(5/7/14)

For the month of April eight (8) chinchillas were surrendered andfive (5) chinchillas were adopted. Overall for the year we are at a plus 7 so far. Which means we have 7 more "in" than "out". We've also had a rather strong rush of potentially pregnant surrenders come in who are on maternity watch. Actually, at this time we have 9 rescue females that we're watching and waiting. Many of them will clear for adoption by the end of this month. And that's just in time for the Adoptathon!

 Every year the North Shore Animal League hosts a pet Adoptathon.

Historically, this has taken place in the month of May, which is the most horrible, absolutely lowest adoption time of the year. This year, however, the event kicks off at the end of May with the main event in the month of June. In eager anticipation we'd like to make a special adoption offer for May and June (or until supplies last).

We have an over-abundance of single chinchillas who do not play well with others. We also happen to have plenty of cages on hand that conveniently divide into sections while maintaining a small footprint. So...for anyone who is interested in adopting two (2) single chinchillas, we will offer $100 off towards the purchase of one of our pre-owned, Critter Nation divided double stack cages. Our modified set ups are valued at well over $300. All adoption requirements apply. Offer is for pairs of single chins only.

For the month of April, eight (8) chinchillas were surrendered, and six (6) chinchillas were adopted. One chinchilla kit was born of a surrendered female and six females just completed their pregnancy watch without babies. Whoo hoo!

We are still dealing with overflow surrenders here where our current chin count has exploded back up to triple digits. We have exactly 100 chinchillas currently, with about half of those available for adoption right now.

Rescue work is an interesting lifestyle. Sometimes people jump into the decision to "do what we do" without much forethought, but with tons of heart and spirit.  To choose this route one must have unlimited patience, time, space and *cough* access to funds. Our store items-- cage accessories, chew toys, food and other chinnie products-- ensure we can continue providing for the fuzzbutts. We supply our store with handmade, hand selected and often hand harvested materials.

As much as we appreciate the support of store orders, there are some ways to maximize the mutual benefit. Whimsy made the following post on our Facebook page recently that summarizes this point exactly:

"Hey everyone, we've had a bunch of requests for teeny tiny orders lately. This is heartbreaking, let me explain why. The postal service charges a base price on deliveries, then the price goes up according to weight, size and distance. It's the base price that's a killer. So if someone wants to order a single chew toy it's going to cost more than the item is worth just in shipping! As a single mother of four, I've had to live on a very tight budget and recognize the power of combined shipping and stocking up. For roughly the same cost, you can fill a box with multiple items and pay very little more in additional shipping cost. Just FYI"

As a reminder, we are now offering a free chew toy with orders of $50 or more. Is that incentive enough? Hmmmm....perhaps a ticker tape announcement on the store page would help....

Wow! The month of June just flew past! If you are one of our Facebook fans, you know the daily happenings have kept us busy, busy, busy!

*cough* But I digress....

For the month of June, nine (9) chinchillas were surrendered, and nine (9) chinchillas were adopted. We are also currently boarding nine (9) chinchillas here for summer vacations. 9, 9, 9....creepy.

It was an interesting month where the number of adoptions looked like we were finally winning back some elbow room, then, 4 more chinchillas came in on the very last day. (Party crashers.) :P 

But we have some exciting news!

The girls of the mass surrender from the Montgomery County Humane Society have passed their maternity watch and are now available for adoption! Of the 14 females, only 5 actually littered. Several other females showed initial signs of pregnancy, but we suspect the impact of the changes in their little furry lives caused the kits to be reabsorbed. This is actually a blessed relief.

Animal shelters all across the country are having a difficult time placing unwanted animals into homes. Even we have seriously started thinking it may come to the point where we would have to turn away those inquiring about surrendering their pets. We have NEVER in the past had to do this, but our moderately sized home, even with the chinchilla room extension, is unusually swollen with chinchillas waiting for new families. So I have an offer for you. Yes, you!

Like the McRib sandwich, like Shamrock Shakes, like religious freedom in America, for a limited time, anyone willing to adopt 3 or more of the Montgomery county girls, and promise to keep them together, we will give a totally free, (albeit ugly) cage large enough to house a group.

Hear me out. It is just as easy to care for a group of chins sharing the same cage as it is to care for one chinchilla. Plus, our very low-cost supplies make chin ownership cheap enough for even a child paying for upkeep with their allowance. 

