r/chinchilla • u/inbokz • Nov 26 '24
I’ve put together a list of chinchilla recommendations & FAQ, as we get a lot of repeat questions and such in here. I’ve been a chinchilla owner for about 19 years, and have fostered many. I have been through the gamut of accessories, cages, etc, over the years. I'm happy to add/modify with feedback from others. I definitely do not claim to be the most knowledgeable person here!
Which cage should I get?
Ferret Nation & Critter Nation are the best widely available cages you can buy. A two-story cage is recommended for a one or two chins, at minimum. Adding a third story is also very easy to do. You can also attach two cages side-by-side for extra running room. These cages can be found used on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.
Other cages can be okay, but please ensure the cage is around 36”x25”x63”. Cages should not have any exposed plastic (trays, bases, or otherwise). Cages should have no exposed wire floors, this includes ramps. Any exposed wire floors must be covered with a lined plastic trayliner or a metal tray (see below). Chinchillas will get their feet caught in wire flooring and will get injured. This can be very serious. Also keep in mind that any cages with small door openings could leave you struggling to wrangle your little friend.
What is the difference between Ferret Nation and Critter Nation?
Ferret Nation has wider and thicker bars. I prefer these because it’s easier to give them treats through the bars. The cages also feel more open. The panels are interchangeable, so you can stack either one on each other.
What else do I need for a cage?
Cage liners/Trays: It’s recommended to use either fleece liners over the plastic trays, or use a replacement tray from Bass Equipment. Bass makes 3” deep galvanized or stainless trays, which are ideal for keeping in the mess of both bedding… and poop! They also sell scatter guards.
Bedding:
It is not advised to use paper bedding (Carefresh, etc). However, I used it for years before I knew better and never had issues. The chins like walking on it, but the dangerous part is that they can eat it and it can clog their digestive system.
The main options seem to be Aspen shavings or fleece liners (which you can buy or make). Just make sure any fleece you use is no-pill. You can use other shaving types, but I don't like risking it with Pine. Aspen is cheap and safe. I frequently buy huge bags from the big pet stores for ~$5/ea or less (watch for sales).
I have mixed feelings on using Aspen! My chins seem to be more scared to jump down onto the floors because I think they hurt their feet. Some of the aspen isn't ground down well and makes for some sharp and dangerous situations. Whenever I change the bedding out, I use a big wood plank and flatten everything down. Even still, I'm not happy with it. I'm going to be sewing up some fleece liners but also use my Bass Equipment shelf pans (the half-length ones) full of aspen shavings. The hope is that they pee on the aspen because they're used to that, and keep the liners a little nicer.
Water Bottle: Glass Kaytee bottles have been the best for me. I recommend the small bottles, as it will force you to refill more often so they get fresh water. Keep the bottles out of direct sunlight or they will get algae bloom. Definitely do not use plastic bottles if you can avoid it! Bottles should be rinsed every refill, and soap-cleaned every 2nd refill. I use a q-tip in the metal tip to clean them out. Every few months you can put in 1/3 cup of rice and water and shake the bottle for a while to remove any of the stuck sediment. Dump out the rice and heavily rinse afterward!
Food Bowl: Recommend ceramic food bowls. I use cat dishes that are ~3” wide, similar to a wide ramekin. The lower/wider the better, so they can’t tip it. No plastic bowls! Metal is okay if you prefer.
Wheel: The consensus is that any 14”+ wheel is okay, however I’d advise getting a metal wheel of 15” diameter or larger. There are options on Etsy from Pandamonium Pets, Silver Surfer, and others. There are also metal saucers. Chinchillas should not have plastic wheels and I would advise against any with wood. I have had multiple wheels from Pandamonium Pets as well as Silver Surfers. My personal opinion is that the bearing mechanism on the Pandamonium Pets wheel is rather unrefined and they always wear out on me after a few years. I haven’t been able to find a good source for replacement bearings on their newer wheels, as they now use a flanged type. They have been unwilling to sell me bearings/mechanisms separately. The Silver Surfer wheel is great for Ferret Nation cages, but they don't fit well in Critter Nation due to the bar spacing. The Silver Surfer bearing mechanism has a flywheel weight and is an engineered system. I prefer these wheels, but wish they were larger than 14”.
