Chinnie Need to Know News Info

September 15, 2023

Today is our 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Thank You with all my heart to all of you who have supported me throughout the years. Many of you have known me for many years and have always been a positive constant with words of kindness, encouragement, donations and shopping my store. Words can not express my gratitude and appreciation. It is because of all of you that I have been able to continue my calling to help chinchillas in need.

September 13, 2023

I can't believe it's September already! This past year has been exceptionally busy for the rescue. The requests from people to surrender their chinchillas has been so high, I could not keep up with the emails. I took as many as I could, but right now, my rescue is very full. PLEASE understand what the commitment is to with live a chinchilla before even thinking of bringing one into your home. The percentage of people who give up their chinchillas is very high.

I did a very large hoarding rescue this year, which actually started November of last year. There was a total of 4 trips made to pick up all the chinchillas and to remove all the cages. In the end, a total of 127 chinchillas were rescued. With the help of one of the wonderful women who works at my vet hospital, Kensington Bird and Animal, she was able to find homes for about 40 of the chins. A very good friend of mine has helped tremendously in fostering several who needed extra care because of health or emotional issues. We unfortunately lost a few along the way due to severe health issues that did not response to medical treatment despite our best efforts. The remaining chins stayed with me at Forever Feisty.

I am going through pellets and hay like crazy. The new rescues are inhaling the Oxbow pellets and hay. There have been many, many trips to the vet, which included a couple of surgeries. DONATIONS ARE VERY MUCH NEEDED. Just so you know, if a monetary donation can be given, it will allow me to buy more supplies for the chins than if you donate products through retail sources. That is because I have established many wholesale accounts over the years, so I can buy double, sometimes triple the amount of supplies with a monetay donation versus what you will pay through retail. Also, monetary donations help to pay for the vet bills.

STORE ORDERS: I am very aware that I am running way behind on getting store orders out. I can't apologize enough for that. Everyone has been extremely patient and kind about it. I hope the above paragraph explains some of the delay for you. I am working on getting orders out. I hand make a lot of the things I sell, so that takes more time to put orders together. Please, always feel free to email me about your order if you have questions. I am immensely grateful for your support through my store. I need to update many things and add a lot of new products, so I hope to get that updated very soon. Also, many people have asked me about the 'add a donation to your order' button because it is not working correctly. I never changed anything on my store page, but it seems PayPal altered something on their end. I tried to correct it, but it's still not right, so I'm still trying to fix it.

February 27, 2023

It's been a week since AmazonSmile was shut down. I want to thank all of you who had my rescue listed as your charity. The donations I received from that did help with vet expenses and supplies for the rescues.

January 17, 2023

Best wishes to all for 2023!! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to everyone who has been so caring and supportive of my rescue!! I can not express in words the gratitude I have for you trusting in me and my work for the chinchillas.

Every year things with my rescue get busier and last year was no exception. The number of surrender requests is incredible. People really need to research and comprehend what the responsibility is to live with a chinchilla, as well as the long term commitment. Not a day goes by when I am not contacted and asked to take a chinchilla or two or more. The crisis is real!

Donation letters/emails for 2022 are going out in the next few days. As a non-profit, I survive with the generosity of people like you. Veterinarian expenses, food/hay and general supplies are a never ending need and your support help to provide all that is needed for the chinchillas.

December 17, 2022

Happy Holidays Everyone! Sorry it has been so long since I have made an update. This year has been exceptionally challenging and busy. So many of you have shown support and kindness and I can't thank you enough. In the last few weeks I have been involved with a very large rescue of 102 chinchillas, with 16 chins still needing to be picked up. With the amazing help from one of the women who works at my veterinarian's, we have found homes for many of the chins, but special cases have stayed with me. It has been ongoing vet visits, emergency surgeries, kits being born and unfortunately some loss. With some emotional rehabilitation, the majority of the chins are doing very well. Because of this, I have been on the road traveling a lot more than usual. Things seem to be settling down at this point, so now it is a matter of catching up with other rescue business.

STORE ORDERS are being worked on. I hope to get them out by Monday, but some of the more recent orders may not get shipped until later during the coming week. All of you have shown incredible patience with the slow delivery this year. The reason has been because of the large rescue as stated above. Once your order has been boxed up and a shipping label has been printed and paid for, I will send you the tracking info. I am using both USPS and UPS for shipping. Thank you all so much for your support!

July 31, 2022

I have caught up on all store orders except for a few that came in this month. I will be working on those today and tomorrow.

In addition to my Adoptable Chinchillas page on my web site, I have started to use my Adopt a Pet page again. I had stopped using it for a while once I started the adoption page on my site. However, at times, it is faster to add a new listing on Adopt a Pet, so now chins are listed on both my site and their page.

July 16, 2022

I have caught up on many orders, but am still working on some from June. I'm sorry for the delay. I have been traveling a lot more to pick up rescues, vet appointments and adoptions. Thank you for your patience. If you find that you can't wait for your order, please just contact me through the website email and let me know and I can refund you if that is what you would prefer.

July 2, 2022

I have shipped a lot of orders out this past week including yesterday morning. I am working on orders this weekend and will ship on Tuesday (post office is closed on Monday).

June 26, 2022

We have done several adoptions through the Courtesy listings on my web site to wonderful people, most from other states. However, the number of surrender requests have far outnumbered the adoptions unfortunately. Every year I say how bad the homeless problem is with chins and yet the next year seems to be worse. Most of the cases are people not realizing the amount of care or their lives move onto something else which does not include the chinchillla. There have also been cases of health issues and allergies for people which I think are on the rise because of Covid after effects. I have done several emergency rescues for sick chins or hoarding cases. I will say it again, please STOP putting male and females together in the same cage or they will produce kits! It does NOT matter if they are related or not, they will mate. A chin can have on average of 1-4 kits in a litter. There are a lot of complications with inbreeding and health issues down the road, so please consider the chinchillas wellbeing.

