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Chinchillas make good pets for those owners that are well-aware of their needs before bringing home one of these furry rodents. Originally hailing from the Andes Mountains in Chile, these rodents make great pets if they are socialized properly and have an adequate habitat to keep them physically active and healthy. Like any pet, chinchillas have their own unique needs and are not considered harder to take care of than other rodents. They are social animals, and should be kept in same-sex pairs. We’ll break down some of their basic care needs in this article to help you determine if a chinchilla is the right pet for you.
Proper Chinchilla Care Basics
Chinchillas live anywhere from 10 to 15 years when cared for properly. They have some very specific needs in terms of habitat, bathing, and nutrition. We have compiled a short list of the basics of chinchilla care to help you determine if a chinchilla is the pet for you.
Chinchilla Habitats
Chinchillas need a multi-level, large wire cage with a plastic bottom to avoid irritating their feet. They’ll need good bedding made from pelleted or shredded paper products, pine shavings, or reclaimed paper fibers. Chinchillas need a nesting box for sleeping. They will need at least one hiding place, preferably more, in their habitat, so they can run away and hide when they feel scared. The cage should be kept in a quiet place in the home, and the temperature should be regulated to keep the chinchilla from overheating. Their cage will need to be cleaned weekly to keep them happy and healthy.
Nutrition
Chinchillas require a daily portion of 1 to 2 tablespoons of plain, high-quality chinchilla pellets, along with unlimited access to fresh timothy hay to support digestion and dental health. Fresh water should be available at all times, ideally provided in a bottle to keep it clean.
Because their teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, chinchillas also need hard objects to chew on. Safe, untreated branches from fruit trees like apple, pear, and peach are ideal. Avoid any wood that has been treated or sprayed.
Chinchillas have a sensitive digestive system, so treats should be given rarely and in very small amounts—if at all. A diet focused on hay and pellets is the safest and healthiest choice.
Bathing
Chinchillas have 60 hairs per follicle to help them stay warm in the colder high altitudes of their natural environment in the Andes mountains. They have naturally oily skin, and a dust bath is how they keep their fur soft and free of excess oils. Use a commercial dust bath, such as Oxbow Poof! Chinchilla Dust Bath, 1 to 3 times a week in a large stable container so your chinchilla can roll around in the dust to get clean. It is not recommended that you give your chin a water bath as their thick fur will retain moisture, which can potentially cause hygiene and health issues for your pet.
Temperament
Chinchillas should be socialized with humans from a young age to ensure friendliness, as well as to help them become comfortable with being handled. They are not recommended for younger children, but usually do well with older children and teenagers who know how to be gentle and handle the chin with care.
Chinchillas are nocturnal. They can be very playful and will enjoy running around a well-appointed cage with ramps, tubes, and a plastic exercise wheel. They usually do well in pairs if introduced at an early age, and they grow up together, but may need to be separated if they begin fighting with each other.
Conclusion
Chinchillas are adorable rodents that can be good pets if they are taken care of properly and socialized to interact with humans. They thrive when kept in pairs, especially of the same sex. Chinchillas are typically characterized as being intermediate in terms of difficulty as a pet because they do have some specialized needs. Chinchillas need a suitably sized habitat with bedding, lots of hay, objects to gnaw on, weekly dust baths, and more. If you think you can meet their daily and weekly needs, a chinchilla might be the pet for you.
Featured Image Credit: DenVIP, Shutterstock
