Are Chinchillas the Right Pet for You?

Some things to consider

Pros

Chinchillas have pros and cons on how difficult it is to care for versus other small animals. For the pros, chinchillas do not require grooming (unless extremely necessary) or manual bathing, just give them a powder bath every 2 days and they should be good. Chinchillas are also very independent and are nocturnal, so they do not require much attention for those kinds of relaxed owners. Feeding is also easy, just make sure you give your chinchilla 2 teaspoons of pellets per day (1 pellet for breakfast, 1 for dinner) and give them a handful (or 2) of hay every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Buying a 5 pound bag of pellets should last a chinchilla well for a couple months. No manual dental care is also a plus, just give them something to chew on (wood block, pumice stone, but NO PLASTIC!) to keep their teeth down and they should be good (and make sure to give them their hay too, chinchillas grind their teeth while eating hay is the biggest method they use to keep their teeth from growing out). 

Cons

Cons do exist, on the other hand, as nothing is all sunshine and rainbows. Chinchillas are very sensitive to their environment, so keep their room temp somewhere below 71 degrees (Fahrenheit). Another con (and the biggest) is when chinchilla gets sick, because they barely show symptoms. It is difficult to tell if a chinchilla is ill, and more importantly it is not cheap getting them treated, because they are exotic animals (so it is more difficult to treat by default). Another big con is chinchillas need to avoid having their fur coats exposed to water. Water will moisten their coats to the point where it will not dry properly on its own, inviting unwanted visitors such as fungus, killing your beloved little furry pet. The next con is that chinchillas go potty constantly, so their cage must have all poops in it removed daily. Do a deep clean of the cage (using some soap and water then drying with a towel) weekly to keep it sanitary for your little guy. If the floor has bedding on the floor, change it out weekly as well. The last con is the cost of getting a cage. On one of my later blogs, I will cover habitat standards. The cage needs to be large compared to other small animal cages, and chinchillas will also need a large area to run around in for occasional recess. Also chinchillas love to chew on EVERYTHING, so keep chinchillas away from things you do not want them getting their powerful teeth on.

Overall

Caring for chinchillas is unique, but just as difficult as caring for a rabbit or a hamster. Chinchillas can make really nice pets if you are proficient in pet sanitation and care. Chinchillas are definitely not the cheapest to have around, but they can make some pretty awesome pets. However, people have different preferences for pets. If you want a pet that is more dependent on you (like dogs), then chinchillas may not be the best option. Chinchillas can be a challenge at first, but later you get the hang of the routine and your chinchilla will be a humble addition to your home.

Poli, Mirella. "TIP OF THE MONTH !" Introducing Chinchillas. Mirella Poli, 2008. Web. 26 Feb.              2016. http://www.chinchillachronicles.com/introducing_chinchillas.html

Poli, Mirella. "TIP OF THE MONTH !" Chinchilla Teeth. Mirella Poli, 2008. Web. 19 Feb. 2016.
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