How to Take Care of Chinchillas

Chinchillas are cute little rodents that bear a strong resemblance to an overgrown mouse. Their cuteness is the very thing that attracts animal lovers, but before you bring one of these cuddly creatures home you need to know how to properly care for a chinchilla. Read on for the things you should know before you bring a chinchilla home.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Food
• Water
• Bedding
• Chinchilla cage

1. Once you have decided that you want to raise a chinchilla, you will need to start getting organized. You should have already purchased and set up everything you need before you even select your new pet. The more organized you are, the more relaxed you and your new chinchilla will be, and the more relaxed both of you are, the quicker you will become close friends.

2. Find a place to keep your chinchilla. Rabbit cages are a wonderful option. Set the cage up in a location where the temperature is moderate and somewhere that your new chinchilla won’t be unnecessarily disturbed by young children and other family pets.

3. Make sure your pet chinchilla has access to clean, fresh water 24/7. Some people have tried using plastic watering cans, but since chinchillas tend to chew through the plastic, most chinchilla lovers have switched to glass bottles that they hang outside their chinchilla’s cage.

4. The last step in caring for your chinchilla is making sure that it is properly fed. Chinchillas do best if they are fed pellets and Timothy hay. If you are planning on making any changes to your chinchilla’s food you need to do so gradually, as they have extremely delicate digestive systems.