Post by mistywaterwoman on Jul 3, 2007 12:47:45 GMT -5
This is some information that I compiled for a different board that may answer some basic questions anyone might have.
CHINCHILLA OWNERS GUIDE TO BASIC CARE
PELLETS:
The general consensus in the chinchilla community is that there are three "top" brands of pellets that offer the highest quality in chinchilla nutrition: Oxbow, Mazuri and Tradition.
Oxbow Chinchilla Deluxe - can be found at Vet's offices, some Feed Stores, and select pet stores. It can also be found on-line, either by breeders or chin rescues who buy it in bulk and sell it by the pound. If you go to www.oxbowhay.com they have a store locator feature which will find a local distributor for you by zip code.
Mazuri Chinchilla Pellets - can be found at Pets Mart, most Feed Stores, or you can buy on-line directly from Mazuri's web site: www.mazuri.com
Tradition Chinchilla Pellets - can be found primarily on-line. I've never seen it offered in a chain pet store or feed store. You can buy it by the pound at: www.chinchillas.com/estore/
There are endless debates over which is the best, but these three consistently rank at the top. What you should feed your chinchilla (of these three) should depend on the availability of the brand (you don't want to ever be caught short), the price you are willing to pay, and the preference of your chinchilla’s taste buds.
You will find that some chins reject or prefer a certain brand over another. As long as you are feeding one of these three, you can be absolutely CERTAIN that your chinchilla is getting the best nutrition possible. Whichever brand you choose, you should avoid any food that contains "treats" (seeds, corn, etc). These quality chin foods above are comprised of pellets only.
With any pellet feed, always be sure to check the expiration dates stamped on the outside of the bags. Outdated pellets offer little or no nutrition for your pet. If there are no dates stamped, check the pellets to see if they are “crumbly”, as this is a sign of being past their prime.
QUANTITY:
Mazuri recommends 2 tablespoons of fresh pellets per chinchilla per day, and this is the guide that I’ve always gone by. A younger chinchilla will need slightly less. You can judge by the amount that your chinchilla eats to feed a bit less or a bit more. My three never eat their entire 2 tablespoons each, but I like to have it available for them just in case.
SWITCHING PELLETS:
If you will be switching your chinchilla’s diet from one pellet to another brand, please go very slowly to avoid intestinal upsets. Switching too quickly can result in soft poops, which are dangerous to a chin’s health and a nightmare for cage cleaning. Switching should go as follows:
For the first week, feed ¾ the amount usually fed of the original food, and ¼ the amount of the new pellets. For the second week, feed a ½ and ½ mixture of old and new. For the final week, feed ¾ of the new food and ¼ of the old pellets. In the final week, you can safely feed the entire amount of the new pellets.
In chins younger than 6 months, it's a good idea to sprinkle acidophilus on the pellets during the switch. Acidophilus can be found at any GNC or even your local WalMart in the vitamin section. Get the highest "billions" count possible. Sprinkle the contents of one capsule over the daily supply of pellets to help soothe the stomach during a food switch.
HAY:
Chinchillas MUST have fresh loose Timothy hay available to them at all times. Hay cubes can be given as a treat, or as a supplement to loose hay, but not in place of the loose, fresh hay. Alfalfa hay or Orchard Grass hay can be given in small amounts as a treat if you wish, but again, not in place of the Timothy hay.
Any soiled hay should be removed from the cage daily. Hay is used as a source of fiber in their diet, but it also serves to wear down the back teeth of chinchillas, which are constantly growing, making it a necessity to prevent overgrown teeth and painful mouth sores.
All Timothy hay, whatever the brand, should be a nice bright green color, not brown, to indicate freshness. It should smell fresh and sweet. Black hay indicates the presence of mold. To prevent mold, store your hay in the original bag it came in, since it has air holes, or a well-ventilated container.
Oxbow Western Timothy is probably the MOST recommended hay on the market. You can find it at most Vet's offices or at a local Feed Store. You can also find a local distributor with the store locator feature at: www.oxbowhay.com
American Pet Diner has some fantastic hay also, very fresh and sweet, but I think the only place to get that is online: www.americanpetdiner.com They also offer a fairly decent brand of pellets, so if you find that your chins prefer this hay, you can get both from one source.
