Chinchillas

Chinchillas are cute, little, furry animals that are very active in the night and at dusk. Keep this in mind when you are purchasing your chinchilla. If puchased at a young age a chinchilla can be very friendly. They are not as "tameable" and "teachable" as a guinea pigs but are still a wonderful little pet. Watching you chinchilla take a dust bath can be a very entertaining activity for your family as well as watching them jump and explore their habitat.

Chinchillas can be bought as pairs but the cage will need to be much large than if bought singularly. If you puchase two or more and the cage is too small for them to get away from each other, the can become stressed. This may lead to behavior disorders such as fur biting. If you buy a single chinchilla the chances of it bonding with humans and becoming friendly and tame is much better.

Do not try to save money when it comes to picking out a cage for your chinchilla. A cage that is large enough to house your pet is very improtant for proper care. The bars of the cage should be galvanized or wire mesh as this is easy to clean and the chinchilla cannot chew through it. A metal bottom pan is best but a plastic one will do if the chinchilla cannot reach it to chew. The door to the cage should be large enough to easily remove any branches and other accesories that you will need to remove to clean. As chinchillas like to jump, please make sure all sharp, pointed corners are filed down and all exposed nails and staples removed.The location of the cage is very important. The location should be well light but not in direct sunlight. Chinchillas can suffer heatstroke if it gets to hot. Choose a spot in your house that is quiet during the as chinchillas nap during this time. The location should also be draft-free.Do not put the cage on the floor as standing over it may freighten your pet.

Your new pet will need a few things to make him or her really happy. A place to nap and sleep is very important. The sleeping house should be small and closed on all sides except for a small opening. Set the house on top of a small shelf and secured it so it can't fall off. a sand box is essential as chinchilla love to take dust baths. Ask the associates at Most Valuable Pets to help you pick out the box and the dust. You will also need some branches for climbing and should be more like the thickness of small tree trunks. The chinchillas not only use them for climbing but for running up and down. The branches for chewing can be placed between the sitting shelves or wedged together with the climbing branches. steps to the shelves made of wood block are a good form of exercise for your little pets also. Please check our list of unsafe wood not to use in your cage. The bedding for your chinchilla should be wood shavings that have not been treated with chemicals. Again, one the asociates at MVP will be more than happy to assist you with finding the proper bedding for your pet. A water bottle and ceramic food dish will be necessary also. A large ceramic dish for hay would be a nice addition for your pet.

Your chinchilla will need to get enough roughage, eating hay and pellets, to remain healthy and live a long life. Chinchillas can quickly learn to like snack food high in fats and oils, such as sunflower seeds, nuts, cakes and cookies. These snacks should only be given in small quantities as they can cause constipation.Chinchilla pellets are available to give to your pet. Do not substitute any other kind of pellets, such as rabbit pellets because it can lead to liver damage. Feed your chinchilla in the evenings as that is when they like to eat. The hay you give your pet should be well seasoned and dry. It is very important that the hay not mold while you are storing it. Mold can cause diarrhea which is very serious in chinchillas. Rabbit hay found in pet stores is just fine to feed ou pet. Fres water at room temperature should be given daily. If your tap water contains chlorine, it should be boiled first, allowed to cool down, then given to your pet. Take care not to overfeed your chinchilla. For a small 3-6 month old, 1/2 teaspoon of pellets in the morning and in the evening should be enough. Gradually increase the amount as your pet gets older. As you do this decrease the morning portion and increase the evening untill you pet is eating a heaping tablespoon in the evening. Give your pet free choice of the hay both morning and evening.

Yes, your chinchilla needs the daily dust bath to keep his or her fur cuddly soft and to remain healthy. The dust is a special sand especially for chinchillas and cannot be replaced with anything else. Put a ceramic dish, a little larger than your chinchilla, filled with the dust in with your pet. This should be done in the evening when it is most active. Without the daily dust bath your chinchilla's coat will soon become greasy, sticky, and shaggy.