I am behind on getting store orders shipped. I am very aware of this and I can not apologize enough. I am getting them out, but much slower than normal, which the above paragraph may explain. Your support is extremely important to me and your patience is incredible. Thank you! I am going to start to email everyone once your order is boxed and has a shipping label. In the past, I emailed after the order shipped, but there are times I have things ready to go the evening before I ship. That way you will have tracking info sooner.

May 2, 2022

I know it has been a while for an update, but it has shown to be a very busy year with surrenders and rescue business. Thank you to everyone who has been very patient with getting your store orders. I can not express enough to you how serious the homeless problem is for chinchillas. The number of surrender requests I get every day is very high. I am contacted by people from all over the country. I have focused on Courtesy listings to help people find homes for their chins, but still can not keep up with the demand for surrenders. At the same time, I receive many applications to adopt from people who STILL do not do their research as to the proper care of chins. Unless you plan on committing the next 20 years to this animal, you should not be considering bringing one into your home. With proper care, a chinchilla can easily live that long. Getting a proper cage, food and supplies is vital to the wellbeing of a chinchilla. Allergies has also become more of an issue for many chinchilla guardians who now find themselves needing to surrender. This needs to be considered if you are thinking of bringing a chin into your home. It seems to be more of an issue for young kids.

Also, please do not 'gift' a chinchilla to someone. I have had several surrenders because of this. Many of the people who have gotten them, never even asked for a chinchilla nor had any interests in them. Some people have had allergies and are simply afraid of them. These animals, as are all animals, requires a lot of care and should not be given to someone casually.

*New Email* I am transitioning to a new email address. For a long time now I have had many technical problems with my current internet/email service. I have had the same email since I started my rescue 18 years ago. I have postphoned switching because of the hassle to be honest, but at this point I have to change things. The email itself is the same, but I will no longer be using @sbcglobal.net after the next couple of weeks. I will still have the current/old email for a couple of weeks until things have been switched over.

I DO already have the NEW email working, so please contact me there from today forward. It is: forever feisty chins @gmail.com (no spaces). I have also switched over my Store email to a @gmail.com account.

As always, Thank You so much to everyone who supports my rescue! It is greatly appreciated and helps me to keep going every day.

January 18, 2022

Thank You so much to everyone who donated yesterday as part of the Betty White Challenge. It means a lot to me to be part of this wonderful event.

January 10, 2022

I want to say Thank You to everyone for supporting my rescue last year with donations, store orders, patience and words of encouragement. It means so much to me. This year is already very busy here. Surrenders as always are never ending. Again, I implore people to please really think about the commitment and time a chinchilla requires before you bring one into your life. Especially since vet cost have gone up and finding a vet who is not only experienced with chinchillas, but is willing to take you on as a new client. Many vets now a days are just overwhelmed and not seeing any new patients. Please do not take the lives of these wonderful animals lightly.

December 17, 2021

As of today, ALL orders have been shipped. Everyone has been really patient and kind with allowing me to catch up with things. Thank you so much for that.

December 12, 2021

Happy Holidays everyone! Hope you are all staying safe and healthy. I am working on orders and hope to get out all of them that I have received by December 16th. With all the issues with delivery services, I can not guarantee delivery by Christmas for orders received from today forward.

October 13, 2021

Please Read! If you want to learn about the reality of how some chinchilla ranchers and breeders take care of their chins, read this article. A HUGE applause to Animal Welfare Institute for not giving up! awionline.org

October 10, 2021

Happy Fall everyone! I know it's been a while since I have posted an update. As many of you know I have been working full throttle for months now, even more than usual. I know I sound like a broken record, but surrenders have been insane. When Covid hit I knew many people would be looking to adopt animals because they were home, had lots of time on their hands and everyone was stuck being together constantly. I also knew that once life got back to some sort of normalcy a large number of those people would no longer be interested in the animals they adopted. That is exactly what happened to many poor animals across this country. Shelters and Rescues were overwhelmed with animals being returned to them. A truely sad situation and speaks volumes of how so many people think animals are deposable. I only did a few adoptions during all this time to incredibly wonderful families who are very devoted to their chins and could not imagine a life without them.

Please think before adopting any animal. All animals require a lot of care and time. They are a long time commitment and if you have an active life style, they most likely will not work into your daily schedule. Animals DO have feelings and are very capable of becoming depressed and lonely when left alone for lenghths of time or have no human interaction except for food/water being left for them.

Store Orders: I am very, very grateful to everyone for your tremendous support for my rescue by shopping at my online store. I am still running behind from my normal delivery time with shipping . This is due to larger orders and how many items I need to make by hand as the orders are received. Plus I do still run a full time rescue and that takes up a lot of time also. Everyone has been super patient and understanding about it and I can't thank you enough for that. Honestly, the slower shipping will most likely last through the end of the year now that the holidays are here which is always very busy for me on a 'normal' year. However, I do plan to cut the time down in delays, so things should improve.

A few of my suppliers are running low or are out of stock of some items I sell. This is the lingering affects of Covid that are still very prevelant. I always try to keep a good stock of items, especially those that are more popular and I have prepaired for supplier shortages for the most part by order things throughout the last year. However, I am being told that certain items may not be available again until next Spring, so I may have to limit quantities for single items if they are large per order because I want everyone to be able to have great, safe and fun items for their chins. I can only do so much for itmes I tried to order, but the supplier was already sold out.

August 18, 2021

Requests for surrenders have been non-stop for months. Many people who adopted from other rescues or bought chinchillas from breeders or stores at the beginning of Covid are now wanting to surrender (which I knew would happen). Also, many people being hit hard by Covid with jobs or housing have been looking to surrender. I am taking in as many as I can, but putting sick or pregnant chins first and still can't begin to keep up. I have added many Courtesy listings for people and found some fantastic new homes for chins local and out of state.