Another excellent choice for hay is Kleenmama's. Some on-line vendors of other chinchilla supplies carry this brand, and you can also order it direct at: www.kmshayloft.com
Again, your choice of hay should depend on availability (you don't want to run out) price and your chin’s preference, but any of the above mentioned brands will be fine.
TREATS & CHEWS:
For TREATS, try to limit yourself to one small treat for each chinchilla per day. Their diets in the wild are pretty boring, so their little digestive systems aren’t really used to variety, and can be easily upset. It’s human instinct to want to “spoil” your pet with treats, but it can do more harm than good in this case.
Safe treats available from your local grocery store:
- Unsweetened shredded wheat squares (cereal)
- Plain Cheerios (one or two per day)
- Quaker Slow-Cook Oats (not the instant kind). These make a great treat in pinch-sized servings.
Safe treats available from http://www.lonestarchinchilla.com:
- Rose Hips are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which your chins need anyway.
- Oxbow Papaya Tablets
- Wood twigs (scrubbed, boiled and baked)
Chinchillas are constant chewers, who will chew up your furniture, their cage, their hutches; basically EVERYTHING they can reach. It’s not because they like the destruction, it’s because their teeth never stop growing, and gnawing on things like wood help to wear down the teeth to a comfortable level.
For this reason, you need to keep a large supply of chew toys on hand to divert them from what they shouldn’t chew. I use Bark Bites and Bark Branches from Pets Mart, and some of their other wooden Critter Kabob accessories. Avoid brands that proclaim to be flavored with fruit juices, since you don’t want to add sugar to their diet.
It helps to have the cage accessories made from wood instead of potentially fatal plastic, so avoid the cute Igloos and other plastic items in favor of wooden hutches. Some on-line vendors even offer wooden hay bins and pine tunnels. A terrific source for all of these things is Timali Toys at www.pet-chinchilla-toys.com/
Wood twigs make an EXCELLENT substitute for TREATS! If you find yourself wanting to spoil them with multiple treats a day, use the twigs instead of a food treat - your chinchillas will be just as happy to get a fresh chew stick. My favorite source for tasty twigs is www.keepyourchinup.com
If you find yourself wanting to spoil them with multiple treats a day, use the twigs instead of a food treat; they’ll be just as happy.
WATER
It should be mentioned that most tap water contains parasites that can affect your chin's intestinal tract adversely, causing diarrhea. Use bottled or filtered water and clean the water bottles thoroughly every day to help prevent bacteria build up.
I have a PUR 3 Stage Filter which I use to fill my water bottles. It works beautifully and cost about $35 at Wal-Mart.
The best water bottles I have found are the Lixit Glass 6 oz bottles, which you can find in the bird section at PetsMart. Glass is better than plastic for 2 reasons: plastic can (and will) be chewed, and glass inhibits the growth of bacteria more than plastic does.
Chinchillas consume very small amounts of water, only drinking 1-2 ounces per day. When you first get your chinchilla, or when you change water bottles, it's a good idea to use a semi-permanent marker to draw a line on the bottle to mark the water level. This way you can visibly tell if the chin is drinking. To test your bottle, tap your finger on the ball valve on the head of the spigot, and water should come out. Don't fill the bottle all the way to the top - leaving a small bubble of air at the top of the bottle helps the vaccuum to form properly.
Whichever bottle you find works best for you, be sure to clean it thoroughly every day, and refill it with fresh bottled or filtered water. Once a week, run it through the dishwasher or boil it in a pot like you would a baby's bottle. If you boil, remove the rubber ring inside the cap first.
DIETARY SUPPLIMENTS:
There are many reasons for choosing to supplement your chinchilla's diet. If your chin has recently been ill, or lost weight as a result of a food switch, you might want to consider a supplement as a health booster. There are quite a few good supplements available.
www.lonestarchinchilla.com makes a whole grain supplement that can really help your chin gain weight. It's got calf manna in it, though, which is best for only short term use, so you don't want to give this one long term. I recommend it after an illness or for a malnourished chin. (one who has been eating low quality pellets for a long time.)
