Post by Katt on Nov 13, 2011 12:25:30 GMT -9
Facts:
Scientific Name: Chinchilla lanigera
Weight: about 18-35+ oz
Size: 10-12 inches
Life expectancy: 12-20 years
Sexually mature: 9+ months (for breeding purposes)
Estrus Cycle: Every 26-35 days, lasts 4-7 days
Gestation period: 111 days
Size of litter: 1-4
Weaning age: 8-10 weeks (separate genders at this time as well)
home.comcast.net/~jaxchinchillas/ChinchillaCare.html
www.2ndchance.info/chinchilla.htm
exoticpets.about.com/od/chinchillas/tp/chinchillaguide.htm
sybilsden.com/caresheet/chin.htm
www.mutationchinchillas.com/Care/chinchilla_care.htm
www.chinchillasource.com/petchinchilla.html
www.cheekychinchillas.com/generalcare.html
Care:
Cage: Chinchillas should not be kept in plastic cages or glass tanks. Wire cages are appropriate and should be at least 24 inches Wide x 24 inches Long x 36 inches Tall in dimension for two chinchillas, but the bigger the cage the better. Chins like the jump, so cage height is as important as floor space. Every additional chinchilla in the cage will increase the necessary cage size. The cage should have several wooden platforms (made with untreated wood) that the chinchillas can sit and jump on. The shelves, floor, and ramps should be solid, not wire as this can lead to injuries and arthritis.
Bedding: Many substrates are appropriate for chinchillas, but there are some that are dangerous. The top two recommended bedding materials are Aspen or Carefresh. Other appropriate bedding materials include: newspaper or paper towel (good for monitoring sick gerbils), toilet paper, shredded paper fiber beddings, etc. NEVER use pine or cedar bedding as these woods have oils that are toxic.
Food: (see Diet board) IN PROGRESS
Hideouts: It is very important that your chinchillas have places to hide so that they can feel safe in their home. Hides can be things like: cardboard boxes, chew huts, wooden dens, etc. It needs to be a place where your chinchillas can build a nice nest. The hide should be nice and dark and allow enough space to move around n comfortably. As they are avid chewers, it is best to not use plastic dens such as the igloos sold at pet stores to prevent the ingestion of plastic.
Wheel: Having a wheel for your chinchilla is absolutely necessary. In the wild they will run around looking for food and shelter for hours. They can’t do this in a cage, so they need another way to get a lot of exercise. Wheels should be designed especially for chinchillas, such as flying saucer wheels. Silent spinners can cause back pain. Wire wheels should NEVER be used – they can be dangerous as your chinchilla can get its foot stuck in the grating. Also, metal wheels tend to become squeaky over time and can be noisy when you are trying to sleep! Plastic wheels are safer, quieter, easier to clean, last longer (no rust!), usually come with a stand and a way to attach it to the cage bars (more versatile and saves space), and come in fun colors. Be sure to buy plastic wheels with smoother surfaces and no cross bars to avoid making your chinchillas’ feet sore! Select your wheel carefully.
Toys: While chinchillas may not "play" with toys like a dog or cat, they do need enrichment like any other animal to keep them mentally and physically healthy. Chew blocks are important to help maintain healthy teeth. Various shaped objects to run on, under, or through will provide mental stimulation and exercise. A critical "toy" to have is a wheel to ensure that the mice are getting enough exercise. Various hiding-huts, mazes, and different sizes and shapes of chew toys will provide enrichment for your chinchillas. Also toys that make noise, such as cat jingle-balls may catch their interest. Just be sure to use supervision with any plastic toys or toys with pieces that can be easily broken by strong teeth or swallowed.
Water: Water bottles should be available, full of fresh water, at all times. Bowls are not recommended as they easily spill or become contaminated.
Exercise: Exercise is very important to keep your chinchilla healthy. In the wild they can run miles a day. Providing a wheel in the cage will allow your chinchilla to exercise on its own time. You can allow your chinchilla to explore your bedroom under supervision. This will give them physical exercise, as well as mental stimulation as they explore different surroundings.
Handling: How you handle your chinchillas depends on what they are being kept for. Even if your chinchillas are breeders or feeders, regular handling is important. We recommend a minimum of 30 min every other day. This will keep them used to handling and make it easier for you to check for injuries, move for cage cleaning, check nests, etc. Also, as intelligent social animals chinchillas can become easily bored and depressed, affecting their health and breeding efficiency. If your chinchillas are pets you will want to handle them even more – at least 30-40 minutes a day. The more you handle and spend time with your pet chinchillas, the friendlier and more social towards humans they will be. When picking up your chinchilla, reach in with both hands and scoop it up from underneath. In the wild birds and other predators snatch hamsters up from above, so if you reach for your chinchilla from above you will scare it.