I am shipping a lot of orders, but still taking longer than usual to get them out and I apologize for that. Everyone has been really wonderful about it and very patient with the delays....thank you. I am also working on getting many NEW PRODUCTS up on the site, so watch for those to be added very soon. As always Thank You, Thank You for your incredible support!

April 20, 2021

Just a quick update. I am behind on shipping orders because I have had so many with handmade items. This does take additional time to get things together and shipped. Everyone has been extremely patient with me and understands that I am a full time rescue, so every day I am multi tasking to get many things done. I really appreciate your support and for shopping at my store.

There are many, many chinchillas looking for a new forever home listed on my Adoptable Chinchillas page. An adoption application must be filled out and approved before an adoption can take place. PLEASE read the info about their care on this site. So many people get chins for young kids or think they are easy to care for and then shortly after getting a chin, they want to surrender. I adore these animals, but they are not for everyones expectations or lifestyle, so do your reading before applying for an adoption.

I have been doing rescues through this past year regardless of Covid. I have altered the way I pick up chins and limited my travel, but people have been really great in their willingness to meet me in an open area so I can help them. Fortunately, with care and precautions, I have been healthy throughout all these changes and so have all the fur children. I hope everyone has remained healthy and safe as well.

March 4, 2021

It has been a very busy start to the year. I am still working on store orders and getting them out every day. I have had a lot of handmade items ordered so it takes longer to put orders together. I appreciate your patience for any delay in getting things out.

I have added more items to the store New Items page. I have also finally gotten up the Adoptable Chinchillas page. All chins currently listed on there are Courtesy Listings for people who need to find a new home for their chins and are out of state as well as CT listings. We list chins from all over the country, so you do not need to be from the Northeast to adopt. However, an Adoption Application must still be filled out with our rescue to adopt.

February 23, 2021

The Adoptable Chinchillas page has finally been updated. There are many chins that are looking for a new forever home. Chinchillas are a serious and long term commitment, so please read our Adoption Policy before applying.

February 3, 2021

Things here are very busy with rescues and store orders as we have not slowed down with the new year. Regarding Store orders; I am running very behind on getting some orders out. I apologize, but am working on them and all orders will be going out as they are completed. I am shipping on a daily basis. I know things are not 'normal', but the USPS has been very disappointing with shipping some of my orders. If I send out a package that is large or an unusual shape (Kissing Booth or Mazes), regardless of how well I package things, the post office has let these items sit for days without movement while smaller standard size boxes get delivered in the normal time frame. It appears if the package is a little inconvenient to process, they delay the delivery. I am not happy about this, but there is nothing I can do. ALL packages DO get delivered eventually, so please be aware of the situation.

Also, I have gotten in many adoption applications and am behind on getting to some of them. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

January 2, 2021

Best wishes and good health to all for this new year. Last year was a very busy year and I can't thank everyone enough for your wonderful support! I have the greatest people who support my rescue from ordering from my store, adding a donation to orders or sending in a donation alone. I also have incredible support from people sending supplies through Amazon which greatly help the rescue. Every year I receive cards or notes from people. Some are cards of support with a wonderful message inside and others are holiday cards with personal messages. I want everyone to know that those gestures touch me deeply and I get a lump in my throat every time I receive one. For you to take the time to write a personal note in a card or on paper means so much. Especially with so much else going on last year and you still found time to do something so thoughtful. Thank You So Very Much!!

December 11, 2020

As of today all store orders have been shipped.

December 1, 2020

I am in full swing for the holiday season with store orders. I have added a few more products to the New Items page along with more holiday fleece fabrics. PLEASE check out the new Fleece, Hammocks and More page. You have 151 fabrics to chose from! I have also updated several items on the Specials page, so be sure to take a look at that also. I have updated the Shipping Policy page because in addition to using USPS, I am also using UPS when the price is better for you.

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe. I have gotten in a lot of adoption applications and yes, I am looking at them. I have to find a balance between caring for the chins, store orders, emails and reviewing applications, so your patience is greatly appreciated.

Several people have asked me for a wish list for Amazon so donations can be sent directly to me, so I have set one up for the rescue with the most needed items. PLEASE NOTE: Amazon does not give out a donors personal information. What I receive with the donation is a note with your name and any special note you write to me. I do not get your address or email. So unless you contact me, I am unable to send you a thank letter which I want to do. Many of you I already know or you have ordered from me, so I often have your address. I do however get donations from people who I do not know, so please do not hesitate to email me with your info and what you donated if you want an official letter of your donation. Please know that if you chose to not contact me with your info, I am VERY grateful for all donations and feel blessed that you have thought of my rescue, especially during these trying times.

November 10, 2020

I have added many new products to the Store. Many of you have already been placing orders for them, so I'm happy you like my new ideas and creations. I am working on updated my Specials page, so keep an eye out for that. I have a lot of updating for text/information on many pages to do. That will get done little by little in between taking care of the chins and store orders. Since Covid, I, like all other online stores have been even busier than usual. Plus now we are into the holiday season and people are shopping for their chin children already. I have worked very diligently to keep a good amount of stock to be able to provide for everyone during these trying times. Please keep in mind that because volume of orders with Covid and now the holiday season has increased, it takes me longer to get orders out. I make a lot of my products 'fresh' as they are ordered. Anything with hay in it is always made as they are ordered. I don't allow those types of products to sit on a shelf. I believe your chin should have nice fresh hay with these products I designed.

An important note about Oxbow Critical Care. As of today, they are completley out of stock. I have been trying to order more since August, but the availability date kept getting pushed back. Now there is no set date for availability right now. I have a few small bags of the Anise left in stock and because I want everyone to be able to have it if they are hand feeding a sick chin, there is a limit of one bag per person. I am hoping Oxbow will have it in stock very soon.

I also want to let you know that I have been able to get better shipping rates with USPS. However, they can still be very high at times despite the better rate. They have added a surcharge fee for ALL locations regardless of distance for larger boxes. I always use the smallest box possibly to ship your orders. For the first time since opening my store, I now also use UPS when their rate is much lower than USPS. When I send you my shipping notification with tracking number, I will indicate the method of shipping.

