When buying a drop tray cage style, try to buy a cage with openings no larger than 1" x 2" (inches). You'd be amazed at the small spaces a chinchilla can squeeze through. If you plan to breed them, wire openings no larger than 1/2" x 1" will be needed.

 Cages with pull out trays are another option. Although these cages are more difficult to clean than the drop tray models, they are recommended by many breeders for their safety features. They claim that fewer leg injuries occur when using these types of cages and baby chins remain warmer due to the lack of drafts. I feel safer with this type of a cage when breeding chins. If you have a shelf in it, make sure the grating is 1/2" x 1/2" or smaller. There have been several reports of leg injuries with larger shelves.

If you have one chinchilla pet , you should only have to change the droppings tray once a week (depends on the size of the cage - use your best judgement). A cage without a dropping tray may need to be cleaned more often to prevent illnesses and bacterial infections. Newspapers work fine as a litter absorbent. Their litter does not stink if you keep the cage clean, but as an added deodorizer you can sprinkle baking soda in the drop tray. Chinchilla cages have very little odor if they are kept clean. Once you have found your chin's favorite "pee" corner, you can line that area more heavily and add baking soda as a deodorizer.

If you do not have a wire bottom cage (drop tray), you can use pine shavings as a litter absorber. Chins had allergic reactions when cedar shavings were used as a cage liner.

You should remove your chinchilla from the cage every few months and disinfect it. (It is recommended that you disinfect the cage of a sick chin.)

Once you have chosen a cage, you should find a location in the house where your animal will be comfortable. Keep your chins out of drafts during colder months and in a well-vented area in the warmer months. Keep them out of direct hot sunlight. Heat prostration is a common problem seen when chins get too hot.

Make sure that there are no electrical wires near the cage. Your pet will chew through them.

Cage size is also important. They need to be able to climb, run around, and play. Chins have a lot of energy, and need 'exercise'. If your chinchilla is housed in a cage that is too small to play in and is not allowed to run outside the cage; you will end up with a frustrated and unhappy chin.

Room temperature

Q: It is summer here. Is it too hot?

That depends. If your room temperature is over 77 Fahrenheit, you should take precautions to protect your animals. If it is even hotter, 86 Fahrenheit, you are in trouble.

There are a number of things you can do. Obviously, turn up the air conditioner if you are lucky enough to have one. If you get the temperature down to the 77 Fahrenheit mark, they will be fine. There is no need to lOver the temperature more.

If there is a cooler room in the house, move the cage there. Since a move of this type is sure to awaken the chin, be sure to do it during the cool time of the day to avoid their activity during peak heat

Alternatively, you can also give them a large cooking pan filled with ice cubes. More than likely, they will snuggle up to it to cool down. Make sure they cannot fall in though.

If you have tried everything to cool them but notice that they are not behaving normally, do not awaken them. If they are awake and active, they may run the risk of having heat stroke and this is often fatal.

There is not much point in setting up fans to blow air towards them, because a chinchilla does not sweat. Chins don't perspire so a fan just blows room temperature air at them). Chins cool off by a radiant process, causing the ears turn pink when they get overheated. Many animals that have large ears in relation to their body size, (elephants for example) cool off this way. I don't think a fan would do your chinchilla any harm but I don't think it does any good either.

Cage equipment

Your pet needs some basic feeding equipment. I prefer using a feeder that can be attached to the side of the cage. This avoids, spillage, and stops the chins from urinating in it. If you do use a dish, make sure it is heavy enough that it won't be tipped over. If they do urinate in it, clean the dish immediately.

The water bottle should be the kind with a metal drinking spout. Your pet will chew a hole through a plastic bottle so protect it if you hang it inside the cage. The local pet stores should have total metal encasings for water bottles. This is only a suggestion. If you attach the bottle on the outside of the cage, placing some wire mesh between it and the bottle will also help stop them from chewing through it. If you can find a glass bottle, this may save money in the long run. Water bottles should be washed with soap and water every time you refill them to avoid bacteria problems. Be sure to rinse out all the soap.

chinchilla blocks (or pumice blocks) will help keep their teeth short and straight, as well as different types of wood. They love mulberry tree branches, but other fruit trees should be avoided.

