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Cedarview Farms Show and pet quality Chinchillas |
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General Chinchilla Care This has been written to assist you and your new pet in having a healthy and loving friendship that will last for years to come. This is dedicated to Melodie and Ishie, two of my first chinchillas, and also to my friends and family. Thanks for your support and Understanding Table of Contents
The purpose of this is to give a new chinchilla owner a good basic overview of how to properly care for their new pet. The author of this is not responsible for the mishandling and care of chinchillas. The information is only a recommendation from the breeder and cannot be held liable. Chinchillas are very inquisitive and loving pets, but like children, they do need your love and attention. Plenty of safe toys don't hurt either. These animals are nocturnal. Keep your cage in a quiet area for their sleep time. I don't recommend moving their cage from room to room. It can cause undo stress. Do not keep the cage next to a window or other direct sunlight. In the wild, chinchillas are accustomed to temperatures between 40 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. An optimal temperature for these little fury creatures is 65 - 72 degrees. These "live furbies" can stress out just like Mom or Dad, so watch your pet to learn their habits, likes and dislikes. If you know your animal well, you could save yourself and your pet a lot of undo stress and headaches in the future. A healthy chinchilla can live an average of 10 - 20 years with the record being 35 years. The proper diet for a chinchilla is not hard to follow, but is essential for the animal to thrive properly. Like many people, they love their treats, but improper or over feeding of goodies such as raisins can be harmful and even deadly. Many types of chinchilla pellets can be purchased from the local pet or feed store, but please keep in mind that just because the package says it is for chinchillas, does not mean that it is the best source of nutrients for him. I could never suggest using a feed that contains raisins, nuts, etc. These should only be given as a treat and sparingly. I have heard of some breeders that use rabbit pellets, but because of some of the ingredients and the percentages of certain nutrients, such as calcium and fiber, I would be cautious. I recommend using Mazuri Chinchilla pellets made by Purina. I personally use this for my chinchillas and know several breeders that use this feed exclusively. Mazuri can be purchased through a dealer and some pet stores. When purchasing your feed, check for the manufactured date on the bag. After about 3 - 4 months, feed starts to lose its nutritional value. The average adult chinchilla will eat 2 to 3 tablespoons of pellets per day. You will notice, that normally they will hold their food while they eat it. Once the pieces have been eaten down to where they can no longer bite it in their clinched little hand, what is left will be thrown down. If you notice nothing but small pieces of pellets in the bowl, they have eaten all they are going to and the rest will have to be dumped and then refilled with fresh pellets. Chinchillas absolutely love their hay!! Timothy and Bermuda hays are similar to the grassed they eat in the wild. Also, Alfalfa and Orchard Grass is good for them, but be careful of the fiber content. I use mostly Timothy and then Alfalfa and Orchard Grass is given sparingly. I do suggest, if it is possible, to give a variety of hays. They enjoy the different tastes and textures. Oat hay and Bunny Brome can also be used, but sparingly as well. Hay can be given to the animals on a regular basis, up to daily. If the animal does not touch its pellets, then maybe cut back on the haying a little to ensure they still eat the pellets that have vital nutrition. A good rule or guide to feeding hay is a good-sized single handful per hay feeding. Also, if loose hay is not your thing, there are also small compressed hay cubes that can be used in its place. I have heard of and seen many types of supplements given to chinchillas. I also know of large breeders that do not even use a supplement. I personally do use a mix of natural ingredients that my animals truly enjoy, but of course, I am a breeder. I would have to say, if your animals is getting the proper feed, hay and water, they should be all right. I do believe that it is a good way to ensure that your animal is eating (no constipation, etc.) and is very good for pregnant and lactating females. I do know that all of my chinchillas do thoroughly enjoy their 1 teaspoon twice per week treat. There are many treats that chinchillas love, but many are harmful or unhealthy for them. As many breeders and owners know, they love their raisins, but don't over do it. They can be given up to one treat per day of dried raisin, pineapple, papaya, cranberry, apple, banana or even sunflower seed (fattening). Do not give one of each, pick a treat and try to stick with that specific kind for a while and then maybe trade out for a while. When picking out your treats, it is