I hope all of you, your families and fur babies are doing well. I have been well and thank everyone who has shown concern for how we are here. The chins think everything is a normal day and that is good. I always want them to be care free and happy.

March 21, 2020

I want to let everyone know that my online store is still up and active. I got behind on shipping orders because I took in a few rescues a couple of weeks ago and they all had malocclusion. Between hand feeding, vet visits and getting everyone situated, orders were put on hold. I have shipped several orders in the last couple of days. I am working all day today on orders and I am going to try to get them all done, although I have several large orders to do. As long as the Post Office stays open, I will ship orders. Please know that when orders do not go out quickly, it is not because I am taking time off. I work with the rescue, the animals and the store 365 days a year. No joke, I do not take a day off. The chinchillas needs do come first here and when there are special needs chins, store orders do get delayed. I am very appreciative of all the orders and support I get. Because I do pack all orders personally and many of the items I sell do get made as they are ordered, it does take time. Some products I sell I can just grab off a shelf, while others are made 'fresh' for you. I care about you, the products I send you and the quality. I greatly appreciate you understanding this and your patience. I also want to Thank ALL of my customers who have been shopping with me for years. You have truly helped to keep things going here and all the chinchillas and their care! You are incredibly supportive!

For those who have asked and those who may wonder, my household is well and healthy, along with all the fur children. I only go out for vet visits, the post office or groceries when needed. Other than that I am at home. I live more in the country which makes contact with others rare. Obviously our world is going through many challenges right now. Spending time with your fur children is always a great way to stay calm and no matter what, they always make you smile and give love. Take care of yourselves & be healthy.

January 4, 2020

Welcome to a new year! I can not Thank Everyone enough for your continued support of my rescue last year. It was a very busy year with many new rescues, the store, adoptions and meeting so many new people. I rescued many chinchillas that had very serious health issues and some needing surgery. The total veterinarian expenses for last year was $11,900.00. Your donations and support of store sales helped to make the chinchillas medical care possible. This is my 16th year of having my rescue and I am busier than ever. THANK YOU so much for making it possilbe for me to continue my efforts to help chinchillas & their guardians.

Every year the number of chins I am asked to take is in the hundreds. Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to be able to take all of them and I do take in as many as I can that space will allow. I had several rescues that involved multiple chins in one home. Often because people thought they had two chins of the same gender until a kit appeared. Then all the chins were kept in the same cage which only produced more chinchillas. Please understand that when males & females are left in the same cage, no matter what their relationship is (father, daughter, mother and son), they WILL reproduce. There are so many chinchillas in need of new homes because there is a real crisis of overbreeding chinchillas, whether by accident or conscious breeding. Please be aware of this and don't keep opposite sex chins together after the age of 8 weeks. Chinchillas are a big responsibility and can live up to 22 years if well cared for. Please think before making a commitment to one of these fur balls. We all want chinchillas to be healthy, happy and in safe homes where they are loved and wanted for their entire lives.

December 4, 2019

The holidays are in full swing and I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. I am working on getting all store orders done, but have a large volume, so I appreciate your patience. I am planning on having all orders shipped by December 19th. That will be the last day I ship in order to get things to everyone by Christmas. If you are not worried about getting an order by Christmas, please drop me a email and let me know. Everyone has been very supportive of my rescue again this year by ordering from my store. It greatly helps the rescue and all profits go back into the rescue to care for the chinchillas.

In just the last couple of months I have taken in many chins that have had serious health issues or severe neglect. All have needed major medical care inlcuding one needing surgery. Your support helps to make caring for them possible. THANK YOU!!

September 21, 2019

Hi Everyone, I have totally lost track of time and can't believe I have not updated this in 6 months. I apologize for the delay. The reason I don't post very often is because I am sooooo busy running the rescue and my online store. The rescue is busier than ever and so are requests from people to surrender their chinchillas. I have taken in many chins and many with health issues, so that takes a lot of my time. I do a lot of traveling including trips to the veterinarian and picking up rescues. Taking care of the chins on a daily basis is a full time job in itself. So please don't mistake lack of updates as my rescue not being open. I work every day for the rescue.

I always start to get a larger amount of store orders beginning the end of August with people doing early shopping for the holidays. Because of this, I DO run late in getting orders out (except Critical Care for sick chins). I apologize for this and do my best to get things out in a timely manner. I do NOT have a staff here and do all order personally myself. I greatly appreciate your business and it does help a tremendous amount in supporting the rescue. Vet bills alone run into the thousands each year. ALL of your support from personal donations to buying from my store help to keep my rescue going and make it possible for me to be able to take in chinchillas. Chinchillas who need medical care and those that are neglected to chins whose guardians, for various reasons, can no longer care for them. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all your support over the years!!

The rescue just had it's 16 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! I hope to continue doing what I do and to hopefully expand some day in the near future. I have many ideas I would like to see come to fruition. With continued support and proper funding, that may be possible.

December 22, 2018

As of yesterday I have all orders needed for Christmas shipped out. The post office seems to be running much slower this year with deliveries, despite sending out by Priority Mail. This is something I can't control, but I believe everyone will get their order before the holiday. Of course I will get back to shipping orders again after Christmas. I want to thank all of you who placed orders with me the end of November beginning of December who were so patient with their late shipping. I normally don't talk about my personal life, but as some of you know my father passed away on December 5th after a few days in the hospital, so other than making sure the fur children were taken care of, I was not home and did not work for several days. Three days later, I also lost one of my cats that I rescued over 18 years ago, so it was a rough week to say the least. Your patience and understanding was greatly appreciated during this difficult time.

I want to wish everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Safe Holiday. Thank you so much for shopping at my store for all your fur children (chinchillas, bunnies, guinea pigs) and helping to support my rescue!!

