If you have decided to adopt a chinchilla as a pet, it will be essential that you get the right information about all your needs to be able to enjoy it for a long time.
Good care can have a direct impact on your health and a happy chinchilla will reward you with great care and love.
- Discover the care of a chinchilla in this article Animal Expert.
- Don’t hesitate to comment or share a photo of your chinchilla so other users know.
Before adopting a chinchilla it is essential to prepare the cage where you will live, you should know that these animals need space, so we recommend looking for a cage large and tall enough (100 x 70 x 100 cm, for example).
The cage can never be missing
Place the cage in a cool place in the house without air currents, away from hot spots because chinchilla can tolerate cold but not heat.
In the early days, the animal will feel scared and even stressed. For this reason, it is essential to avoid touching it and even let it rest in a dark place so that it relaxes and adapts little by little to the new home. If you have other pets at home, avoid them approaching the chinchilla for the first few days, as they can cause you fear and an anxiety situation.
His habits are nocturnal and that is why we should refer to him preferably at dusk, dusk or dawn. At that point, you will be more active and responsive to playing and communicating.
Two or three days after the chinchilla arrived at home, we can start offering you treats or fruit to your liking so that you know us and gain our trust.
The hairs of the chinchillas are really special, unlike other rodents, the chinchillas have millions of hairs on each follicle. This allows you, in case of hunting, to make your predator have a full mouth of hair and can escape.
Chinchillas should take care of their fur to keep it shiny and well-kept, so that they usually bathe in the sand.
You should put a sandbox in the cage of your chinchilla with a very fine substrate especially for chinchillas and soon you will see how your pet begins to enjoy the land.
When you finish bathing, make sure there is no sand left in your eyes.
Chinchillas are very active, they like to jump, climb and run. They are very nervous animals and therefore it will be essential to help them to burn the energy they have.
For your chinchilla to exercise, you must add a ferris wheel to your cage (or outside), similar to those used by hamsters. In addition, you should avoid using the bars to avoid getting caught by a leg. You can also add ropes and shelves to the cage to climb and jump when you need them.
Finally, we advise you to create a fenced outdoor space for your safety, a leisure place where the chinchilla can move freely and explore new places.
Chinchilla food is based on ready-made food specifically for chinchillas, as it is the most complete meal you can offer. Always look for the best quality brands.
You can also include the following foods in your diet and in small amounts:
And very occasionally (twice a week) you can give him treats like
Although chinchilla is a relatively healthy animal, it is necessary to know what are the main diseases that can affect it:
If you have a serious health problem with your chinchilla, visit the veterinarian with him. The Internet is full of disease advice and information, but the truth is that only the veterinarian can make an appropriate diagnosis and indicate the appropriate treatment.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Basic Care section.