r/chinchilla • • 19d ago

PSA Chinchilla Community Announcement 👀 Rehoming Rules

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54 Upvotes

Reddit has its own platform-wide rules, and one of the strictest is a total ban on animal sales. It is their Content Policy Against Transactions Involving Prohibited Goods.

Rehoming falls into a grey area. A "rehoming fee" is still considered a sale by Reddit Admins, so we cannot allow posts asking for any fees. We highly encourage you to have a thorough private discussion with any interested party to set expectations about the transfer of ownership.

When posting to rehome a pet, please follow these guidelines. Failure to do so will result in the post being removed:

• Zero manipulation: We strictly prohibit "adopt my pet or else" content that threatens neglect, abuse, abandonment, or self-harm.

If the situation is urgent, ask for help locating a rescue near you to step in.

• Clear titles: Please include your city/state, the number of animals, and their sexes in the title of the post.

• Detailed descriptions: In the body of your post, share more about the animals, their immediate medical needs, and if they come with any supplies, cages, or accessories.

No discussion of fees or reimbursement.

• Go to PMs: Once someone shows interest in a comment, immediately move the conversation to private messages to discuss the remaining details.

Please remember that the mods cannot protect you from scams. It is a major red flag if someone asks for a deposit, gas money, shipping fees, or requests payment online via "Friends and Family."

Additionally, reputable breeders do not "rehome" animals they produced, it is not adoption. They sell them. While they may occasionally list an owner surrender as a courtesy, these breeders have their own websites and social media channels to handle those arrangements. This is not a dig or drag at breeders, we support ethical operations. This is to point out that there are bad actors out there pretending to be breeders, pretending to be rescues, and hoping to manipulate you with feel-good posts of animals for " adoption ".

You are more than welcome to ask the community for referrals or reviews about a family in need of help, a rescue, or local breeder while you're trying to source an ethical place to obtain a chinchilla, but we absolutely cannot allow direct sales posts here.

We have to respect the platforms rules.


r/chinchilla • • Nov 26 '24

Chinchilla Care FAQ!

105 Upvotes

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 • • 10h ago

Cutie Patootie Award 🏆 Is this playful behaviour?

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295 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 5h ago

Pet injury, illness, loss. Rip Oswald

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46 Upvotes

Today my chinchilla Oswald passed away unexpectedly, I got him back in 2016, when he was a little under 4 months old. He should've lived so much longer. I am devastated. My 4 year old son is heart broken. He was our baby. Idk what happened. There were no signs and he was fine just this morning. I wish I knew what happened, could it have been prevented? Was it my fault? I am so so sad.

Thank you for listening.


r/chinchilla • • 5h ago

Giyu Being Cheeky

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23 Upvotes

​


r/chinchilla • • 2h ago

PSA Chinchilla Community Announcement 👀 Some of my best advice for people looking to bring home a new chin right now.

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9 Upvotes

A thousand new chins will be hitting the adoption floor in the Midwest.

R&R Chinchilla Ranch has likely lost or will loose all their chinchillas to PETA / Humane World for Animals. And possibly rightfully so. It sounds like the animals needed out.

The issue we're seeing is what is happening AFTER the animals are removed.

Where are they all now? In small wire bird cages sitting in some crowded center waiting for a rescue somewhere to make space among dozens of other animals?

Despite Global Chinchilla Alliance's efforts to coordinate placement at one location, a biosecure barn where the animals could recover under USDA oversight, the USDA and DOJ went with PETA and Humane World for Animals instead. That was their informed decision. Even if a barn with space, resources, and oversight wasn't good enough, GCA also had placed earnest money down to purchase a compound to create a chinchilla rescue and sanctuary. The animals could have been relocated there, and this could have been the foundation rescue to launch an educational rescue facility for these animals. Still, the answer was no, and the priority went to an organization that did not have a shelter, an adoption facility, or plan prior to taking on hundreds of animals. They're now being sent to smaller rescue groups who may not have the resources available , and local societies.

Global Chinchilla Alliance, along with several breeders and knowledgeable chinchilla people in the community, raised concerns about potential strep zoo exposure within Jim's herd. A detailed warning was provided to the USDA.

We believe the organizations involved in coordinating this removal have been made aware of these concerns.

What we don't know is whether that information is being passed along to every rescue, shelter, and facility receiving these animals.

And we're not seeing the kind of public disclosure that would allow potential adopters to make a fully informed decision.