November 15, 2018

I have had a horrible respiratory/flu infection since the beginning of the month and have been unable to get orders done. Today I am finally in recovery and will be working on orders and getting them shipped. Sorry for the delay and I appreciate your patience and understanding.

September 15, 2018

Today is the 15 Year Anniversary of the day I started my rescue. There have been a lot of changes over the years and over 520 chinchillas have come to find a new home and a safe sanctuary here. I am busier than ever with the rescue, the online store, counselling chin parents about their fur children's health, good diet and husbandry. I want to say THANK YOU to all who have supported me over the years from moral encouragement and kind words to those who send in donations and those customers who shop my online store. It is greatly appreciated and has been a tremendous help to the rescue!

I know I have not posted an update in a while. It is because I am so busy taking care of the chins and store orders. I work every day and I admit I do fall behind on updates. I will be adding more new products to the store as well as making updates to some of the care pages.

December 22, 2017

This has been a very busy holiday season. I am very grateful to all of you who have placed orders with my store. It greatly helps the rescue chins. I am also very grateful for donations that have been made. I will be working on getting all donation letters out before the first of the year. Surrender requests have been non-stop as usual. I received a lot of adoption applications also which will be reviewed in the next several days.

I am working on a new Adoption page for the site. Now that the mad rush for holiday orders has slowed, I will be setting up the page to make it much more convenient for people to see the chins that are looking for new homes. The page will includes chins from my rescue and courtesy listings for chins that are still living with their guardians in CT and other states.

I want to wish everyone a very Happy & Safe Holiday Season.

December 3, 2017

Our store has been super busy with lots of orders rolling in with the holidays. Everyone loves buying gifts for the chin babies! I am getting orders out as fast as I can along with caring for the chinchillas. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

I know many of you don't want to hear this, but animals do not make good 'gifts' to give for the holidays, especially when someone has not even asked for a chinchilla (or other animal). Over the years, many people have surrendered their chins because they got them as gifts and it did not work out. The holidays are a joyful, but very busy time for most people. You tend to travel more and be away from home shopping. It is not the time to have a sensitive animal try to adjust to a new home. Chinchilla thrive in stability and routine. They like to have their guardians home to care for them, get to know them and love them. If you are thinking of adopting (or buying) a chinchilla, PLEASE wait until after the first of the year. That is when everyone gets back to their usual routines and it is much better for the chinchilla to be introduced into a new home. There are always so many chins that need a new home, so there will be no shortage of finding a chinchilla if you wait.

November 7, 2017

I have added several new bowls to the "Essentials" page.

I want to let everyone know that Oxbow Hay has had a lengthy delay in restocking their Barley Biscuits. They have new regulations that they need to meet because the product is organic. I am told they won't be available until December, possibly January.

October 10, 2017

Our web site has been revamped in several areas. It still has the same great chinchilla information as before, but has some added photos and Donation buttons. Our Store has been updated also. As mentioned a week ago, there are many new items available in the store. I have updated the Shipping Policy page and now you can get to all the Store Departments using a listing at the top and bottom of each store page.

I just want to clarify that our rescue/sanctuary is located in Connecticut not California. I have been hearing from many people in California asking us to take their chinchillas because they think we are located there. Our rescue has been around for 14 years, so when you look up chinchilla rescue on search engines, we tend to appear at the top of the list, including for CA. I think that is why it is confusing. In our logo banner at the top of every page, it stated that we are located in Connecticut. We are located in the NorthEast area of the country and that is the area we usually cover to pick up rescues.

October 2, 2017

I have added all new products to the NEW ITEMS page in Our Store. Stop by and check things out. It's a great time to start doing some early Holiday Shopping!

September28, 2017

We are very proud to have been notified that our rescue received a top rating from GreatNonProfits.

THANK YOU to all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to write a wonderful and heartfelt review about us and our services. We have met so many wonderful people over the years and have stayed good friends with many of you. Your continued support over the years is truely appreciated!

September 23, 2017

Lots going on in Our Store! I have added 18 New Products and 24 New Fabrics, including even more Seasonal/Holiday fleece!!!! Great items for your chin children AND for your favorite human animal lover. Shop early for the holidays or just shop for every day!!

September 15, 2017

Today is the 14th anniversary since we opened our doors to chinchillas in need. We have had a lot of changes over the years. We have expanded the rescue/sanctuary several times and Our Store as well. We have traveled thousands of miles picking up rescues, vet visits and conducting rescue business. We have rescued over 500 chinchillas and met hundreds of people who have contacted us looking for advice on chin care. I can't begin to thank everyone who has supported our rescue and continue to support us. You have all been so gracious and wonderful and it truly touches our hearts that there are so many chinchilla lovers out there who care about these little fur balls as much as we do. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all your support over the years. We hope to continue to help chinchillas and their guardians for many, many years to come, although our hope is that there will no longer be any homeless/unwanted chins to have to rescue. Chinnie Hugs & Kisses to everyone!!

June 30, 2017

Welcome to Summer and the warm temperatures and humidity that goes with it. Keeping your home very cool and dry is vital for your chinchillas health. The room temperature should be no more than 70 degrees and the humidity should be as low as possible, but no more than 55-60%. Chinchillas CAN die of heat stroke very quickly. Fans do not work to keep your chin cool. All a fan does is blow around the warm air in the room. The actual room temperature must be 70 or lower. I have heard from several people whose chins have suffered from heat stroke. Also, please do not blow the air conditioner directly on your chinchilla. You want to keep the air cool, but direct the vents away from your chins cage. Make sure your chin has plently of fresh drinking water available for him/her at all times.

March 25, 2017

It has been a very busy year so far. We have rescued a large number of chinchillas in the last couple of months and still was asked to take 59 more just since January 1. The number of surrenders versus finding good homes is very uneven. Breeders and pet stores do not help with this problem! We had a kit born to one new rescue who was born with no skin on the top of his left paw. After vet visits and treatment at the rescue he has made a full recovery! We currently have 5 chinchillas that have malocclusion and need regular dental trims. We also have 3 chins that are blind in one eye, two of them were actually born with a deformed eye and lid. Donations are always needed for ongoing vet care.

