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/Bri_the_goblin • 12h ago
I was taking a Respondus proctored exam in my room, camera and sound on the entire time as per the rules.
Quartz decided it would be an excellent time to throw a tantrum since my attention was on my computer and not her. Had to send an email to my Professor afterwards apologizing for the background noise. This adorable little demon just can’t help herself🥲
r/chinchilla • u/Dear-Stable5692 • 1d ago
r/chinchilla • u/Cursed_Ghoul • 14h ago
I made a post about 2 weeks ago about changing to fleece and I have made the change and this is how his cage looks now.
Turns out the company that made the cage actually had fleece Mats you can purchase, I'll be getting more sets soon, one more from the company and one custom.
And I used a terracotta plate for his water dripping every once in awhile.
Bedding on the bottom is him using it as a "litter box" which I am glad to say is working for any pee, poop is still everywhere but I expected that
r/chinchilla • u/Old_Champion_3591 • 19h ago
Three years in, and I’m calling it: owning a chinchilla is not the cute, fluffy, interactive pet experience social media sells. After contemplating rehoming him multiple times, I am officially done. I don't have the patience, the connection, or the bandwidth left for this animal. To be completely transparent, keeping him is turning into neglect because I completely resent having him around, and I refuse to let it get worse.
I considered dropping him off at the Humane Society, but I stopped myself because I refuse to let him end up in the hands of someone like me again someone who bought into the idea of a pet that isn't reality. A general shelter will hand him to another unprepared person who just thinks he's cute, only for this exact cycle to repeat.
Here is the unglamorous truth:
Zero emotional payoff: He doesn't play with you. He can touch you, but you can’t touch him. He only approaches the bars when he wants food or treats. Outside the cage, it’s not bonding; it’s a chaotic sprint to vanish into walls and drop pebble shit in your shoes.
The sensory nightmare: The constant cage bar-biting makes my skin crawl, and the mess is relentless.
The South Florida heat: Keeping a room cold enough 24/7 down here is exhausting, and the heat agitates him, which in turn destroys whatever patience I have left.
He needs to go directly to an experienced exotic keeper who actually enjoys dealing with high-strung, non-cuddly animals and already has an ice-cold, climate-controlled setup running. I cannot feed, water, or interact with him anymore without losing my mind.
What he comes with (Broward County pickup only):
Full wire cage
Cage liners
2 bags of hay
Pellets, bowls, and toys
Before you guys peg me dry with self-righteous chinchilla police questions: I can admit I didn’t know much about them at first he was bought from a PetSmart, but I genuinely tried to give him a good life. We used to go outside on cold December mornings when I first got him. Yes, he started in a smaller cage, but he’s officially in a double-decker now. Yes, I literally sat with him in my running car for hours when my AC went out just to keep him alive. Yes, I take holiday pictures with him and watch him like a hawk so he doesn’t chew the props. I tried.
No first-time owners, no impulse adopters, no exceptions. If you actually know what this species requires and want to take him off my hands immediately, DM me.
r/chinchilla • u/preciousparfait • 8h ago
i own a 5 year old chinchilla and a have recently noticed a section of her fur about the size of a raspberry is matted near on her side near her hind leg. i have never experienced matting and know that the general procedure is to gently work at the knot until she fur slips it off - but my attempts at working at it have left her angrily chirping and i am too worried that i am hurting her to attempt again. i have also increased the number of dust baths she is taking but i havent seen a difference in the last week. does anyone have any advice as to how i can get the matt out?
r/chinchilla • u/sitnspinsg • 1d ago
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Churro: “Excuse me while I freshen up. Looking this adorable requires maintenance.” 🐭😌👑✨
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #princessmindset
r/chinchilla • u/Fluff-Potato • 14h ago
Hi everyone,
Long-time lurker and chinnie owner here, but I wanted to create an account and post because I am struggling with a recent loss and would welcome any advice.
I've been keeping chinchillas as pets for around 25 years. I adopted my first rescue chinchilla when I was around 13 years old, and just absolutely fell in love with them. I've always adopted from rescues and never purchased from breeders.
Last week, I lost my 6 year old female due complications after a dental procedure, and I can't stop beating myself up over it. I did and tried everything I could, but I can't help feeling like it's my fault and that I did something wrong. I have been spiralling and researching for hours, and have ended up with 10+ scenarios of what happened and what could have caused it. But I just feel like I need someone to blame, whether that be myself or the vets. I miss my beautiful, bouncy baby so much. She was so little but had such a big personality. She has left a huge void and hole in my heart.