Also, they make wheels big enough for chinchillas, and if you have room in the cage, they will enjoy it. I avoid these with babies to avoid trampling. I have never had a problem, but I did hear of one that got its foot caught, so it is possible.

Another item that many pet stores carry is 'hiding places'. These are basically just half of a hollowed out log. They will chew these, sit on them, and hide under them.

Wood used to decorate the cage

Not all wood can be used safely to decorate a chinchilla cage or used as bedding for the cage. A debate in the alt.chinchilla newsgroup ended in this list:

Good, safe to useApple Pear Hazelnut Manzanita Pine (if clean of phenol oils) Willow
OK, or not completely sureBirch Limetree Ash-tree Aspen Oak Juniper
Bad, do not useOrange Grapefruit Lemon Cherry - wild Cherry Plum Walnut Cedar any citrus wood Fresh pine branches (too full of pitch to be good for chins' digestions acc. to Chinmom)

CARE

Bathing & grooming

To keep your pet happy, you should keep him/her clean and groomed. A chinchilla loves to take baths in a special chinchilla dust. He/she will dive in and roll in the "dust". Never put your chinchilla in real sand. Dusting 1-2 times a week is sufficient. The dust may be reused, but dropping should be removed. Once the dust appears clumpy, it is time to replace it. After a mother delivers, she should not be given a dust bath for 10 days in order to avoid infections.

Do not wash a chinchilla with water. The dust will help keep then clean and their fur soft. If you do happen to get your pet wet roll him up in a towel immediately set a or set a hairdryer on "low" and dry your pet. Make sure the air is not too hot!

If you have more than one cage of chinchillas, each should have their own container. Using the same dust for multiple cages is a good way to pass on a disease.

Feeding

A chinchilla's regular diet consists of a pellet that looks like rabbit food but it contains specific nutrients a chinchilla needs - chinchilla Chow. Do not use rabbit food - it contains hormones.

Your pet will eat as much of its chow as he/she needs so you may refill the feeder when it is empty, but if the chinchilla starts to get fat and lethargic, he should be put on a diet. 1 kilogram of pellets should feed your chinchilla for a month. This comes down to 35 grams per day. Or, alternatively: 1 lb. of pellets will last about 20 days when feeding a single chinchilla.

Your pet should have unlimited access to hay or alfalfa. The blocks (cubes) of alfalfa can be used, but many are very hard and not fresh. By no means replace the pellets as your chin's main diet.

Chinchilla's enjoy a wide variety of treats (these should only be given with moderation). Give your pet only one type of treat a day. An adult chinchilla may have 1-2 raisins a day, or two nuts. You do not want to give your pet too many treats because the fat he collects on his body will shorten his life.

Make sure that your pet does eat his pellets. If it seems like he/she is only eating the supplement and treats, remove both for a day or two so he has to eat the pellets.

Exercise

To keep a happy and healthy chinchilla make sure he/she gets plenty of exercise. A good way to provide your pet with the exercise he needs is to get a chinchilla wheel. Mount this inside the cage and your chinchilla will use it. Another way to allow your pet to exercise is to allow him to run around in a room that has been chinchilla proofed.

To chinchilla proof a room, make sure that there are no wires within easy access. Cover any holes in which your pet may escape. Pick up anything that may be harmful if they eat it (for example: don't leave household cleaners on surfaces).

It is not suggested to bring your pet outside, because if he/she gets away from you he will be very difficult to catch. Also, there is the danger of cats deciding to make a meal out of your pet. If you do bring your pet outside do not let him eat the grass. Insecticides will make your pet very ill.

Is it safe for chinchillas to chew on cardboard?

Yes, as long as you follow some simple guidelines:

The cardboard should be relatively new. Don't use cardboard that has been sitting around and may have had a chance to get wet as this may have been infected with a bacteria or mold. This could make your chinchilla very sick or even kill it.

The cardboard should have VERY little or no ink.

The cardboard should be clean.

