Chinchillas are sweet, sensitive animals that require constant attention to thrive. They make wonderful pets, but because they are delicate, they must be treated with care and housed appropriately. You must also feed them balanced food, offer them exercise opportunities, and keep their Cage clean to keep them happy and healthy. Your chinchilla will be a lovely and pleasant pet for years to come if you plan and take proper care of it. Here are some suggestions for getting ready to welcome this delightful creature into your house.

Proper Feeding

A constant supply of high-quality timothy hay should be supplied to your chinchilla. It can be placed in a bowl or on the chinchilla's cage's bottom. Hay offers your chinchilla the fiber it needs. 

Pellets supply a range of vitamins and minerals to your chinchilla. Choose a pellet that is specifically made for chinchilla nourishment and follow the portion-sizing directions that come with it. You can also visit planetchinchilla.com for additional information on the right diet for your chinchilla, including what foods they may consume as well as some helpful advice on how to cook these meals to keep your gorgeous pet happy.

Grapes, carrots, apples, oatmeal, rose petals from plants that have not been treated with any chemicals, unsweetened cornflakes, shredded wheat, and safe wood chew sticks are all examples of safe snacks for your chinchilla. However, they should only be given once or twice a week and in very few portions.

Bring a Proper Cage

Chinchillas should be housed in a bigger cage because they are incredibly active creatures and they need a lot of space to move around. The cage of your chinchilla should be at least 41 x 46 x 41 cm. The chinchilla's head must not be able to get between the bars. If its head fits through the bars, the rest of its body will as well, allowing it to flee. These creatures have a lot of fur on top of their little bodies. It's critical to maintain their cage in a calm environment during the day so that their sleep cycle is not disrupted. Chinchillas dislike being looked down on because it makes them feel threatened. Their cage should be kept on a counter or somewhere pretty high up.

Properly Clean the Cage

It is typically recommended that you do not clean the interior of your chinchilla's cage with soap or chemicals. Instead, simply clean the cage with hot water. After swishing some water about the cage's plastic pan, thoroughly clean it with hot water and air dry it. This is an effective method for killing the majority of germs that might damage your chinchilla.

Never use bleach or any other potentially harmful chemicals on your chinchilla's cage.

Place to Rest

Chinchillas will also require a comfy place to relax and relieve the stress of constantly walking on hard shelves or the cage floor. Because chinchillas will chew and nibble on anything in their cages, it's critical that whatever soft material you choose isn't damaging to them. Because it can be laundered frequently, a soft, folded towel is a nice, low-cost solution.

Water Is Important

Fill a water bottle with filtered or chemical-free tap water. Make sure they have water in that bottle at all times and fill it with fresh water every day, even if it's still full from the day before.  To avoid a build-up of bacteria in the straw, the water must be changed and the bottle cleaned every day. Tap water should not be used since it contains chemicals that can affect a chinchilla's system. Giving them chilled, bottled tap water is the best approach to avoid this. 

Give Them Something to Chew

Chinchilla’s teeth develop at a rapid rate of up to 30 cm every year. Purchase a particular block of wood for your chinchilla to chew on to avoid overgrowth, which might affect the chinchilla's ability to eat. These may usually be found at most pet supply stores.

They Need Exercise

Chinchillas are highly active creatures who should be able to exercise daily. This activity can consist of a combination of running around within their cages and allowing them to run around outside. When you allow chinchillas out of their cage, keep in mind that they may jump almost 2 meters in the air and fit through tight openings, so keep your eye on them. Because chinchillas are nocturnal creatures, they should be exercised outside of the cage in the evening in a large area where they may run about. However, don’t forget to overlook them closely, or they may run away. 

Take Care of Their Health

Take care of your chinchilla's overall health so that any health issues may be caught early and remedied. Examine the animal's energy level regularly, keeping an eye out for changes in how it moves and how much it eats and drinks. Examine its coat as well, making sure there are no patches of fur loss. If you see any of these symptoms, contact a veterinarian.

Chinchillas must be approached with caution, especially if they are unfamiliar with humans. It takes time to develop a trusting relationship with this animal, however, be patient. Hopefully, these pointers will assist you in properly caring for your chinchilla and incorporating it into your household.