Chinchilla Care
About: Chinchillas are native to South America. They are known for their extremely soft fur. With proper care, they have a lifespan of 15+ years. They are crepuscular so they are most often at dawn and dusk.
Housing: Chins love to hop around and need a tall cage with many ledges that give them the opportunity to do so. Their cage should be kept in a part of the home that can easily be cooled as chinchillas can not tolerate any temperatures about 74 degrees F.
Toys/Enrichment: Chinchillas, like many other herbivore mammals, have ever-growing teeth! They need lots of chew toys to keep their teeth filed down. Pumice/lava ledges, hay chews, or apple sticks are some great options.
Diet: Unlike many other small mammals, chinchillas cannot eat any fruits or vegetables. Their diet directly consists of hay. We recommend a mix of different tiles of hay (Timothy, Orchard, Oat) as well as feeding a high quality hay based pellet (such as Oxbow).
Grooming: Chins do their best to clean themselves, much like a cat or bunny. But they do also need to be given dust baths on a regular basis in order to keep their fur clean.
Housing: Chins love to hop around and need a tall cage with many ledges that give them the opportunity to do so. Their cage should be kept in a part of the home that can easily be cooled as chinchillas can not tolerate any temperatures about 74 degrees F.
Toys/Enrichment: Chinchillas, like many other herbivore mammals, have ever-growing teeth! They need lots of chew toys to keep their teeth filed down. Pumice/lava ledges, hay chews, or apple sticks are some great options.
Diet: Unlike many other small mammals, chinchillas cannot eat any fruits or vegetables. Their diet directly consists of hay. We recommend a mix of different tiles of hay (Timothy, Orchard, Oat) as well as feeding a high quality hay based pellet (such as Oxbow).
Grooming: Chins do their best to clean themselves, much like a cat or bunny. But they do also need to be given dust baths on a regular basis in order to keep their fur clean.
Resources/References:
- Click here to view the Chin Spin Wheel
- Animal Humane Society - Chinchilla care
- RSPCA - Chinchillas
- Chin Care Group - Ultimate Chinchilla Care Guide
- Small Pet Select - How to Take Care of a Chinchilla
- Long Island Bird & Exotic Vet Clinic - Chinchilla Care Tips
- Avian & Exotic Animal Care - Chinchillas
- Chinchilla Care - Cage & Habitat