Dawnna of Chocolate Chinchillas has developed a dietary suppliment she calls Lifeline. This one is specially formulated to help maintain digestive health. www.chocolatechinchillas.com
Lonestar Chinchilla also sells a whole oat supplement that can help stimulate your chins appetite! It is simply whole oats, unrolled.
If you choose to use a supplement, place the measured recommended amount in a seperate dish from the regular pellets. Placing the supplement in the same dish as food pellets will encourage the chin to dig through and sometimes even throw out his pellets, looking for the supplement. Suppliments are usually given only once or twice a week.
CHINCHILLA CAGES:
Chinchillas need plenty of room to leap around inside their cages. For this reason, you want to go with the largest cage you can afford to get. I personally recommend at least 24"x 24"x36" for a single chin, bigger for a pair. Vertical height is more important than width or length.
For anyone searching out great deals on top quality cages, here are a few top picks for size and quality.
The most recommended cage is the QUALITY CAGE Chinchilla Mansion(for 2 -3 chins) or at least the Chinchilla Townhome (for 1 chin). The main benefit to buying from Quality Cage is that the cage is ready to go, with wooden shelves and a nice deep metal pan at the bottom. No alterations are necessary.
qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=129_142_153
My personal favorite is the Midwest Ferret Nation cage system, available online from Ferret.com, and also can be purchased locally at your PetsMart. This cage measures a whopping 36"x25"x62" and features upper and lower double doors for easy cleaning! It does, however, come with plastic shelves and a shallow plastic litter pan at the bottom that both need to be replaced.
www.ferret.com/item/ferret-nation-habitat-model-142/
Some of the aviaries designed for hook bills are suitable in size and can be easily adapted to suit the needs of a chinchilla. Check the ebay store JM Exotics: stores.ebay.com/J-M-Exotics
for some nice aviaries. Choose "medium" size bird cages as a cage for a single chin.
Be careful of larger parrot cages where the bar spacing can be too wide to contain a sneaky chinchilla.
WARNING: C&C cages, (also called Cubes & Coroplast, which are made from storage grids) should NEVER be used as a chinchilla cage. Although they are perfectly fine to use for rabbits, guinea pigs, and even hedgehogs, chinchillas are completely unsuited for this type of housing. The bar spacing is too wide; I have heard of many cases where a chinchilla has gotten their entire head stuck between the square grid bars. In some cases, the owners were able to use a wire cutter to free their pet in time, but in other cases the frantic chinchillas accidentally snapped their own necks trying to get free! Also, chinchillas literally bounce off the walls of their cages while leaping from one level to the next. Broken legs can result from not having a solid enough surface to bounce off of. Also, most chin wheels are not adaptable to such large square bar spacing.
AQUARIUM TANKS should also NEVER be used for housing a chinchilla. Chins lack the ability to sweat, and need a good amount of airflow at all times. Air conditioning is REQUIRED for chinchillas - they need temperatures of 72 degrees or below.
SHELVING IDEAS:
The main problem with most chin cages that you can commercially purchase is usually either that they come with PLASTIC shelves, which can be fatal if chewed, or WIRE shelves, which can cause foot sores or even broken legs if the holes are big enough.
Most new owners unknowingly purchase an unsafe, too small cage, simply because it says "Chinchilla Cage" on the box. Don't fall into the trap of thinking "Well, I got it at Pets Mart, and it SAYS it's for chinchillas, so it must be safe!"
Nothing could be further from the truth. Think about the pet store mentality - if your pet dies, you replace it by spending more money at the pet store. Do they care how long it lives? No. It is, in fact, more profitable for them if it dies sooner rather than later.
This does not mean you have to throw out your cage; there are other options.
WIRE:
Some cages with wire shelves allow for the removal of the shelf completely. In this case, you can purchase nice, custom sized wood shelves from any number of sources. Quality Cage ( www.qualitycage.com ) sells replacement shelves for their cages, and you might get lucky enough to need the same dimensions. If not, you can have some made at Simply Chintastic:
www.simplychintastic.com
If your cage doesn't allow for the removal of the shelves, you can always use cage mats to give the chins "resting" places for their feet. Grassy mats are available at most major pet retailers.
