I need to know about chinchillas?

Question

i want a chinchilla. and before i get one i want to know practicly everything about them. Are they are hard to take care of? I have had 2 hamsters and 2 rabbits is the amount of care the same or different than what they need? I sthere any thing i need to watch out for like diseases or stuff. Any thing that i need to do daily besides giving them food or water? how ofte do there cges need to be cleaned out? PLEASE HELP?

Answer 1

For a start, their care isn't your main issue- its their lifespan.

They can live for TWENTY YEARS. I don't know how old you are now, but judging from the age of people on here and how you type, I doubt you're over fifteen- you haven't even lived twenty years yet!

They need a BIG cage (tall more than wide) and need food for chinchillas, oddly enough. You can't give them treats with too much sugar in as they're prone to diabetes and heart problems, as well as becoming easily overweight.

They don't like to be hugged or held a lot but like to climb and explore. They are naturally shy and aren't like rabbits who can grow acustomed to being held. They CAN bite but rarely do so. You need to clean them out at least once a week, if not more.

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They also cost a lot of money for inital set up (cages cost quite a lot) and they MAY cost a lot at a vet. You also need to make sure you have a suitable vet nearby for emergancies- they don't need yearly check ups, per say, but like any animal that lives more than five years, they can get difficulties which require a vet, and this costs money and time.

Answer 2

Chinchillas are extremely hard to take care of!

You need to buy this dust stuff they roll around in because they don't like the oil from human hands

and they are very skittish, when they feel threatened they can spray pee at you and they run/hop/jump extremely fast.

they need a huge cage, i'm talking about HUGE.

there tropical animals so they are very temperature sensitive.

my friend had one that she had to get rid of, it was just too much. not to mention they are a little pricey, especially when buying a big cage.  personally, i stick with guinea pigs but i hope this helps =]

Answer 3

Good on you for doing research ahead of time. Here's some great places to start:

http://www.petinfopackets.com/chinchilla...

http://www.petinfopackets.com/links/smal...

Answer 4

Aw your getting a chinchilla?, i have 1 and he's the sweetest animal. Good luck and google has some good info but on yahoo answers you get 1rst hand experience.

Answer 5

We had a chinchilla.  Charlie, was his name.  They don't like to be handled like some other rodents.  We let ours out in a small area to have a run and he liked to jump up the door about 2 feet.  I have photos.  Most of the time he liked to lay in the large tin can we had for him rather than run.  They sleep all day and will be held on their terms, but for a short time frame.  

We cleaned the cage about 3 times a week, or whenever it was offensive to our noses.  

Yes, they need chinchilla food & dust for bathing purposes.  

I would never recommend a chinchilla to a child for a beginner's pet.  

You have to make sure they have wood so they can gnaw their teeth down like a guinea pig.  Otherwise, and this happened to Charlie was that his teeth were growing back through his brain, sort of speak.  So, then you decide whether or not to have a vet maintain the teeth or put them down due to pain the animal is incurring.

Answer 6

Join here:

www.wunderchins.com/bbs

We can answer any questions for you

Answer 7

Chinchillas as pets



Standard Gray ChinchillaDomestic chinchillas can be kept as pets. Chinchillas are crepuscular and typically do not like to be disturbed during the day, which may make them less favorable as pets to some people. Chinchillas are naturally very skittish creatures and generally do not like to be held, although they can become very attached to their owners if they grow up without a cage mate. Because of their high-strung disposition, they are not usually considered to be good pets for small children. However, chinchillas can be very friendly animals if sufficiently acclimated to human touch as kits, making them excellent pets for patient owners. [13]



Chinchillas can be very docile if given sufficient attention as kitsMale chinchillas tend to be easier to handle because they are not subject to temperament fluctuations due to the estrus cycle.