Shelves: Hopping shelves/ledges are great to fill the cage space and give chins a stimulating habitat. There is a list of safe woods here: https://www.sunshinechinchillas.com/safe-wood. I have used a few types, mainly kiln-dried pine and poplar. I prefer poplar as it’s pretty hard, and they can’t really chew through all of it. The downside is that it can be expensive. You can DIY your own shelves/ledges. I've added some DIY info in a comment below.
Houses/Other: Chins love having somewhere to hide and sleep. Some chins like hammocks and fleece hanging options and some prefer wood/solid options. There are a number on Etsy, but you can also DIY both of these. My chins have all preferred wood houses mounted to the highest point in the cage possible. I've added some DIY info in a comment below.
What is the best food?
Oxbow Essentials, if available, is the best and most affordable. You can buy 25lb bags on Chewy or Amazon that will last a long time. Any foods with treats or other things in them are not recommended, as they often contain things chinchillas shouldn’t have, especially not daily. Providing food with treats in it also will cause them to be snooty with their food, and they will start to just look for the treats and ignore the rest.
What is the best hay?
Chinchillas require Timothy Hay on a daily basis. I have tried at least 10 brands over the years, basically everything Chewy and local pet stores offer. So far, the winners are Brytin 1st Cut and Viking Farmer 1st Cut. Your mileage may vary, but ensure you’re getting 100% timothy with nothing added.
What else is essential for my chins?
I recommend giving applewood (or other approved) sticks on a daily basis, 1 or 2 a day, They can be bought in 600gram bags on Amazon for ~$15. This is the best deal I've found so far, though I'd prefer to buy more locally, I have not found a better source yet. Chew sticks will prevent them from chewing on other things (shelving, houses, ledges, wheels, etc).
What treats should I give my chins?
Treats are safe in moderation, but the type of treat is important.
Dandelion Root, mixed flower pieces, apple blossoms, chamomile, calendula, lavender, peach blossoms, jasmine, honeysuckle, oats (oatmeal), and small pieces of hibiscus leaves can be given as more frequent treats. I'd say 2 a day is safe, but not required. I change-up the treats everyday. The pieces I am giving them are small. I usually give my treats as a form of enrichment reward (see section). My chins also like the Apple & Oat treats from Ronda's Chins, which I break into marble sized chunks (or smaller) and use as treats a few times a week.
Rose buds and rose hips can be given as infrequent treats.
Anything with sugar in it should not be given as a treat. Goji berries are 'safe', but I really only ever give mine a pea-sized amount every few weeks, if that.
What can I do for my chins for enrichment?
Puzzle toys made for dogs can be great for chins, while supervised, as long as they aren't chewing on the plastics. I often place coconut halves on the floor with a fragrant treat under them, so they have to work for it. I'm working on making some other enrichment toys for them out of safe wood. I will add to the DIY later.
How do I keep the dust to a minimum?
I swear by my Winix 5500-2 air purifier. It sucks up a lot of the dust/hair and the generic filters work just fine to keep the dust down elsewhere. My chins are in their own room with this purifier and I really don't see their dust anywhere else. Mine has been running solid for 6 years straight. The filters can be shaken/beat out and used for quite a while.
What temperature is safe?
The recommended safe range is 60-70°F (15.5-21.1°C) with low humidity (sub 60%).
74°F (23.3°C) is the highest I'd recommend letting their area ever getting to, and I do not recommend them living at this temperature. My chins spend half the year around 70°F, the other half at around 65°F. Chins are good down to 60°F (15.5°C) without problems and can probably withstand colder. They will start to 'puddle' above 75°F and this is when it becomes dangerous. Fans will not keep them cool and there is no alternative for air conditioning. Chinchiller's (granite stones) are nice, but are not meant as an alternative to safe environment temps.
What do I do if my chin is being aggressive or biting?
If they bite when you're petting them or something and it's not drawing blood, let out an "ouch" or a yip sound, similar to the sound they make to each other when they want space. Once they respect you they will start biting softer and softer. Eventually if they don't want your fingers around them they'll kinda just move them with their mouth. I don't think they always know they're hurting you. To them, you're a huge monster.