December 31, 2016

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone for supporting my rescue this year! It truly means a great deal to me and is so appreciated. It is with the generous support of YOU with donations and store orders that help to keep my rescue going and contributes to helping more chinchillas in need. It has been an extremely busy year with rescuing chinchillas, store orders, consultations by email and phone, vet visits and as always, working with the chinchillas and keeping things updated and organized in the rescue. It is a 365 day a year job and I wouldn't want to do anything else! Thank you also to many of you who I have become good friends with who give me emotional support during trying times of helping sick chins or rescuing chins that have suffered neglect and abuse. You have always been there to listen.

Wishing everyone a very healthy, happy and loved filled new year!

December 23, 2016

I want to wish everyone a very happy, safe and healthy Holiday Season!

November 27, 2016

CHRISTMAS DELIVERY NOTICE: The last day I will ship out orders by Priority Mail for delivery by Christmas will be December 20th. If you order heavy or large items, there may be an extra shipping fee, so please keep this in mind and allow extra time for this. If you wish to have orders shipped Standard Post, the last day for shipping will be December 15th. I want to make sure I allow enough time for you to get your packages before the holiday if that is what you need the items for.

November 26, 2016

Things here at the rescue have been extremely busy. Three weeks ago I rescued 57 chinchillas from one resident. I kept 19 of the chins here, which included families with kits and females that I am waiting to see if they are pregnant. I was fortunate to have a couple of rescuers from out of state who wanted to help and took the remaining 38 chins which I drove over 5 hours to bring to them. Extra carriers and emergency cages needed to be purchased to accommodate that number of chins all at once. Everyone is doing well and except for a couple of the chins who are blind in one eye and one who suffers from seizures/tremors, they are all healthy. They are inhaling pellets and hay and have gained weight. DONATIONS are always needed, especially for unexpected rescues such as these happen. Remember....all donations are tax deductible!

My online store has been very busy with everyone making extra purchases this time of year for their fur children. I GREATLY appreciate your support and business. Don't forget you can also support our rescue when you shop at Amazon.Smile. A percentage of all your purchases automatically go to our rescue when you list us as your charity. Here is our link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-3829687

I have also been getting a large number of adoption applications which at present I am running behind on answering because of all that has been going on here. I will be getting in touch with applicants in the next couple of days. I will remind everyone that animals should not be given as gifts.....especially 'surprise' gifts. From my experience, it never works out well. I have had many people over the years wanting to surrender their chins because they were received as gifts that either did not work out or the person never really wanted a chinchilla. Holiday time is also a difficult time to have a new animal companion enter your home (most rescues will tell you this even if it is a dog or cat). Holidays are a very hectic time for families and not in the best interest of the animal. It is much better to bring a new animal companion into your home after the first of the year when your routine goes back to normal.

October 14, 2016

I have added even more Seasonal Fleece fabrics for you to choose from.

October 3, 2016

The holidays are just around the corner and many of you have already started your gift giving shopping for your chin children. I have added Seasonal Fleece fabric for Hammocks and Pillow Grab Bag. Please let me know if you want a seasonal fabric for your Pillow order. Don't forget to shop for yourself or a friend that is a chinchilla parent. Look under New Items or Goodies for Chin Parents located in Our Store.

September 16, 2016

I have added several more chinchillas needing homes on my Adoption page. All of them are still living with their current guardians and I have listed the state they are living in. This does not even touch the number of chinchillas I have been asked to take this year. This is only the people who have accepted my offer to list their chins for them.

Surrenders have been never ending for months now. For some reason, the NorthEast seems to have a greater number of chinchillas people get and then can't or do not want to keep. I am contacted every day and asked to take in a chinchilla or multiple chins from one home or several different people wanting to surrender. PLEASE THINK before you buy from a breeder or pet store. I know many people do not seriously consider what I have written about on my 'Are YOU Right for a Chinchilla?" page, but those are things that you really need to think about BEFORE getting a chinchilla. I have said it a million times and will keep saying it.....Chinchillas are a huge commitment! Yes, they are adorable, but if you don't have time, space, money, you rent or have allergies, please seriously think if a chinchilla is an appropriate animal companion for you.

August 23, 2016

Check out our New Items page as I have added several new products for you and your chinchilla!

August 16, 2016

Once again it seems this year that surrenders are never ending. So many people getting chins without thinking of the long term commitment. I have also encountered many people who can not take care of sick chins or the vet bills that accompany an illness. This is all a BIG part of living with an animal companion, so please be prepared for things like this if you want to take on the responsibility of caring for an animal.

I want to make you aware of a couple of things that I have encountered with recent rescues. Do NOT use scented bedding or litter of any kind for your chinchillas. They can make your chin very sick. They should not be breathing anything that is 'scented' and chins do eat small amounts of their bedding, so this is something they should not be consuming. Keep things natural and simple for your chins. If you keep your chins cage clean on a regular basis, there should be no problem with odor.

SECOND HAND SMOKE can make your chinchilla very ill! Please do not smoke anywhere near your chinchilla.

January 3, 2016

Happy New Year Everyone! First I want to say a big THANK YOU to all our supporters. Last year was a busy year with Our Store orders and donations. It is because of your continued support that we are able to do so much to help chinchillas in need. I am so blessed and grateful to have so many wonderful people support our cause. I have met so many new people this past year who share the same passion for chinchillas as I do.

I know I have not posted on this update page in a while and I am going to try to be more active for this year. My rescue is always extremely busy and that is why I don't write regular updates. I am contacted every day by people who are looking to surrender their chinchillas. The homeless crisis for these beautiful animals is very prevalent, so our work never slows.

Our Store is always adding new products, so I hope you continue to shop with us and check to see what is new. I update info pages as new knowledge is gained about chinchillas, their care and health concerns.

