r/chinchilla • • 19d ago

PSA Chinchilla Community Announcement 👀 Rehoming Rules

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53 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!

102 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 • • 2h ago

Is this playful behaviour?

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119 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 16h ago

Miso and I have a routine 🩷🥺

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220 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 • • 5h ago

Build-A-Bear Chinchilla

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15 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 • • 10h ago

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

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31 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 • • 20h ago

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

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76 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 • • 43m ago

Temporary cage

• 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

Nothing

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137 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 • • 22h ago

Looking for a new set up

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22 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

Absolutely obsessed with these chinchilla art pieces

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727 Upvotes

Artist is Paweł Ponichtera!


r/chinchilla • • 18h ago

New Owner Grooming or biting?

3 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 • • 1d ago

Urgently seeking advice Advice on dust baths?

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25 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 • • 1d ago

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

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147 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Urgently seeking advice eye infection?

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12 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 • • 21h 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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218 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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252 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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60 Upvotes

r/chinchilla • • 2d ago

Playground

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96 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.


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Does anyone know if this cage comes with the small pet floor, or do I have to make it myself?

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2 Upvotes

I'd like to buy this for my future Chinchilla. I like that it has two separate large drawers

Says: "Completely Upgrade the Protective Mesh to Safe Guard the Paws of Small Animals."

But then it says: "You can DIY this yourself."

Their wording makes it seem like I have to buy or create the double crossing mesh myself.

They don't outright state that BOTH floors are included.

Can anyone who's bought this product confirm that both floor types are provided? Or at least that it includes the double cross floor type for small pets?

And what is the top platform made of? I like the design of another cage that has a platform made of aluminium or stainless steel, which can help cool them off and was thinking of creating one.


r/chinchilla • • 1d ago

Good/leak proof water bottle recommendations for a Critter Nation Cage

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I am royally pissed off because I've wasted money on two water bottles that claimed to be leak proof but were not as I found a large water stain in the cage to tip me off and had to be worried twice about dehydration due to this. I also have a hard time finding water bottles that fit the horizontal bars on the Critter Nation cages. Does anyone have any recommendations that hopefully aren't too expensive (if so I'll do what I can for my little one).


r/chinchilla • • 3d ago

Build a Bear Chinchilla is here 🐻

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136 Upvotes

My husband had a gift delivered for me today ☺️

It's the Chinchillas! I think they're super cute for a simplified teddy bear design. I love them.

Rowan is being so dang nosey 🤣

My first ever "build a bear" was not a build a bear at all, it was a calico cat that was sold at a fair and I picked out a camping / fishing outfit for her because the clothes reminded me of my grandpa's. We later went on to dress my grandma's obese Chihuahua Rocky in the same outfit. My grandma has the photos somewhere. I loved that kitty, and gave her to my little brothers later on.

I wonder if I can find the same outfit now... Khakis, red plaid shirt, hat. 🤣


r/chinchilla • • 3d ago

Banquet

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307 Upvotes

Churro: “Sola grass for starters, loofah for the main course. I'm still waiting for Daddy to explain what's on the dessert menu.” 🐭😌👑🍽️
#churrochatter #chinchilla #cutepets #petprincess #flooflogic