Using these mats will reduce the strain on the chin's feet and make it less likely that your chin will injure itself on the wire.
Recently I’ve seen owners use a peice of untreated pine cut to size and simply placed on top of the wire shelves. Ingenious, and probably the cheaper solution, although it's certainly not as attractive as new shelves would be.
Another option, and one I recommend for at least a portion of EVERY cage, is to put down some Chin Chillers. They are marble slabs designed to help your chin stay cool. They DO NOT replace air conditioning (which is mandatory for chin owners) but can help in the short term with power outages or heat waves. Plus, the chins just love them. You can find them at most pet stores and also online at www.lonestarchinchilla.com
You may also check your local Home Depot to find larger marble tiles, like the kind you use for a floor. These can be a cheaper solution if you are needing more than one cool spot in the cage.
PLASTIC:
I can't stress enough that plastic shelves should be removed immediately, even if your chin shows no sign of chewing them at this point. Eventually they will figure out the shelves can be chewed, and it's so potentially fatal - why risk it?
Most plastic shelves are removable, so your best option there is to take them out immediately and begin replacing them with wooden shelves, either custom made from the links above, or even using a bunch of Leap N' Ledges and Sleep N' Ledges, which are also available from most pet retailers. No matter how many shelves you have, a few of these ledges are always a great addition, since a chin LOVES to leap.
BEDDING:
The best bedding (litter) in my opinion is ASPEN, which you can find at any pet store or feed store. It's soft and absorbant.
You can also use any brand of kiln-dried (high heat dried) Pine shavings, but it must say either kiln-dried or high heat dried on the package. The cheaper brands of pine bedding are NOT dried and have too much pine oil, which will cause respiratory issues for your animals.
CareFresh bedding is okay as long as your chin doesn't EAT it. Some chins will actually ingest the bedding, and since CareFresh is made to expand when wet, it can cause a fatal blockage in the intestinal tract. CareFresh is the most expensive bedding on the market, but not necessarily the best choice for safety.
NEVER use CEDAR bedding; it contains too many strong oils and will cause respiratory problems with any small animals, just like the undried pine shavings. Do not use newspaper for bedding; the chins will eat it and that is NOT good for them.
Whichever bedding you choose, be sure to change the entire litter area weekly and try to clean the "hot spots" daily. The cleaner your cage stays, the less your chances are for a URI, or upper respiratory infection.
A good solution for cleaning is a 50/50 vinegar and water mix. Super Pet also makes a spray cleaner called Cage Clean that works well, and there is also a brand called NIL ODOR, which I am very fond of.
CHINCHILLA WHEELS
I highly recommend having an exercise wheel to keep your chinchilla healthy and happy. A chinchilla needs a solid surface wheel that is going to be durable - they can hurt their feet or even break a leg on the wire wheels, and the plastic ones wear out in 3 months or less. Wheels with spokes should be avoided due to potential injuries. Also, any wheel should be 15” or more, so that the chinchilla is not forced to arch their backs too severely while running, which can also cause injuries.
There are basically three wheels that I can recommend for safety.
My favorite wheel is the Chin Spin from Quality Cage. It's $52 for the 15" wheel. (Don't get the 12" for a chin, it's not big enough.) Most people who have these SWEAR by them. I personally own two. They are wonderfully made and whisper quiet. This wheel will last the lifetime of your pet!
qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_19&products_id=1802
The Ed Wheel, available through ChinWorld, is very similar to the Chin Spin. It's about an inch or two narrower in the running surface, so if you are looking to save on cage space, you might want to go with the Ed. It is a bit pricier though, at $60 for the 14" wheel.
www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CW030012&Category_Code=CW03
The third is the Flying Saucer, also from Quality Cage. It's $70, and a marvel of design. It's supposed to be the best wheel for a chinchilla's back. However, some chins take a long time to get used to running on this odd wheel, and some never take to it at all. It also takes up more room in the cage than a conventional wheel, because of the unique design.
qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_19&products_id=1803
Whichever cage and wheel you end up with, you should also put a nice variety of toys and chews in it to keep the inquisitive mind of a chinchilla from boredom. Things like fleece hammocks, fleece tubes, hanging chew toys and chew sticks are a must. The more the better, or you're going to have a bored and restless pet on your hands.
