Chinchilla Care
General
Chinchillas live an average of 10-20 years, which must be taken into consideration before adopting. Having a chinchilla join your family is a long-term commitment.
Chinchillas are nocturnal and very active creatures that can be quite noisy at night as they like to run and jump around their cage. Because of this it is best if their cage is not in a bedroom, however it should not be in a noisy active room because they need their sleep during the day.
Chinchillas are not good with young children, this is because they can and do bite, their bones are extremely fragile and can easily be broken. Chinchillas are not cuddly and like to run around on their own and young children will want to cuddle them because they are so cute. Their tails can easily break off and their fur can come out in clumps if scared.
Temperature
Chinchillas will overheat and die quickly if the temperature goes over 75 degrees due to their fur. Ideal conditions are between 60 and 70 degrees with humidity of 40% to 60%. If this means you need to have an air conditioner going all the time consider this an expense of owning a chinchilla.
Housing
Usually most ferret and rabbit cages are not suitable for chinchillas. They need big cages or they will develop behavioural and health issues. No cage is too big.
- One or two chinchillas should have a cage at least 30”L x 18”D x 48”H. The cage should have at least two storeys as chinchillas love to run and jump and climb.
- Cages need safe mesh width (1" x ½" -OR- ¾" x ¾" for the cage walls and ½" x ½" for floors, shelves and ramps) because chinchillas can easily break their legs in larger widths as they jump.
- There should be no plastic of any sort in the chinchilla cage because chinchillas will chew on them and if ingested it could cause serious harm and even death. Solid versus wire bottoms is a common argument among chin owners.
- If you are going to use wire bottoms make sure the wire is 1/2" x 1/2" or smaller. However, you will want to provide solid untreated pine shelving or lay some cardboard down for the chin to sit on, as wire may get uncomfortable. Solid may be more difficult to clean but seems to be the better choice for the chinchillas.
- Bedding choice is extremely important as some beddings are toxic to chinchillas. The best choices are aspen, kiln dried pine, Carefresh, or recycled paper. If they have a collection tray it needs to be cleaned every day, if you have a solid floor it should be cleaned every week. Chinchillas do not stink so if you smell something you should be cleaning more often.
- Cages should be disinfected quarterly. All chinchilla cages should have a non-plastic hidey house for them to sleep in and hide in. A happy chinchilla will not spend all it`s time in there but it makes it darker during the day and provides a place of safety.
Vet Care
It is extremely important for your new chinchilla to have an initial consultation at a vet clinic that specializes in exotics. This makes sure your chinchilla is okay, establishes you at your vet clinic (some vets won`t see animals in emergency situations unless they are an established patient).
Chinchillas don`t get yearly vaccines but it is advised to get yearly checkups as that is often the only way to find out about dental problems. If you suspect your chinchilla is ill you must take them to the vet right away and do not wait as chinchillas hide their issues.
Some signs of chinchilla illness:
- Lethargy
- Wetness
- Drooling
- Lack of appetite
- Fur problems
- Bleeding
- Diarrhea, and other bowel problems.
Be especially careful of teeth problems. They must be diagnosed as soon as possible. Besides drooling, if your chinchilla makes crumbs when he or she eats pellets, that is a sign of teeth problems. Chinchillas are prone to teeth problems.
Their teeth should be a yellow-orange colour and constantly grow. This is why chinchillas love to chew because they have to constantly wear their teeth down. They need wood toys and blocks to help. Safe woods are:
- Apple, hazelnut, pine (kiln dried & untreated)
- Pear, manzanita, ash, willow, poplar
- Magnolia, larch, dogwood, elm, aspen
- Beech, mulberry, arbutus
- Crabapple, hawthorn, cottonwood
As a general rule if a wood is safe for birds, then it is most likely safe for a chinchilla.
Male chinchillas will need a hair ring check either weekly or monthly. A hair ring is when the male has fur stuck around his penis and he cannot get the fur off. This is very serious and if not taken care of can cut off circulation and cause many health problems. To do a hair ring check you must flip the male onto his back (you may need a second person), push on the male`s sheath until you can see his penis. Pull his penis out to it`s entire length (2 inches). If there is no hair around his penis you are done, make sure it retracts without getting hair stuck to it. If there is hair around his penis you need to remove it with your fingers or tweezers very gently. Once finished make sure the penis retracts without getting hair stuck again, if the penis does retract you need to keep it lubricated until it does with KY Jelly at least 3 times daily.
