leash?

[mouse0217]

Pumpkin loves to sit on my shoulder and will stay there at stores,etc. but I'm afraid one day something will scare her and she will jump off. Is there a proper way or a chinchilla leash out there? Thanks.

-Eileen

[Janine]

:( I don't know much (or anything at all really) about chins, but if she is sitting on your shoulder and jumps off with a leash around her neck... wouldn't that be really dangerous?

[Nel]

I was in the pet store the other day looking for some goodies for my Chin and up walks a lady behind me doing the same thing. The difference was she had her chin with her!! The chin was sitting on her shoulder and was on a leash. It was soo cool. What this lady had done was modify a ferret harness some how so that it would fit the chin. I am planning on leash training my new chin, she totally seems to have the personality for it :) I will have to find out more about how to make the harness part fit and how to get a chin used to wearing it.

[outsiders_girl]

I would NOT reccomend a leash for a chin. They have a very delicate skeleton... When I had one, it scared them so bad, they ran around a chair and the leash got caught. Chinchillas like to hop and run freely, they could get hurt by being on a leash. I have a 3 chins who will sit on my shoulder... and personally, IMO, I think a chin would be safer jumping from your shoulder w/o the leash than with the leash... and when my chin is on my shoulder... I am always either hanging onto the tail (not hard) or sitting on the couch... I will NEVER go back to using a leash for a chin... they are made for ferrets, not chins, and I think that you are just putting your chin at risk by using one.


http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56663&highlight=chinchilla+leash

[Riddick]

NO!!! PLEASE NEVER!! put your chin in a harness and leash...they are more dangerous...than..than bullets!! I donot know hoe to stress this anymore...I chins body is not setup to be put in a harness and use a leash! My friend insisted on getting a harness and leash for her chin...one day he freaked, and the leash wrapped around his back legs and his neck and it tightened and his neck cracked...and he died...a chins structure is not tolerant enough with pressure and their bones are just to fragile and skinny...please please don't do it...you will regret it...here's more info...http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71554

[Spoof]

You can train your chin to a leash and harness. I would recommend the ferret type, I tried both that type and the guinea pig type, and the gp type shrinks when you pull on it.

I trained my first chin to respect the leash, ie, he didn't pull on it, but he never did hop in a strait line. That was over 6 years ago, lol.

Before you get all excited about them being fragile, if the skeleton can withstand a 6 ft fall to the ground, and they can withstand a human grabbing them around the neck/shoulders with one hand, they can withstand a leash.

Of course, you dont' just put the thing on, and expect control. First make sure your chin is comfortable with you. Put it on during play time with no leash. Practice catching the chin and restraining using your fingers in the leash hoop. It might take awhile, but he/she will figure out that they can not move when you do that. This really doesn't work with a spastic or untrusting chin, btw.

Once they get used to the pressure of you pulling, you can start attaching the leash. I used a large long one for cats. :)

As warned, with all things if you don't take your time, things can happen. Shoot, the number of leash deaths is probably less than chins randomly dropping over dead.

Either way, good luck!

[Janine]

Oh, a harness! I was picturing a collar type thing... just around the neck!

phew.

[outsiders_girl]

I wouldn't use either of the two...

[Riddick]

Neither would I...

[chinluvr04]

I think they are more happy just freely being held or walking around without something keeping them in one spot....Even cats dont like leashes...believe me i'v tried.