Chinchillas

[Skinny Pig]

I am thinking about getting a chinchilla when I am older, are there any chinchilla owners that could give me some tips on how to take care of them? I have found a site, but it supports breeding and shows. It told me what the cage size needs to be and what to feed them. Also it told me that they have to have dust baths everyother day. Can someone confirm this information for me? Thanks in advance.

 

[pringles70]

I Also it told me that they have to have dust baths everyother day. Can someone confirm this information for me? Thanks in advance.

Yes they do, and they love it. It's so cute to watch then roll around in the dust. I read somewhere that they have so many hairs per folicle that they would take forever to dry if you washed them.

 

[Susan9608]

I had chinchillas for many years and found them to be great pets.

Pet Chinchillas | PetChinchillas.info

This site has a great care guide that can help you determine if a chin is right for you and covers some of the basics regarding caging and nutrition. C&C cages are not generally considered acceptable housing for chinchillas for multiple reasons.

There are many chinchillas available for adoption; please consider that route before going to a pet store or a breeder.

 

[Froggirl009]

I read somewhere that they have so many hairs per folicle that they would take forever to dry if you washed them.

It is bad for them and their fur if you get them wet.

Chinchillas are a lot of work and If you get one I might consider geting another one. My friend had a chinchilla but she had to rehome it because it was too lonley and she didn't have the time or the money to get a second one.

 

[ferndalezoo]

Chins are intenstive pets, requiring as much care as GPs. They need a specially made cage (like cavies, there isnt' a cage made that's actually safe for them). They need frequeint dustbaths, specialized diets, etc.
They are social, normally, and do best in groups.

 

[Bdmellohead]

I had 3 Chinchillas and let me tell you, they take a lot of care. They are extremely cute but I wouldn't recommend them. I think guinea pigs make much nicer pets. One of my girls became very territorial and would stand on her hind legs and pee on me after about 5 years of owning her. Maybe she was having a midlife crisis. That was when my fondness for them started to dwindle. My Chins never really liked being held, but they did love running around my room for floor time. They also need a HUGE cage. Personally, I'd stick with the guinea pigs.

 

[ferndalezoo]

We have 3, too, all males. I've never been "pee-squirted" (charming habit, isn't it?) but I've seen it happen enough to know that it's common. We go through crazy amounts of hay each week between the cavies, the chins, and the degus (similar care to chins, smaller critter). Whether or not they are "good pets" depends, IMHO, on your opinion of what makes a pet "good". They are not cuddly, in general, and don't care much for being held, but they are cool to watch, and are social and interactive in their own way.

 

[Skinny Pig]

Thanks for the quick replies and I will take this information into thought if I want one or not. Thanks.

 

[lmarieaa]

By the way, you can't keep chinchillas outside in a hutch.

 

[Jasper_Hale]

Chinchillas are really fun and sweet pets, but they take alot of work. I think more than a guinea pig. You do have to give them dust baths and let them out for play time alot. They like to be put in exercise balls and run on exercise wheel. You have to change their cage, like any other pets. They also need things to keep their teeth down, like pigs. They really like to jump, so you'll need a tall cage. If you decide to get one, they are a long time commetment. Please choose wisely before getting one. The average age is about 15. But, they can live up to past 20. This is a long time commetment pet. Hope this helps! ptimist:

 

[Skinny Pig]

Chinchillas are really fun and sweet pets, but they take alot of work. I think more than a guinea pig. You do have to give them dust baths and let them out for play time alot. They like to be put in exercise balls and run on exercise wheel. You have to change their cage, like any other pets. They also need things to keep their teeth down, like pigs. They really like to jump, so you'll need a tall cage. If you decide to get one, they are a long time commetment. Please choose wisely before getting one. The average age is about 15. But, they can live up to past 20. This is a long time commetment pet. Hope this helps! ptimist:

Thanks for the info. Haha, have you read Twilight? I love it!