June 7, 2015

Hello everyone. I know it has been some time since I have made an update, but my rescue has been very busy and I am working to care for the chins, filling store orders and doing consultations every day. I apologize for any delays with orders and honorary adoptions that have occurred in the last several months. Last Summer my father became very ill and it has been very time consuming and difficult for my family to help him in his recovery. Things have balanced out at this time and I am working hard to catch up on a lot of paper work. Don't worry, the chins have always been cared for every day no matter what else is going on in my life. I truly appreciate the support every one has always showed me with their patience and continued patronage.

It has been a very difficult year for me also because I have lost several of our older chins who have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. I am heartbroken to have recently lost Sofie, our 21 year old rescue. She had been with me since I started my rescue and I loved her so very much. Her beautiful spirit will live on in our hearts forever.

October 6, 2014

Tonight is the launch of our new web site! Well a lot of the information was on the previous site, but we now have even more info to help you with your chin children. We also have new items in Our Store. The new site should be easier to navigate and we still have a few things to add, so please be patient if what you are looking for is not up yet. It will be very soon.

September 10, 2014

The Maze Havens are FINALLY back in stock! We have been waiting months for the manufacturer to go through some production changes, but we have finally received our shipment and the mazes are available again just in time for the holiday season. I have also added some fun holiday fleece fabric for hammocks for the Fall/Holiday season.

August 29, 2014

I am please to say the San Diego Humane Society has updated and corrected the care info they had online. They are on a learning curve with all the chinchillas and were quick to update care that chinchillas need. Here is the new link Operation Chinchilla

August 21, 2014

Today was a great victory for chinchillas who live on pelting ranches. The San Diego Humane Society along with PETA rescued 422 chinchillas from the Adams Valley View Chinchilla Ranch in Vista, CA. This ranch was in operation since 1966 where countless chinchillas have lost their lives to electrocution, then skinned for their pelts. ALL chinchilla ranches who have any dealings with pelting whether in this country or others need to be shut down!! We need to end the suffering and senseless killing of these beautiful and intelligent animals and give them the respect they so deserve. Please Note: I do NOT agree with the diet recommendations that are listed on the link.

Donations are very much needed and to read more about this rescue mission here are two links UT San Diego and Operation Chinchilla

April 16, 2014

I was one of many people who was interviewed for an article about chinchillas. The first picture in the article is one of my rescued chinchillas, Chili. The article has some good advice, here is the link Small Animal Channel

April 7, 2014

I have added the rest of the new products to our store. Many new items in our "Goodies for Chin Parents" page. I have also added new toys for the chins and a larger Grass Hut is now available in the "Hide-Aways" page. Please stop by and shop!

April 6, 2014

Happy Spring Everyone! I have added several NEW PRODUCTS to our store, so please stop by and shop to help support the rescues. I will be adding more products in the next couple of days, so be sure to stop back again.

February 7, 2014

There was a large rescue conducted in Pennsylvania over the weekend which involved 55 chinchillas. They were kept in horrifying and filthy conditions by a breeder who had not cared for them except food and water for months. Some of the chins died before they could be rescued and a few others had to be euthanized because they were suffering from health issues and beyond medical help. I was contacted about these chins last week and offered to help and thought a few of them were going to be coming here, but they were able to find rescue care for them elsewhere. Three breeders, who also do rescue work, split the chins up among their homes. They are currently getting proper nutrition, housing and medical care. I have sent along a care package and a donation to help out. These chins are suffering from severe malnutrition and severe physical treatment. Most are covered with major fur mats and wounds. Vet bills will most likely be ongoing for a while. A fundraiser account has been set up to be distributed equal among the three people who took the chinchillas. If you would like to donate to help these chins, please visit this link https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/bh381

January 30, 2014

Hi Everyone! Happy New Year! Yes, better late than never. Between starting the year off with a bad cold and organizing paperwork from last year, I am a little late with my new year wishes. Last year was an extremely busy time at the rescue and this year is proving to be no different. I have had daily requests to take new surrenders and keeping busy with consultations with chin parents about sick chins and unexpectant pregnancies.

I can't begin to express how THANKFUL I am for all of the support I received last year. The donations, purchases from Our Store and moral support from everyone is truly appreciated! I have so many things I want to accomplish this year and, of course, continue to educate the public of the plight of the chinchilla. I have seen so many changes for chinchillas in the ten years I have been rescuing and I want to tell you about them. This will be one of many things I will be adding to my site this year.

I will be adding new products to Our Store also. I have many ideas for new products for chin parents and new items for the chinchillas. Please check in to Our Store for updates and of course ALL proceeds from sales go back into the rescue for the care of the chinchillas. I hope to continue to receive support from wonderful, caring chinchilla parents and animal lovers of all kinds.

October 19, 2013

I have added new products to Our Store including my Holiday Basket, Purple Pale of Goodies, T-shirts, Fleece Sweatshirts, Chinchilla Keychains, Bootie Socks and more. Please stop by and shop for your chinchillas, yourself and holiday shopping!

October 18, 2013

Last week I attended the No More Homeless Pets Animal Conference in Florida. It was the first time I have traveled over night or for more than a few hours away from my home and critters in years! Don't worry, all the chins were well taken care of and in trusted hands. I thought the conference would be worth it to learn more about protecting chinchillas and to spread the word about over breeding and the homeless crisis which increases each year. Unfortunately, there was no mention of exotic animals for the entire conference, which made me realize that the issue really needs to be address and made aware of more than it is.

September 15, 2013

Today is the TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY of my rescue!! I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive over the years. I also want to thank those who have generously opened their homes and hearts and adopted one or several of our chinchillas. I have met so many wonderful people over the years and some have become very good friends with whom I keep in contact with. There have been a lot of changes over the years, mostly growing and learning. The learning experience is never ending. These beautiful animals teach us so much every day about love and medical advances help us to better care for them.

