CHINCHILLA INFORMATION

INFORMATION ABOUT CHINCHILLAS AS PETS

CHINCHILLAS IN CAPTIVITY...
Chinchillas have been kept as house pets for many years, they are mammals specifically rodents, that are native to the Andes mountains in South America. Chinchillas have an adult size of 12 "- 14" and weigh 1-1.5 lb. They live approx. 10 -15 years. Most Chinchillas offered for sale in pet stores are gray in color, but mutations can sometimes be found in black, albino, mosaic and beige colors. These rarer color variations are more expensive to purchase, typically ($150.00 - $200.00) than the standard gray colors typically ($100.00-$150.00). If you are purchasing a Chinchilla from a pet shop the standard age of baby chinchillas offered for sale is 10-12 weeks. Animals younger than this will have a higher mortality rate and should only be purchased if the buyer is experienced in Chinchilla care. When choosing a cage for your Chinchilla be cautious not to choose one with a plastic or powder coating, Chinchillas will chew on the bars and the coating could cause damage to the digestive system. Cage size for one Chinchilla should be a minimum of 36" long x 30" high x 24" deep. Make sure the cage does not have any plastic parts for the Chinchilla to chew. Supply your Chinchilla with a sleeping house, or you can use a piece of large PVC tubing. Place the cage in a draft free well-lighted area. Chinchillas are climbers; they are native to the Andes Mountains where they inhabit rocky ledges. Supply climbing shelves and ramps in your cage and a bowl of Chinchilla dust, Chinchilla dust can be purchased in most pet stores and is a necessity for your Chinchilla. Place a bowl in its cage daily so the animal can keep its fur clean and soft. Your will need to give your chinchilla branches to chew on (willow, beech, hazelnut, or fruit tree) or you can supply a chew block from your local pet store.
  In their South American homeland Chinchillas forage on grasses, shrubs, cactus, leaves and fruits, But in captivity they should be fed a high quality pelleted diet, we recommend EXOTIC NUTRITION CHINCHILLA DIET WITH ROSE HIPS this diet combines the high quality grains and hay Chinchillas need, along with nutritional supplements and whole rose hips, a favorite treat high in nutritional value. In addition to the regular diet Chinchillas should be given a vitamin and mineral supplement. Calcium additions to their diet are recommended and we use EXOTIC NUTRITION CHINCHILLA BOOSTER. This supplement can be sprinkled on a piece of carrot or apple and given to your Chinchilla three times a week. A warning about Chinchilla food, most Chinchillas will prefer to eat foods that are not good for them (parrot food, nuts etc.) if you feed your animal a low quality pellet food or food made for another species of animal, you can damage their liver and cause premature death. Feed only fresh, high quality chinchilla pellets. If you desire to feed your Chinchilla fresh vegetables keep them at a minimum. Place a water bottle on the side of your chinchilla cage and replace the water daily. Make sure that once a week, give the water bottle a good scrubbing.
   Before you purchase a Chinchilla we recommend that you read a good book on the care of the animal. Barrons books sells a good one that you can purchase for around $7.00. It is well worth the investment.
  If you order a Chinchilla from a pet store, ask that the store to owner to keep the newly arrived Chinchilla for a few days before you take it home, just to make sure the animal has recuperated from the transportation. During those few days at the store observe the animal and make sure it is eating, drinking, and has all signs of good health before you bring him home.