Chinchillas
What exactly is a chinchilla? They look like they were put together from parts left over from other critters. They have large round ears and a tail similar to that of a squirrel. Most people, upon seeing them for the first time, think they are a strange breed of rabbit but the two aren’t related.
Chinchillas are incredibly soft animals, having beautiful satiny, thick fur. This is the reason they are raised on fur ranches - their pelts are used to make fur coats. They were originally brought to Canada and the US to be raised for their fur, but their adorable looks and sweet temperaments caught the eye of the pet trade. Before fur ranching was established, chinchillas in the wild were a threatened species due to fur-trapping.
In the wild, chinchillas are found in the cooler mountain areas of South America. They are used to the cooler temperatures and cannot tolerate high temperatures or humidity.
There are many fur colors available ranging from black, white, violet to beige, plus the standard grey. The more exotic the color, the more you will pay for your chinchilla. Some breeders sell both pet and show quality animals so prices can range from $50 to well over $300!!!
Chinchillas are very clean animals, with no smell as long as the cage is cleaned weekly. They produce little urine and their feces are small and hard with no smell. They usually pick one corner of the cage to pee in so put a bit of extra bedding there once you see where their favorite spot is.
Setting up a home for you chinchilla can be expensive as they need a large cage, being extremely active animals. A tall cage with a couple shelves gives room for jumping. An exercise wheel is a must, to prevent obesity and to keep her from becoming bored. A box to hide in is a necessity too.
I prefer cages with solid bottoms so animals don’t get sore feet from standing on the grid surface of an open-work cage. Chinchillas are active throughout the day and night so keeping them in the bedroom may not be a good idea as the banging of the wheel may keep you awake.
A glass food dish for pellets is needed. Plastic will end up chewed to bits in a short time. I learned the hard way with one of my chins not to use a vacuum type water bottle. She would stick her muzzle out through the cage bars to chew on the bottle top. One little hole and the bottle would pour all the water into the cage. She went through 3 in a week before I was able to locate a type of bottle that used a nozzle but didn’t operate on the vacuum principle.
There are commercial diets available to feed your chinchillas, so feeding them is easy. They enjoy treats and will get to know the regular treat time, and jump around to get your attention as this time approaches. As with people, all treats in moderation. A couple raisons, or a couple sunflower seeds is enough of a treat at one time. Mine also love 8 - 1 Veggie Puffs and will get one of them in place of the other treats some nights.
Since chins are rodents, their teeth continually grow throughout their whole lives. This means they are chewers and will chew anything they can get into their mouths. This is an instinctive behavior and they can’t be trained out of it. Chunks of wood or a pumice stone, found in pet shops, will keep their teeth in good shape. A chin who has nothing to chew on will soon have overgrown teeth and not be able to eat!!! Overgrown teeth need to be treated by the vet immediately or the chin will slowly starve.
When you bring your chin out of the cage for some play time, watch that she doesn’t chew on electrical cords. We bring the chins into the bathroom, usually the easiest room of the house to critter-proof, and sit on the floor with them while they play (just make sure your people are trained to put the seat down). I usually bring in a book but more time is spent watching them romp, and keeping them from chewing on my book, than reading.
This is a good time to offer a dust bath. Chins’ coat can get oily looking and feeling so get some commercial chinchilla dust bath and pour some into a box or other container large enough for your chin to roll around in. We place the box into the empty tub so clean ups of fly-away dust is easier. Baths should be offered a few times a week.
Chinchillas need gentle handling. If a chin is losing lots of fur, it is usually either caused by stress or too rough handling. They don’t always enjoy being held but will love to jump all over you during playtime. Children should always be supervised when handling a chinchilla or any other animal.
Take the time to decide whether a chinchilla is a suitable pet for your family - they can live up to 15 years so it is a long commitment you are making to your chin companion.