If they get really aggressive consistently after a few months of ownership, and they're breaking skin, I would use a different method. This is to say, there are no other outside factors causing them to be aggressive other than them trying to be dominant toward you. They can be aggressive for various reasons: general fear, noises, new surroundings, other pets in the area, etc. They may hear things you don't, even the sound of equipment/animals outside, and be on the defensive because of it. I wouldn't use this method if outside factors are the case.
If they bite fast with aggression and it breaks skin, I say "ouch" loudly. I then firmly grab hold of the offender, stare at them face-to-face, and tell them "no" multiple times. They will squirm and not like it, but it's not hurting them, even though some fur might come out. I then put them down nicely on my lap. They're almost always extremely cautious and docile immediately after putting them down. They usually get it after this correction is implemented a couple times and never bite that hard again. I follow it with the "ouch" method thereafter.
My chin is not eating or drinking. Help!
The first recommendation is to bring your pet to a vet experience with chinchillas, or at least exotic animals. Second, Critical Care or EmerAid Herbivore are recommended to help bring them back to health. Many people on this sub have had good experience with EmerAid. My chins did not like Critical Care, so I'll also be trying EmerAid if they ever need it.
Always remember: your chin is your friend for part of your life, but you're their best friend for their entire life.
r/chinchilla • u/AutoModerator • Sep 14 '20
Feel free to ask/answer any kind of questions regarding chinchillas here.
Previous threads Archive here
r/chinchilla • u/sitnspinsg • 4h ago
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Churro: “Some mornings call for adventure. This one called for shoulder cuddles and chin scratches.”
🐭👑✨
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #happyfloof
r/chinchilla • u/Divine_8888 • 4h ago
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This little guy kept climbing on top of my 4 yrs old 🙂↕️ is it alright even tho they don’t make any sound or anything
r/chinchilla • u/Divine_8888 • 14h ago
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r/chinchilla • u/Slight-Leather-7148 • 4h ago
So i spoke with a breeder who does showing and is pretty knowledgable about grooming and skin. She asked me to send pictures of the end of his fur tufts. I believe/am hoping it may be dry skin from the wrong kind of dust. If not i will be taking him to the vet.
r/chinchilla • u/whiskme-away • 19h ago
I am moving about 1,600 miles away to a new state at the beginning of next year for work. Has anyone moved that far with your chins? Is it safe? What are some good long distance travel tips for my two chins? I will be driving them along with my two dogs and three cats (all animals will be safely kenneled and secured in the vehicle). My biggest concern is stress for them, I'm not sure how well they handle stress like that.
Picture of the two boys in questions!
r/chinchilla • u/sitnspinsg • 1d ago
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Churro: “I climbed to the highest point of my panda hideaway… mainly so everyone could admire me eating my apple stick.”
🐭👑😌🍎
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #flooflogic
r/chinchilla • u/PristineAd9073 • 1d ago
Chipotle loves Reuben, snuggles and Banana treats! 👋 He is pampered, spoiled rotten, and he deserves every single bit of our 😘 love!
r/chinchilla • u/Slight-Leather-7148 • 1d ago
Recap, fig is a rescue situation, same as Ludo. So i have no idea what his past was, if the lady had other pets, etc. all i know is that he was on oxbow garden select instead of oxbow essentials.
Fig has some rough fur issues rn. Ive been slowly pulling mats/loose fur out. I know i need to be leaving him alone to settle in, but i just feel like this is more pressing of an issue. I had to do the same with Ludo and hes still obsessed with me so its given me a little more confidence with this guy.
What i am posting about and whats REALLY concerning me, is that the base of figs fur/his skin feels… bumpy? Like really really tiny little bumps. Im praying so fucking hard that its not fleas. It almost feels like dandruff? Or like if you were to feel your nose for blackheads, But dry. Im assuming in the best case scenario it is just loose fur and what im feeling is that little base “ball” that holds the slips together. Or maybe the lady was using some kind of sand and his skin is irritated? I have no clue.
If you zoom in really closely in these photos you can see some sort of dandruff or sand on him. Which does make me feel less paranoid that its fleas. I have since gotten out that loose fur around the top.