very important that there are no sugars or additives. Go with the all-natural treats. You should be able to find some of these dried fruits in your local health food store. In the wild, chinchillas drink the dew collected on the vegetation. In your home, I suggest a small animal water bottle to do the trick. An eight-ounce water bottle will last a chin 1 to 3 days, but the water should be changed daily. Wash the bottles on a very regular basis, such as once per week. Clean the water bottle thoroughly, ensure that no residue is in the bottle and allow it to dry fully. Bacteria can grow inside of the water bottle and cause internal problems with your animal. Chinchilla stomachs have difficulty with tap water. Best recommendation is to get bottled natural spring water. There are no impurities and the necessary oxygen has not been removed. Chinchillas love to play and the roomier their "home" the better. The optimal sized cage for one chinchilla is 3' x 3' x 2' (Height, Width, Depth). Cage wire should be galvanized and safe to prevent the animal from getting cut on the wiring. Suggested wire is 1" x 1/2" spacing. This should keep an adult chinchilla from "escaping" to adventure throughout the rest of the house. They love to explore, but I doubt you would want your little friend to explore without your being present and aware of their behavior. Cages can be found with or without wire bottoms. If you decide to use a wire bottomed cage for the animal to walk on, please ensure that the wire is not gapped large enough for the animals' front or back feet to get caught. I have heard horror stories where little legs have had to be amputated because of the size of the gaps. Please keep this in mind if your cage has wire ladders and wire shelves or ledges and such for the animal to play. It is a good idea to scrub your cage bottom once a month with soapy water. Ensure that there is no soap residue in the bottom and then allow the bottom to be dried by the sun. Some good accessories to keep in your chinchilla cage would be a pine box/house with room for the chinchilla to fit comfortably and allow air to circulate, or a plastic igloo, which can be purchased in a pet store. I would suggest a separate bowl for pellets and also hay, plus a small bowl for supplement, if you decide to use it. I still wonder if the maker of the movie "Gremlins" got the idea of not getting little Gizmo wet because of chinchillas. Yes, you heard me correct; do not get a chinchilla wet. They use a "dust" bath for cleaning. In the wild, they love to "bathe" in the volcanic ash. But here in the rest of the world, we use chinchilla dust to keep our little ones clean and happy. There are three main dusts that I know of. You may have to ask your pet store if they carry or could carry your dust bath. I do not ever recommend using regular sand. Chinchillas have very soft skin and it could cause irritations in your little friend. Using a safe and non-toxic bedding for your new pet is very important. Under no circumstances should you use cedar or chlorophyll bedding. Using improper cage bedding can easily cause respiratory infections and other problems. Only soft kiln dried pine shavings or a safe "paper bedding" such as Care Fresh. These are the only beddings that I use and recommend. As a good rule of thumb, I suggest changing the bedding once per week. Now, if you are luck like I am, I do have some chinchillas that will kick out their bedding when it gets dirty to let me know that it is time to be changed. There are several different types of small animal wheels that are available. Though finding one that is large enough for your little friend can sometimes be difficult. I can tell you that if you can find a good-sized, safe wheel for your pet, they will be very happy. Depending on the size of your chinchilla, I suggest a wheel 12 to 15 inches in diameter for them to run in comfortably. Some of my little ones will jump into their wheel and look as though they are trying to run away when I first go to get them out of their cage. As you can probably guess by now, chins love to play. I recommend allowing supervised run/play time in a closed room. The bathroom is a good place for this. Just pick up loose items, i.e.: towels, knickknacks and such so they do not get hurt and nothing gets broken. Allow them 15 minutes to an hour of playtime in this room as often as possible. Giving playtime in the bathroom also makes for easier cleanup. The room is smaller than a bedroom and if you have a linoleum floor, it is easier to clean the little presents they leave behind. Do not be alarmed if at first your pet seems to want to hide. Curiosity will soon get the best of them and they will begin to venture out into the vast bathroom area. Be aware that chinchillas will taste the molding and such in the bathroom. This is why supervised playtime is best. I know that it won't be long in my house before the molding will have to be replaced in my bathroom, along with some touch up painting. Chinchillas are full of energy and at times, can be hard to hold; especially when they are in the mood to play. When you first get your new pet, you cannot expect them to