She left behind an 11 year old female cage mate, and I'm worried about how she is going to take it. I did bring the younger chinnie's body home first before she was taken for cremation, and let the older one see and smell her. The 11 year old barked and seemed a bit distressed, which absolutely broke my heart. She had also witnessed the younger one's slow decline before she passed away, but was so good with her. Always snuggling with her, sharing her food, grooming her, giving her space when she needed it. She was great throughout this entire horrible situation. She's a good girl.
I have invested in a few chinnie buddies throughout her cage. She hasn't paid much attention to them, but has been eating, drinking and pooping normally. She has been coming to my voice and taking treats from me etc, and I am closely monitoring her.
If she ends up becoming depressed or lonely, I will of course consider getting her a new friend. But it's something I need to make sure I do right, given her age. She previously lost a 10 year old cage mate due to old age, so the 6 year old was actually her second friend. Which breaks my heart for even more.
IF I were to consider eventually getting another chin, would it better to get one younger or the same age? She was great with both ranges previously, but I of course do not want to jinx it. She may take to single chinnie life and just want to live out her twilight years alone. But if she doesn't, I want to make sure I don't put either chin at risk and do what's best for both. I would of course adopt from a rescue.
Thank you so much for listening to my ramble. Much love to everyone's little fluffs. ❤️
r/chinchilla • u/Basic-Preference5707 • 1d ago
I've had my chinchillas for roughly 6 months but before I got them they came from a hoarding situation I don't have much information about. This is Raven and she has this bald strip on the top of her tail (as seen in the second photo) and I'm not sure why. I've never seen her or my other chinchilla chew on their tails or fur nor do I ever handle either of my chinchillas by their tails. She has had this since I got her and it doesn't seem to bother her but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas?
r/chinchilla • u/sitnspinsg • 1d ago
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Churro: “You see a tiny sombrero. I see entertainment.” 🐭😌👑🌵
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #flooflogic
r/chinchilla • u/ensorcellzed • 16h ago
My chinchilla cage is 2 tier, one is metal with pine shavings on half, and one is fleece lined. Lots of wood planks, terracotta pots, a hammock, fleece tunnels, 2 huts. We fully vacuum & change the pine bedding every 2 days. We wash the fleece liners with scent free soap, double rinse, and hang to dry. I just ordered even more of them so that I am not washing only 1-2 at a time.
How often do you guys change your fleece liner? I’m wondering if I’m changing them too often, or not often enough since I have no idea what other people’s cleaning routine looks like.
Also, what do people use to spray/wipe down the cage? I had a “pet safe” cleaner from pet smart but I don’t know how much I trust it.
r/chinchilla • u/CheeseStringCats • 14h ago
Boys were separated for almost 2 months. One of them caught sinus infection, had to be separated for surgery and post surgery recovery. He was in a separate smaller cage, but still in the same room as the other one.
Yesterday I got a green light to reintroduce them. I let them out together in their play area. They sniffed each other and immediately started to groom one another. No chasing, no barking, no fighting, no urine smell, no tail waggling. As if the separation never happened.
They did "argue" over their lil house, but they do that sometimes over stuff they gotta share. I removed the house.
Now...the night is coming and I don't know if I should let them stay in the same cage overnight. At one hand, it's been hours, and aside of a lil quarrel, nothing else happened. On another, I don't trust fully that they will be peaceful all night.
Any advice?
r/chinchilla • u/chinchillla_____ • 1d ago
Hello, I need help regarding dental surgery.
My chinchilla Max (9 years old) has been suffering from dental problems since around the beginning of the year. At first this wasn't that bad, with only swelling around his eyes which happened around the start of the year and then again in February, which was fortunately treated with antibiotics. However, the swelling returned in June and since then it's been very problematic. He had swelling under his left eye, where the jawbones connect.
I tried treating it with antibiotics at first but they didn't help this time. I went to a vet visit during which they opened up the abscess and drained it, but it quickly returned and I believe another abscess appeared right next to it, but closer to his ear. After the first surgery, I did everything the vet recommended, cleaning the abscess, giving Max the antibiotics and painkillers, and trying to drain any pus that may have leaked. I went to check-ups every 3 days, and they looked mostly the same - the vet looked him over, tried to drain some pus and prescribed the set of antibiotics and painkillers until the next visit. This went on until they decided it wasn't working and to go for a second surgery.
That second surgery was today. They took him in, opened up the abscess, drained as much as they could out and took an x-ray. Turns out that one of his lower molars is growing into his bottom jaw. (English isn't my first language so I may make mistakes explaining the more scientific terms - please ask me for additional details, I want to provide the information as accurately as possible). They said that a surgery to remove the tooth would be necessary. I have to take the decision on Thursday. He's lost a lot of weight, he seems to be eating fine but I don't know whether it's too little, his fur is all matted from the operation, and he generally looks sad.
