Chinchilla

D

diceman

Joined
Jan 1, 2007
Messages
815
Anyone have a chinchilla? My wife and I just got one for our boys (I'm back in college after a few years w/ the Army - no cats/dogs in my apartment, so my 2 dogs and cat are staying w/ my parents, ha ha). Anyways, I know that they make great coats and all, but has anyone had one as a pet? Mine is pretty funny so far on the 1st day. They don't seem to smell bad at all, and he just took a "dust bath," where you put some 'chinchilla dust' stuff in a bowl and they roll around in it, making a big dust cloud all around it. Comical. He was also very friendly at the pet store (scared as hell now in the new environment). Not as friendly as the ferrets that I had when I was a kid - but they smelled so bad! And, they're nocturnal - its getting late enough now that he's running around his cage, jumping about and climbing on top of stuff. I also read that their natural habitat is high up in the Andes Mountains (so they'll be able to survive in my cold ass apartment). Anyways, I was just curious about other people's experiences.
 
I don't know a whole lot about them except that they do tend to be nervous creatures. Don't expect too much of it until it gets used to it's new surroundings. Also, don't vacuum right in front of it, or startle it. My friends are convinced their dog scared their chinchilla to death by barking at it every now and then.
 
Diceman, don't have any (due to lack of money), but I can tell you a little about them. They are social animals, tend to do best in same-sex pairs. They can live up to 15-16 years easily if well cared for. Lots of good info (and some bad) online about chins. A simple web search should help you. Walking Man is right about them being a little sensitive to noise and lighting conditions. Try to keep yours' in a seperate room without too much noise. I've seen where people recommend chinchilla-proofing the room (just like baby-proofing) so the chin can explore outside the cage (under your supervision of course). Definitely invest in good vet care, try to find a good exotics vet near you. You can even get pet insurance that will greatly reduce the cost of any health emergencies (definitely well worth the small cost because exotic vet bills can add up).

Good information on this website.
http://www.chin-chillas.com/chinchilla_care.htm

Good luck with a great pet!
 
My wife's employers had a chinchilla for a long time. She works in a greenhouse that's on a chunk of land that also has the owner's home on it. The chinchilla would generally stay in the greenhouse (where it had free roam), but would also jet over to the house from time to time on its own. They tried to keep it in the cage, but when it would escape it could be hard to catch!

Sadly, it disappeared last fall. This is rural Alberta we're talking about, so could have been a coyote, owl, hawk, etc.

Moral of this story is to keep your chinchilla indoors.;)
 
Thanks for the advice guys! I really wasn't even expecting a response - all good tips! He's starting to calm down a little and adjusting well to the house here. I'll make sure not to vacuum (or let my wife yell) in the computer room while he's in here. I've also got to find a vet for him locally. And, I never thought about having one as an outdoor pet - too bad it didn't work out, but thats pretty interesting. They are from the Andes mountains, so I guess the Canada cold wouldn't be too much for it huh? Montana isn't quite as cold, but I'm still gonna keep him inside! Thanks all.
 
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