Some other things to think about:

Cardboard is NOT a substitute for wood or pumice stone. Unfortunately, when chins chew on the cardboard it does not wear down their teeth enough. The only reason to provide it to them is that Chins love to *destroy* something and cardboard seems to be as good as any. Also, a lot of Chins are locked up in their cages for at least 22 hours a day and so it gives the Chinchillas something to do. One of the ways to keep a chinchilla happy (and therefore healthy) is to give it fun things to do in its cage.

Many people have suggested toilet role centers as a suitable cardboard chew toy.

Keep in mind that cardboard should not become part of the diet. Any cardboard that gets eaten is some nutritious food that isn't eaten. It has been noticed that pets that get lots of cardboard for extended periods may lose tooth color, indicating inadequate nutrition. This means you should take precautions to prevent them from eating too much.

TRAVEL

Most likely, if you are traveling by car your pet will sleep or pout most of the way. When you stop, be sure to offer him water if a bottle is not attached to the cage. Also if it is hot out, do not leave your pet in the car with the windows closed. This is very dangerous because the amount of heat that will build up can kill your pet.

If traveling by plane, make sure that you have an airline approved pet carrier. You may want to line the cage with wire mesh to keep your chinchilla from destroying it and to prevent airline handlers from deviling your pet.

USAir will allow you to bring your pet in the cabin if the carrier is small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. Delta makes your pet ride in the baggage compartment; so if you are flying during the winter you might want to put something in with your chinchilla to snuggle up in for warmth.

Visiting Relatives

Make it very clear to your family the don'ts of chinchilla care. My family gets a kick out of feeding my chin's treats...this spoils them and they collect fat. It also can lead to soft droppings, which may smell!

BEHAVIOUR

Relations with other species of animals

Do not leave your pet unattended with another animal.

I have heard of many cases where chins lived happily with dogs and cats, but caution should always be used. Do not house them with other animals, as the food is different and there is no way to make sure they eat the right food.

Chinchilla sociability

(The history of this question is that nearly all the posts we saw and chins that we've met always seem to be in pairs, so we wondered if they do need to live together).

No, if you are their or its, social support you only need one, but then you become the other chinchilla.

You dont need to have two. I know 3 people who have had only one and those three have been with their owners for over 10 years. It also depends on the chinchilla. The first one I bought seems to be a loner. He didn’t mind being alone, and actually seemed annoyed at the mate we bought him a few months later. Yet that chinchilla loved to be around him, and clung to him even though he didn’t want her around all the time. Our second female chinchilla is another loner though, we keep her and our male chinchilla separated, and only let them play together during their hour exercise, and they don’t seem to mind. The reason we got two was because we loved them so much that we wanted another, but not because we thought they needed to pair off (as the male proved, he’s happier alone).

Introducing a new animal in the existing group

Most of the times, when you have an existing group of animals and you want to add a new one, it will not get accepted easily. Chinchillas recognize each other by smell, so what you need to do is slowly introduce the new smell in the cage.

I know of two ways to do this:

Put the new chinchilla in a small cage, and place it in the big cage. This way, the animals of your existing group can see and smell the new occupant, but not fight. Let it sit there for 3-4 days. Then, open the small cage and observe. If one of the animals is very aggressive (doesn't matter if it is the new one or one of the other animals), punish it by locking it in the small cage for 24 hours. Then, try again.

If you have a second cage, you could also put the new animal in there and slide the two cages up to each other.

Mask the natural smell of the animals with something like perfume or a small drop of Eucalyptus oil. Then, lock them in a small cage, so small that they cannot move or walk around without touching and smelling each other. Because the smell you put on the animals slowly fades away, this will gradually reveal the 'nose fingerprint' of the new one.

How do I become friends with this animal I just bought?

A lot of new chinchilla owners are disappointed by the fact that the animal does not come up to them. This is quite normal behavior, as a chinchilla is a very energetic and curious animal. It will spend a lot of time discovering the new world it has just been released in. To get the animal used to you, leave it in the cage. Put your arm through the opening, thus encouraging the animal to climb on and discover this new 'tree branch'. If needed, you could put a raisin on the palm of your hand, in such a way the chinchilla can only get to it by climbing. After a couple of days, the animal should be quite comfortable on your arm. Then, open the cage and encourage it to walk up to your shoulder. Reward it with a raisin or two. If you have done this for some time, you can take a raisin between your lips, and feed it to the animal. This will help the chinchilla overcome the fear of 'that big thing that comes up to me and talks'. Remember, the typical chinchilla is not a lap animal. It just is too energetic to sit still for more than a few seconds. However, once it used to humans, it will come up to you, climb and walk all over you. It is best if you sit on the floor when you release them, as they will interact with you more.

