How to Care for Chinchillas

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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These fur-bearing relatives of the guinea pig and porcupine
make excellent pets, though they're shy and easily frightened.
Most live 8 to 10 years; some can live to 18.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Chew Toys
Chinchilla Cages
Rabbit Pellets
Dried Fruits
Fruits
Nuts
Vegetables
Fruits
Vegetables

Step 1

Have your new chinchilla examined by a veterinarian who specializes in small or exotic animals, and continue to bring her in for regular check-ups as recommended.
Step 2

Feed your chinchilla commercially prepared pellets. There are a variety of chinchilla-specific brands suitable for all stages of a chinchilla's life.
Step 3

Give dried fruits, such as raisins, as treats, but in moderation. These supplements should make up only 10 percent of the entire food intake.
Step 4

Provide a cage with enough space for your chinchilla to exercise and play, preferably a cubical cage that is at least 3 by 3 feet wide. Solid floors are safer on your chinchilla's legs than wire mesh cages with a pull-out tray, but can be difficult to clean.
Step 5

Be sure the cage is located in a cool, dry, and draft-free area, preferably in a temperature range of 60 to 70 degrees F. Keep your chinchilla's cage indoors to provide better temperature control.
Step 6

Dust bathe your chinchilla a few times a week in a dust bath house. You can find these in pet supply stores with chinchilla dust. Never bathe your chinchilla in water.
Step 7

When holding a chinchilla, grasp it at the base of the tail with one hand and support the body with your other forearm. Hold it gently, close to your body. Rough handling can cause hair loss. Note that chinchillas may urinate when annoyed or nervous.
Step 8

Provide chew toys for her such as wooden blocks and other items designed for chinchillas.

Comments

mrsgalliano said

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on 7/12/2009 Chinchillas should not be put on a leash, if you want a pet you can walk get a dog.

Rabbit pellets are okay for chinchillas, stating otherwise is ignorant. Many breeders produce show quality chins on rabbit pellets that live longer than most pet chins. The average pet chinchilla lives 2 years or less, the average ranch chins lives over 12 years, I guess it's not hard to tell which one is doing it correctly.

Sunseed, Kaytee, Charlie chinchilla, and Brown's are a short list of crappy food. If you want to kill your chinchilla go ahead and feed these.

Chins should NOT have fruits, raisins, or other "treats" they don't need them and it helps promote early death. They are basically diabetic and can not process sugars, if you want to give a treat give a chew stick, hay, or an unfrosted shredded wheat.

It's really too bad there isn't a place about experience on here, because I'm sure...

beri said

on 12/22/2007 Never feed chinchillas rabbit food! No matter where you get it from, if it has hormones or not, it's still not going to be nutritionally balanced for chinchillas if it was designed for rabbits. Ever since I got my chinchilla, I've been feeding her Mazuri Chinchilla Diet, because that's what the breeder I got her from recommended. I'll admit that Mazuri isn't easy to find, most pets stores only have it in stock part of the time, and it's pricey, but I knew all of that BEFORE I got my chinchilla, so I put up with the hassle to keep her healthy. I've also heard that you really should get a solid floored cage for chinchillas, because wire mess cages can hurt their feet, or worse, their legs can get caught and break.