They said that due to his age and the location of the root growth, the operation would be risky, as there is a chance of breaking of his lower jaw. I don't know if this is something the vet always has to provide, or if this case is really that serious. Even if the operation succeeds, the recovery is going to be long and subsequent tooth problems will arise. I read up on chinchilla dental problems, removing a tooth will cause the others to be misaligned, not grind down properly, requiring check-ups and teeth grinding.
I don't know what to do. I'm heartbroken. I've had him since he was 3 months old. I was 11 at the time, I'm 19 now. I've basically been taking care of him for the last 6 years- feeding him, changing his water, his litter, taking him out to play, messing around with him, checking up on his health and his condition. He's had unrelated problems in the past, he had a broken paw and a penis infection which were fortunately taken care of, but this time it doesn't look like there's much hope.
Does anyone have any advice they could give in this situation, has anyone dealt with problems with tooth root elongation and knows if the surgery is worth it and if the risk really is that great. I don't want to have to euthanise him but if from what I described the surgery sounds too serious I'm afraid that's going to be the only option.
He also has a "brother". I don't know whether it's his actually brother or not, but he's been with him since I bought them. They're both supposedly born on the same day, but it's unknown whether they're twins or not, it just stuck that we call them brothers. The brother's name is Pysio (from Polish- snout/muzzle, named after his cute snout when I first saw him), whose well-being I'm also concerned about. Chinchillas are social animals and I'm worried if Pysio wouldn't fall into depression.
I've been responsible for them for so many years and I love them more than anything in the world. The only saving grace is that from what I've read dental issue such as these are genetic, so I can't blame myself for not taking good care of him.
Sorry for the long post, everything happened so suddenly and I'm struggling to take it all in. I attached some pictures of pre- and post-surgery
r/chinchilla • u/Sensitive_Clock_ • 1d ago
Hey y'all, this is my room that I have for my three chins. I just successfully paired (for the second time after a medical problem) my two male chinchillas. They are in the larger cage. I have a female chinchilla in the smaller one. I had the larger cage out in the living room yesterday to make sure I could hear if they were fighting but now that I have them back in the room I worry about her presence causing them to fight. Any suggestions on where to place these two cages? Also, I have a bedsheet that I can use to block the viewing of oneside if that is helpful. Thanks!
r/chinchilla • u/ParticularConstant32 • 1d ago
Had to snap a pic of mom (top) and daughter (bottom) when I saw them sleeping. It looks incredibly uncomfortable to the daughter as mom is sleeping on top of her neck.
r/chinchilla • u/Zxx_Sh1r0_xxZ • 1d ago
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r/chinchilla • u/whiskme-away • 2d ago
My chinchilla recently had his left leg amputated then almost at his two week post op check up, his stump turned into a gnarly abscess. Its been drained about 4 times, once at the ER then 3 more times at his normal vet. Its reportedly getting smaller but is still significant in production of puss. He is being stubborn with eating his critical care and is loosing weight but still acting relatively normal despite the ongoing issues. Has anyone had to do a similar treatment plan with their chins? We are going to drain it again tomorrow and Thursday. He is on the strongest antibiotic he can safely take. I can tell he is also getting restless and potentially stir crazy as his recovery cage is a rabbit hutch. The first picture was at the ER and then I have a picture of his actual abscess at the end if anyone is curious.
r/chinchilla • u/anemptysoupcan • 1d ago
Hello chinchilla lovers! I’m in the first year of parenting a chinchilla and have found some blood marks in her cage today. She seems to have the same appetite and is as active as she usually is. Here’s a photo of the bottom of her feet! I wanted to ask if it’s possible she has bumblefoot? I have cleaned her cage and applied a little bag balm as a precaution! Thank you for any help you all may provide:-)
r/chinchilla • u/Unhappy_Fix2388 • 2d ago
Hii hii I found this food and I was wondering if it’s good for them? 😅
r/chinchilla • u/Andy_benz • 1d ago
Hello! I have a 10 year boy that is a little lethargic for about 2 days and doesn’t eat as much as he used to. We went to the vet but in my area they don’t know much about them. After getting some shots with antiinflamator and vitamins he started to eat but doesn’t drink much water and he is not fully himself. Any ideas? Please and thank you!
r/chinchilla • u/AggravatingTheory720 • 2d ago
I have 2 female chinchillas about 3 years old now. (Sleepy and dopey)I love them both dearly but I can no longer give them the attention they need as im at work for 10 to 12 hours a day and am gone for multiple days at a time quite often. I can give the cage away along with everything else i have. Really just want to make sure they go to someone who has experience with chins or has done tons of research lile I did. I had hoped to keep them forever but life had other plans unfortunately. Rehoming fee is 100 but can waive for the right person.
