 2003 we began networking internationally with pet chinchilla rescue/ rehoming services for the purpose of aiding pet chinchillas in crisis situations. In 2004 we initiated the Pet Homes For Ranchies (or PHFR) Midwest Project that worked cooperatively with ranchers to save (pelting is no longer profitable) one hundred at-risk ranch chinchillas and find them homes within the pet community, PHFR projects are ongoing to this day. Our rescue has been full for years with those chins we took in that cannot be adopted out due to age, handicap, etc., so they'll live out their time with us, watching TV and living the good life. We're active in maintaining this educational website and matildesmission.org, a charity we work for that helps both ranch and pet chinchillas in need. But we're not always at the computer, besides work and caring for our chinfamily we take time for recreational interests: reading, writing, attending artistic events and theater, home remodelling, biking, landscaping, sight-seeing, hiking, paintball, etc. Our combined university education has culminated in the following degrees: English Language and Literature for Secondary Level Education, Human Resources Management, Business, and Computer Science.
Our credentials/ background, content written by the webmasters for ChinCare derives from: Intensive observation and interaction while working with hundreds of chinchillas through: 1) Our chinfamily- begun in 1997, residents have numbered at over thirty since 2002 2) Our rescue work- since 2000, includes interaction with chinchillas from all backgrounds: pet chinchilla or "hobby" breeder, pet store, rescue, rehomed and those with handicaps, special needs or that have been neglected, abused, etc. 3) Pet Homes For Ranchies- saving ranch chinchillas since 2004, also see Accomplishments on Matilde's Mission. Extensive online research, data mining and the study of our reference library which includes dozens of veterinary, scholarly and rancher-authored books, pamphlets and articles (.doc, and our purchase of rancher-authored books did not contribute to the continuation of pelting), plus the hand-reviewing of all English language pet chinchilla care sites (over 700 as of 2008) on the web for the educational purposes of this site. Ongoing international communications with pet chinchilla owners, breeders, rescue workers and ranchers, and of course the indispensible benefit of working closely with our exotics specialist vet. Content from ChinCare has been translated into at least three foreign languages: Finnish, German and Spanish, and in 2008 we contributed an article on chinchilla safety, "Danger Defused," to Critters USA magazine. Besides establishing ChinCare to serve as an educational resource for the pet chinchilla community, the webmasters have initiated other projects to promote education and positive activism, including: Have maintained Urgent Alerts for other animals and pets and the Confronting Cruelty page, the latter of which includes a pet store outreach program. Have continued to address pet chinchilla neglect, abuse, overpopulation and homelessness through the Rescue & Rehoming Pages. Have assisted in a research and advisory capacity for the lawful prosecution of several chinchilla hoarding/ abuse cases Continue to provide small animal shelters with chinchilla care information and adoption tools (contracts, surrender forms, charging an adoption fee) Ongoing participation in chinchilla railroad projects and donation of supplies, educational materials and personal assistance to chinchilla rescue workers, including paying for website operation costs. Performed IT work for and funded the first year of one educational chinchilla forum and briefly managed another. Submitted an efficiency report to a major pet forum for ethical and administrative improvements. Have helped prominent chinchilla suppliers establish their business and client bases to make quality goods more commonly available to the pet chinchilla community Obtained reproduction permission for and submitted several informative articles to a pet chinchilla magazine Contributions made in the initiative to establish national chinchilla breeder standards in New Zealand Initiated projects that were assumed by "The Matilde Mission: Pet Homes For Ranch Chinchillas, Inc.," a 501(c)3 registered charity that the ChinCare webmasters co-founded in November, 2005: *Change by Choice* A call to action for those who value chinchillas and want to assist the on-going transition in the U.S. from exploiting chinchillas for their fur to protecting them as beloved pets. *Pet Homes For Ranchies* The 2004 Pet Homes For Ranchies (or PHFR) Midwest Project placed one hundred at-risk ranch chinchillas (pelting is no longer profitable) within the pet community between 10/2004 and 6/2005, inspiring the creation of Matilde's Mission. *IPCR, International Placement Coordinators for Chinchilla Rescue and Re-Homing* From 2003-06 IPCR coordinators The Dust Bath and ChinCare networked extensively within the international chinchilla rescue community, assisting in scores of cases (in Europe and nearly all 50 U.S. states) that involved everything from routine rehomings to emergency rescue assistance. Matilde's Mission's ICRN (International Chinchilla Rescue Network) assumed responsibilities in 2006 and is a continuation and expansion of the work of IPCR. Judging the Quality of Internet Care Information The sole objective of this article is to encourage chinparents to THINK CRITICALLY and ASK QUESTIONS of their information source. We too have been confused and misled in the past by some people's ignorance and arrogance in online advising, and we'd like to help spare others the consequences we've endured. This is not an attempt on our part to somehow disqualify advice given elsewhere and to imply that only our advice is true and relevant, we invite the same honest scrutiny that we encourage chinparents to apply elsewhere and we expect that people can and will think and make up their minds for themselves. Please see ChinCare's Principle and read the conclusion after these points:
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