CHINCHILLA OWNERS GUIDE TO BASIC CARE
PELLETS:
The general consensus in the chinchilla community is that there are three "top" brands of pellets that offer the highest quality in chinchilla nutrition: Oxbow, Mazuri and Tradition.
Oxbow Chinchilla Deluxe - can be found at Vet's offices, some Feed Stores, and select pet stores. It can also be found on-line, either by breeders or chin rescues who buy it in bulk and sell it by the pound. If you go to www.oxbowhay.com they have a store locator feature which will find a local distributor for you by zip code.
Mazuri Chinchilla Pellets - can be found at Pets Mart, most Feed Stores, or you can buy on-line directly from Mazuri's web site: www.mazuri.com
Tradition Chinchilla Pellets - can be found primarily on-line. I've never seen it offered in a chain pet store or feed store. You can buy it by the pound at: www.chinchillas.com/estore/
There are endless debates over which is the best, but these three consistently rank at the top. What you should feed your chinchilla (of these three) should depend on the availability of the brand (you don't want to ever be caught short), the price you are willing to pay, and the preference of your chinchilla’s taste buds.
You will find that some chins reject or prefer a certain brand over another. As long as you are feeding one of these three, you can be absolutely CERTAIN that your chinchilla is getting the best nutrition possible. Whichever brand you choose, you should avoid any food that contains "treats" (seeds, corn, etc). These quality chin foods above are comprised of pellets only.
With any pellet feed, always be sure to check the expiration dates stamped on the outside of the bags. Outdated pellets offer little or no nutrition for your pet. If there are no dates stamped, check the pellets to see if they are “crumbly”, as this is a sign of being past their prime.
QUANTITY:
Mazuri recommends 2 tablespoons of fresh pellets per chinchilla per day, and this is the guide that I’ve always gone by. A younger chinchilla will need slightly less. You can judge by the amount that your chinchilla eats to feed a bit less or a bit more. My three never eat their entire 2 tablespoons each, but I like to have it available for them just in case.
SWITCHING PELLETS:
If you will be switching your chinchilla’s diet from one pellet to another brand, please go very slowly to avoid intestinal upsets. Switching too quickly can result in soft poops, which are dangerous to a chin’s health and a nightmare for cage cleaning. Switching should go as follows:
For the first week, feed ¾ the amount usually fed of the original food, and ¼ the amount of the new pellets. For the second week, feed a ½ and ½ mixture of old and new. For the final week, feed ¾ of the new food and ¼ of the old pellets. In the final week, you can safely feed the entire amount of the new pellets.
In chins younger than 6 months, it's a good idea to sprinkle acidophilus on the pellets during the switch. Acidophilus can be found at any GNC or even your local WalMart in the vitamin section. Get the highest "billions" count possible. Sprinkle the contents of one capsule over the daily supply of pellets to help soothe the stomach during a food switch.
HAY:
Chinchillas MUST have fresh loose Timothy hay available to them at all times. Hay cubes can be given as a treat, or as a supplement to loose hay, but not in place of the loose, fresh hay. Alfalfa hay or Orchard Grass hay can be given in small amounts as a treat if you wish, but again, not in place of the Timothy hay.
Any soiled hay should be removed from the cage daily. Hay is used as a source of fiber in their diet, but it also serves to wear down the back teeth of chinchillas, which are constantly growing, making it a necessity to prevent overgrown teeth and painful mouth sores.
All Timothy hay, whatever the brand, should be a nice bright green color, not brown, to indicate freshness. It should smell fresh and sweet. Black hay indicates the presence of mold. To prevent mold, store your hay in the original bag it came in, since it has air holes, or a well-ventilated container.
Oxbow Western Timothy is probably the MOST recommended hay on the market. You can find it at most Vet's offices or at a local Feed Store. You can also find a local distributor with the store locator feature at: www.oxbowhay.com
American Pet Diner has some fantastic hay also, very fresh and sweet, but I think the only place to get that is online: www.americanpetdiner.com They also offer a fairly decent brand of pellets, so if you find that your chins prefer this hay, you can get both from one source.
