Chinchillas as Pets

Chinchillas are cute rodents that have their origins in the rocky mountain range of the Andes in South America. The Spanish explorers came across these little rat-like creatures in 1500's and called them 'Chincha Indians'. They hunted them down for food and used their soft fur to keep them warm during winter. Soon, they were introduced in Europe and gradually became a popular pet animal.

Keeping Chinchillas as Pets
There are certain points, we need to know before keeping chinchillas as pets. Chinchillas can grow about the size of rabbits and have thick, soft fur. They love to gnaw at things, as they have to keep the growth of their teeth in check. They love chewing up everything; wires, chairs, paper, cardboard, etc. Chinchillas can be kept indoors at all times, as they do not get attracted to any smell outside or their thick fur cannot get fleas. They also do not shed danger and thus those who are allergic can safely keep them as pets. You can bring home same-sex pair or a male female pair of chinchilla and even keep an individual chinchilla as pets. They are highly sociable and soon become a part of the family.

Chinchillas are perky, excitable and quick animals. They have a boisterous, inquisitive nature and never make noise that may disturb you or your neighbors. Chinchillas require a low maintenance pet care. But they have a very short attention span and are a bit edgy. They do not like hot weather and high humidity. They have the ability to sweat and when overheated they may suffer from heat stroke. You can choose chinchillas from a variety of fur colors like silver-gray, white, beige, ebony and sapphire. The female chinchillas are bigger than the males. They have a long pregnancy term of about 111 days.

Housing Requirements
Chinchillas can be kept in a wire cage that is no larger than ½" x ½" in size. You can keep the cage on a floor pan that is full of pine shavings. The pine shavings make a wonderful floor for chinchillas as they love to dig. Do not use cedar as flooring.

Feeding Requirements
You need to feed chinchillas, pellets and hay daily. They can even eat desert grasses and cannot digest fatty foods or high protein foods. So make sure you feed them hay-based, high quality pellets or loose hay. Do feed them raisins, seeds or vegetables and fruits. You should not exceed the dried fruits treat you give your pet chinchilla from one or two per day. They eat very little food, so avoid over feeding, as they may suffer from diarrhea or diabetes. Fresh water should be given daily in a glass bottle, that is attached to the side of the cage.

Bathing Requirements
Chinchillas take dust bath in volcanic ash in the wild, as their fur is full of lanolin. Once you bring home chinchillas, make sure you buy chinchilla dust at the pet store. You need to pour this dust in a container and place it in the cage for 15 minutes. You will observe your pet chinchilla will immediately get in the dust for a nice bath.

Exercise Requirements
Chinchillas are very active pets and love to play and climb things. You can keep some wheels or shelves in their cages for their merriment. Make sure the wheel is safe, so that there are no chances for the chinchilla to break its leg or cut off the tail in a wheel mishap. You should take out your pet chinchillas daily for an hour-long exercise. You should prefer evening time as they are most active in this period.

Handling Requirements
Chinchillas need to handled very gently from a young age, as they can become quite tamed. They bond with their owners with time. Many chinchillas do not like to be held or cuddled. Otherwise they are very active and playful pets. They are crepuscular animals, i.e., active at dawn and dusk. Thus, keep them in a quiet area during the day and be consistent with their feeding time. You should buy chinchillas as pets, when they are about 10 weeks old. This is the right age to make them used to the frequent handling and petting. Otherwise they grow up to be aggressive and less sociable. Do not allow your pet chinchilla to run free around the house, or they will chew anything and everything. Not only is your house at risk, but the animal as well. It may chew into some household toxins like resins, that may prove to be fatal.

You should train your pet chinchillas with food treats. You should make it recognize the scent of resins and make it come closer to you. Cup your hand as a cradle and coax the chinchilla with raisin in the other hand. Once it begins to trust you, it will hop onto your cupped hand and on your shoulder. It will play with you and allow you to pet it.

Chinchillas as Pets for Kids
Chinchillas are a long-term pet and need consistent handling. Thus, chinchillas as pets for kids is not a wise idea. Also, chinchillas tend to be stressed with a lot of activity and noises, and are therefore not a good choice for a highly active child. They are very small, fragile creatures, that need to be handled with care and tight squeezing may make them bite the handler. So, if you are sure your kid can handle the chinchilla well and give a consistent, long-term commitment, bring home chinchillas as pets for children.

On the whole, chinchillas as pets are good to keep, if you are ready for having them around for a very long time. Good pet care will ensure a healthy, lovable and friendly chinchilla as pet. Make sure you buy your chinchilla from a recognized and good pet shop. Many people are in the business to make money and may sell you a sick animal. So be sure you buy a healthy chinchilla and before buying also ensure that the pet shop has a good reputation. Chinchillas as pets need a consistent routine for feeding, playing, sleeping, etc. So follow the timetable by the book. You can share many wonderful moments with your pet chinchilla, once you both build an inseparable bond.