Food
Chinchillas should not be given tap water as they are susceptible to getting bacterial infections. Their water must be purified or filtered. Some people use bottled water.
Chinchillas need to be fed a very simple diet as their nutrition affects their health greatly. They need good quality chinchilla pellets that do not have treats and other seedy junk in them.
Mazuri is the best chinchilla pellet readily available at pet stores. 2-3 Tablespoons per day is plenty and should be changed daily as many will defecate in their food bowls. Changing food must be done extremely gradually.
Timothy hay should be fed in unlimited amounts, ideally in a hay rack of some sort as they will defecate on hay that is on the ground. Kaytee and Oxbow are good quality hay brands.
Veggies should only be fed under the direction of a veterinarian and treats should be fed extremely sparingly (2-3 a week is almost too much). Treats should be no bigger than a raisin and chinchillas love: raisins, craisins, rose hips, oats, and cheerios. It is often suggested that you give them something to chew instead of a treat.
Dust Baths
Never get a chinchilla wet. To keep themselves looking great they need dust baths. In more humid conditions they could have a dust bath every day. In dry conditions once a week to 3 times a week is plenty. If their coat looks oily they could use a dust bath but if it starts to dry out cut back on bath times.
Almost anything can be used for their dust bath container except plastics are not suggested. Metal litter pans, ceramic containers, etc are ideal. Do not use a dust that is scented. Common kinds are Blue Cloud, Blue Sparkle, and Kaytee.
Exercise
Chinchillas love to come out of their cages and run around. However they are extremely destructive so the best places would be tiled or linoleum floors with no wires anywhere. Constant supervision is necessary because they could even start chewing the walls. If you use the bathroom make sure you close the toilet lid.
Never put a chinchilla in an exercise ball as it is extremely hazardous. Exercise wheels are debated because it has merits but can be dangerous. If you do decide to get an exercise wheel they need to be a minimum of 15`` in diameter and have a solid floor. The best design for a chinchilla wheel is the ``flying saucer`` wheel.
If placed in the cage make sure it does not take up more than one fifth of the cage`s space. This exercise time is a good time to interact with your chin. Do not chase your chin as they will get scared and remember it.
Bonding
Once you get your new chinchilla home and set it up in it`s new cage you need to give it it`s space so it doesn`t get stressed out. Do not handle your chinchilla for up to a week and let it set the pace of the bonding process.
Once your chinchilla is adjusted to it`s new location sit quietly next to it`s cage so it gets used to your smell. Then start talking softly to it as you sit there. Watch for stress signs such as the chin jumping around or hiding and maybe take it back a step.
The next step would be to open the cage door and let the chinchilla come to you, you may or may not decide to leave your hand inside on the floor or on a shelf to let them come to you. Treats could be used here but only in extreme moderation (chopping up a raisin into smaller pieces will help it go further). Where the chinchilla goes from here varies greatly so continue taking your time and letting them establish the pace. A great tip for creating a rock solid bond is to not allow free time in your chin proofed exercise area but to carry them with you until they are completely comfortable with you.
Introductions
Sexing chinchillas can be extremely tricky so make sure you`ve done your research before introducing two chinchillas (it is not recommended to breed chinchillas considering the numbers of unwanted ones out there already).
It is suggested you quarantine your new chinchilla for 30-60 days in a completely separate area with hand washing procedures in between. Next put the cages next to each other but far enough apart so that they cannot reach each other.
After they seem okay with this the next step is to get them together on dates. Neutral areas are recommended and close supervision is necessary. They may get along or they may squabble, mounting each other and making noise but as long as they are not overly stressed or getting hurt let them be as they need to establish dominance.
Another date technique would be tight quarters such as a small carrier to force them to deal with their issues. Once again keep an eye on the stress levels. A popular technique is to put the dominant chin in a small cage that is put within the passive chin`s cage to give the passive chin a chance to investigate on their own terms.
Continue with the dates as it can take a couple of weeks and although some will never like each other most will figure out how to be friends and some will even fall deeply in love and there`s nothing better than seeing them together.
Help Us Save Animal Lives by Donating
