Chinchillas are rodents, native to the Andean mountain area of South America.
Chinchilla are a protected species in the wild.
The ones offered for sale have been bred in this country & make ideal pets
They are active in the evenings but are not purely a nocturnal animal.
Chinchilla are available in a variety of colours: - light / medium grey, beige, black velvet, mosaic, silver and white being the most popular.
Housing
Chinchillas of either sex may be kept singly, but if you wish to keep a pair they must be of a single sex and must both be purchased as babies and at the same time. A breeding pair should be at least seven months old before the female is introduced to the male.
The cage should be of wire-mesh construction with a raised wire-mesh floor to prevent the coat becoming soiled. A removable tray placed under the floor will make it easier to keep the cage clean. For a single chinchilla the cage should measure 45cm x 45cm x 45cm. For a non-breeding pair the size should be 60cm x 45cm x 45cm and for a breeding pair 90cm x 45cm x 45cm. Larger cages can be provided when space permits. A nest box or shelf should be provided. The cage should be placed in a dry area, away from draughts and excessive heat. Great care should be taken not to let your chinchilla escape. Essential cage accessories include a food container, water bottle, hayrack and dust-bath. Chinchillas do not like damp or draughty conditions.
Water
It is essential for your chinchilla to have a ready supply of fresh drinking water, which should be given in a chew-proof gravity feed bottle.
Feeding
Your chinchilla should be fed on a diet of specially prepared chinchilla pellets. It is important to give quality hay to provide essential roughage. Rabbit pellets and rodent/hamster mixes are not suitable. The use of wrong foods will reduce the lifespan and breeding capability. Any changes in diet must be introduced gradually. You should mix the two foods together and gradually increase the volume of the new food and reduce the volume of the old one until a total change is achieved. A piece of cuttlefish bone is a good form of calcium supplement. As a treat one raisin or sunflower seed may be given daily.
General Care
Chinchillas have the densest coat of any land mammal (60 separate hairs from a single root). To keep the coat in peak condition they are given a dust bath. The dust bath consists of a metal container, which is filled to a 5cm depth with chinchilla sand (a mined volcanic dust). The bath is placed inside the cage each day. Your chinchilla will then ‘roll’ in the dust to clean his coat. The bath should be removed after ten minutes. Fullers Earth and silver sand are not suitable for this purpose. Your chinchilla should be groomed at least once a week. Your pet shop will have a range of suitable grooming combs and brushes. As a general rule chinchillas are hardy animals and rarely become ill. Should you become concerned about your chinchilla’s health you should consult your veterinary surgeon.
Life Expectancy
Their lifespan is 15-20 years.
*If the chinchilla becomes ill, veterinary treatment may be needed; the cost of this is likely to be three or four times the cost of buying the chinchilla, perhaps more. Unfortunately, because of this, some people may regard a chinchilla as a ‘disposable’ pet because it is cheaper to leave an ill chinchilla untreated and buy another than to seek veterinary care. Any animal is a living creature that deserves the best care to remain healthy and this includes treatment when it is ill. If you are not prepared to care properly for the chinchilla and seek veterinary advice when it is ill, then you are not ready for the responsibility of pet ownership. Although many chinchillas will never need veterinary treatment during their life, you should be prepared for the possibility when taking on the commitment of a pet.*