We strongly prefer chins in groups and these girls are perfect for someone looking to adopt a herd of their own.  In the event something happens to one of them, the remaining chins still have each other for company. See the logic? I hope so.

Yes, we are available on nights, weekends, most holidays, etc, etc, etc. We only ask that potential adopters follow the guidelines listed on the Adoptions page and email to set up an appointment to meet the chins. We're looking forward to hearing from you. :)

For the month of May, seven (7) chinchillas were surrendered, and four (4) chinchillas were adopted.  Ouch! It's been an especially low month for adoptions, but we've gotten many, many inquiries from people who are waiting for summer break to adopt. 

We've also had the privilege this month of helping three families find a new fur friend for their chinchilla(s).  Introducing chins is not for the faint of heart! Sometimes, unknowing newbies get lucky when they toss a couple of chins together and they get along right away. Many times, however, the results are disastrous. Chinchillas, if not properly introduced or socialized, WILL fight to the death. A chinchilla introduction can be quite unnerving and risky.

With the countless numbers of single chinchillas who come through our doors, we've had plenty of experience with bonding the lonely ones. A rare few are determined unsafe to put with other chins. For this reason, we don't often have single chins available to pair with those seeking a friend for their chinchilla.

Lately we've had the opportunity to accommodate those requests now that the Maryland mass surrender from Montgomery County is becoming available. Of the nearly 30 chinchillas that came to us back in March, all of the young males have gone to new homes. Of the females, five of them have littered so far and with their exceptionally long gestation period, we may still see more. The first two babies have gone to new homes with the third one spoken for already! 

In the meantime, we still have roughly 100 chinchillas here who are in our care. Some of them are on maternity watch, some are undergoing medical care, others are under quarantine and observation while still others are simply waiting for their new families to find them.  Please remember, your donation and/or store purchase helps us keep our ministry to these exceptional pets strong. 

Which reminds me!...

Before I forget, thank you Shawn, for the kiwi wood donation and the exercise wheel.

Thank you, Denise, for the flowers and cookies. 

Thank you, Ann, for your never-ending supply of donuts and all the volunteer cage cleaning, chin scritching, and rant listening. 

Thank you, Ken, for the cage donations and pear wood. 

Thank you, Jay, for the new computer and camera!

Thank you, Jamie, for including us in your new song/video and your unfailing extra monetary support. 

And thank you to everyone who has rounded up the payment on their store purchases!

The outpouring of community support and all around goodwill has us overcome with joy. It's been a pleasure serving the chins and all our new and old friends.  

For the month of March, thirty-four (34!) chinchillas were surrendered, and twelve (12) were adopted. 

Last month we had the Montgomery County mass surrender, plus our "usual" number of surrenders on top of that. On average, this type of mass influx seems to happen two or three times per year. We are very fortunate to have met so many kindhearted people who are interested in providing a loving home for the chinchillas in our care. And the outpouring of support by store orders, food and supplies donations and even monetary ($) donations has been a blessed relief.

The mass group has been doing very well since they've arrived. We've moved all the females into a huge baby safe cage where they can continue living together while on maternity watch. One female has already produced kits; one boy, one girl. The babies weighed in at the typical 41 and 44 grams. Considering the size and condition of the mother, this is quite miraculous! 

Four of the Montgomery boys have been adopted to two different homes. We have also learned just which of the boys love or hate each other and have divided them according to their preferences. At this time, we have two pairs and one group of 4 left, plus about 20 or so other chins who are waiting to meet their future families. 

Why adopt a rescue? 

These chinchillas depend on us to keep them comfortable, fed and loved. Usually, when chinchillas are surrendered, they have passed the adorable, but crazy baby stage and settled into their personalities. By that time the former owners have either lost interest, developed allergies, or had some sort of life-changing event which caused them to have to give up their pets. The little critters deserve a second chance! Baby cuteness is what makes pet stores thrive, but that period of time is very, very short. With and animal that lives up to 20 years, that opportunity for adoption is like a blink of an eye.

When you adopt from us, we provide a no kidding, honest assessment of their personalities and potential.  We also present a crash course in chin care and handling, with lifetime support. We make sure each adoptive home is properly equipped to ensure a full and happy life for the fuzzbutts, but the rest is up to you.

Now who is up to the challenge?