Chinchillas

Chinchillas are native to the Andes Mountains in Chile. They were slowly becoming extinct because of the value of their fur. Originally 11 chinchillas were brought into the United States in 1923 by Mathias Chapman. He established a breeding colony in California. All chinchillas in the U.S. trace their roots back to this original colony.

During the 1950?s breeding chinchillas for ?fun and profit? was a very trendy way to create a second income. By the 1960?s there were thousands of chinchilla ranches across the country. The problem with raising chinchillas for fur was that the animals were so cute many would-be entrepreneurs couldn?t bring themselves to "harvest" them.  Most people today care for their Chinchillas as pets. 

Diet

Chinchillas are herbivores. They are fed a pelleted alfalfa product. This should be supplemented with plenty Timothy Hay. Grains like oat groats, rolled oats, and wheat can also be given in limited amounts. Small quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables like carrots, apples, pears and bananas offer variety to the diet. A raisin or two once in a while is a great treat.

Supplementing their diet with a daily multi-vitamin in their food is recommended

Fresh water should always be available in a water bottle.

Housing

Chinchillas can best be kept in cages. They can be very active so a large can is essential. They enjoy climbing and jumping so the cage should have multiple levels.If the cage has a wire bottom there should be a solid floor in part of the cage so that the animal isn't constantly standing on wire.

A layer of bedding material should cover the bottom of the cage. A hiding space is essential.

Handling & Care

Chinchillas are fairly quiet, gentle animals that require very little care. If handled when they are young, they remain tame and docile with regular handling. They have a rather delicate rib cage so they must be handled with care to avoid injury

Slide your hand under the Chinchilla's chest and gently lift while supporting the hind end with the other hand. Cradle the animal next to your chest.

Be careful not to grab the fur. One of the Chinchillas' defenses is throw off hair. If a predator tries to bite a Chinchilla, the Chinchilla will release fur leaving the attacker with a mouthful of fur while the Chinchilla escapes.

Chinchillas need to dust bathe to maintain their luxurious coats. This is best accomplished by removing the animal from the cage and allowing them to dust bathe in a room that is easy to clean. Put the dust bath (volcanic ash) in an open container like a cat's litter pan. Fill the container about 1 inch deep with the dust.  Place the chinchilla near the pan and watch the fun. (Placing the litter pan in a dry bath tub, or shower stall makes for easier clean up.) Let the animal dust bathe for 15 -20 minutes once or twice a week.

Traditionally pine shavings have been used as bedding material for these animals, but recent studies indicate that the phenols in pine that cause their aroma,  also can lead to health problems in animals that have direct exposure over an extended period of time. Aspen bedding is a much better and safer choice. Never use cedar shavings for Chinchillas, as the phenols are very strong and cause serious respiratory, skin, coat and liver problems.