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                 Chinchilla Care Sheet & Basic Information

                    Housing: You must house your chinchilla in a wire cage, to allow

                        ventilation.  They must have some type of housing so they can hide.

 Do not put your chin close to a window, direct sunlight could be

 fatal. Chinchillas do not bathe in water, they use dust instead.

 

 

Accessories:  Your chin just like any other animal needs fresh food

 and water daily. I use stoneware for their food dish, it’s easy to clean

 and they can’t dump it over.  Pine or aspen shaving are the best bedding.

Never use cedar shavings, cedar is toxic to chins and it could kill them.

Chinchillas teeth constantly grow so you must provide something for

them to chew on. Wood toys are the best. You can also use unscented

 toilet paper and paper towel holders. Lava stones, apple tree branches

 and dried corn cobs will help wear their teeth down.

 

 

Food: Chins have a very delicate digestive system. Find out what food

 they are presently eating, and if you cannot afford that food gradually

changed it. Chins also require Timothy or Alfalfa hay. Do not feed them any type of

watery foods like lettuce, it could cause diarrhea and could be fatal. They also love their

treats. Dried papaya, mango, raisins and unsalted peanuts are excellent treats to give them.

Only feed them a treat once in a while, you want your chin to eat their pellets.

 

Play Time: Play time outside the cage should be 1 hour or more daily after 5pm,

that is when your chin is alert and will want to play. The more you

                interact with your chin, they will get. Make sure there are no electrical cords they can reach.

They will chew on them. If you can not play with them every day, may want to

 get them another chin friend. Do not cage your chin with any other small animal.

 

 

Chinchilla Facts

 

 

The name ‘chinchilla’ comes from a South American Indian Tribe and means little Chinta

 

Adult weight: Males- 400-500 grams            Females- 400-600 grams

 

Puberty: is as early as 3 months of age - usually 6- 10 months

 

Gestation period: is an average of 111 days

 

Their normal litters consist of 1-3 kits

 

Life Span: Usual is 10 years the maximum is 20 years.

 

Body temperature: 96.8-100.4 F

 

Chinchillas prefer temperatures under 75F and will easily overheat in warmer climates.

 They have between 80-100 hairs per follicle, making their coat to thick for fleas.

Chinchillas are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during day and they come out to play at night.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me.

Stacey Wolcott 815-476-2641