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If they feel threatened, chinchillas (as a built-in defense
mechanism) can 'slip' their fur upon contact. Their fur
grows back, however, so this is nothing to be too concerned
about.
Chinchillas
reach maturity at about eight to twelve months old and should
not be bred until then.
Gestation
is generally 111 days. Females can become pregnant immediately
following the birth of a litter. But these 'breed backs'
are very draining and should only be allowed on a limited
basis to females of excellent health. To prevent this from
happening, the male should be removed from the cage for
about seven days following the birth of a litter. Once reunited
with their family, male chinchillas can make wonderful fathers.
Chinchillas
can have one to six kits per litter, with two being average.
Young
are born fully developed with fur, open eyes, and teeth.
Weaning
age is at about six to eight weeks, depending upon the overall
development of the kits and the condition of the mother.
•Basic
Chinchilla Care
Chinchillas
require the same basic care as most other pets, plus a little
extra. Like any other animal, they need a source of clean
water, proper food, and an appropriate place to live. Following
is a short description of their basic necessities.
•Water
Water
from your tap is fine, however bottled or filtered is best
- change daily. Chinchillas are very sensitive to giardia
- a parasite commonly found in drinking water. Since we
can handle much larger quantities of this parasite in our
drinking water than they can, its presence may go unnoticed.
The main symptom is diarrhea and may be fatal if untreated.
•Food
Chinchilla
pellets! Adults consume approximately one to two tablespoons
of pellets per day. Because they are nocturnal, it is best
to feed them in the evening. Uneaten pellets should always
be removed before new pellets are given. If there seems
to be excess waste, lessen the amount of pellets given as
necessary. Likewise, if all pellets are eaten, increase
the amount.
Be
sure to wash food and water dishes at least a couple of
times each month.
Chinchillas
younger than three months of age should be fed both in the
morning and in the evening, approximately one tablespoon
at each feeding. (The stress of weaning, among other factors,
in some cases has been known to cause overeating - which
may be fatal).
Because
chinchillas have very sensitive digestive systems, one brand
of feed should be chosen and consistently fed. If a change
from one brand to another is necessary, then the change
should occur over a two week period by slowly decreasing
the old feed and increasing the new.
Keep
feed in an airtight, rodent-proof container in order to
keep it fresh and uncontaminated. Chinchilla pellets begin
to lose their nutritional value after about three months,
discard any feed older than this. (These older pellets make
great fertilizer for your perennials - especially iris).
•Hay
Hay
is an extremely important part of your chinchilla's diet.
Either loose timothy or alfalfa may be offered (if your
chin has a weight problem, consider feeding timothy, as
alfalfa is higher in fat and protein). In either case, be
sure that the hay is free of dust, mold and weeds. As an
alternative, pressed alfalfa cubes may also be fed.
•Treats
Chinchillas
love their treats, but only feed in moderation as many health
problems may result from excess. Also, since chinchillas
have such sensitive digestive systems, it is best to select
only two or three of their most eagerly desired treats and
consistently offer them instead of a whole smorgasbord of
goodies.
A
teaspoon of rolled oats may be offered daily. Raisins and
unsalted, unshelled sunflower seeds may also be offered
several times per week, but no more than one or two per
day. An occasional small slice of apple is also acceptable,
but not on a daily basis, as diarrhea may result. Some chinchillas
also enjoy other dried fruits and vegetables, but these
too must only be offered in moderation.
Corn,
peanuts, chocolate, citrus fruits, any "fruit with
a pit", and junk food are totally unacceptable. These
items cause problems for the chinchilla's digestive system
- they may be difficult to digest, toxic, may cause binding
of the intestines, or may be too high in fat or sodium.
•Housing
Chinchillas
enjoy a fairly large area in which to play and jump around.
A 2'wide x 2'deep x 3'high cage is a nice size.
Try
to keep their cage out of direct sunlight, away from humidity
(house plants) and drafts - both hot and cold, and in a
quiet location where they may rest during the day and will
not be trouble when they are noisy at night. Temperatures
should never get above 80 F or below 40 F for a chinchilla.
Their most comfortable temperature being between 65 F and
75 F.
Chinchillas
enjoy having a place to hide and feel secure. They also
like having shelves to perch on. All wooden additions to
their cages should be made of untreated pine. Do not use
plywood, fiberboard, cedar, oak, or walnut.
A
few times a year the entire cage (shelves and houses too)
should be taken outside and washed with a 10-20% bleach
water solution. Be sure to allow the cage to dry completely.
This thoroughly cleans and disinfects the chinchilla's living
area.
•Bedding
For
bedding use only kiln dried pine or aspen chips or shavings
(you can determine if kiln dried by feeling, fresh chips
are usually a bit sticky - check the label on the bag).
These may be found at most feed and pet stores. Non-clumping
cat litter or shredded newspaper may also be used. Corn
cob litter is not advisable if it is accessible to the chin,
as any nibbling of it will eventually pose a health problem.
Bedding should be changed at least once a week.
Cedar,
redwood, eucalyptus, plywood and other aromatic woods or
those containing glues may be toxic to chinchillas.
•Dust
Bath
Chinchillas
have a large amount of lanolin in their fur and must be
provided with a dust bath on a weekly basis (at the least),
daily is perfectly acceptable provided no dry skin or scaling
results.
Special
chinchilla dust may be purchased at most pet and feed stores.
A large glass jar or fishbowl works wonderfully for letting
them roll around in the dust. If a plastic container is
chosen, watch to be sure that they do not eat the plastic.
Adding
one teaspoon of anti-fungal powder per cup of dust aids
in preventing any fungal problems in their fur (keeping
the humidity low also helps with this problem).
•Something
to Chew
Being
rodents, chinchillas love to gnaw - and need to in order
to keep their teeth worn down to the proper length. Keep
appropriate items in their cage for them to chew on such
as small blocks of untreated pine, pesticide-free branches
of apple, mulberry, or hazelnut tree, or pumice stones.
Do not use cedar, walnut, oak, wood from trees with pitted
fruit, plastic, or vinyl for them to chew on.
•Health
Chinchillas
have a few ailments that need to be recognized. When in
doubt - SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN! Here are a few links to topics
that may be of interest:
•Companionship
Although
chinchillas may live alone, they are social in the wild
and are happy with a companion. They will groom each other
and snuggle while sleeping. Use caution introducing them
to each other and observe their behavior - be prepared to
break up a fight. Since they are nocturnal, try this introduction
during the day - their sleepy time.
•Handling
If
you need to pick up your chinchilla, do so by grasping the
base of their tail. They do not like to be squeezed or heavily
stroked like a cat or dog. However, they do enjoy being
rubbed or scratched around their ears, chin and face.
•Available
Colors
Standard
gray chinchillas are the most common. Any color other than
the standard is known as a mutation color. The more common
of these colors are the beige, black velvet, and white (mosaic
or silver). These colors may also be crossed to create additional
mutation colors, some of which are the pink white, brown
velvet, and black/white cross. The more rare mutations include
the violet, sapphire, and charcoal. (These are only a sample
of the more common coat color mutations, many others also
exist).
•For
More Information
The
Internet is a wonderful source of information on chinchillas.
Visit
your local library to find books available on chinchilla
care.
Some
small animal veterinarians and chinchilla breeders may also
be a good source of advice and information. It is a good
idea to select a qualified veterinarian prior to actually
needing one. Chinchillas are still relatively new as pets,
so not all veterinarians are familiar enough with chinchillas
to be adequately qualified to treat them.
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