Another excellent choice for hay is Kleenmama's. Some on-line vendors of other chinchilla supplies carry this brand, and you can also order it direct at: www.kmshayloft.com
Again, your choice of hay should depend on availability (you don't want to run out) price and your chin’s preference, but any of the above mentioned brands will be fine.
TREATS & CHEWS:
For TREATS, try to limit yourself to one small treat for each chinchilla per day. Their diets in the wild are pretty boring, so their little digestive systems aren’t really used to variety, and can be easily upset. It’s human instinct to want to “spoil” your pet with treats, but it can do more harm than good in this case.
Safe treats available from your local grocery store:
- Unsweetened shredded wheat squares (cereal)
- Plain Cheerios (one or two per day)
- Quaker Slow-Cook Oats (not the instant kind). These make a great treat in pinch-sized servings.
Safe treats available from http://www.lonestarchinchilla.com:
- Rose Hips are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which your chins need anyway.
- Oxbow Papaya Tablets
- Wood twigs (scrubbed, boiled and baked)
Chinchillas are constant chewers, who will chew up your furniture, their cage, their hutches; basically EVERYTHING they can reach. It’s not because they like the destruction, it’s because their teeth never stop growing, and gnawing on things like wood help to wear down the teeth to a comfortable level.
For this reason, you need to keep a large supply of chew toys on hand to divert them from what they shouldn’t chew. I use Bark Bites and Bark Branches from Pets Mart, and some of their other wooden Critter Kabob accessories. Avoid brands that proclaim to be flavored with fruit juices, since you don’t want to add sugar to their diet.
It helps to have the cage accessories made from wood instead of potentially fatal plastic, so avoid the cute Igloos and other plastic items in favor of wooden hutches. Some on-line vendors even offer wooden hay bins and pine tunnels. A terrific source for all of these things is Timali Toys at www.pet-chinchilla-toys.com/
Wood twigs make an EXCELLENT substitute for TREATS! If you find yourself wanting to spoil them with multiple treats a day, use the twigs instead of a food treat - your chinchillas will be just as happy to get a fresh chew stick. My favorite source for tasty twigs is www.keepyourchinup.com
If you find yourself wanting to spoil them with multiple treats a day, use the twigs instead of a food treat; they’ll be just as happy.
WATER
It should be mentioned that most tap water contains parasites that can affect your chin's intestinal tract adversely, causing diarrhea. Use bottled or filtered water and clean the water bottles thoroughly every day to help prevent bacteria build up.
I have a PUR 3 Stage Filter which I use to fill my water bottles. It works beautifully and cost about $35 at Wal-Mart.
The best water bottles I have found are the Lixit Glass 6 oz bottles, which you can find in the bird section at PetsMart. Glass is better than plastic for 2 reasons: plastic can (and will) be chewed, and glass inhibits the growth of bacteria more than plastic does.
Chinchillas consume very small amounts of water, only drinking 1-2 ounces per day. When you first get your chinchilla, or when you change water bottles, it's a good idea to use a semi-permanent marker to draw a line on the bottle to mark the water level. This way you can visibly tell if the chin is drinking. To test your bottle, tap your finger on the ball valve on the head of the spigot, and water should come out. Don't fill the bottle all the way to the top - leaving a small bubble of air at the top of the bottle helps the vaccuum to form properly.
Whichever bottle you find works best for you, be sure to clean it thoroughly every day, and refill it with fresh bottled or filtered water. Once a week, run it through the dishwasher or boil it in a pot like you would a baby's bottle. If you boil, remove the rubber ring inside the cap first.
DIETARY SUPPLIMENTS:
There are many reasons for choosing to supplement your chinchilla's diet. If your chin has recently been ill, or lost weight as a result of a food switch, you might want to consider a supplement as a health booster. There are quite a few good supplements available.
www.lonestarchinchilla.com makes a whole grain supplement that can really help your chin gain weight. It's got calf manna in it, though, which is best for only short term use, so you don't want to give this one long term. I recommend it after an illness or for a malnourished chin. (one who has been eating low quality pellets for a long time.)