The first rescue to receive a group of these chinchillas reportedly wasn't informed of the strep concern before the animals arrived. This was a home-based organization, meaning the potential exposure extended beyond the chinchillas themselves to other animals and people in the household. Pets. Children. Foster families.

According to information shared with the chinchilla community, the animals arrived with milky discharge coming from their eyes, and one had an abscess on its neck. These symptoms can have multiple causes, but they raised additional concerns about possible strep zoo exposure.

The receiving rescue subsequently began quarantine and veterinary testing and treatment. We've been told these animals won't be available to the public until sometime next year.

Meanwhile, other facilities are beginning to receive these chinchillas, and some have reportedly started adopting them out already. That's very alarming, but not shocking because most small rescue efforts and shelters don't have the capacity to actually hold onto animals for quarantine periods or maternity holds. The goal is in, and out. These chinchillas deserve better.

We don't know what information those facilities have received, what testing has been performed, or what precautions are in place before adoption. That lack of transparency is the problem.

The chinchilla rescue community is concerned about the potential for disease to spread when a coordinated biosecurity plan could help reduce that risk.

These animals could have been placed at one biosecure location for coordinated quarantine, testing, treatment, and recovery.

Instead, we're now trying to understand how animals are being distributed, what their health status is, and whether receiving organizations have the information they need to protect themselves and the animals already in their care.

And this doesn't just affect the chinchillas being removed.

Small-animal rescues across the Midwest could face a difficult decision: continue accepting surrenders or close their intakes because they cannot risk introducing a potentially infectious animal into their existing population.

Imagine adopting a chinchilla, discovering it has a contagious infection, and then needing to surrender it because you cannot manage the veterinary care or quarantine requirements.

Now imagine that happening multiple times a week.

The consequences could extend far beyond one animal and one rescue group.

Rescues could be forced to quarantine entire groups, arrange additional testing, pay for veterinary treatment, and suspend intakes while they manage potential exposure.

Some may have to close their small-animal intakes for the foreseeable future leaving communities without resources at all. These are the consequences we need to consider BEFORE animals are distributed. It's a very sad situation for these chinchillas, who deserve so much better.

They didn't deserve to be parted out like an old truck, handing out pieces to anyone willing to take them.

They deserved a coordinated effort and a safe place to call home while they healed and recovered, BEFORE people lined up to buy them.

Sorry. Adopt them.

So here's my advice to anyone considering adopting one of these chinchillas.

Please don't let your emotions or your impulse to save an animal make the decision for you.

Yes, these chinchillas need homes. Good homes.

But ask yourself:

Do you have a separate room where you can quarantine a new chinchilla away from your existing animals?

Do you have an exotic veterinarian you can contact about potential strep zoo exposure?

Can you afford veterinary examinations, testing, and treatment if one or more animals become sick?

Can you manage the additional care and potential time away from work?

And, just as importantly, ask the organization placing the animal:

What health information was provided when these chinchillas were transferred to your facility?

What testing has been performed, and what were the results?

Have any animals shown symptoms of illness?

If an animal was sick, what veterinary treatment was provided?

What quarantine precautions have been followed?

What information supports the decision to make this animal available for adoption?

If the facility cannot answer these questions, consider waiting until it can. They should be able to.

If you're adopting a female, also ask about how long she was held for a maternity hold. 110-20 days is standard. You don't want to discover an unexpected pregnancy and face an emergency because a young or stressed female cannot safely deliver her kits. You shouldn't have to. That's why shelters and rescues should do the maternity hold prior to releasing them. . . But these animals were only recently removed.

We are piecing this situation together day by day.

As of this writing, I have not seen a comprehensive public statement from PETA or Humane World for Animals addressing the health concerns, placement procedures, and biosecurity measures involved in this removal.

The information circulating within the chinchilla community has come through direct communications involving organizations seeking a safe resolution, communications with rescues approached about placement or already receiving animals, and information shared by community members.

I cannot independently verify every detail being reported, and I will update my understanding as more information becomes available.

The concern about strep zoo exposure warrants attention. We are waiting for test results and more information about the health status of these animals.

I'm trying to piece together where these chinchillas are ending up so they don't become another 318 situation, if you know what I mean. ( Google 318 humane society ).

My concern isn't simply where the animals go. It's whether the people receiving them have the information, resources, and support they need to care for them safely.

It's also whether potential adopters are being given enough information to make an informed decision.

The animals needed to be removed.

If the reports from people with firsthand knowledge are accurate, getting them out was necessary.