Please tell me i dont have to bathe him with water or something.. i dont wanna put him through that.
r/chinchilla • u/sideof-extralemons • 16h ago
Background: I do pet sitting on Rover and am taking care of a dog while the owners are out of town. It's my first time sitting for them.
During the meet and greet the owner casually mentioned they have a chinchilla in the basement. I asked if it needed any care and they said no, it has enough food and water for the 5 days so I can just ignore it. It struck me as a bit odd, but I didn't think much of it because I never had a pet chinchilla, nor have I taken care of one so I don't know what they need.
The more I look into chinchilla care the more concerned I become about the isolation. I messaged asking if it was okay for me to go down and look at him. I framed it like curiosity, but mainly I'm concerned about him being lonely. They gave me permission and told me where the treats are. I went down there and gave him some treats today. He looks healthy? Not that I really know what that looks like, but there's nothing overtly wrong with how he looks or his behavior. Cage seems on the smaller side but is multi-tiered and he can do his zoomies. Plenty of food and water, as they said.
What I'm looking for is advice on anything I can give him in his cage for enrichment and how to make him feel less lonely. Free/low cost options are preferred. Also, is it even possible for him to be happy in the cage the whole time? I'm not too keen on the idea of trying to handle him since I'm not experienced, and the last thing I want to do is try to wrangle an escaped chinchilla hiding in an unfinished basement (also doesn't sound safe for him). If he definitely needs human handling I can bring it up with the owners, I would just prefer not to be a bother since I've only just met them and they're trying to enjoy their trip. I'm trying to balance doing right by this animal and not overstepping.
Basically, what I'm looking for is advice on how to move this situation from potentially neglectful territory to good enough for the short-term.
r/chinchilla • u/haunted-design • 1d ago
So TDLR, I’ve never wanted a chinchilla. Like ever, tbh. Got my hands one a 4 month old, depressed chinchilla who the store said “didn’t show interest in anyone”. My friend is a store manager at the pet store and was able to let me adopt the poor thing since I was the first one it’d ever willingly interacted with.
I’m on day 5 of caring for this little creature. His name is Coffee Bean but we just call him Beanz..
I’ve been checking on Beanz three times a day, morning, evening before work/ get home from work, and then at night.
I’m mostly sharing this bc I know chins can be finnicky as hell,, but he literally runs to me once I open his cage, and will popcorn and run around my legs until I pick him up and put him in my hood. I wear it in the front for him and I place him in there with hay pellets and cubes (we buy hay, cubes, and pellets for enrichment for my rabbit) and he will literally sleep in there or just hang for hrs.
We take breaks to get water and go pee, but he just snuggles up. I’ll take him to go play video games in the morning if I work in the evening and he loves it. Then repeat at night. He already knows the program.
He was scared of my keyboard but now sleeps thru the aggressive taps and my groans easily. He completely folds in my hands the moment I cup him, he enjoys kisses and taking food. If he’s hungry and in the hood, he starts to suckle on it til I give him more hay cubes.
My heart feels full.
Idk if I want another one, but this little guy is amazing. I feel I found one of my soul children lol.
I will probably post again in two weeks to show the cage off after it’s done being built and such.
Hoping to learn some wood working as well, albeit not a lot, so I can make him and my rats ledges. If anyone has any tips or tricks lmk!
Also I know we can’t poop litter train them so what does everyone do when you have them out/ cleaning the cage.
Also there are noises he makes that confuses me! When I look them up I just see videos and ppl calling it “baby noise” but sometimes when I pet him he wil squeak - but won’t run away.
He chatters a lot , I know that’s a good sign, but unsure about the noises!
He also will randomly squeak and wake up and look worried before falling back to sleep, mostly does this if it’s dark. Is this normal?
And lastly, his sleep schedule.
Ik what it should be but his schedule is.. weird.
He’s active sleeps all morning and is up usually all evening and then sleeps all night . :/ my friends and family’s chins were always active around night, dawn, and dusk. He just definitely runs on his own schedule.
r/chinchilla • u/Far-Glove-975 • 22h ago
The reviews had chinchillas in it and the description says it’s safe for small rodents such as guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, etc.
r/chinchilla • u/squid_429 • 17h ago
I’m getting my chin a new cage and just looking to upgrade his stuff. I’m looking for platforms, info on fleece lining, food bowl, water bottle, hides, toys, and anything in between that I missed. I also am looking for recommendations on what the materials should be or what the stuff should be made out of. Specifically for the food bowl and the little platforms.