The homeless crisis for chinchillas has increased tremendously since I started my rescue in 2003 which is very heartbreaking. I hope you join me to help fight for the wellbeing of these animals and to challenge their over breeding which contributes to this problem. Together, with your support, we can make a difference for them!

I have a few new products in Our Store: Purple Pail of Goodies in celebration of my Anniversary ~ Paw Print Booties (a great gift) ~ new fleece hammock patterns. More products will be coming in the next few months. Just in time for holiday shopping!

August 28, 2013

I am thrilled to present my NEW LOGO today!! It has been a work in progress and the timing couldn't be better. Next month I am celebrating my 10th Anniversary for the rescue. There will be NEW products introduced and a special product to celebrate the anniversary.

I have been extremely busy with so many rescues and helping people with their chinchillas. I am also getting ready for the holiday season with my web store and introducing new products for that also. I hope you check back in the next couple of weeks to shop for your chin children and to support the rescue and my continued efforts to help chinchillas in need.

June 15, 2013

Happy 19th Birthday Sophie!! Sophie is our oldest chinchilla staying at our rescue. She has been one of our permanent residence since I started the rescue. She is full of energy and always curious about what is going on around her. She lives very happily with her best friend Ruby. I am thrilled she is part of our chin family.

June 3, 2013

It's that time of year when the heat and humidity is just too much for our little fur babies, so using your air conditioner is a must if you live with a chinchilla. Temperature in the room should not go above 70 degrees. What may seem comfortable for you will be too hot for your chinchilla, so let your thermostat judge the actually temp, not you.

May 10, 2013

There are a few new items added to Our Store pages, so please stop by and look around.

I have also added a section to the Domestic Habitat page titled 'Beware of Moldy Wood'. Please take a moment to read about this issue as it is serious and can cause your chinchilla harm.

March 9, 2013

For those of you who would like to make a recurring monthly donation to our rescue, I have added a Subscribe PayPal button to our Donations page. You have five choices for the amount you would like to give and it will automatically make a monthly donation from you to our rescue. The donations will be monthly for one year. The donation can be made through a credit card or through a PayPal account. Thank You for your support!

March 3, 2013

Today starts Forever Feisty's Annual Chinchilla Appreciation Week. Although I want chinchillas to be appreciated every day, we hope to draw more attention to these wonderful animals by having a special week just for them. I hope it draws more attention and focus to the very serious homeless crisis that we DO have in this country and the fact that breeding and pelting of chinchillas is ongoing throughout the US and the world. Please speak up and make everyone aware that chinchillas deserve better!!

It is also a great time to give that special chinchilla in your life some extra attention, a new chew toy or fleece hammock. Please also consider making a donation to rescues that help chinchillas, if not our rescue, then one local to you.

January 29, 2013

Well so far it has been a hectic new year. I have been asked to take in 45 chinchillas just since January 1. Boots, one of our honorary adoption chins had to have emergency surgery right after the first of the year for what was believed to be a bladder stone, but now appears to be a calcification of tissue. Ongoing vet visits with three malo chins, special diets and every day adventures of replacing shelves, houses, hammocks, etc...etc. Oh yes, and who can forget the lovely task of end of the year paperwork, LOL! At the end of the day as long as all the fur babies are ok, then I'm good. The chins always come first. Last September until now things have been non-stop. Many phone and email consulations with chin parents with sick chinnies along with many new chin parents looking for advice and adoptions and picking up rescues. I want to give a special THANK YOU to all those for supporting our rescue through our online store. I am very happy to provide safe and healthy chin and bunny products. Your support and donations are NEVER taken for granted! Please know that you have truly helped care for our rescue chins with your support.

I have had people inquiry about volunteering. Please bear with me at this time since my own schedule is so unpredictable right now with caring for sick chins, it is hard to set up times for people to be able to come to the rescue for volunteering. I will be in touch with everyone soon.

November 30, 2012

I have added many NEW items to Our Store, so please stop by and shop and help support the rescued chinchillas. I have also added a Jewelry page for chin parents which would make great stocking stuffers for the holidays!

November 1, 2012

I would like to give a very big THANK YOU to all our supporters! I have just been notified that my rescue has been given the honor of Top Rated Non-Profit 2012. I truly do appreciate all the positive and generous reviews that have been given to my organization. It really does help to draw attention to our plight to help the homeless chinchillas. This year we have had more requests to take surrenders than ever before. The problem is not getting better, but worse and we need all the help and support that everyone can provide.

September 15, 2012

Today is Forever Feisty's 9 year anniversary! To date we have rescued 330 chinchillas and helped advise hundreds of chinchilla parents across the country. I want to thank everyone who has supported us over the years. I have been through ups and downs and been blessed to share my home with these wonderful animals who have changed my life. I have learned a great deal and have met many wonderful people. I hope to continue on this path and to always learn more to provide the best quality of life for chinchillas.

September 4, 2012

Just in time for the colder months ahead we have Chinchilla Fleece hats!! We also have Chinchilla Air Fresheners for your car or home. Please stop by Goodies for Chin Parents in our store.

September 3, 2012

I have two NEW products in our store. A Chinchilla Fleece Hat just in time for those chilly days arriving soon! Also, a Chinchilla Air Freshener available in Rose or Cinnamon scent. Both products can be ordered from our Goodies for Chin Parents page.

April 29, 2012

Welcome to our first update of the Chinnie News page! First I want to thank Ilka for the wonderful job she did in helping to create our own chinchilla reporter, Apollo. Apollo was one of our rescues who passed away due to seizures. He was a very sweet boy and I thought this would be a fitting tribute to him as he was always curious about all the happenings going on in the rescue. This page will contain updates about our rescue and web site, new products we add to our store and general information about chinchillas that we learn about and feel should be passed along to you quickly.

We have 8 NEW Toys available for your chin children along with a NEW Flexible Pine House. All are handmade, so please stop by our Store page.