The chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) is a rodent endemic to South America, nocturnal in habit and must live in a cold climate And dry. They are gregarious animals, that is, they live in a community, and they are especially calm, docile and skittish.
If you have decided to adopt a chinchilla as a pet, it will be essential that you properly inform yourself about all its needs in order to enjoy it for a long time. Good care will have a direct impact on good he alth and a happy chinchilla that will reward you with much love and affection. Discover on our site a basic care guide for domestic chinchillas
Cages for chinchillas, how to choose the right one?
Chinchillas need to live in large, spacious and safe environments, which is why more and more people choose the option of dedicating a entire room to your beloved rodents. However, if this is not possible, you can choose to choose a large cage, with several floors and that has a solid wood or plastic base. The minimum measurements of a cage for a chinchilla should be 120 x 60 x 45 cm.
Because they are particularly active and agile animals, it is essential that the cage has a large horizontal space, so that they can run, but also vertical areas and platforms for different levels to jump, rest and exercise. Of course, avoid heights of more than 60 cm to prevent possible injuries.
We will place the cage in a ventilated, dry and draft-free area of the home, at an ideal temperature of between 10 and 18ºC Do not forget that chinchillas are animals of cold and dry climates. It will also be interesting to keep his cage in a quiet area, away from other household animals. They are very shy animals.
In the cage of a chinchilla you can never miss:
- Nests with hay
- Places to hide
- Pumice stone to gnaw
- Wood toys
- Ecological substrate
- Stainless feeder
- Bathroom sandbox
- Bottle type drinker
To finish, we recommend you also purchase a small carrier so that you can move your chinchilla if necessary, for example when you have to visit the vet. To make the trip more comfortable you can add hay inside.
The first days of the chinchilla at home
For a good adaptation to the new home, it would be highly advisable to inform us beforehand about raising chinchillas, to know how they have been fed and what kind of relationship they have had with people. It is also essential to know their food preferences or if they have suffered from he alth or behavioral problems.
It is very common for the chinchilla to appear frightened and even very stressed after arriving at the home, so we recommend giving it a lot of peace of mind and avoid handling it or looking at it constantly.
Some signs of stress or fear in the chinchilla are:
- Vocalization
- Whistles
- Bite herself
- Bite other chinchillas
- Hide
- Stereotypes
- Abnormal feeding
- Excessive water intake
- Freezing
During the first days we will carefully observe the chinchilla to check that it eats, drinks and defecates normally. Don't forget that they are crepuscular and nocturnal animals, so they are more often active at dusk, during the night and at dawn. If the chinchilla shows constant signs of stress, stops eating or relieving itself, see an exotics vet.
After a few days we can begin to approach our chinchilla and try to get his attention with prizes, such as fruit, so that he begins to show curiosity and we can gain his trust.
Chinchilla sand baths
Unlike other rodents, the chinchilla has millions of hairs in each follicle. This large amount of hair allows it to easily slip away in case it is caught by a predator. But this characteristic must be taken care of to stay in good condition, therefore, the chinchilla needs to perform sand baths
We recommend placing a shallow tray in the cage with a specific commercial substrate for chinchillas, which is especially fine and indicated for the bath. When placing it you will observe how the chinchilla begins to wallow and enjoy the land. Once finished, we recommend you check the eyes to make sure there are no traces of sand, as well as clean the soil.
Chinchilla Toys
In the market we will find a great variety of toys for chinchillas, but it is advisable to choose those that are made with natural wood, to avoid a possible accident if you decide to nibble on them and even ingest them. Apart from the habitat itself, which must have several floors, we can buy all kinds of accessories to enrich its environment, such as balls, nests, hammocks, walkways, branches or hanging toys.
These are very active and dynamic animals that love to jump, climb and run around, so providing them with toys is essential if we want to maintain a good state of well-being.
Domestic chinchilla feeding
Chinchillas require a diet very rich in fiber, so they must be available 24 hours a daygrass and hay in unlimited quantities. Adding these foods is essential to prevent common diseases. It is important to look for fresh, dust-free food in good condition.
Likewise, we will complement your diet with commercial pellets, which we can mix together to provide a much more varied diet. We will always choose high quality and specific products for chinchillas.
What vegetables and fruits can chinchillas eat?
Below we will show you a short list of foods that chinchillas can eat. It is recommended that you offer daily small amounts of green vegetabless and limit fruits and use them only as a prize
- Carrot
- Green pepper
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Natural grain oats
- Dandelion
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Apple
- Pear
- Banana
- Watermelon
We should also highlight some foods that chinchillas should not eat, such as mixtures of seeds, cheese, chocolate, onion, garlic, s alt, coffee or alcohol.
Chinchilla He alth
Chinchillas are relatively he althy animals, although it is essential to know the most common diseases of chinchillas, to be alert and act quickly if any anomaly is observed. Some of them are:
- Heat stroke: avoid it by placing your chinchilla's cage in a cool place without draughts.
- Stomach problems: appear when the diet is inadequate or you receive too much fruit.
- Sand in the eyes: Check your chinchilla after each bath.
- Parasites: they are generally the result of a lack of hygiene.
- Dental overgrowth: avoid it by offering wood and pumice stone to gnaw.
It's not always easy to tell if a chinchilla has he alth problems. It is common for them to hide and avoid showing external signs of pain. The most common symptoms may be behavioral changes, decreased or stopped droppings, and excessive hair loss.
If you have any serious he alth problem related to your chinchilla, don't hesitate: go to the vetThe Internet is full of advice and information about diseases, but the truth is that only the veterinarian can make a diagnosis and proper treatment.
Furthermore, to prevent he alth problems, visit your veterinarian annually for a general check-up, clean his cage weekly and offer him a safe environment, away from cables and dangerous objects.
How long does a domestic chinchilla live?
The life expectancy of a chinchilla is around 10 and 14 years, although the Guinness World Records book shows that The oldest chinchilla in the world lived 29 years and 229 days. His name was Radar, he was from Germany and he died in 2014. [1]
How to train a chinchilla?
Training a chinchilla is not easy and the first step is to get the chinchilla used to our presence. To do this, we can visit it regularly, at a safe distance, and avoid sudden movements or unnecessary handling.
It is important to make use of positive reinforcement through rewards (we will choose different types of fruit or specific commercial treats for chinchillas) to gain their trust and get him to come closer to us little by little. These are skittish animals, so patience and respect will be valuable tools. Over time we will be able to encourage certain behaviors, such as approaching people or shared play, with the use of reinforcement.