warm straight up to you. If you allow your relationship to grow at their pace, it could take some time, but will pay off later. Be prepared to spend some time just sitting in front of the cage and placing your hands just inside the door. Chins are very curious animals and soon they will come to investigate you. Do not get discouraged if they don't jump into your hands immediately. You can try holding a treat to help to entice them. The time will soon come when they will be as happy to see you as man's best friend and will let you know that it is time to play. I don't normally suggest getting a chinchilla for a young child. Although, my 8 and 9 year old son's have better luck with some of our more spunky chins than my husband and I. These little fur balls are not mean creatures by any means, but little fingers being poked into their care are threatening to them. Chins do nibble and can bite quite hard, if provoked. If your friend tries to nibble a little too hard, I suggest blowing very lightly into their face to let them know that this is not acceptable. They will soon realize that it is because of the harder nibbling and will stop. Chinchillas are very smart little critters and can communicate well if you pay attention. Do not squeeze a chin. Their bones are very small and can break so easily. If you must, pick them up at the base of the tail, then place your hand under them and lift them to your chest. Like a baby, they need to feel safe and secure with you. Talk to them in a soft, calm voice. He or she will learn your voice quickly and will know when you are around. Overall, chinchillas are very healthy and hardy little animals, but as we all know, even the healthiest if us can run into problems. There are some preventative measures that you may take to help ensure the health of your chinchilla. The first is to never leave your chinchilla's cage in the direct sunlight and if you are traveling and the only place for your animal is in the sun put a towel over the cage or in the windows to protect your animal. A second measure is to get a hard freezer pack that has frozen put it in a sock or wrap it in a towel and lay it in the cage for your chinchilla to sit on or snuggle next to, to stay cooler. You could even use a cold can of soda in a sock to keep your chinchilla cool. Remember, any temperature over 80 degrees can be deadly to your animal so always keep their comfort foremost in your mind, especially in these hot summer days. Also, please keep the temperature in mind if you are traveling with your animal. I would never suggest putting a chinchilla on the floor board of a vehicle. The heat can be too intense and with a young chinchilla, can cause a heat stroke and even death within an hour. Fur Chewers - Fur chewing is when a chin bites off the ends of its fur. The fur will look shorter than the rest of its coat and normally is done around the lower part of the back and hindquarters. Stress can cause a chin to be a fur chewer. If an animal is in too small of a cage or not receiving enough attention, this can be a result. Follow the guidelines for cage requirements, keep plenty of toys, and give your animals the attention they need. Malocclusions - Malocclusions and spurs are tooth problems that can cause eating difficulty and if not treated properly, can cause death in the worst cases. If you notice a problem with your animal not eating properly, or not being able to eat, this could be the cause. A trip to an experienced vet is recommended. Diarrhea - Sometimes a simple change in diet will cause "soft droppings." When switching to a new food, do so gradually to allow the animal's stomach time to adjust. If droppings are "squished" when the animals steps on it, this is considered diarrhea. Give the animal plain burnt toast or a plain shredded wheat bite (just plain shredded wheat, no frosting or other goodies). This should take care of the problem. If the droppings are a water consistence, I suggest taking them to the vet. Something more serious may be going on inside and professional advise is suggested. Constipation - If your little one seems to have stopped leaving droppings, dehydration could be the reason. Try to get your animal to drink some diluted cranberry or apple juice in a small water bottle, but only the 100% juice. Added sugars and such are not recommended. With not enough liquids in the body, things can become binded and a blockage in the intestines can result. The information given in this section is only a brief description of some of the common health issues that a chinchilla can face. Please do not be alarmed by this section. We want what is best for your animal too. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at smmorrison@erols.com I am not a certified veterinarian, but as a breeder that is constantly researching to know what is best for my own animals, I will do what I can to help. Also, do not be afraid to consult your veterinarian. We love our little furbies very much and want what is best for them. Congratulations on your new little friend and let me be the first to wish you many happy years together. |
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