And for those who have read my other thread "My new piggy" I'm not going to get one from a pet store(if I ever get one). I am still considering them and you all are saying "Oh he didn't do his research" well guess what, that's what I am doing right now.

I can't find any sites that don't support breeding. I found two that give me all the info about their cage and everything, but it supports breeding so I didn't trust them.

I have a question though. Would a Ferret Nation cage work for chinchillas? Or is it too small? Just wondering. I would like to know this too. Could chinchillas be like dogs and cats, and not have a cage, but have lots of places to jump around and such?

Also if you have any good websites that you know of, could you please post them here.Thanks.

 

[Skinny Pig]

By the way, you can't keep chinchillas outside in a hutch.

Why do you think I would do something like that? That only happens to my rabbit because 1) My mom has allergies 2) He is an outdoor rabbit 3) My mom won't let me bring him in and I want to so bad.

I asked if I could bring him in. I told my mom that that could be my Easter present. But she has allergies so we had to keep him outside.

I feel really bad for him.

 

[Paula]

First of all, there is no such thing as an "outdoor rabbit" and if there were, why would you be trying to bring him inside? There is no sense in that post. And why do we think you would do something like that to a chinchilla? Because you are doing it to a rabbit! Are you implying that you think chinchillas are better or superior to rabbits somehow and therefore you wouldn't do something so awful to a chinchilla? But you justify doing it to a rabbit? Whatever.

You SHOULD feel bad for your rabbit! You are forcing him to live OUTSIDE! You should do more than "feel bad" though and actually do something to improve his life.


The site that Susan gave you is a great resource for chinchilla care and answers a lot of the questions you are asking here, like whether or not a Ferret Nation cage would be acceptable or not. Chinchillas need to be caged. They are not "like cats and dogs." They chew and unless you can be there to supervise, they need to be in a cage for their own safety.

 

[Jasper_Hale]

The Chinchillas can not be let out to run like cats or dogs. They need a cage. They are just like guinea pigs; they can not be let out and just run. They can however be let out for play time. What size Ferret Nation Cage were you planning on getting? Some may be too small. Please post a link to for the size you are getting or already have.


And, yes, I've read Twilight, if you were talking to me. I'm obbsessed with it. Alice, Jasper, and Jacob are my favorites. They're the best in my opinion.

 

[lmarieaa]

Why do you think I would do something like that? That only happens to my rabbit because 1) My mom has allergies 2) He is an outdoor rabbit 3) My mom won't let me bring him in and I want to so bad.

I asked if I could bring him in. I told my mom that that could be my Easter present. But she has allergies so we had to keep him outside.

I feel really bad for him.

If you know its wrong then you need to do the right thing and find him a better home. INDOORS.

 

[Jasper_Hale]

Rabbits can be left outside ya know.

 

[lmarieaa]

Rabbits can be left outside ya know.

What? Rabbits live horrible lives outside. I guess some people really don't care though....its something you "have" rather than actually care about.
I am problably going to read something along time lines of "guinea pigs just love being outside in their wire floor hutches! such happy little piggies...." next.

 

[Jasper_Hale]

Rabbits can live outside. They do live outside in many places. I have a rabbit, it stays inside though. I take it outside and trust me, if she could live outside, she would. She loves it outside.

 

[lmarieaa]

Just because an animal can live outside does not necessarily mean its good for them. Guinea pigs can survive outside in some places, and people even have guinea pigs in some very serious temperatures. Survival and happiness are two different things.
Rabbits that live outside live very low quality lives.
My dog "loves" being outside, but that dosent mean I am going to build a pen and permanently keep him out there in the terrible Texas heat.

 

[Molli_Mayzee]

I've also read one of the mods say something along the times of animals living longer when they're indoor animals compared to being outdoor ones. I personally would never house any animal outside, I've read some horror stories of people who thought their animal was safe and sound and in fact, that was not the case.