Depressed Chinchilla
Chinchillas are sensitive, active, curious pets that require much attention from their owners. They need plenty of exercise and stimulation, and the right housing, diet and hygiene in order to thrive. If your chinchilla seems depressed and lethargic, and you already have visited your veterinarian and ruled out any medical problems, there might be a few areas of your chinchilla's care that need improvement.
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Housing
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Chinchillas are active creatures, so when it comes to housing, bigger is better. The absolute smallest a cage should be for a single chinchilla is 24 inches by 24 inches by 18 inches. Multistory cages allow chinchillas to climb. Overall, the cage must be large enough to incorporate a litter box, shelves, a hideaway house, toys, food dish, water bottle and a wheel for exercise, but still give the chinchilla room to run and bounce. Provide a box for hiding--a place the chinchilla can retire if it is feeling insecure.
The chinchilla's cage should be in an active, stimulating part of the home, but away from loud noises, drafts and direct sunlight. Chinchillas overheat easily and become stressed at temperatures above 75 degrees F or lower if the humidity is high.
Diet
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The proper chinchilla diet is based on dried grasses, which gives them plenty of roughage. Feed a small amount of a quality chinchilla pellet or block (not a "party mix" with nuts, fruits and unhealthy treats) and offer an unlimited supply of hay. Treats may be given sparingly and on occasion. A single raisin or Craisin, a dried banana chip, an unsalted sunflower seed, a Cheerio or plain Wheat Chex is an adequate treat. An overweight chinchilla or a chinchilla not getting enough roughage will be unhealthy and unhappy.
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Stimulation
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Chinchillas need toys and places to explore and exercise, and they need to chew to keep their teeth the proper length, so all toys must be non-toxic and rodent-safe. Hanging toys, chew wood blocks and pumice blocks help keep chinchillas entertained during cage time. A solid running wheel (not wire, which can break tiny feet) provides entertainment and exercise. The best things you can do to keep your chinchilla happy is pet-proof a room (hide wires, block escape routes) so the chinchilla can come out of the cage and explore the room while you supervise.
Companionship
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Chinchillas can live together if introduced slowly, but a single chinchilla will be happy spending a few hours each day with a loving human companion. Let your pet climb on you and eat a treat from your hand. Many chinchillas learn to enjoy being scratched and petted. Never punish or hit your chinchilla. A loving, trusting relationship with its caretaker is very important to the well-being of a chinchilla.
Hygiene
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A chinchilla should never be bathed in water. Instead, offer your chinchilla a dust bath. Put 1/8 to 1/4 cup of chinchilla dust (available in most pet stores) in a container and put it in the chinchilla's cage. Chinchilla bath houses, available in pet stores, are spacious and keep the dust from getting all over the house during a rowdy dust bath. Remove the dust bath after a few minutes or the chinchilla will soil the dust with droppings or urine.
Chinchillas can be litter box trained, which helps to keep their cages and coats clean and bacteria-free. Simply place the box filled with a paper-based, non-clumping litter in the corner where the chinchilla goes to potty.
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