How easy is it to care for a chinchilla?

Question

What is the care? Does the bedding smell? How much is the upkeep on something like that

Answer 1

I don't know much but I do know that they bath themselves in ash. It is quite cute to watch one burrow and fling the ash all over the place. Thats all I know.

:)

Answer 2

Go to http://www.chin-chillas.com. They have a lot of information since the owners of that site are chinchilla breeders. I enjoyed looking at the adorable photos!!!    

Answer 3

Daily, chinchillas need fresh water, as well as food and timothy hay. They also need a nightly run in a chinchilla proof room, as they will chew on everything. They will also p**p all over, however this can easily be cleaned up and does not smell. They can also flat jump three feet, making everything off the floor accessible to them. Not only that, but anything larger than 3", they can squeeze into or under. Treats such as small pieces of apple or carrot, or rose hips, are good bonding tools and should also be given. Though treats should be given in moderation, as too many can cause health problems.

Every 2 or 3 days they will need a dust bath. If the weather is really humid, you can offer it more often. Too much bathing can result in dry and cracked skin, if this happens, they will begin to scratch a lot and you will need to offer the bath less often. If you handle them a lot, it will cause their fur to become extremely oily and will require a bath,

Weekly, they will need their entire cage cleaned. This is the number one way to keep it from getting smelly, as the chinchillas themselves do not smell. This also means changing the bedding and cleaning all the shelves and toys, as everything will collect urine and p**p.

Overall, chinchillas can live 10 to 20 years. They are noctural and will make some noise at night. In general, they need a constant tempature, as too much change in tempature will kill them. Tempatures over 80 will kill a chinchilla, and tempatures around 70 are ideal. They also require a large and spacious cage, espically with two. A same s*x pair is ideal, so no unwanted babies are born. Two males can be housed together just as easily as two females. Please look into adopting before buying from a pet store. Animals from stores come from mills and generally something you want to stay away from. For one, you don't know their genetic background or age. And there are also many, many unwanted chinchillas that desperatly need homes. They are also cheaper to adopt two, as adoption fees usually run $60 or $65 for a single animal, as pair adoption is usually $130 for an already bonded pair.

http://www.petfinder.com//index.html

The price of keeping a chinchilla varies. Good quality food, such as Mazuri, costs about $8 for a bag. Timothy hay can be bought in bulk for around $15. Chew blocks are about $4 a package, and my boys need a new package twice a week or so. Bedding can also be bought in bulk for about $15. Treats vary in price, depending on what you buy. A bag of dried apples or rose hips is about $2-3.