a chinchilla, as a pet..what are the good things, and what are the bad things?

Question

i want to buy a chinchilla, what are some of the details on owning one?

Answer 1

I currently have two chinchillas and absolutely adore them! First, let me tell you the good and bad on them, then I'll give you some more info on what's involved with caring for a chinchilla.

BAD - They can be bit time consuming and expensive. If you don't have the time or money, don't get one. The worst thing about a chinchilla - they chew on EVERYTHING! Some people let them roam the entire house, I think it's best to keep them confined to one, chin-proof room. If you let them roam the entire house, they will chew on pretty much everything - not only will this ruin some of your valuables, but it can also be very dangerous for the chin. Having them confined to just one room is so much easier for you and safer for the chin. My chinchilla actually have their own bedroom. Their cages are in this room and they get out-of-cage time in this room, too. The only things in their room are things that are safe and acceptable for them to chew on. It's also good for them to have their own room so they can rest during the day and so YOU can rest at night (they can be a bit noisy!).

GOOD - I love everything about my chins - their soft fur, their adorable faces, the way the run and bounce of the walls (literally!), the way they climb and run on me, the way they play with each other, everything. They are so comical and, if you interact with them enough, they can develop very tight bonds with their human (which mine have done with me).

Now here's some other info I give everyone on here asking about chinchillas:

Here's a break-down of their care routine by daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly:

-Daily: Fresh food, fresh water, fresh hay, at least one hour of outside-cage time (more if possible), and every other day (or about 3 times a week) I give them their dust bath (some people keep a dust bath in their chin's cage 24/7, but I believe that's too much and that much dust flying around in their cage could lead to health problems, 3 times a week for about 20 minutes is plenty). Fresh food should be given in the evening only, but they should have access to the food all day and night. And hay (make sure it's hay NOT straw) should be filled as often as needed - they should always have hay available. Oh, and I also scoop as much of the pee-soaked bedding out of their cage every day and wipe off their shelves.

-Weekly: Food and water dishes/bottles cleaned out real good with hot water and soap (just make sure you rinse away all the soap!) and cage gets cleaned really good - empty all the bedding and wash the pan with soap and hot water, wipe down shelves and sleep box with a damp paper towel, and fill sleep box and pan with all fresh bedding. (I use Kaytee Aspen bedding.)

-Monthly: Nothing comes to mind that's done only on a monthly basis.

-Yearly: I take them to the vets for a check-up. They don't require shots, some people don't even take them to the vets, but I think a yearly check-up is good to make sure they're healthy.

They're really not that hard to care for. The only bad thing about them - they chew on EVERYTHING! I recommend a pet play pen (either closed up or just use as a long gate to block them from certain areas/things). And you'll want the tallest one available - they're really good jumpers! The one I have is 29" high and Jasper has jumped over it a few times, but it slows them down.

Other info:

-Treats they like: They love papaya, raisins, and sunflower seeds. They like other things (lots of fresh and dried fruits and veggies), but those seem to be favorites with mine. I give mine 1 raisin every day (helps them poop) and then something else from my 'treat bag.' Just go easy on the rest of the treats, they can become little junk food junkies if you let them and won't eat their 'real food.' You should also provide them with lots of chew toys/treats.

-Foods I give mine: Mazuri, Oxbow, and Sunseed Sunaturals Natural Chinchilla food. It's best to give them a variety in case one goes off the market or is sold out (plus I just like to give them a variety).

-Cage: The bigger the better! Tall cages with lots of ledges are best - they need their climbing and jumping space. Stay away from plastic cages (this includes ones with plastic-coated bars)! They will chew on it and the plastic will eventually kill them (I don't know how much they have to eat or how long it takes, but it's not good for them at all). I don't care what anyone else says, no matter how many chew things they have in their cage, they will still chew on their cage. The cage should also have a sleeping box (covered on all sides, except for one small opening large enough for them to get through) for them to sleep in.

Miscellaneous stuff: Chins are nocturnal. Some people say that their schedule can be adjusted to yours (so they'll sleep at night and be up during the day), but I think that's too stressful for them. Just let them stick to their natural schedule. Outside-cage time can be early morning (I'd shoot for no later than 7:00am) and/or in the evening, I'd say no earlier than 5:00pm. It's best if they have their own room - or at least a room or somewhere that's not active during the day (so they can rest) and a room that someone isn't sleeping in at night (so YOU can rest! - they can get noisy). And I usually cover their cage with a towel during the day to keep their cage a little darker. Oh, and temperature should be no higher than 80 degrees F. Any higher than that and they could suffer from heat stroke. And another thing, males can get a hair ring around their little 'johnson' which you will need to remove using tweezers (or take it to a vet to have it done). However, that's usually only for the younger males, once they get older they're pretty good about removing it themselves. Mine are 2-years-old (both male) and I've never had to have it done and that's one thing the vet checks for and she always says it looks fine down there. It's just something you should keep an eye on and can lead to problems if not dealt with.

Answer 2

i used to have a chinchilla! they are good pets! just make sure that they have enough space to move around or they will try to get out of the cage! also, they really enjoy raisans! and other friut that is dried that doesnt have a lot of sugar! some stores also have food that u buy that already has the mixtures of friut. have fun!

Answer 3

they are cute and exotic, but....if you do not work with them often, they can get wild. Most are not sit and hold pets (some are however). They are nocturnal- make sure your cage is outside your room. If they get loose, it is hard to catch them.
they need a dust bath at least once a week, which can create messes, but it isn't too bad. Food, bedding, water is all the same as other animals. They love raisins and hay as treats.

Answer 4

The only bad things about them is if you let them out of their cage, they will virtually destroy your house! We used to let ours run around the living room. We had to start duct taping up electrical wires because they liked to chew them. They chewed a great big hole in our draperies. They chewed the edges of the coffee table. The dining room chairs. We had to replace them with chairs that had metal legs. At Christmas time, we had to have an alternative to a Christmas tree (that would have been a total disaster!)

They love to attract attention, so they would jump on the dining room table and throw all the napkins on the floor, one by one. if I tried to take a nap in the living room while they were out, they would jump on my chest and pull at my eyelashes!

Unless you have a room with nothing in it where you can let them out once in a while for playtime, I would really think about it first.

Chinchillas=Destruction!

Answer 5

I've heard from people who've owned them that they have a strong body odor.

Answer 6

pros:they are like hamsters or rabbits

cons:they are ugly and EXPENSIVE!!