Grooming: Chinchillas are very clean animals, but they do require the occasional dust bath. Chinchilla bath dust or sand can be used 1-2 times a week. The dust will cling to the dirt, oils, and loose fur on their bodies, carrying it with it when they shake the dust off and effectively cleaning the chinchilla. NEVER EVER bathe chinchillas in water.
Chew Toys: Having chew toys will help your chinchillas keep their teeth in good shape, as well as decrease the chance that they will bite and chew on the cage bars, which can be noisy, and will scratch the paint on the cage. It is also mentally stimulating for your chinchillas, especially if you get different types of chew toys.
Treats: While giving your chinchillas treats is not strictly necessary, they really enjoy them. Be sure not to feed treats too often though as you can make your chinchillas sick! In the wild their diet is very bland, and too many rich foods can cause a stomach upset. Healthy treats like fresh veggies and dried fruits are okay to offer on a daily basis as long as it is in small amounts (see food list).
Training: Chinchillas are very intelligent animals and can be taught to do simple tricks for a treat. They are also easily potty trained and will usually pick one corner to pee in. Unfortunately, they cannot be trained to poop in one place, but their feces are small, hard, odorless, and easy to sweep or vacuum.
Nesting Material: It’s nice to offer your chinchillas material to build a soft nest with; however, DO NOT buy the nesting material sold in pet stores. Rodents have been known to get tangled in the material and several have died. It is better to offer a little bit of toilet paper, paper towel, or newspaper.
Friends: Chinchillas are social animals and do best when kept on groups of at least two or more. They should NEVER be kept alone as they can become severely depressed. Chinchillas are best kept in same-sex groups unless you plan on breeding. If you are breeding your chinchillas, try to keep one male to every 2-3 females.
Cleaning: The cage will need to be cleaned once a week. The best cleaners are: baking soda and water, vinegar and water, liquid dish soap, Nature’s Miracle, or a dilute (10%) solution of bleach in water. Do NOT mix cleaners as this produces dangerous fumes. Also, be sure to rinse your cage VERY well before putting the hamster back in – you want to remove any dangerous residues.
Important Notes: Some more important notes on care… Be sure not to place your cage in a spot that gets direct sunlight as your chinchilla can overheat quickly. The more you give your chinchilla attention and exercise, the happier and healthier it will be – and the friendlier! When you first bring your chinchillas home, you will want to let them settle in and get used to the new surroundings for a week or two before handling. They may be jumpy and nervous for a little while, this is normal – they are in a new place and stressed out. Keep talking gently and handling in short bursts and your new chinchillas will settle into life with their new family.
Scientific Name: Chinchilla lanigera
Weight: about 18-35+ oz
Size: 10-12 inches
Life expectancy: 12-20 years
Sexually mature: 9+ months (for breeding purposes)
Estrus Cycle: Every 26-35 days, lasts 4-7 days
Gestation period: 111 days
Size of litter: 1-4
Weaning age: 8-10 weeks (separate genders at this time as well)
home.comcast.net/~jaxchinchillas/ChinchillaCare.html
www.2ndchance.info/chinchilla.htm
exoticpets.about.com/od/chinchillas/tp/chinchillaguide.htm
sybilsden.com/caresheet/chin.htm
www.mutationchinchillas.com/Care/chinchilla_care.htm
www.chinchillasource.com/petchinchilla.html
www.cheekychinchillas.com/generalcare.html
Care:
Cage: Chinchillas should not be kept in plastic cages or glass tanks. Wire cages are appropriate and should be at least 24 inches Wide x 24 inches Long x 36 inches Tall in dimension for two chinchillas, but the bigger the cage the better. Chins like the jump, so cage height is as important as floor space. Every additional chinchilla in the cage will increase the necessary cage size. The cage should have several wooden platforms (made with untreated wood) that the chinchillas can sit and jump on. The shelves, floor, and ramps should be solid, not wire as this can lead to injuries and arthritis.
Bedding: Many substrates are appropriate for chinchillas, but there are some that are dangerous. The top two recommended bedding materials are Aspen or Carefresh. Other appropriate bedding materials include: newspaper or paper towel (good for monitoring sick gerbils), toilet paper, shredded paper fiber beddings, etc. NEVER use pine or cedar bedding as these woods have oils that are toxic.
Food: (see Diet board) IN PROGRESS
Hideouts: It is very important that your chinchillas have places to hide so that they can feel safe in their home. Hides can be things like: cardboard boxes, chew huts, wooden dens, etc. It needs to be a place where your chinchillas can build a nice nest. The hide should be nice and dark and allow enough space to move around n comfortably. As they are avid chewers, it is best to not use plastic dens such as the igloos sold at pet stores to prevent the ingestion of plastic.
