| No this dose not mean putting a games consol in with the chipmunks, there pore are to small to use the buttons any way. |
| Things need to be setup into the cadge/aviary that will mimic there natural environment and behaviour. |
| Claiming: |
| Chipmunks like to clime so put in some branches for them to clime on and run around. All ways use a non toxic tree for the branches, if you are not shore then use something like apple tree branches. Also chains and rope can also be used, when using chain its best to use new chain and disinfect it to get any chemicals off it. With rope use natural fiber rope only as it will get chewed (like everything in the cadge) Some of the big hard ware store sell hemp rope which is suitable and can also be allot cheaper than the small length supplied by some pets stores for birders. We have approximately 5m of zinc galvanized chain and approximately 6.5m of hemp rope which crisis across the aviary as well as 2 large apple tree branches. Most of our chipmunks seem to prefer the chain to be as tort as passable (some of them will not even go on the lose bits of change). with the walls of the aviary also coved in a wire mesh (There could be too much in the aviary as it is hard for me to move around in it). |
| Running: |
| Chipmunks can run and they do run pretty fast up the walled along the ropes, but they still like to have a wheel. But don't use a small well eg a hamster wheel a better wheel is a chipmunk or rat wheel and if there are a few chipmunks in one aviary it is best to have more than one wheel When the wheel gets old it usually squeaked as the chipmunks run on it, our chipmunks will try and avoid using a squeaking wheel, there are only a few options that we can do about this problem: buy a new wheel, leave it as it is (but this is not good if our chipmunks don't use it then they may not get enough exorcize, or it can be oil NO not normal mineral oil the chipmunks will try and lick it to see what it is so because of this it is best to use a vegetable oil but the problem with oiling it is that it needs doing very regularly, after oiling (veg oil) the wheel after a sort time it seems best to replace it. |
| Digging and tunneling: |
| The litter in the base of the aviary is about 8 cm (this is not ideal it would be better if it could be more) they will berry and dig in this but this is not allot compared with there normal habitat so the extra bedding we provide is put in a large plant pot which they will also dig around in. Plastic pipes are also used to mimic tunnels and they do enjoy them. |
| Feeding: (yes feeding can be entertainment) |
| When feeding them yes we put some food in the main bowl but also we will hide food around the cadge so they have to go and find the food, like they would in the wild. When we give them treats we will put them in hard to get places so they will have to really work to get there reword and they can be very persistent at times to get food they want. For more on food see the section on feeding. |
| Please remember that if a chipmunk lives in a boring environment then they will be board and sad this is not good for the chipmunk or for you. |
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