Chinchilla Care

Physiologic
Life Span: 9-17 years
Adult female body weight: 450-800 grams (female larger than male)
Adult male body weight: 400-500 grams

Housing

• Chinchillas should be housed in large rabbit-sized enclosures (at least 4’ x 4’ x 3’), as they are very active, acrobatic animals. They appreciate a chance to come out and run as often as possible.
• Welded wire mesh is acceptable, with or without solid flooring.
• Provide space in enclosure for dust box (sheet metal: 6"x 6" x 9").
• Dust baths are offered 10-15 minutes daily or at least 4-5 times a week.
• Dust should be 2-4 inches deep: Blue Cloud Chinchilla Dust or 9 parts Silver Sand and 1 part Fuller’s Earth. Other brands of commercial chinchilla dust are available.
• Wooden nest box can be provided for sleeping
• Optimal temperatures: 50-60ºF (higher than 80º F can be fatal).
• Humidity: 40% or less.

• Because chinchillas are native to cool, dry areas of the Andes Mts., they have adapted well to sparse food. They do well on a diet of hay and pelleted food, with some treats of produce.
• Commercial chinchilla chows (eg, PMI or Mazuri) fed ad lib or at intervals should contain: 18-20% crude protein, 2.3-3% crude fat, 15-18% crude fiber, 9-10% ash and about 2% added minerals.
• Supplement chow with 30-60 mg/day vitamin E for breeding, pregnancy.
• Also supply unlimited quantity timothy hay and small amounts alfalfa (loose or cubed) or clover hay (no more than 25% daily intake).
• Hay must be free from mold, insects, other animal fecal contamination, and insecticides.
• Treat foods are given sparingly (small portion of any one item; total treat supplement per day not to exceed 1 tsp/adult chinchilla): dried fruits, nuts, sunflower seeds, various green vegetables, fresh carrot.
• Approximate diet consumption per adult chinchilla per day; 0.75 to 1 oz pellets; ½ to 1 cup hay; 1 tsp. veggie treat. Hay can be available continuously.
• Chinchillas have relatively delicate digestive tracts that can be upset easily.
• Water can be supplied in dishes (which they love to overturn) or water bottles hung on the side of the cage.

• Basically nocturnal, but can be active during the day.
• Chinchillas are fast, agile, and seem to have a sense of humor as they entertain their families with their antics.
• They tend to urinate in their enclosure or litter box, but they are hard to litter-train with respect to their small, hard, dry fecal pellets. A vacuum or broom is all that is needed after playtime, however.
• Activity includes climbing and darting, both horizontally and vertically.
• Chinchillas rarely bite.
• Most like to be cuddled and carried.