How to Care for a Chinchilla

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By jenn3984
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An Adult and Baby Chinchilla

Having a pet chinchilla can be very rewarding, however there are a few things to keep in mind before taking on the responsibility. These are very fragile creatures and need appropriate care to live a long, healthy life.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Large Cage
Bedding for Cage - Newspaper, Care Fresh
Water Bottle
Chinchilla Specific Food Pellets
Timothy Hay
Treats - Almonds, Cheerios
Chew Toys - Applewood sticks, Pine Wood Blocks, etc.

Step 1

In order to properly care for a chinchilla you must first prepare their new home - their cage! A chinchilla's cage should be large enough for them to roam around in, as they have a lot of energy. Having a multiple level cage is a good idea. Line the cage with newspaper on the bottom and then add pet bedding, such as Care Fresh - available in most pet stores or online, on top of the newspaper. You can then "decorate" their cage by adding chew toys for them to play with. Chinchillas need to have wood available to chew on constantly because their teeth do not stop growing. They chew on wood in order to keep their teeth shaved down. Look for chinchilla-specific chew toys in your nearest pet store as some wood can be toxic to chinchillas.
Step 2

Have the appropriate nutrition available. Chinchillas have very sensitive digestive systems. This being said, you need to be sure they have the correct food and hay in order to keep them healthy. Visit your local pet store to find Chinchilla Pellets and Timothy Hay. The best chinchilla food should not have treats mixed in with it. A great brand is Oxbow. Each chinchilla should get about 2 tablespoons of pellets each day and have the Timothy Hay constantly available to them.
Step 3

Don't forget to add the water bottle to your cage! Like all living things, chinchillas need water to survive. Replace their water bottle with fresh water each and every day.
Step 4

Chinchillas are nocturnal animals, so they are most active in the evening and late night hours. It is important to try to let your chinchillas have some play time a few times a week outside of their cage. However, before you let them freely roam around your house, make sure you have "chin-proofed" everything! Chinchillas will chew on any and everything they can find. Try to keep them in a confined space, but a space that is bigger than their cage so they can get some energy out. The bathroom works perfectly. Make sure all wires at their level are removed as they may get electrocuted by chewing on them. Also make sure the toilet seat is down if you use the bathroom as their playroom because they can jump high distances and may jump in! Also remove all small objects that the chinchilla could ingest. This will disrupt their digestive system and be a sure trip to the vet. Once a chinchilla's digestive system is disrupted they go down-hill fast.
Step 5

Chinchillas can be tamed if they are played with and held each day. These are not good pets for small children or for people who do not have time to play with them on a regular basis.

Comments

rjspindle said

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on 3/6/2009 That may be one of the cutest animals I've ever seen. 5* keep em comin. recommend too

ccard123 said

on 3/5/2009 Great article. I've always thought about buying a chinchilla, but I've never taken the leap. They seem like a lot of work, but it also seems like they might be worth it! Thanks. 5* and recommended.