(Part 3) Top products from r/chinchilla

Your post makes me feel all nostalgic, warm, & fuzzy! I also adopted my 2 babies when they were 6-7 months old, in July. It took the more adventurous one about 3 weeks to even approach me, and the other one warmed up in maybe 2 months.
Something that definitely helped was to sit with them during playtime, and just let them do their thing. I noticed that every day, they'd get more and more curious about me (and my clothes.. more things to chew and investigate!), and just gradually started jumping all over me. It took a couple months before both were comfortable enough to leap onto my shoulders and perch for awhile. My chins are also getting used to my much-taller boyfriend, so I make him sit in the playpen while they have playtime, and they're slowly warming up to him as well.

We also employ the classical conditioning method: every time I make a kissy noise, they come running, begging, and nearly knock me over for treats. I used to give them 1-2 cheerios daily, but after reading that even that was too much sugar and unholy processed-ness, I've just started giving them little branches (these). They still come running, and it's good for their teeth. Have you noticed that they like a particular kind of wood? Mine devour willow and sometimes apple branches. They also seem to LOVE alfalfa hay, and only when I started offering that from my hand (3 months in - apparently you can give alfalfa hay freely up til 1yr old?) did they start to actually tolerate petting. We're still working on holding and such.
Anyways, good luck, and be patient! The rewards are immense! :)

I'm not sure if you're trying to get a special customized wheel, but I got the basic kaytee silent spinner wheel and my babies love it. And it's actually pretty silent. Durable, easy to install on the standard cage.

How do I insert photos here?
well anyways, here's my chin Pookah enjoying hers :)
https://www.instagram.com/p/aHu1vUuCvH/

The other suggestions of cloth wrapped ice packs are worth trying, but I'd look at how to make the AC more efficient.

1. Can you move the cage closer to the AC? Even if the whole room is warmer, the area closest to the AC will be cooler.
   
   
2. If there's windows in the room, add window film to insulate and decrease heat coming it - it's cheap and easily removable if you rent (I rent and have them up). Just make sure it's non-adhesive, static cling film. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Gila-Privacy-Static-Residential-Adhesive/dp/B000HE57JS or this one https://www.amazon.com/FILMGOO-Privacy-Control-Anti-UV-Non-Adhesive/dp/B07CYY7PQW/
   
   
3. You could make or buy a solar (or battery) powered swamp cooler. In small spaces it can work shockingly well, but it's annoying to have to check the water level every few hours. You can also buy swamp coolers prefabbed, but if money is a concern you can DIY it. https://www.google.com/search?q=solar+swamp+cooler
   
   My boy starts looking uncomfortable over 76, so I would be very worried keeping him in temps of 80+. I shoot for 72 degrees and he seems comfortable plus or minus a few degrees of that.
   
   Refrigerated stone slabs do help for short term relief, but ultimately you need to keep the temp down. Chinchilla don't sweat, and can't release body heat that way. If you aren't comfortable in a long sleeve shirt or sweater in the room they're in, then it's too hot for the chins.

Great idea! I might have to do this myself!

As for protecting the cord, you could try one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Cord-Protector-CritterCord-Protect-Hazardous/dp/B000EH2I5O

Springs work well too since they're metal. I'm sure a trip to your local hardware store can probably help for finding random plastic tubes that could fit over a cord!

A pack of these guys.

Granted, I'm only feeding two and it sounds like you need a lot bigger bins. But yeah, stackable bins. Maybe one of these too. Like so.

Or, if you're trying to make it look pretty (or like there's no "pet junk" there at all), try getting a piece of furniture like an armoire and storing everything in bins in there, like so or like so.

I have a HEPA air filter tower fan (http://www.amazon.com/GermGuardian-AC4825-Cleaning-Reduction-22-Inch/dp/B004VGIGVY/ref=sr_1_32_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1457712944&sr=8-32&keywords=tower+fan) which i would highly recommend. It is quiet and helps filter a lot of the dust/hair out of the air. Be prepared to clean out the filter weekly!

I have a set of those plastic drawers like this [http://www.amazon.com/Sterilite-29308001-3-Drawer-See-Through-Drawers/dp/B000MPQ2S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368652796&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+storage+drawers] That I keep by the cage and keep food and accessories in. I put the hay in Rubbermaid totes that fit on the shelf underneath the cage. As for fleece fabric? You know I have a ton for the stuff I make, that's usually in an extra drawer in the dresser or an organized box in the closet lol.

this is the most useful thing i've ever put in my chinchilla cages. i have a box full of various wood sticks/blocks/coins, pumice stones, etc, with holes drilled in them so i can string them on the ka-bobs as needed. i also keep a lot of pumice/wood ledges all over the cages, which are useful as perches and as chew toys. and, of course, there's an endless supply of loose cardboard pieces for them to shred.

Thanks for the reply, the tray actually sits on top of the wire mesh. It’s similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/MidWest-181-Leak-Proof-locking-Measures/dp/B000F4UNCG

So it’s just that black tray at the bottom. I guess I should be putting the bedding over that then?

Yea it's possible. If you can order from amazon then try something like this http://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Chinchilla-Dust-Pounds-ounces/dp/B001OVBCPG/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1417376616&sr=1-7&keywords=blue+cloud+chinchilla+dust

"Frosted Mini Wheats", without the frosting = Shredded Wheat. It IS cereal lol.

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https://www.amazon.com/Post-Shredded-Original-18-Biscuits-15-Ounce/dp/B000E1FYBA/ref=sr_1_9?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6MWcsNKW4wIVlozICh1xZQt4EAAYASAAEgJmlPD_BwE&hvadid=323402811492&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9007324&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=9923926474615672143&hvtargid=kwd-298439552776&hydadcr=29168_10188752&keywords=shredded+wheat+cereal+original&qid=1562084543&s=gateway&sr=8-9

Here you go. My chinchilla really likes them because they're a little springy

I cannot, the cage was hard to clean and far to small. It had to go. I'm currently saving up for the Ferret Nation cage! Here is a link to a clip the would work. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0022IMK7E/ref=gno_cart_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2EG6QEDZDPFVD

Couldn't hurt. I have a bowl that screws to the side of the cage so he can't tip it over. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/ProSelect-Stainless-Steel-Coop-Cups/dp/B000GDVUE6

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001W8S4M0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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This is a cage I have for my <1yo boy. Absolutely love it, we have another same style, but twice the height for the other two chins who are a bonded pair.

I only use aspen bedding, tried fleece once, but we didn't like it. Hope this helps!

I have a small metal playpen made for small animals. I bought the deluxe version (which means it has a few extra panels). it gives her 12 square feet of play space. I have the end panels up against the side of her cage so she can come and go from her cage whenever she wants during playtime. She tries to escape less with it attached to the cage.

I tried a fabric/mesh playpen but she kept chewing the zippers and mesh. She ended up tearing a lot of holes in it. It wasn't a very good playpen for chinchillas.

Ah.

https://www.amazon.com/Prevue-Hendryx-490-Products-Hammertone/dp/B001W8TZ8W

One of these? Try putting it up higher so he can't leverage it out. Not that this doesn't stop my girls from picking up pellets individually and dropping them everywhere.