How do I catch a chinchilla?

First things first: do you need to catch it? Most chinchillas will, given some time, go back into their cage if they can. They really feel it is their house. If you never let your chinchilla run free, this make take a hour or two, before he/she has had enough of this sudden freedom and decides it is time to go back.

If you decide your chinchilla has to go back in the cage, try to avoid chasing the animal. This is a very stressful experience for your pet, if it is a chinchilla or any other rodent. If possible, get the animal to walk onto you and walk it to the cage. If that does not work, a raisin or two may help.

If you need to grab the animal, either try to 'scoop it up' with your hands or lift it by holding it by the tail, close to the body. This will not hurt the chinchilla, but I agree it feels unnatural to pick it up this way at first.

If you just can't get close enough to the chinchilla to pick it up, try the 'dustbath' method: don't give them a dustbath before you release them. Then, when it's time to go back in, put the dustbath on the floor. Most chinchillas will jump in as soon as they see it. Pick up the bowl, chinchilla and all, and put it in the cage.

If all this does not work, you only have 'the chase' method left.

Is it possible to litter train a chinchilla?

No. They will most likely not urinate outside of the cage (unless released for hours and hours), but will leave a trail of dropping everywhere. I have the feeling the animals don't even notice they are doing it. However, since the droppings are hard and dry (like rabbit droppings), so they can easily be removed using your vacuum cleaner.

My chinchilla suddenly starts sleeping on its side?

This can be caused by a number of factors. These are:

Pregnancy.
High temperatures
Exhaustion (taken a long walk outside the cage?).
Or just plain 'looking for another sleeping position'.
It is no cause for concern.

HEALTH

Chins have very few problems, but here are some things to look for:

Change in consistency of the droppings could be a sign of illness.
watery eyes
The teeth should be checked periodically to make sure they are straight and not growing too long. A chins teeth can grow up to 12" a year, and they are kept short by chewing and just by properly eating their pellets. If teeth problems exist, it also could be a sign of some other illness.
Missing fur patches can be a sign of fur biting, which is often stress related.
If the underside of a chinchilla is wet or discolored, it could be a sign of infection or miscarriage.
You may also find they develop fungus in their ears, but that can be cured using sand-batch additions.

Avoid putting them in drafty areas; they are susceptible to pneumonia. However, if you live in a warm area, they will need to be kept in a cool area. They also love ice chips during these times too.

BREEDING

6.1 Genetics

There are many things to be aware of when breeding chinchillas. As I mentioned before, the cage size must be different - having smaller gaps. Inbreeding is discouraged. Females can get pregnant at an age of 3-5 months, but should not be bred until at least 8 months of age. There are some lethal factors among certain mutations. For example whites should not be bred to whites, and black velvets should not be bred to black velvets.

There are two genetics documents, that will give you some background information and an idea what colors to expect when you start breeding your chins. The first one was written by Jim Jensen, while the second one was written by Mike Thurston.

After delivery, giving the mother some cranberry juice will help replenish some of vitamins. Check the babies to make sure their stomachs are full. If you need to hand feed, a combination of Vitamin D milk and Gerber’s mixed dry baby cereal works well. Heat to lukewarm, and feed via a dropper. Do not force the milk down; let the baby drink it. Forcing it can kill them by putting the liquid in their lungs. If you ever hear a clicking sound, it means there is fluid in the lungs. In this case you need to hold the baby firmly in the palm of your hand. With a downward sling, shake the water out of the lungs. You may have to repeat this, wiping any fluid off the nose so it does not go back in.

How do I know she is pregnant?

This is a tough one. You would not be the first to be surprised by a litter when come up to the cage one morning. It is almost impossible to see it coming.

One strong sign is when you find the so-called estrus plug. This is a small, white, wax-like plug, about one inch long. It is formed by the female shortly after mating. Once you see it, you can start counting. In 111 days from now, be ready to become a chinchilla grandparent.

