Chinchillas are becoming more popular as pets as they are friendly and inquisitive and can become very tame with the right care and handling.

Chinchillas are social animals and are best kept in pairs of the same sex. Ideally it is best to get a pair of chinchillas at the same time from the same place so that they already know each other, as it can be difficult to introduce chinchillas as they get older.

Chinchillas are nocturnal and very active during the night. It is best to give them as large a cage as possible with several levels for them to climb. The cage should be made of wire as chinchillas love chewing and can make their own escape routes from other types of cages! They will also need a nest box for sleeping with chinchilla bedding or hay to snuggle down in. Do not position the cage near any radiators as chinchillas are susceptible to heat stroke due to their thick coats. Soiled bedding should be replaced every day and a disinfectant made for pet cages should be used weekly to clean the whole cage thoroughly.

Chinchillas love dust baths to help keep their fur clean and soft. Commercial chinchilla dust is available and should be used in a shallow container (metal or earthenware) to allow them to bathe. Do not use other types of sand. The bath should be placed in the cage for a short time every day, and then removed so that the chinchillas don’t start using it as a toilet!

Good quality hay should be freely available in the cage for the chinchillas to chew on. A common problem seen in chinchillas is ‘malocclusion’, where the teeth (which are constantly growing) are not worn down enough and begin to cause problems in the mouth. Hay and other items such as wooden chinchilla toys will help prevent this problem by allowing the chinchillas to chew and wear their teeth down.

Water should also be freely available, either in a bottle attached to the side of the cage or in a sturdy bowl on the bottom. Bowls should be made of heavy earthenwear or metal to prevent damage by the chinchillas. Their diet should be made up of hay and commercially available chinchilla pellets. Treats such as apple or carrot are fine to give your chinchillas however limit their availability so they don’t become overweight.