Chinchillas as Pets

You might be thinking about buying a chinchilla.

If not for you, then perhaps for a loved one or for your children. When you introduce a brand new pet to your home however, it really is of vital importance that you choose to have a look at chinchilla information and learn exactly what there is to find out about the animal.

The chinchilla can live to be around 15, give or take a few years. Some chinchillas only live 12 years, whilst others live a longer life; up till the age of 20. It is easily doable to get yourself a tame chinchilla, as long as you give them the attention and nurturing they crave when they're young.

Note: In case you're considering buying a chinchilla for a child: Show the child how to correctly take care of the chinchilla. Even though it may appear all warm and cuddly, the chinchilla can bite if it feels threatened. Should the child by accident squeezes the rodent a little too hard, it may panic and bite. Sit down with the kid and show him/her the best way to hold and pet the chinchilla. If dealt with early on, you won't have any bite marks from your chinchilla.

But what about the scent?

You're in luck! Chinchillas do not share the "unique" smell that some other rodents have. Owning a chinchilla won't turn your house into a mini zoo in the case of smells. Should you clean up your chinchilla's cage once every seven days, you will have a pretty much odor free zone. In fact, strong scents from your chinchilla may suggest that it's got some kind of parasite (in the event you haven't cleaned it in a while, then its most likely just it's cage)

What does it eat?

Mainly pellets intended for the animal. You may supplement the pellets with a little green spinach or hay, but note that most of the chinchilla's daily intake should come from the pellets. That does not mean that the chinchilla is choosy when it comes to food. It might dine on a leftover burger, some pizza, snacks and other salty food items, so make sure you don't have left over food close to it's cage when you let it out to be able to play. (blank) In case the teeth grow too particularly long, it could hinder it's ability to eat, so having something for it to chew on is very important. Also, keep a vitamin or sodium block in the cage for vitamin supplements.

Can I train it?

Yes, you most certainly can. Just as with most other animals, the way to train a chinchilla is through food treats. You can lure it with a little piece of fruit. Place piece of fruit onto your shoulder/arm/hand and wait for the animal to leap onto you. Make sure you pet it extensively afterwards!

Buying a chinchilla

I will now look at a few things that you should keep in mind at the pet store/breeder if you choose to get a chinchilla. The perfect time to get a chinchilla is when they're 10 weeks old, if you get them at an earlier age, they might not have had the sufficient contact necessary from it's mother and father or siblings. If you're able, ask to check out it's parents before buying it. Be aware of spots of pelt missing, watery eyes and drooling (drooling generally indicates tooth problems). Some good characteristics to look for in a new chinchilla tend to be: curiosity, healthy looking eyes and fur, as well as a good personality.
Hopefully I've helped shed light on the most crucial elements for you.
Keeping chinchillas as pets is a wonderful thing.

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