While chinchillas can be fantastic companions, they differ from conventional pets. Few individuals possess the knowledge to guide you in selecting one. Therefore, if you’re contemplating bringing a chinchilla into your home, it’s crucial to heed the following advice. Chinchillas have unique care requirements, and understanding them is essential for their well-being. Unlike more common pets, such as dogs or cats, chinchillas demand specialized attention and environments.
Ensuring you’re prepared to meet these needs is paramount before making a commitment. By familiarizing yourself with the specifics of chinchilla care, you can provide them with a happy and fulfilling life as a pet. So, while these furry creatures can indeed become cherished members of your household, it’s important to recognize the differences in caring for them compared to other animals typically kept as pets.
Don’t Buy – Adopt
Chinchillas tend to be expensive. However, there’s no reason to pay for your chinchilla. If you go to an animal shelter, you’ll find plenty of individuals hoping to be picked up.
The 12-Week Rule
The younger you get a chinchilla, the more likely it is to learn to bond with humans. The older a chinchilla gets, the less likely it is to learn to trust humans. You should never get a chinchilla that is older than 12 weeks. That’s how long it takes to wean a baby chinchilla.
Purchase Equipment First
By the time you bring your new chinchilla home, you’ll need somewhere safe to put them. You’ll need to first purchase all the necessary equipment – the cage, exercise equipment, and so on.
You should also childproof your home before bringing your new pet home. Chinchillas are very active creatures. They can quickly get into danger if left around a house that isn’t made safe.
Learn How to Assess a Chinchilla
When you start looking at chinchillas, the first job should be to look for signs of health. You need an animal that is plump and not bony. A good-sized animal is usually much healthier than a thin one.
A look at the eyes should give you a reasonable picture of the condition of the chinchilla. Healthy chinchillas have clear, dry eyes. If you see any discharge, it could be a sign of trouble. A clean underside and bright, yellow or orange teeth are another good sign.
Assess Every Part of the Chinchilla
Healthy chinchillas have a dry nose and dry ears. You should make sure the ears are completely odorless, too.
The genital and anal regions should be completely clean.
What’s the Exact Quality of the Fur?
Healthy chinchillas have a very thick coat – so thick that it may be difficult to see the skin when parting the fur. You might try blowing gently into the fur. It shouldn’t part enough to reveal the skin. Chinchillas with long fur tend to be better than those with short fur.
Look for the Pedigree of the Chinchillas You’re Considering
Even if you’re not interested in breeding the chinchilla you’re buying, searching for pedigree information can help you find a healthier individual. The fact that a store keeps pedigree information is a good sign.
It can tell you that the store owner cares about how they source their stock. If a store owner seems knowledgeable about the best breed to buy, you should probably follow their advice.
Should You Get a Male or Female Chinchilla?
You can easily choose either sex. It doesn’t really make a difference in terms of suitability as a pet. If you’re planning to get two or more chinchillas, however, you should probably get males. Male chinchillas tend to be calmer, friendlier, and less territorial.
While females can be as friendly with humans as males, they can be dominant and aggressive with other chinchillas. You should probably play it safe and buy males rather than females.
Chinchillas Generally Don’t Like to Be Held or Petted
Since you’re looking for a chinchilla to grow as a pet, it’s important to look for one that’s already comfortable being handled this way. Chinchillas may need time to get used to a new person. They’re not easily fooled by strangers.
How do you find out if the chinchilla you’re getting is friendly and pettable? You should ask the pet store owner to pick up a few and see how the animal reacts. You’ll know it’s a friendly creature if it seems comfortable being held by the pet store owner.
Should You Get One or Two?
Single chinchillas can quickly become depressed. These creatures tend to live together in groups in the wild. You should probably get two male chinchillas and put them together in the same enclosure. While getting two females can also work, territorial disputes are not unheard of.
A chinchilla is a very long-lived pet. A good, healthy chinchilla should live for over 15 years. While it can be wonderful to share a decade or two with the little pet, you need to make sure you’re ready for the commitment.