Keep in mind the estrus plug is almost never found in a cage when the floor is covered with wood shavings.

The alternative is when you actually witnessed the mating. Look closely for the estrus plug the next morning. Perhaps now, because you know, you are able to find it. If you find one, it confirms what you saw the day before. If not, start counting the 111 days anyway. You have a big chance she is pregnant.

If you did not notice she got pregnant, it is very hard to tell afterwards. An experienced breeder can 'squeeze' the animal, feeling inside her. This is a procedure that should absolutely not be performed by amateurs. If it is done incorrectly, you will cause the abortion of the unborn babies.

Another sign is when she suddenly starts sleeping in unusual positions. If this happens, and the other reasons for doing this do not apply, she may be pregnant. This however is by far not as certain a method as finding the estrus plug.

The last alternative is weighing her on a regular basis. If you see a small decrease in weight, followed by a steady increase, she again may be pregnant.

You will have noticed chinchilla pregnancy is not as easy to see as it is with humans or other animals. Don't worry, there is no need to take exceptional precautions. If she does suddenly deliver, there is no immediate need to help her. Chinchilla mothers are pretty self-supporting.

MISCELLANEOUS Chinchilla FACTS

Affection

Q: Are they affectionate and if so how do they show it?

When they learn to trust you they are willing to be held, petted, and they will sit on your arm, in a pocket, and in individual ways interact. For instance, a friend has a chinchilla who will sit and watch TV with her and if she [the chin] doesn't like the program she will chatter until Rox changes channels to what BEBop likes. I have a beggar who loves to eat and asks for everything going, and then rejects it if it isn't what he likes. He likes to hide under the entertainment center and run out and sit on my back if I lie down on the floor. There he will settle down and rest. If they are afraid of you they will hide from you, and even nip or rear up and aim a stream of urine at you.

Again, this is depending on their personality, if you will. My male is very affectionate; he greets me with a soft nibble on my lips (this is how they show affection with other chinchillas), and will nuzzle against me when I hold him. I also know of someone whose chinchilla stays on his shoulder wherever he goes; he goes to the supermarket with the chinchilla riding on his shoulder, cuddled up against his neck. My female, though, hates to be touched by humans. She will bite, attack, and even shoot urine at any hand that comes near her (unless she smells a raisin in the hand). Then, she will allow the hand to come close, and even scratch her (some love to be scratched! around their ears, down their cheeks...mine will even tilt her head to show you where she wants to be scratched, and then close her eyes in complete bliss if you scratch her the right way). So again, it depends on the chinchilla. Some will love to be held, some will love to play with you, and some rather not be bothered.

How do they compare with other animals, intelligence-wise?

They can be taught tricks such as come, sit up, etc. I have read that they can be taught to speak but I haven’t accomplished that yet. Chinchillas are very much into routines. They have an internal clock in them that is very accurate, to the point that they get upset if you don’t feed them at the same time every day or are not able to take their bath until maybe an hour later. They don’t like their routines to be broken. My chins know that if they come out of their cage willingly, when they are put back in, they will get a raisin, and they will wait by the door until you give them their raisin. If I walk away without giving their raisins, they throw a fit, almost as if to say, hey, I came out nicely, where’s my treat? They will have their routines down within days and will know exactly when it is time for dinner or time to play. When running around, they also take time to survey their surroundings before letting loose, and then once they know where everything is, they will just let it rip, running all over. If you change something in the room during that time, it will confuse them and they will probably go crashing into something because they already have the way everything was memorized so that they are able to just run around as they do, bouncing off walls and running without fear or danger.

Where do they come from and what are they related to?

Chinchillas originally came from high atop the Andes Mountains in South America, so are used to cold, dry weather, and have very thick fur because of that. Now, though, you can buy chinchillas almost everywhere. They were brought to America in the 60s, though mostly for ranching purposes, but soon caught on as a loving, adorable pet.

Chinchillas are rodents, which means they are related to rats, mice, guinea pigs, squirrels, beavers, and even porcupines. Because they are rodents, they love to gnaw at things to keep their ever-growing teeth trimmed