Hammock for chinchilla: how to choose and do it yourself?

Hammock for chinchilla ... Fun thing, isn't it?

Apparently, if they try to do it and even give advice on its manufacture, someone needs it. We'll figure out.

If there is a desire (or necessity) to get such a rodent as a chinchilla in, so that it would be nice, supply it with a small hamlet. It will be both pleasant and useful for her, and will give comfort to her habitat zone. And if the gamachk is made by hand, the rodent will fully become a member of the family as much as possible.

Of course, at first glance, a chinchilla is a soft, fluffy, lazy and not very mobile creature (while it sleeps). But as soon as she is given freedom, she will become extremely mobile, active, jumping and running animals, even if she is inside the enclosure.

On the other hand, this rodent also loves to rest very, very much, therefore, it is necessary to exert maximum efforts for the arrangement of a comfortable and spacious dwelling.

Chinchilla loves toys, and they should be different (ball, suspension and spinning wheel), but the pet loves to rest no less, therefore it is necessary to provide passive rest, for example, in a hammock. In such a shelter a rodent can lie down and bask in for hours, and sometimes even sway like on a swing.

Strange? Strange. But only at first glance.

Zoologists have found out an unexpected fact - it turns out that many pets like mini-hammock very much. Measuring the swing of a hammock provides a peaceful state in a dream, that for animals, that for people. And chinchillas are also looking for protection in a suspended shelter - as it is more difficult for it to reach predators. In such a shelter, you can drag a lot of warming material and not be afraid that a relative will steal it, as if it were on the surface of the earth, besides, the shelter will not flood it if it rains suddenly. All these reasons can motivate a host to set up a hammock in a chinchilla cage.

The question arises - do it yourself or get it ready?

There are no big differences in the design of a human hammock and hammock for chinchilla. Both are made up of elements that are securely attached to the four points of support and are some distance from ground level.

In the case of a hammock made of cloth, it should:

• to be sufficiently dense and not to succumb to rodent teeth;
• securely fixed to the roof / cage walls with the help of carabiners or be tied with such materials that a captured chinchilla cannot gnaw through them;
• have an environmentally friendly, safe and durable base material - it should not be torn or stretched when a small animal jumps on it (fleece, denim, cotton fabric).

Gamachki can be single and bunk. Chinchilla can either just relax in it, or hide between the tiers. Their height is determined by the height of the cage ceiling.

If we talk about the manufacture of a hammock, the main ones are 3 options:

• single tier;
• two-tier insulated;
• cylindrical (from the leg of jeans).

For a one-tier hammock, it will be necessary to use a piece of the chosen matter (the fleece material is optimally chosen because it is elastic, soft and convenient for washing / cleaning) of 1500/300 mm in size, threads, needles, scissors.

Sewing process:

• bend a piece of cloth, then bend the resulting again;
• flush the surface with 30 × 30 mm cells to eliminate stretching or deformation;
• edges to mark in places where there will be fastenings;
• sweep the loops in advance and cut symmetrically;
• when used for attaching the usual elastic, zigzag stitch it to the edge (in advance to prepare an elastic band, a quarter of a meter from each edge);
• the edges must somehow be strengthened (sewn, protected by durable material so that the threads do not fall into the pet's stomach).

To sew a two-tier insulated bed, you have to fork out for the purchase:

• again, a piece of fleece 1500/600 mm;
• for the “floor”, a thin synthetic winterizer of 1500 × 300 mm is required;
• oblique bakey to process and reinforce cuts;
• threads and needles, scissors.

Jeans that will be used to make a chinchilla cover can be the same size as in the first case: 1500/300 mm (regular leg)

The sewing process differs only in that the fabric is rather coarse, not very elastic and durable, it is harder to sew. The question of how a hammock can be decorated outside, refers only to the extent and capabilities of the chinchilla master. Just do not forget that it is necessary to avoid intense odors evaporating chemicals.

Build gamachok, you should not relax. We'll have to go to the end and provide care for him, since the chinchilla itself cannot do this. Yes, and serve such gamachok much longer.

• Wash gamachka should not be done less than once every 50-60 days (chinchilla fluffiness is well known, respectively, it sheds).
• In addition to wool, the gamach material is covered with a layer of food (the chinchilla does not learn to eat from the tray and often carries food to the hammock).
• Unwelcome washing with the use of odorous substances (chinchilla can ignore its favorite place because of the pungent smell), the usual laundry soap will do.
• If the gamachka is absent for some time, the chinchilla will be at a loss, so for the period of washing / drying it is desirable to produce a pair of gamachki. This will contribute not only to the fact that the chinchilla will rest, but also to the fact that the hammocks will not be very worn out and will serve for a longer time.

Each edge of the chinchilla’s hamlet must be carefully processed:

• for the reason that it is a rodent (do not forget that it is vital to grind their teeth, without this they can simply die), respectively, they are active on the subject of “chewing - chewing”, and your favorite chinchilla will completely disassemble any fabric on strings, yes and devours her;
• she is sure to catch her claws on a separate thread during her rapid movements in the game.

During friction, they will become electrified and beat the chinchilla (do not forget that the darling's coat is thin) with light but quite sensitive electrical discharges. It will not be able to positively affect her temperament.

Thin fabric will not stand under the pressure of the claws of the pet (a chinchilla does not sit still for a second when it is awake) and will not last very long.

Many owners of chinchillas testify - they often prefer to sleep in a hammock, and not in their burrows. Such experiments were also carried out in zoos, which confirmed the commitment even of predatory felines to stay on vacation in a hammock for many hours. In the hammocks photographed and predators, and herbivores, and primates.Apparently, a hammock gives them confidence in a certain security, such as the jerboa is afraid of a boaer, and the chinchilla is afraid of its other enemies.

In general, a gamacho for a pet chinchilla (of course, if it was built with its own hands, and in full accordance with the recommendations of this article), it will serve the owner of 4–5 years.

See how to sew a hammock for a chinchilla on your own, see the video below.