Chinchilla Care 101

A Robust Reference Guide Geared at Squashing all the Bad Information on the Internet and within Social Media Groups. Our book based on science, feedback from veterinarians and 80 years of combined experience!

 

Everything you could ever possibly want to know about Chinchillas!

Join Global Chinchilla Alliance (GCA) today! A non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to education, youth development, and research to ensure chinchillas are provided their VERY best lives. The organization has a robust monthly magazine, chat groups off traditional social media platforms led by experts, and so much more. FREE YOUTH PROGRAM!

globalchinchillas.com

Also, be Sure to Check Out our Blog Discussions for Detailed Care Info.

Chinchilla Care Overview

For a more robust care guide, go to globalchinchillas.com/gca-hub and click on the magazine.

For safe chinchilla supplies, please go to mycritterstore.com.

Are you ready to bring home a chinchilla?

• Chinchillas live for upwards of 15 – 20 years. Are you ready to have a pet for that long?
• Have you located a well qualified exotic veterinarian and are willing to take him there if needed?
• Will you be able to provide your animal with a stress-free environment, where they can peacefully sleep during the day and get attention in the evenings or at night?
• Can you keep your pet in an environment under 76 degrees F at all times?

If you can answer YES to all of the above, then a chinchilla might be a great pet for you!

Before buying your chinchilla, it is vital to do your research and become well-educated on their needs and proper care. Chinchillas are very low-maintenance animals and by following a few general guidelines, they can be a fantastic addition to your life.

It is critical to purchase animals from reputable breeders. Buying from a backyard breeder comes with many health risks. Backyard breeders don't have pedigrees, they don't attend shows and they don't know the genetic/health background of their chinchillas. Reduce your exposure to expensive vet bills and make an investment in your pets happy future by avoiding Backyard Breeders!

Reputable breeders take great care to eliminate lines exhibiting any types of genetic health disorders, such as malocclusion, as well as animals exhibiting unwanted temperament issues such as biting or urine spraying.

The Basics

Feed

Chinchillas should have access to an unlimited supply of fresh high quality chinchilla feed. Any feed six months past the milling date should be discarded. Recommended feeds are Modesto Organic Chinchilla or Oxbow (Red Bag). Never feed a food that has fruits, nuts or seeds mixed in. The food should be alfalfa-based pellets. All our chinchillas are currently being fed Purina Manna Pro Show, but we are in the works of developing our own feed, geared specifically towards chinchilla nutritional needs. Plan to switch over to your new feed over a period of at least three weeks. We recommend mixing ¼ new, ¾ old for 10 days, ½ new, ½ old for 10 days, and ¾ new, ¼ old for one week. This is especially important for babies and younger chinchillas as their digestive systems are still developing and they are prone to more complications due to rapid feed changes. To help busy chinnie parents around the US, we now offer a monthly subscription box (ChillaBox) that includes Modesto Mills Organic Chinchilla Food, dust, hay, Cage Accessory and a treat. ChillaBox has hassle-free, with safe products!

We also offer safe small animal products at mycritterstore.com.

Hay

A fresh, high quality timothy hay, 3-grain hay, or orchard grass should be offered.

Water

A fresh supply of water should always be available. I use glass bottles that are easily cleaned and sterilized in the dishwasher. Filtered or bottled purified water is highly recommended.

Treats

Chinchilla safe treats should NEVER be given to a chinchilla under 6 months old.

Treats are a great way to win over your pet but think of it like an Oreo cookie to a child, given in excess is a recipe for disaster and a laundry list of health issues! I recommend no more than one treat per day (certified organic), which could be any of the following: calendula, hibiscus, rose hips, rose buds/petals, and chamomile. All of these and an awesome prebiotic mix can be purchased at mycritterstore.com.

Dust Baths

Chinchillas do not take water baths like most animals; however they do their own bathing in a special volcanic dust bath given 1 – 2 times per week. For me, watching my chinchillas take a dust bath is many times the highlight of my evening.

