Bestest Comments: Chinchillas

I just received three male Chinchillas! I have been wanting one for quite a while and I stumbled upon a classified for not one, not two, but three! One is Gray, one is Beige, and one is White. They are the cutest and softest pet I have ever owned! Thank you for all the great information on your website.

How do you tell how old a chinchilla is when you buy them from a pet shop?

Is a 55 degree basement warm enough for baby chinchillas? What is the temperature range? I know they do not like the heat above 80, or after reading some of the comments, above 75! The basement is a constant temperature, so we thought this the best place for them.

I have been admiring and wanting a chinchilla so bad, and finally I got one. I got Miss Lily May a few weeks ago and I love her very much! The only question i have is Why does she always poop when we have her out playing, and does anyone else have the same problem? She always goes bathroom all over us... its easy to clean up but its kinda imbarrasing when my friends and family hold her. She is a joyful little critter though. She also LOVES playing with my beagle. Im just hoping shell gain my trust and vice versa so i can let her run freely as long as she comes back on cue.

Last month we were on the blist of a heat wave, here in Rochester New York even. We kept the Chinnies indoors for the duration. It was so hot they just layed in the bottom of their cage for most the duration. Something above changed and the weather began to improve. First, a few days of light to moderate rain, temperature decreased to the 70's, and the humidity was down to the 50 percentile. That was just fine for all of us, including the chinnies. The weather was partly cloudy at early hour in the upper 60's, I set them outside in the shaded area. Two hours later it wasn't so shaded but the temperature was still only 74. At that time I noticed two of the furballs real excited about something and I assumed it was they were just trying to get out of the cage. I again observed the temperature was at 75 degrees F. I monitor the temp with a calibrated thermo-couple to +/- 1 degree F tolerance. 20 minutes later My wife and daughter were in agony. They found all 4 chinnies past out, one was also due in the next weeks. The outside temperature was about 78 degrees. So we thought it was something unexplainable. We took them to the animal hopspital only to find that we would need a biopsy. Well the end result was they all died but one. The mother, with young, sadly didn't make it. These little charmers have been the dearest little pets. Yes they can bite from time to time but never serious. All but one was lost. After calling around, we learned from a rancher, original rancher where they were bought from, that ultraviolet radiation did the trick. Even the animal hospital was unaware of ultraviolet radiation. Every living life form has its means to control body heat, as perfect as these critters may seem, they have one strong set back, heat stroke: The symptoms (human) of heatstroke include: Fever (temperature above 104°F) Irrational behavior Extreme confusion Dry, hot, and red skin Rapid, shallow breathing Rapid, weak pulse Seizures Unconsciousness * Man or animal, "heatstrokle is heatstroke" and the symptoms are not enjoyed. Heatstroke is beyond a Chinchilla's imagination. These critters by virtue of their natural habitat have no need for heat control. They come from the high Andes Mountains. Seldom is there a day above 75 there. Especially when Ultraviolet Radiation is exceptionally high they have the natural reaction to get out of the rays and retreat into their dwellings or behind rocks. I recently was told about an individual who drove with many in the vehicle. The vehicle was comforted with airconditioning, however, the sun was emitting intense radiation. Needless to say, the drive was a sad one, all perished in transport. Need I say more. We were hurt. How many others procure pets and think home is the ideal place. How many have had their circumstances as such with out an understanding. We have books and such and no where is there comment of ultraviolet radiation. Consider the microwave oven, radio waves, where everyhting is unsuspecting, until all the molecules within you get so excited they literally cook at such an exceleration rate until you literally pop. Do you need pictures... Please don't let this happen to you or your pets. Consider the dog or children in the car? Enough said, I am glad I was able to put this out for others. Love your pets...they will love you back.

Chinchillas are the sweetest animals! However they are not for everyone. Chins are gennerally not "cuddle pets" that want to sit on youre lap, they are however sweet and bond well with their owner. Chinnies are, however, not the best pets for every one. They have strict dietary requirments and need large cages of at least 2x2x2 feet, 2x2x3 is better. They need fresh chincilla pellets with NO treats mixed in, and fresh timothy hay, every day. If the food has treats in it, the chinchilla will push the pellets out and only eat the treats. They should get no more then 2 raisins a day, or a small amount of dried rose hips, cranberrys, or apple. Chins need out of cage exercise every day, unless the cage is at least 2x4x4 feet, and even then they need exercise at least 3 times a week. Chinchillas are less then ideal pets for young (or under 9) or irresponsible children, however their are exeptions. Chinnies tend to nip at fingers to test how tasty they are, which some times frightens young children. When buying keep in mind that chins live 10-20 years if well cared for. Also keep in mind they are delicate, so dont grab them.

Chinchillas are quite possibly the cutest animals on the planet; not just in appearance, but in mannerisms as well! Potential chin-parents, beware! They're addictive, and contageious!... I bought my first chin (Mercrius) seven years ago, and since then, have "accumulated" three more (Candice, Brody, and Freya). They are affectionate, quirky little creatures, and are perfect for homes that lack in excessive space. A bathroom is an idea play-place (but they will likely chew up your floor-boards!), and they need only enough space for a large cage. They're more effort to care for than a cat, and perhaps a little less than a dog, and will likely provide you with 14-20 years of companionship. Please keep in mind that these pets are /not/ suitable for children, as they are fragile and do not like to be squeezed (Perhaps a gerbil or a rabbit would be better, if you're looking for a pet for your children).

