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. We do not recommend wood enclosures as they will be chewed through. There should be no plastic in the enclosure as it is unsafe for herbivores to digest.
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. We do not recommend wood enclosures as they will be chewed through. There should be no plastic in the enclosure as it is unsafe for herbivores to digest.
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.
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Photos taken from Google Image Search. All credits belong to their rightful owner. These photos are examples. Please note that everything in these photos may not be items Lala’s approves or recommends.
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Disclaimer: Any information posted on Lala's Playhouse and Rescue's website is for general information purposes only and should not be used as medical advice, medical opinion, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information given is not to be substituted for medical attention. Always seek licensed veterinary care for your pet's health and treatment. All information on this website is given "as-is." Lala's Playhouse and Rescue is not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever with respect to the use of this website. You agree that you are using this website solely at your own risk.
