| Things to know about your pet chinchilla |
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| Basic equipment This is based on pet keeping, not ranching or for a breeder. * Cage - A basic cage should be at least 24x18 inches floor space, 16 inches in height for a single chin. Minimal wire opening size is 1x2 inches for grown chinchillas, while breeding cages are made of mesh no more then 1/2x2 inch. Shelves are nice as chins love to hop. A cage the is 24x24 and with 2 levels is ideal for 2 chins. 24x30 with 3 or more levels is also good! Chinchillas love to climb, run and jump, so the cage you provide must give them this opportunity or you should be able to let the run loose in a chin proof area. Rabbit cages may be used, but solid floors are used by many keepers. I like grate bottoms with (2 or more) side doors for my adults and solid floors for brood cages. Depending on your situation, trays should be scrubbed every few weeks and the entire cage scrubbed every 2-3 months. White vinegar deodorizes and desinfects once it is allowed to dry completely. Wire shelves are often in the cage when built, but some keepers use these as a base for 1/2 kiln dried pine planks which are easier on the chins feet and safe when attached to the frame of the cage. NEVER keep your chin in an aquarium! There are many reasons for this, but the solid sides prevent proper air flow, which will increase humidity causing health issues and fur problems, not to mention your pet will be extremely uncomfortable. * Water Bottle - This should be a gravity / suction bottle made of either plastic or glass that can be easily washed. It will be attached to the outside of the cage with a wire bracket or spring. A regular tin can with the bottom and top removed can be used to protect plastic bottles from being chewed by the cage occupant. Some keepers like glass bottles. Bottles should be refreshed and refilled at least every other day. It is always a good idea to keep an extra bottle or two on hand in case of chewing, breakage or the occurance of a leaker. Do NOT use a dish for water. This creates and mess and is unhealthy. * Food and treat dishes - Ceramic food dish for the twice daily ration of pellets. An additional dish may be used for treat mix or grain supplement (see treats). A hopper may be better then a dish for the pellets to prevent soiling and conserve food. These hang on the outside of the cage and requires an opening in the cage for the chin to reach out and get the pellets, but he can not poop or urinate on the food. Some keepers use the bird dished, stainless steel, that clamp to the side of the cage. More on treats. * Bedding/Litter - NEVER USE CEDAR of any type*. The best bedding is up to you after the above warning*, but most often Kiln Dried pine shavings, aspen or recylced paper products are used. Corn cob bedding works well for some keepers, but I do not care for this. Bedding should be changed weekly, but spot cleaning can reduce this to every 10 days to 2 weeks. Some chins can be trained to urinate in a litter pan. Chins will pretty much poop where ever they get the urge. (see more here on these habits) * Toys / chew blocks - You must provide safe chew toys for your chins since, like all rodents, the teeth are on a prepetual growth cycle. Kiln dried pine wood blocks, pumice stone, apple wood and ribbon wood are all safe for these animals. There should be some form of chew toy in the cage at all times. (see treats, toys and enrichment) * Nest box / cuddle tube - This can be the durable pet igloo's, a kiln dried pine box, or 4" PVC tubing. The PVC "Y" and "T" are nice for this, as they also prevent rolling. Chins will feel more comfortable and secure when they can get away to their own little place, or with a couple of close friends. Some people like to use the cloth hammocks and beds for their chins. Some chins like these, some do not, some will simply turn these cloth items into their personal toilet or just shred them up! * Dusting bath tub / Dust - These can be those plastic house shaped toys, but also a glass fish bowl, glass baking dish, large mouth gallon size glass jar (set on its side, braced to prevent rolling).. all of these work well. The is a wide variety of opinions of what is the best dust. I will leave that discussion to other places on the net. ALSO see grooming. *coming soon. Back to General Chin care info page Or on to Chinchilla Health pages |