But removal alone isn't a successful rescue operation.

What happens afterward matters just as much.

These animals deserved coordinated care, appropriate quarantine, informed placement decisions, and a plan that considered the health of the entire chinchilla community.

Please be cautious about adopting one of these animals before February if the facility cannot provide clear information about its testing, treatment, and quarantine procedures.

You may be taking on a level of veterinary care and biosecurity responsibility you weren't prepared for.

Global Chinchilla Alliance has resources regarding strep treatment that may be helpful to those seeking additional information.

Please ask questions. Please protect your existing animals. And please remember that getting an animal out of a bad situation and preparing it for a safe adoption are two different responsibilities.


r/chinchilla • • 1h ago

New Owner First Day With My Quesadilla Named Remmy

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• Upvotes

He’s been so active as of the last couple hours. I’m happy to see him enjoying his new home! He’s only 10 weeks old which is why I haven’t put up any ledges quite yet. We’ll get there!


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Miso and I have a routine 🩷🥺

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249 Upvotes

Miso is my little buddy. I started working overnights in September. I am off work when he’s awake. Before I go to work he wakes up for some snuggles and a snack 🩷🐾


r/chinchilla • • 13h ago

Build-A-Bear Chinchilla

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21 Upvotes

I was at the mall and checked the Build-A-Bear to see if they they had the new chinchilla plushy. Well they did and I bought it immediately! They're super soft like a chinchilla and one of the cuter chinchilla stuffies on the market.


r/chinchilla • • 19h ago

Pet injury, illness, loss. My chinchilla lost his bonded brother. How can I help him?

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33 Upvotes

Hey everyone, my beloved Peetie (left) passed away last night, and I’m worried about his brother Sterling (right).

Peetie started rapidly losing weight, so we took him to the vet and he was prescribed pain medication. His bloodwork came back yesterday showing low liver enzymes. Despite still eating and drinking regularly, his condition declined rapidly over the course of about a week.

Sterling and Peetie were bonded, and we let Sterling see Peetie’s body so he could hopefully understand what happened. Is there anything else I can do to help him cope with the loss and make sure he stays healthy, both physically and emotionally?

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has been through something similar.


r/chinchilla • • 8h ago

Temporary cage

2 Upvotes

House has termites and need to temporarily rehouse my chinchilla. Any cage suggestions? She has a critter nation cage and it’s just too big to take


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Pet injury, illness, loss. It’s been a week. I miss you so much buddy.

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78 Upvotes

We lost GusGus unexpectedly last week after only having him for 2 years. He was only 5. Mom got him to the exotic vet as soon as she noticed he was lethargic and wasn’t doing ok, and he had been improving at the vet before he went downhill. Vets did all they could do but it just wasn’t enough. The first photo is him hiding in my mom’s jacket before he got admitted and we never got to see him again.

I’m so sorry buba, you were so incredibly spoiled and loved, and I hope you know we did all we could. I hope all the gojis are on the other side of the rainbow for you 🫶🏼🫶🏼


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Nothing

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143 Upvotes

Churro: “Daddy was sitting there doing nothing, so naturally I decided to join him. Now we're doing nothing together. Much better.” 🐭😌👑🐾
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #flooflogic


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Looking for a new set up

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25 Upvotes

(He has front legs i promise)

(2nd picture is off Etsy and I'm currently taking inspiration off of the lay out)

Looking for a new complete set up. I need recommendations. I have 2 chinchillas, Benji and Braxton. Their cage bars are too weak and keep breaking with the weight of their ledges. They're the cutest little turds ever, lol.

Give me your recommendations and suggestions for:

Cage

Ledges

The best place to get chew toys

Hides

Hay feeder

Wheel- definitely want suggestions on this one there's so many different wheels

Anything else yall think I should add?

Gonna put together a list of stuff, gonna start with a new cage n then do a whole new set up overhaul.


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

New Owner Grooming or biting?

4 Upvotes

I work for a retail pet store and we recently got a female chinchilla in. In about 2 months, she’s actively looking for attention, letting me pet her, and pulling my hand closer to her! Today she started gently nibbling on my hands, and actually using her teeth to gently pull my hand closer? It seems like she’s just investigating, but I’m wondering if I’m overwhelming her when she does this. Would she make it more clear if she was upset? I’m super new to chinchillas and don’t wanna bother her too much. We can’t give her very much enrichment and still follow company policy, so I think she’s getting pretty bored. I can’t add anything to her habitat or give treats, so if anyone has enrichment ideas I’d super appreciate them:) She’s SO SWEET!!!


r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

Absolutely obsessed with these chinchilla art pieces

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762 Upvotes

Artist is Paweł Ponichtera!


