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CHINCHILLA CARE WEBSITE
BASIC CHINCHILLA CARE
IS A CHINCHILLA THE PET FOR YOU ?
Anyone who desires to have a chinchilla enter his or her life knows the reason. They are soft, beautiful and a joy to have around. If you are reading this, you are probably interested in how to take care of such a beautiful little creature. I will, therefore, keep the background information as brief as possible.
Chinchillas are so far classified as rodents, the same as mice, rats and guinea pigs just to name a few. They originally came from South America and thrived in high altitudes. The original color of chinchillas is a grayish, although breeders today have been able to breed them in a wide array of colors, but more about that later.
Unfortunately, chinchillas were first captured and made popular for the fur trade. They still are. The original color is still the one that is most highly prized. Eventually people started to go to chinchilla farms to obtain pets and the idea caught on. One thing led to another and we now have many breeders and pet shops selling these beautiful fur balls.
While this may seem like a strange question coming from someone who has chinchillas and loves them. I want to tell you the truth and say that THEY ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE! They require out of the cage exercise, dilligent supervision when they are out, a quiet household, special food with very little treats, large cages and wheels and vets who are knowledgeable in their care. The startup cost for a chinchilla can be very high. The food should be kept fresh and clean. A mistake here or there can cause high vet bills. You should definitely have air conditioning for the warmer months, unless you live in a low humidity area that never goes above seventy degrees. You also should be a patient person who does not shout and definitely would not scare an animal. Chinchillas are prey animals that are frightened very easily.
Do you have small children? Don’t get a chinchilla unless you can guarantee that the children cannot get to the animal and injure it. Children over twelve may be okay, but they must be taught carefully how to handle a chin. They should be supervised for a long time after that. Chins can be injured and killed with rough handling.
Do you hate cleaning cages? Are you able to handle fairly large cages for cleanup? If so, then a chinchilla is not the right type of pet. They should have a huge cage compared to a small animal such as a hamster. Unless you are strong enough and willing to clean such a cage then forget it. A chinchilla has very little to no odor on its own but any cage that is not kept spotlessly clean can and will smell. The animal will suffer too with illnesses associated with an unclean cage.
A chinchilla that is properly cared for and is bred well can live as long as a dog or cat. Do you want a pet that can live that long? Will you make arrangements in case you pass away before your pet?
Do you have room for a large cage, chin food and hay in your home? Does your spouse or other people that live with you want a chinchilla as much as you do? Is anyone allergic to the hair or fur of other animals? Find out BEFORE you buy a chin.
These are just some of the considerations that you will have to face before you buy a chinchilla. There are already too many animals in shelters or being passes on from owner to owner. Unless you have a deep love for chinchillas and for animals in general, get a stuffed animal. If this sounds harsh, remember that a chinchilla is a living being that depends on you for proper food, shelter, exercise and his or her general welfare. It is a crime not to give such an animal and all animals the best possible care and love.
After this, do you still want a chinchilla? If this is the case, then read
on.
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