Captive chinchillas commonly live 15 years, but some have been known to live up to 20 or more.[14] Currently (as of 2008), the world's oldest chinchilla is 27 years old and resides in the UK. The oldest chinchilla in America lived to be 26. [15]

Chinchillas make a variety of vocalizations, including chirps, squeaks, and barks. They use these sounds to express themselves, from a calm, loving chirp given to a potential mate to a loud, aggressive bark when threatened. Chinchilla kits often greet their parents with a very high pitch chirp, usually to indicate that they are hungry.[16] Since they are active at night, it is not uncommon for them to vocalize in the early hours of the morning. If irritated or frightened, the female chinchillas may cluck loudly and spray urine at the offender.

This article or section contains instructions, advice, or how-to content..

Chinchillas can be housed with others of the same s*x; however, it is possible that they may fight. Fighting or getting along depends on the individual animals. If the chinchillas are either introduced when young, or gradually introduced when older, conflict can be reduced. Males and females usually get along well, although they must be spayed or neutered to avoid reproduction. However, reproduction rates are low with up to two litters per year of 1-3 kits (3 being rare).

Since chinchillas are very active animals, it is best to house them in a large enclosure, such as a room of their own instead of a small cage. If kept in a cage, the chinchillas need to have a large area replete with shelves or other obstacles on which to play. The cage should be taller than it is wide, as the chinchilla's natural environment is very mountainous. Chinchillas also need other forms of stimulation, such as hanging wooden toys, large wheels (over 16 inches in diameter and not constructed of mesh, as chinchilla legs and toes can easily get caught), or paper towel tubes. Wooden sticks and chew toys are also good options, but conifer woods (especially cedar) should be avoided because of the high content of resins that are toxic for chinchillas. Birch, willow, apple tree or manzanita are all safe woods for chinchillas to chew.[17] Plastic in the cage should be avoided at all times. Chinchillas are often voracious chewers, and any ingested plastic can cause blockage in the intestines. As with most small animals, red cedar bedding should never be used due to its toxic nature.[18] The cage must have good air circulation. The chinchilla lacks the ability to sweat; therefore, if temperatures get above 25°C (80°F), the chinchilla could get overheated and may suffer from heat stroke.[19]

Active and inquisitive by nature, chinchillas need to spend some time outside of the cage (around half an hour a day and always supervised) to exercise and to satisfy their curiosity. Chinchillas will chew on inappropriate items including electrical cords.



Chinchillas are very inquisitive - actively exploring and interacting with their environmentChinchillas can be found in a variety of colors including the standard gray (the only color found in nature), beige, ebony, and many others.[20] They instinctively clean their fur by taking dust baths several times a week, in which they roll around in a container full of special chinchilla dust made of sand or fine pumice. The dust gets into their coat of fur and absorbs oil. Chinchillas do not bathe in water because the density of their fur retains moisture close to the skin, which can cause fungus growth or rot.[21]



White Mosaic Chinchilla with dark gray markingChinchillas eat and digest desert grasses and cannot efficiently process fatty foods or too many green plants. A high quality, hay-based pellet and a constant supply of loose hay will sufficiently meet all of their dietary needs. Chinchillas have very sensitive GI tracts that can be easily disrupted so it is important to maintain them on a healthy diet.[22] Some Chinchilla feed includes raisins as part of the mix. Fresh vegetables (with high moisture content) should be avoided as these can cause bloat in a chinchilla, which can be fatal. Chinchillas also eat and drink in very small amounts, therefore, overfeeding is easy. This can lead to diarrhea, or in the long term, diabetes. Nuts should be avoided due to their high fat content

Answer 8

I AM A CAGE ANIMAL EXPERT WITH OVER 2O YRS EXPERIENCES.  

** SINCE U HAVE EXPERIENCES W/ 2 HAMSTER AND RABBITS.  JUST CARE FOR THEM AS U DO FOR UR OTHER ANIMALS, BUT THE CHINHILLAS ARE VERY QUITE ANIMAL...NEEDS CKLENING 3 TIMES A WEEK, CLEAN WATER, FOOD, HATES TOO MUCH NOISE OR THEY WILL GET IRRITATED AND OFTEN DIE.   I SUGGEST YOU NOT GET ANY AT ALL..U ALREADY HAVE 4 GREAT ANIMALS TO CAARE FOR AND TO LOVE.