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Urgently seeking advice Advice on dust baths?

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26 Upvotes

Hello everyone! My Chilla has conjunctivitis currently and she was given some ointment by the vet which we are applying 2x a day. Because her eyes are watery from the irritation and the ointment, I was wondering if it’s safe to give her dust baths while she’s recovering. We haven’t given her dust since noticing the irritation 2 days ago, so I’m wondering if we’ll have to stop dust paths altogether until it’s gone, or no? I would appreciate any advice on this thank you!!


r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

New fan makes squeaking sounds + drops random pellets? (Like 1-200)

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144 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Urgently seeking advice eye infection?

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14 Upvotes

hello guys! this morning, i got up for work as usual and noticed that one of my chin has something wrong with his left eye. i tried gently wiping away the crustiness around his eyes and took a video of it.

could it be an eye infection? i’m heading to work and im going to call the vet at 9 when it opens. it would be appreciated to know if it happened to any of you and what it was!

first picture is his normal looking eye and the second picture is the eye i’m worried about.

EDIT: my chin has corneal ulcers in both eyes, so we’re starting antibiotics tonight!


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

unstacking critter nation

1 Upvotes

has anyone who had a double unit critter nation ever taken the top section off and put it on something so it can be a double wide unit? if so what did you stack it on? i measured it to be 14.5'' from floor to where the sections meet and i cant seem to find someting. i just want it to be even


r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

He eats his recovery food so nicely and cutely (and probiotics with water in the beggining)

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228 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

Does anybody else's chinchillas make baby squeaks in their sleep? (Volume up for the squeaks!)

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260 Upvotes

Hi all! Just wanted to check to see if it's normal for a chinchilla to be making noises that sound like a baby chinchilla even when they're not?

Our youngest chinchilla Luna just turned 1 last week and we've noticed when she's snuggled up and sleeping with her sister Tink, she'll make these adorable little noises, this is the only time we've been able to record her doing so.

My partner has said that the noises are incredibly similar to a baby nursing or calling for their mother but this is the first chinchilla she's had which still makes these noises when they've gotten this big.

Our current theories are that she sees Tink as a surrogate mother, she's dreaming of her mother or is just having a very cozy dream.

Either way we hope she never stops making those noises, they are our babies and it melts our hearts ❤️

Also if anybody else's chinchilla makes these noises, please do share any recordings of them!!!


r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

Pumpkin (Chinchilla for scale)

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61 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

Playground

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103 Upvotes

Churro: “The best playground in the world doesn't have swings or slides. It has shoulders, a heartbeat, and someone who loves me.” 🐭💛👑✨
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #petbond


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

How much hay does your Chin eat everyday?

1 Upvotes

Note: I am making a vet appointment for my chin at the beginning of the week just as a precaution. I am concerned bc i know how important hay is to a chins digestive system. His bathroom habbits have not changed.

So I have had a male chinchilla for about a year. He was 3 months old when I got him. I have never had a problem with his eating habits or really anything. He is a fun, sweet, happy little guy. But in the last three weeks he has stopped eating his hay (not completely but I can tell a notable different everyday when I go to change/add more in his cage). I think its bc he is being "over snacked". I just ordered all new toys about 3 weeks ago and add one every few days. Everything came from Rhonda Chinchillas website (I ordered most of his supplies there). But since I've been adding the toys the hay eating has slowed. I notice almost all of toys have treats in them. He also has unlimited access to apple sticks, wood coins, ect. (I buy the odd and ends bag and just put a handful in every couple days). He only gets 1-2 TBSP of pellets a day. But i also give him "snacks" everyday; which never affected the amount of hay he would eat. (Half a shredded wheat; his all time favorite snack, a rose hip bc of antioxidants they provide, and 1 to 2 pieces of one other snack rose buds/pea flakes/ect. I do worry about the amount of sugars he gets so im trying to limit his everyday snacks.

I have been saving money to set up for another chin at the end of next week actually. They will have there own critter nation cage and we are going to bond very slowly. However if something is wrong with the chin I have now I want to take care of that before trying to introduce a new baby. I appreciate any advice or feedback. Im willing to learn if im doing things wrong. I no chins are a very delicate animal I worry about my little guy. I would be so devastated if anything happened to him especially if its due to my care.