Wheel: Having a wheel for your chinchilla is absolutely necessary. In the wild they will run around looking for food and shelter for hours. They can’t do this in a cage, so they need another way to get a lot of exercise. Wheels should be designed especially for chinchillas, such as flying saucer wheels. Silent spinners can cause back pain. Wire wheels should NEVER be used – they can be dangerous as your chinchilla can get its foot stuck in the grating. Also, metal wheels tend to become squeaky over time and can be noisy when you are trying to sleep! Plastic wheels are safer, quieter, easier to clean, last longer (no rust!), usually come with a stand and a way to attach it to the cage bars (more versatile and saves space), and come in fun colors. Be sure to buy plastic wheels with smoother surfaces and no cross bars to avoid making your chinchillas’ feet sore! Select your wheel carefully.
Toys: While chinchillas may not "play" with toys like a dog or cat, they do need enrichment like any other animal to keep them mentally and physically healthy. Chew blocks are important to help maintain healthy teeth. Various shaped objects to run on, under, or through will provide mental stimulation and exercise. A critical "toy" to have is a wheel to ensure that the mice are getting enough exercise. Various hiding-huts, mazes, and different sizes and shapes of chew toys will provide enrichment for your chinchillas. Also toys that make noise, such as cat jingle-balls may catch their interest. Just be sure to use supervision with any plastic toys or toys with pieces that can be easily broken by strong teeth or swallowed.
Water: Water bottles should be available, full of fresh water, at all times. Bowls are not recommended as they easily spill or become contaminated.
Exercise: Exercise is very important to keep your chinchilla healthy. In the wild they can run miles a day. Providing a wheel in the cage will allow your chinchilla to exercise on its own time. You can allow your chinchilla to explore your bedroom under supervision. This will give them physical exercise, as well as mental stimulation as they explore different surroundings.
Handling: How you handle your chinchillas depends on what they are being kept for. Even if your chinchillas are breeders or feeders, regular handling is important. We recommend a minimum of 30 min every other day. This will keep them used to handling and make it easier for you to check for injuries, move for cage cleaning, check nests, etc. Also, as intelligent social animals chinchillas can become easily bored and depressed, affecting their health and breeding efficiency. If your chinchillas are pets you will want to handle them even more – at least 30-40 minutes a day. The more you handle and spend time with your pet chinchillas, the friendlier and more social towards humans they will be. When picking up your chinchilla, reach in with both hands and scoop it up from underneath. In the wild birds and other predators snatch hamsters up from above, so if you reach for your chinchilla from above you will scare it.
Grooming: Chinchillas are very clean animals, but they do require the occasional dust bath. Chinchilla bath dust or sand can be used 1-2 times a week. The dust will cling to the dirt, oils, and loose fur on their bodies, carrying it with it when they shake the dust off and effectively cleaning the chinchilla. NEVER EVER bathe chinchillas in water.
Chew Toys: Having chew toys will help your chinchillas keep their teeth in good shape, as well as decrease the chance that they will bite and chew on the cage bars, which can be noisy, and will scratch the paint on the cage. It is also mentally stimulating for your chinchillas, especially if you get different types of chew toys.
Treats: While giving your chinchillas treats is not strictly necessary, they really enjoy them. Be sure not to feed treats too often though as you can make your chinchillas sick! In the wild their diet is very bland, and too many rich foods can cause a stomach upset. Healthy treats like fresh veggies and dried fruits are okay to offer on a daily basis as long as it is in small amounts (see food list).
Training: Chinchillas are very intelligent animals and can be taught to do simple tricks for a treat. They are also easily potty trained and will usually pick one corner to pee in. Unfortunately, they cannot be trained to poop in one place, but their feces are small, hard, odorless, and easy to sweep or vacuum.
Nesting Material: It’s nice to offer your chinchillas material to build a soft nest with; however, DO NOT buy the nesting material sold in pet stores. Rodents have been known to get tangled in the material and several have died. It is better to offer a little bit of toilet paper, paper towel, or newspaper.
Friends: Chinchillas are social animals and do best when kept on groups of at least two or more. They should NEVER be kept alone as they can become severely depressed. Chinchillas are best kept in same-sex groups unless you plan on breeding. If you are breeding your chinchillas, try to keep one male to every 2-3 females.
Cleaning: The cage will need to be cleaned once a week. The best cleaners are: baking soda and water, vinegar and water, liquid dish soap, Nature’s Miracle, or a dilute (10%) solution of bleach in water. Do NOT mix cleaners as this produces dangerous fumes. Also, be sure to rinse your cage VERY well before putting the hamster back in – you want to remove any dangerous residues.
Important Notes: Some more important notes on care… Be sure not to place your cage in a spot that gets direct sunlight as your chinchilla can overheat quickly. The more you give your chinchilla attention and exercise, the happier and healthier it will be – and the friendlier! When you first bring your chinchillas home, you will want to let them settle in and get used to the new surroundings for a week or two before handling. They may be jumpy and nervous for a little while, this is normal – they are in a new place and stressed out. Keep talking gently and handling in short bursts and your new chinchillas will settle into life with their new family.