For the wheel I’m looking at, is similar to the one he has. The one I currently have for him is a little small and I think is giving him slight mats on his sides because it’s made for a little bit of a smaller pet, I tried giving him a different wheel but he just would not run.
I’m not too worried if it’s more on the expensive side, but I do want it to be reasonably priced as I’m sure you know it’s not super cheap.
Here’s what I’m looking at buying him. Pls lmk if it’s good or if I should look for something else or if there’s something you recommend.
r/chinchilla • u/Minaaaa266 • 23h ago
Hey everyone, what are your favorite snacks, brands, and other treats for your chinchillas?
r/chinchilla • u/Born_Wallaby666 • 22h ago
Hello! If anyone can refer water bottles or advice i would greatly appreciate it! I’ve had my chins for 2 years now, and I seem to keep running into the same issue of them leaking from the ball they lick for water to come out. I have tried different brands, different styles (all wall mounting to the cage ones). I went as far as making sure the cage is not on uneven flooring. Ive moved the bottles to different locations of the cage walls. I just can’t win and I’m truly getting frustrated, I just bought another 2 bottles two days ago and they seem to leak even worse out of all the ones I’ve tried. I don’t want the guys to get wet, weather that be from it dripping while they drink or the wet bedding I’m constantly changing as that’s my biggest concern from these water bottles unless I’m just being overly cautious and this is normal? Thank you to anyone with any advice or bottle recommendations!
r/chinchilla • u/FakU_U • 1d ago
Recently picked up this girl from someone giving her away. When I went to pick her up she was in a small crate with training pads. She was matted pretty bad from what I got out of the person they said she hadn't had a dust bath since December :c. I was able to get some off her back but she has some near her privates that im uncertain of how to tackle them, any suggestions?
r/chinchilla • u/user3849203 • 1d ago
hi!
chin owner with major anxiety leaving my baby for the longest time straight. i have hired a sitter for 2 hours a day from 7-9pm so she can play and get new food/toys etc. for about 11 days. the rest of that time she will be with someone familiar (mom and sister) to care for her until i return. i have never left her for so long and i worry she will be depressed or mad at me. she is also used to playing for longer. i am worried she wont play during her play time and that she will be upset.
Do you think she will be angry? or are these babies resilient? i have no idea.
thank you :(
r/chinchilla • u/Sickbitch_ • 2d ago
My precious little black pearl always tries to lick my face when he gets close enough XD Its silly but cute. I wonder why he does that haha
r/chinchilla • u/sitnspinsg • 2d ago
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Churro: “For the record, Joshua has been temporarily designated as an air-conditioned observation platform.”
🐭👑⚖️
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #flooflogic
r/chinchilla • u/Philodendron60 • 1d ago
Hi!
My partner and I recently adopted a pair of chinchillas. The rescue was under the impression one of them is blind, and didn't have a lot of details on the other. For context, this is a city shelter that was overwhelmed when they had to take on 100+ chinchillas at once from a hoarding situation. All we knew was that they do well as a pair and seem to find comfort in each other, and they received a quick health check (based on the records: mostly just a vitals check to ensure they were stable and they had radiographs to check for pregnancy).
After bringing them home, it is very apparent that they are both blind and deaf. They're settling in well, but I definitely want to plan for the long term.
A few thoughts I've had:
- consistent cage layout/setup
- lots of fall breakers
- altering a double critter nation to be more of a "side-by-side" situation so they have more horizontal space vs. vertical space
- running my finger along the cage gently before opening doors and allowing the chins to smell my hand to realize I'm there before doing anything (I.e. Spot cleaning, giving food)
Does anyone else have some ideas on how I can best accommodate these ladies?
r/chinchilla • u/BradGutz • 2d ago
Here in these Texas Summers my house air conditioning has a hard time keeping up when it is 106 outside. Even if I keep the AC set on 70. The house usually gets to around 74 or 75 by the late afternoon. Is this too hot for my Luka?