Dawnna of Chocolate Chinchillas has developed a dietary suppliment she calls Lifeline. This one is specially formulated to help maintain digestive health. www.chocolatechinchillas.com
Lonestar Chinchilla also sells a whole oat supplement that can help stimulate your chins appetite! It is simply whole oats, unrolled.
If you choose to use a supplement, place the measured recommended amount in a seperate dish from the regular pellets. Placing the supplement in the same dish as food pellets will encourage the chin to dig through and sometimes even throw out his pellets, looking for the supplement. Suppliments are usually given only once or twice a week.
CHINCHILLA CAGES:
Chinchillas need plenty of room to leap around inside their cages. For this reason, you want to go with the largest cage you can afford to get. I personally recommend at least 24"x 24"x36" for a single chin, bigger for a pair. Vertical height is more important than width or length.
For anyone searching out great deals on top quality cages, here are a few top picks for size and quality.
The most recommended cage is the QUALITY CAGE Chinchilla Mansion(for 2 -3 chins) or at least the Chinchilla Townhome (for 1 chin). The main benefit to buying from Quality Cage is that the cage is ready to go, with wooden shelves and a nice deep metal pan at the bottom. No alterations are necessary.
qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=129_142_153
My personal favorite is the Midwest Ferret Nation cage system, available online from Ferret.com, and also can be purchased locally at your PetsMart. This cage measures a whopping 36"x25"x62" and features upper and lower double doors for easy cleaning! It does, however, come with plastic shelves and a shallow plastic litter pan at the bottom that both need to be replaced.
www.ferret.com/item/ferret-nation-habitat-model-142/
Some of the aviaries designed for hook bills are suitable in size and can be easily adapted to suit the needs of a chinchilla. Check the ebay store JM Exotics: stores.ebay.com/J-M-Exotics
for some nice aviaries. Choose "medium" size bird cages as a cage for a single chin.
Be careful of larger parrot cages where the bar spacing can be too wide to contain a sneaky chinchilla.
WARNING: C&C cages, (also called Cubes & Coroplast, which are made from storage grids) should NEVER be used as a chinchilla cage. Although they are perfectly fine to use for rabbits, guinea pigs, and even hedgehogs, chinchillas are completely unsuited for this type of housing. The bar spacing is too wide; I have heard of many cases where a chinchilla has gotten their entire head stuck between the square grid bars. In some cases, the owners were able to use a wire cutter to free their pet in time, but in other cases the frantic chinchillas accidentally snapped their own necks trying to get free! Also, chinchillas literally bounce off the walls of their cages while leaping from one level to the next. Broken legs can result from not having a solid enough surface to bounce off of. Also, most chin wheels are not adaptable to such large square bar spacing.
AQUARIUM TANKS should also NEVER be used for housing a chinchilla. Chins lack the ability to sweat, and need a good amount of airflow at all times. Air conditioning is REQUIRED for chinchillas - they need temperatures of 72 degrees or below.
SHELVING IDEAS:
The main problem with most chin cages that you can commercially purchase is usually either that they come with PLASTIC shelves, which can be fatal if chewed, or WIRE shelves, which can cause foot sores or even broken legs if the holes are big enough.
Most new owners unknowingly purchase an unsafe, too small cage, simply because it says "Chinchilla Cage" on the box. Don't fall into the trap of thinking "Well, I got it at Pets Mart, and it SAYS it's for chinchillas, so it must be safe!"
Nothing could be further from the truth. Think about the pet store mentality - if your pet dies, you replace it by spending more money at the pet store. Do they care how long it lives? No. It is, in fact, more profitable for them if it dies sooner rather than later.
This does not mean you have to throw out your cage; there are other options.
WIRE:
Some cages with wire shelves allow for the removal of the shelf completely. In this case, you can purchase nice, custom sized wood shelves from any number of sources. Quality Cage ( www.qualitycage.com ) sells replacement shelves for their cages, and you might get lucky enough to need the same dimensions. If not, you can have some made at Simply Chintastic:
www.simplychintastic.com
If your cage doesn't allow for the removal of the shelves, you can always use cage mats to give the chins "resting" places for their feet. Grassy mats are available at most major pet retailers.
Using these mats will reduce the strain on the chin's feet and make it less likely that your chin will injure itself on the wire.