Bedding

We offer safe fleece bedding alternatives for less mess at mycritterstore.com. Or use Kiln-dried pine or Aspen shavings. NEVER use Cedar Shavings, they are TOXIC to chinchillas.

Temperature

Chinchillas should never be kept in an environment that gets hotter than 75 degrees F. In an emergency, such as a power outage, you can place frozen water bottles and tile chillers in the cage to help keep them cool. If your chinchilla’s ears appear pink and blood vessels are bright red, you need to get them to a cooler environment immediately. If they are laying down and stretching, they need moved to a cooler environment immediately. An air-conditioned car can be a quick safe haven if you lose power. NOTE: Chinchillas should never be placed in water and NEVER place your chinchilla in a refrigerator or freezer.

Humidity

Chinchillas cannot tolerate high humidity.

Creating A Safe Environment For Your Chinchilla

As a chinchilla owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that your chinchilla is in the safest environment possible. Think of them like small children: if there is trouble to be found…guaranteed, eventually they will find it!

If you are looking for an easy to order "Amazon" type cage, we recommend either:

• Single or Double Critter Nation (Midwest) or equivalent.
• Feisty Ferret Cage by Prevue Pets.

Keep in mind, these cages will need modified to meet the needs of chinchillas. DO NOT use the ramps provided, chinchillas are hoppers, not climbers. Either cover the pans with safe fleece bedding or remove and replace with wood shelves. You will also need to either place the plastic floors with a conversion kit (mycritterstore.com) or metal pans (Bass Equipment) if you want to use shavings. We recommend you use wood shelves regardless in places as it is great for their dental health. They need wood to chew on and roughage with hay to keep their ever-growing teeth ground down.

If you choose not to go with one of the easily accessible cage as above, here is a list of the basics to creating a chins-safe cage. There are countless scenarios, so common sense must also come into play.

• Use ½" x 1" wire if there are babies in the cage or a possibility of babies, otherwise 1" x 1" or 1" x 2" wire is acceptable.
• Use a solid bottom pan, or wire is acceptable if ½” x 1” or less. See the free Global Chinchilla Alliance (GCA) Free Magazine in the GCA Hub for more on cages, including floors at globalchinchillas.com.
• Use wood shelving, do not use wire shelving as their feet can become tangled due to the downward motion of their hop (much different than the upward motion from the floor).
• Never have an "open atrium" cage. Your chinchillas are hoppers, clumsy and prone to falls. They should NEVER be exposed to more than 24 inches of vertical potential fall distance in the cage without a soft landing. Taller is not always better! Fall injuries in inappropriate cages are a common cause of serious injury or even death in chinchillas.
• Make sure that your chinchilla has a hiding spot: fleece tubes and wood houses are ideal.
• Do not use wire hay racks that mount inside the cage. Do not use wire hay balls inside the cage. They are unsafe regardless of how they are installed.
• Do not use wire running wheels or plastic balls (aka Death Balls). I do not recommend wheels. They are not needed and, in most cases, unsafe for your chinchilla (anything outside of a 15” Metal Wheel or Flying Saucer should NEVER be used). See globalchinchillas.com Free Magazine issue in GCA hub for a complete discussion on running wheels. If you MUST have a wheel for your chinchilla.
• Make sure your chinchilla has plenty of safe wood to chew on for dental health, many woods are toxic to chinchillas, so be sure to check the Free Magazine listed above at the GCA website for what is safe and not safe (or our book). Cleaned and baked apple wood is highly recommended for chew toys.
• Make sure there is nothing plastic in the cage or within reach through the cage, which includes water bottles. Chinchillas will chew through and eat the plastic, which can create an intestinal blockage leading to emergency veterinary care or death.

When assessing your cage for safety, look at the cage and everything in it. If there is any doubt that an item may be unsafe, consider it unsafe and remove immediately, it’s never worth the risk!