Chinchillas are wonderful pets, if you know enough about them. They are not easy animals to keep, and if they aren't properly cared for, could easily rack up vet bills exceeding $500.00. They are exotic animals, and will require an exotics vet, not just a normal bunny vet. Chinchillas are unlike any other animal, and if you think you can just feed them bunny food and treat them like a bunny, your wrong. They have very sensitive digestive tracts, and with a chilla, less is more. They need QUALITY pet food, Oxbow, and Mazuri are recommended, they also need the opposite type hay. Mazuri is an alfalfa based pellet, and there for, a quality timothy hay is necessary. Chinchillas need safe woods to chew on. A list of safe woods can be found on many websites. Woods that are NOT treated are necessary. Chinchillas LOVE apple twigs. My 2 chinchillas love apple twigs more than treats! Treats should be few and far between, as sugar is NOT good for chinchillas. They make excellent pets, but you as an owner need to be responsible enough to read and know about these wonderful creatures. Females can spray urine, and they have dead on accuracy, but it is not a NORMAL action. Chinchillas are not cuddley, and if your lucky enough to get one that cuddles like a bunny, cherish it, because you don't usually. They're just too curious to want to sit and be held.

I love my chinchillas. Peanut is a black velvet and Cheeto is a white mosaic. They are both female and get along like best friends. The best part of having them is watching them interact with each other. You haven't seen anything until you've seen two chinchillas playing tug-of-war with a paper towel tube. They are so spoiled and know they are the queens of the house. If you want a pet with a personality... chinchillas are the way to go. Mine will hold a grudge against you if you ignore them. They will soak up all the attention you want to give. The bigger the cage you have, the more fun they will have chasing each other around it and goofing off. Ferretrail makes a large ferret kingdom that is like 6-7 levels and is great for chinchillas.

hello. i am getting a chinchilla in a week. in all the pictures i've seen they have been so cute. i learned a lot from your site, thank you. i love double c's

i use to have two chinchillas although the female died due to severe constipation caused by her giving birth too much. If you want to keep a female and a male, you must consider if you want them to mate or not, because once they start they won't stop! I only knew the first time, the other 3 times were surprises, basically you can't see whether they are pregnant or not. Another tip is, when the female has babies, be careful when you are putting food in, the female may take it as a hostile move towards her babies and squirt urine at you, and don't think she'll miss, cause they have deadly accuracy! It also smells extremely bad so be extra careful when feeding them. Chinchillas are actually quite safe to keep, if handled properly, they won't bite you at all as they are quite docile although you should be aware that baby chinchillas will bite quite hard as they are unsure of whether your hand is food or not. Sometimes if you can close off an area, you can let your chinchilla out for a while, but make sure there isn't an small space where the chinchilla can go into and make it difficult for you to retrieve it. Occasionally you can feed them grapes and small (very small) pieces and oranges, they also like apples, but sometimes if they are like my chinchillas for example, they may have favorites as in my female (I miss her so much!) she prefered red grapes while my male preferred green grapes. How absurd is that?!?

Hello. I have enjoyed looking at the pictures you have of chinchillas. Chinchillas make wonderful pets. Rabbit cages are really not suitable for chinchillas, as chinchillas need enough height to climb and jump. An appropriate chinchilla cages should have at least 2 levels (more are desirable) so that the chinchilla may jump from level to level. Store purchased cages are generally not suitable for chinchillas as they are usually too small, too short, and made of plastic. Chinchillas like to chew and will chew up plastic shelves, plastic clamps, etc ... which will not only destroy your cage, but will also make your chinchilla sick. The best thing to do is to make your own chinchilla cage; you just have to make sure that all wood used to create a cage is untreated by chemicals and pesticides. Chinchillas will also chew wood, so the majority of the cage should be constructed from wire. Wire mesh cage bottoms are not acceptable for chinchillas. A chinchilla can catch a toe or toenail in the wire bottoms and end up with a broken leg. Cage bottoms should be covered with some kind of soft bedding. Aspen shavings or CareFresh bedding are the most appropriate choices. Pine can be used, but only if it's kiln dried, so as to remove the aromatic oils. If your cage only has 2 levels, your chin will need lots of exercise; an exercise wheel is a good choice, but only if it is of solid construction. Again, an open mesh wheel can catch the toes or toenails of a chinchilla, causing broken limbs. I would encourage anyone interested in owning a chinchilla or anyone who already has a chinchilla to do more research on the proper care of these unique animals. Also, if you are in the market for a chinchilla, please consider a chinchilla rescue before purchasing one from a pet store. Many animal shelters have abandoned chinchillas available for adoption.

The Chinchilla is so cute and this website gives u tons of information, thanks so much. i am doing a project and this website gave lots of imformation. thanks again for everything.

Chinchillia are great pets, but only if you know what you can and can not do with one. They need a special diet and weekly dust baths. They need lots of room, so for a cage plan on lots of space. I have had my chinchilla for over 4 years, & I love it very much. If I had I known everything I know now, I might have thought harder. They also live for 15 + years. They are a great animal to have but understand that they require care.

Beautiful pictures! I want a chinchilla really bad..these photos make it even harder! those chinchillas are SO cute!

i have just recently purchaced 2 chinchillas and they are the easiest animals to look after, better than a rabbit or a guinea pig or a hamster or rat i think they are the cheapest most rewarding pets anyone can buy they are definitly worth the money even though they can be quite expensive, mine were around 2 hundred for the pair but they are the best thing that happened to me i love them!!!!!!!!!!! by the way they are called snowey and pepper!.