Chinchillas are curious, intelligent, sweet creatures. Chinchillas originated from the Andies in South America. They were hunted almost to extinction in the early 1900s until governments in several South American countries banned hunting. However, they are still on the endangered species list due to illegal poaching.

Chinchillas are typically 1-1.5 pounds. They come in the standard grey/ the Sterling and many other mutations; beige, black pearl, white, ebony, black velvet, and others. There are also angora and curly chinchillas.

Chinchillas were imported to the USA by an engineer named Mathias F Chapman. He got special permission from the Chilian government to bring chinchillas to the USA. His original idea was to bring them and breed them as pets as he found them to be very docile. He later decided to breed for the fur market. It took him three years to capture 11 chinchillas worthy of breeding, all current-day chinchillas are believed to be a descendant of these original chinchillas brought to the USA. After many discouraging losses, Mr Chapman finally settled in Inglewood Ca where he continued to breed his Chinchillas.

Chinchillas can live 12-plus years and beyond with excellent care.

They are very intelligent, curious, and talkative! They can be very social creatures. They are crepuscular animals meaning they are most active at dusk and dawn.

Housing and environment

Chinchillas need a metal or wire cage as they are chewers. They need hay and wood to chew on I will give you a list of safe wood and treats for them.

They need to be kept in an environment that stays below 73 degrees and above 32 degrees. Chinchilla's natural environment high in the Andes Mountains can have temperatures down to 23F and does not go over 75F. Anything over 80F or high levels of humidity can cause heat stroke and death as chins do not sweat. Also keep chins away from drafts.

In the wild, they are not exposed to humidity as the air is dry and cold. Keep your chins from damp areas or use a dehumidifier to keep humidity below 55. Humidity can also cause fungus.

I suggest a temperature devise that monitors humidity and temp so you can be alerted if there is any danger.

I provide my chins with auditory stimulation in the form of music and talking to them. Also provide toys to keep them active and a cage as big as you can so they can run around and play. The minimum cage I would recommend is 4X4X4 feet. A critter nation cage with a single level( for chins under 6 months) or a double level once they are older than 6 months.

Providing different floor textures will help develop callouses on their feet, wire, pine bedding, and granite tile.

Dust Baths

Due to the density of chinchilla's fur they should not get wet. If they get wet they do not dry well and can get fungus. They use volcanic ash to bathe in. They roll around in the dust to clean the dirt and oils from their fur. They should be allowed to bathe in the dust 2-3 times a week for 15 minutes. You can use a ceramic dish or a large fish bowl, (this helps contain the dust a little).

You will need a heavy ceramic dish for food or a metal food dish that attaches to the cage.

I recommend a glass water bottle with filtered water or you can use colloidal silver in their water. Colloidal silver is a natural preventative supplement and will help keep water fresher for longer.

You can get a metal hay feeder that attaches to the inside of the cage or feed on the cage bottom (there is more waste that way).

My chinchillas get pellets (Modesto mills organic and or Purina Show Rabbit) unlimited and hay ( timothy, orchard grass or and alfalfa) daily. They also need wood or hay cubes to chew on the help keep their teeth ground. Their teeth are continually growing which is why it is essential to give them chews to wear down their teeth.

Chinchillas partake in a process called caecotrophy, they eat their excrement to digest any nutrients that were not digested the first time. They do not eat all their waste or poop but they will eat some.

It is essential that your chin is pooping a lot daily, you will see this on any site you come across. This is an indicator of health.

Chins are den-dwelling creatures so having a hut of some kind is good for them to feel safe and sleep comfortably.

I will provide a sheet of safe wood and treats

My website is Chinchachilsursery.com. I recommend that you join ECBC, Emperess Chinchilla breeders co-operative. It's $25 for the year and provides a monthly digital magazine with new chinchilla info each month. It also gives you dates and info on chinchilla shows around the country and they will have chinchilla zoom classes free to members.

Happy Owners