Recently I’ve seen owners use a peice of untreated pine cut to size and simply placed on top of the wire shelves. Ingenious, and probably the cheaper solution, although it's certainly not as attractive as new shelves would be.
Another option, and one I recommend for at least a portion of EVERY cage, is to put down some Chin Chillers. They are marble slabs designed to help your chin stay cool. They DO NOT replace air conditioning (which is mandatory for chin owners) but can help in the short term with power outages or heat waves. Plus, the chins just love them. You can find them at most pet stores and also online at www.lonestarchinchilla.com
You may also check your local Home Depot to find larger marble tiles, like the kind you use for a floor. These can be a cheaper solution if you are needing more than one cool spot in the cage.
PLASTIC:
I can't stress enough that plastic shelves should be removed immediately, even if your chin shows no sign of chewing them at this point. Eventually they will figure out the shelves can be chewed, and it's so potentially fatal - why risk it?
Most plastic shelves are removable, so your best option there is to take them out immediately and begin replacing them with wooden shelves, either custom made from the links above, or even using a bunch of Leap N' Ledges and Sleep N' Ledges, which are also available from most pet retailers. No matter how many shelves you have, a few of these ledges are always a great addition, since a chin LOVES to leap.
BEDDING:
The best bedding (litter) in my opinion is ASPEN, which you can find at any pet store or feed store. It's soft and absorbant.
You can also use any brand of kiln-dried (high heat dried) Pine shavings, but it must say either kiln-dried or high heat dried on the package. The cheaper brands of pine bedding are NOT dried and have too much pine oil, which will cause respiratory issues for your animals.
CareFresh bedding is okay as long as your chin doesn't EAT it. Some chins will actually ingest the bedding, and since CareFresh is made to expand when wet, it can cause a fatal blockage in the intestinal tract. CareFresh is the most expensive bedding on the market, but not necessarily the best choice for safety.
NEVER use CEDAR bedding; it contains too many strong oils and will cause respiratory problems with any small animals, just like the undried pine shavings. Do not use newspaper for bedding; the chins will eat it and that is NOT good for them.
Whichever bedding you choose, be sure to change the entire litter area weekly and try to clean the "hot spots" daily. The cleaner your cage stays, the less your chances are for a URI, or upper respiratory infection.
A good solution for cleaning is a 50/50 vinegar and water mix. Super Pet also makes a spray cleaner called Cage Clean that works well, and there is also a brand called NIL ODOR, which I am very fond of.
CHINCHILLA WHEELS
I highly recommend having an exercise wheel to keep your chinchilla healthy and happy. A chinchilla needs a solid surface wheel that is going to be durable - they can hurt their feet or even break a leg on the wire wheels, and the plastic ones wear out in 3 months or less. Wheels with spokes should be avoided due to potential injuries. Also, any wheel should be 15” or more, so that the chinchilla is not forced to arch their backs too severely while running, which can also cause injuries.
There are basically three wheels that I can recommend for safety.
My favorite wheel is the Chin Spin from Quality Cage. It's $52 for the 15" wheel. (Don't get the 12" for a chin, it's not big enough.) Most people who have these SWEAR by them. I personally own two. They are wonderfully made and whisper quiet. This wheel will last the lifetime of your pet!
qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_19&products_id=1802
The Ed Wheel, available through ChinWorld, is very similar to the Chin Spin. It's about an inch or two narrower in the running surface, so if you are looking to save on cage space, you might want to go with the Ed. It is a bit pricier though, at $60 for the 14" wheel.
www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CW030012&Category_Code=CW03
The third is the Flying Saucer, also from Quality Cage. It's $70, and a marvel of design. It's supposed to be the best wheel for a chinchilla's back. However, some chins take a long time to get used to running on this odd wheel, and some never take to it at all. It also takes up more room in the cage than a conventional wheel, because of the unique design.
qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_19&products_id=1803
Whichever cage and wheel you end up with, you should also put a nice variety of toys and chews in it to keep the inquisitive mind of a chinchilla from boredom. Things like fleece hammocks, fleece tubes, hanging chew toys and chew sticks are a must. The more the better, or you're going to have a bored and restless pet on your hands.