Free chinchilla(s)...

[hanatsuki]

So how do you feel about the issue of a free chinchilla?

It seems like a majority of people here do not like the idea, especially when the whole idea of snake food is brought up

I don't think its a bad thing as long as it goes to someone who had/have a chinchilla(s) before. It seems like everytime someone tries to post a free chinchilla someone ALways brings up the issue of snake food. I mean, do you think people would go about searching for those sort of posts, yay free chinchilla for my snake? Its not hard to find a rabbit, nor are they expensive.

I think i was lucky to get Lima and Lola from another forum or else they could've had to wait for months until they are driven all the way to Arizona for a new home.

[Bernie]

I think its fine as long as the person can lok after it properly. I would question them first and she if they can answer some questions on chinnie care. If they answer a question wrong then they shouldnt take on a chinnie as simple as that :chin2:

[SpringChins]

There wasn't an option for me. There are only two circumstances where I would give away an animal:
1. The person is an established pet owner/rescuer of that species (I must have direct knowledge of this).
2. I know the person.

~June~

[bear]

I voted "yes"... any home a chinchilla gets sent to (in the ideal world) will be a wonderful one, no matter the cost of the animal. If I wouldn't sell somebody a chin, I wouldn't give him one either.

[Tito]

i think it's ok to as long if it the one recieving it is willing too take care of it as if they paid for it. I myself got a free chinnie from someone who coldnt care for it anymore, they knew i loved chinnies so they rather give it to me without the hassel of trying to sell.

[Mystic_Koolaid]

I agree, as I have posted many, many times, that any snake owner in their right minds would not surf forums for hours until they found a chinchilla for free to feed their snake. Being a former snake owner, I also know that chins are not a good choice of food for them, as they are almost all hair and bone, which is undigestable, and not too much meat. Rabbits are everywhere, for cheap, and they are REALLY meaty compared to a chin.
I understand that a lot of small and furry creature owners have a vendetta against snakes, but realistically, it will never happen that way.

[equusus]

I agree, as I have posted many, many times, that any snake owner in their right minds would not surf forums for hours until they found a chinchilla for free to feed their snake. Being a former snake owner, I also know that chins are not a good choice of food for them, as they are almost all hair and bone, which is undigestable, and not too much meat. Rabbits are everywhere, for cheap, and they are REALLY meaty compared to a chin.
I understand that a lot of small and furry creature owners have a vendetta against snakes, but realistically, it will never happen that way.

THANK YOU!!!
It is a pet peeve of mine to see people all bent out of shape over snakes! It is VERY UNLIKELY that any self respecting snake owner would feed their snake a chinchilla- all fur, no meat no nutrition. Don't people realize that snake hobbyists are just like chinchilla hobbyists and want to take the best care of their snakes that they can? And that would include proper nutrition? I had my snake for 15 years (he passed away last summer), and never would have dreamed to feed him a chilla.
I also agree that a forum such as this would not be a frequent browsing place for someone looking for snake food.
I am not saying that noone has ever fed a chinchilla to a snake, I am sure that it has happened. What I am saying is that it is very unlikely that any free chinchillas on this forum will be 'snatched up' by someone looking for snake food.
I also get offended every time anyone talks like snakes don't even deserve to be alive and fed anything. Hello to all you anti feeding snake people- don't you eat? The quick death of snake food is a lot more humane that the slow torture and death of slaughter animals for hamburgers! Besides, all critters need to eat to live and that is all a snake does. They NEVER hunt and/or kill just for fun or sport!
Sorry to ramble on, but I love reptiles as much as furballs and hate seeing them get a bad rap!

april

[Kayla1984]

Ahh I'm a Chinnie owner AND Bunnie owner!! *tear* (Runs from this thread)

[SpringChins]

Don't people realize that snake hobbyists are just like chinchilla hobbyists and want to take the best care of their snakes that they can? And that would include proper nutrition?

That is true of some (perhaps even most) snake owners, yes. However, it is certainly not true for all of them. Just as there are numerous chinchilla/rat/cat/dog owners that don't take particularly good care of their animals, there are numerous snake owners that don't take very good care of their animals, as well.

Let me give you an example:
It is a well known fact that feeding a live adult rat to a snake is dangerous for the snake. The safest thing to do for the snake is to either buy pre-killed/frozen rats, or to kill the animal yourself just before placing it in with the snake. And, yet, there are numerous snake owners out there that still feed live adult rats to snakes. Some claim the snake won't eat frozen food, but they haven't actually tried very hard to switch the snake over (it does take some work). Most just like watching the snake kill the rat. :Pukey:

Meanwhile, feeding a live rat to a snake is illegal in certain other countries, such as England. But, in the US, it is okay, because it is "natural." You know, because putting a predator & prey together in a box is so natural. :rolleyes: Irresponsible is more like it.


Note: I do still agree that most snake owners aren't going to come to a chinchilla forum looking for something to feed their snake. There is no reason to do so, when there are plenty of rabbit/rat/etc forums out there. If any chinchillas do get fed to snakes, it is probably because they see the thing advertised on a more general pet forum, and figure that a rodent is a rodent. I would, however, argue that posting an ad for a free chinchilla elsewhere (e.g., in a newspaper or on a general pet forum) can very easily attract a snake owner.

Then again, I don't think that a snake is the worst possible fate for an animal. I think that there are far worse fates (labs, people who don't care for the animal, etc), which may very well be on a chinchilla forum specifically looking for free chinchillas.

Certainly, irresponsible pet owners are the biggest problem in my mind (although there is no guarantee they will care for the animal even if they do pay for it, it might at least give the animal value in their eyes).


~June~

P.S. I think the best possible situation would be to be a vet that sells chinchillas. That way, if you wanted to give one away, you could still charge for it, and tell them that you will use the money to credit towards future vet visits (to encourage them to bring it in if it gets sick).

[Mystic_Koolaid]

I dont know why this continues to be a debate. Chins-N-Quills is a safe place to post pets of any price. (I agree that even death is a worse fate than some) Chinchillas are not snake food, and even if they were, you would have to have about a 12ft or bigger snake to eat them. I dont know how many newpapers I have picked up and seen free rats and bunnies or $1-5 rats and bunnies etc... I would call them for food for a snake before I ever called for a free chinchilla.

Live rats will only hurt a snake if they are not eaten right away and are left in the tank with the snake. This gives them time to bite/scratch/climb all over the snake which is why its not a good idea to LEAVE them in the tank. Feeding them is safe.

Although some pet owners dont treat their animals the greatest, most usually dont go out of their way to feed the wrong thing. (in my experience with "rescuing" animals) Most "bad" pet owners either A. dont have the money to take beter care of their animal B. lose interest C. dont know any better BUT it is rarely, if not never, that someone sets out to do the completely wrong thing for their pet. Snakes included. I also get upset by people that are so against snakes in general, and feeding them so that they are allowed to survive. Without snakes, many places would be so overrun by rodents that it would be impossible to live there. Snakes are just as much a part of our ecosystem than anything. They dont have any choice that they eat meat, or hunt the way they do, thats just the way they are. AMEN that they dont hunt for sport and only kill what they are going to eat. I would rather have a pet of mine go to a snake for its survivial than to a pelter to be killed and made into a coat.