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Rachael

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2024
Messages
7
Location
Surrey
Hello I am Rachael and I am new here. Came on to get as much information as possible about chinchillas as my Son is getting one for his next birthday in August, he will be 13 (I will oversee all its care).
Wanted to get advise on everything, like where to get one, best cage, essentials, common health problems, insurance, how to settle a chin in a lively household etc. So all the information you can give me will be greatly appreciated!
 
Where to get one really depends on where you live, but go with a breeder not a big box pet store like petsmart, petco, petland, etc. The ones in pet stores are often from breeding mills and they don't tend to know how to properly care for them in store so genetic issues from poor breeding are more common as well as getting a sick or one that has ingested something they shouldn't at the store are much higher.

The best cage is the Ferret Nation cage, but the Critter Nation is a good cage too, a single unit one is big enough for one chin, but bigger is almost always better so if you can afford the double unit I would go with that. The difference is the bars, the FN has mostly vertical bars that are 1" apart, that is the max spacing that can contain an adult chinchilla. The CN has mostly horizontal bar that are 1/2" apart, which is good for younger chinchillas, like those under 4-6 months since they are often still small enough to squeeze out of 1" bars. Also the CN is better if you have young kids or other animals in the house that might stick things in the cage or try to paw at the chinchilla through the bars. The FN is sturdier though, so if you prefer that one you can also cover it in hardware cloth until the kit is bigger.

The absolute essentials would be, a ceramic or metal food bowl, hay holder, glass water bottle, a hideout house, dust bath and dust, wood toys to chew on, a good quality pellet only food, hay, and bedding (either fleece cage liners or aspen shavings). If you have questions about brands or if something is chin safe, just ask, but to start you off, for food the Oxbow Chinchilla Essentials food (NOT the other formulas) is one of the best foods and easily found in stores. I know there is a lot of misinformation online, but chins should not have any fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, animals products (milk, eggs, meat, bone, hide, etc), or sugars. Good treats for them are things like certain dried flowers, leaves, herbs.
InkedTreat list_LI.jpg
Another essential is an AC unit, unless where you live never ever gets above about 70F/20C even on the hottest day of the year, and low humidity, then you need an AC to keep the room the cool and dry enough, or the chin could get sick and die. Ideal comfortable temp for chins is about 50-70F (10-20C) much below that and depending on age and health they can get chilly (though most can handle much colder), and much above that they can overheat and die.
Other things that are nice to have would be shelving, ledges, and perches to jump around on, fleece hammocks, a variety of hanging and toss toys (different types of wood, palm leaf, lave rock, bamboo, hay shapes, etc), tunnels (metal, wood, or ceramic), cooling stones (either the granite "Chin Chillers" or even granite tiles work) a chin safe wheel which unfortunately aren't sold in stores (needs to be at least 15" and solid metal).
This is an old photo of my cage (it's a double Ferret Nation but modified) during Christmas, but to give you some ideas https://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/threads/christmas-cage-decor.35946/ Depending on your house if you can't chin proof a room for them you can use pet fencing or playpens to make a chin safe area for play, but keep in mind chins can jump 5-6 feet if they want to so things like fencing can often work better to fence off things rather then to contain the chin. Also chins can, and almost 100% of the time will, chew on anything and everything if given the chance so you need to make sure there is nothing they shouldn't chew on accessible (also keep that in mind if going with fleece liners and hammocks, although most chins don't chew on them some do, making them unsafe to use). Similar to a young toddler chins put everything in their mouths and chewing on things is not something that they can really be trained not to do, and since they need to chew to wear down their ever growing teeth discouraging chewing is not a good idea.

With proper care, and barring genetic issues, chins are generally pretty healthy. The most common issues, especially if you get the chin from a pet store, are giardia and ringworm. They can also get bumble foot, which is an infection of the feet if not kept in a clean cage or if kept on metal mesh or wire floor that aren't properly cleaned (mesh and wire floors and ladder/ramps also increase the risk of broken toes, feet, and legs). Aside from that, heart murmurs are not uncommon in chins, most are mild and the chins can live perfectly normal lives without any issue though, and poor breeding (as well as injury or poor care) can cause misaligned teeth, known as malocclusion or "malo" for short. They can also get diarrhea and bloat if fed inappropriate food or the food is changed or introduced too quickly. They are also prone to diabetes, tooth decay, and obesity if feed too much sugar in their diet, they didn't evolve to digest a lot of sugar and there is already sugars in their pellets, hay, and in the bark of wood they chew. Male chins can also get hair rings (shed fur tangled around their penis), most take care of it themselves but sometimes may need help removing it, more common in young or breeding males, or ones that are sick or injured.

As far as insurance there isn't much available for chinchillas, very few actually accept chinchillas and even those that do don't cover anything genetic like heart murmurs, and malo. Personally I just go with a savings account and have a credit card I can use in case of emergency. Chins don't need any regular vet care like a cat or dog, but it's a good idea to get them seen by a vet at least for a wellness exam when you get them so they are in the system as a patient. Yearly wellness exams are advised, especially for new owners since chins are good at hiding they have an issue, but depending on where you live and how stressed it makes your chin you may need to figure out what is best for you and your chin. Not all vets will even see chinchillas either, they are considered an exotic, so it's a good idea to find one before you need one, and ideally try to find a place that will see them in an emergency (after hours and/or on weekends, or if your normal vet is busy) too.

Settling in to a new house really comes down to the chinchilla and your household. It takes most chinchillas at least a week or two to get use to a new home, but up to a month is not uncommon depending one where you got them and their own personality. Just like humans some chins are more outgoing and social, others are more fearful, and everything in between. If possible try to let the chin come to you rather then grabbing it out of the cage, with chins you have to earn their trust, so if you grab them or chase them it's just proving to them that you are not to be trusted. For the first week or so just spend time sitting by the cage, talking, reading aloud, and singing can all help get the chin use to your voice. You can also give the chin something every time you come in the room, try to limit treats to no more then one a day, but you can give chew sticks, hand them pellets or bits of hay, small toss toys, etc, to get them a positive association with you coming into the room. One advantage of going with something like the double FN or CN vs a single is you can close off the middle floor so you can clean one unit while the chin is safely secure in the other if the chin isn't comfortable with handling yet or you don't have someone to watch the chin or somewhere to put them while you clean the cage. Personally I have a small cage I put my chin in while I clean his cage, it also has his dust bath in it so he can bathe while I clean is cage.
 
Wow, thankyou so much for your amazing advise! I really appreciate it!

The cage I am looking at is...
Amazon-

PawHut Ferret Cage Rolling Small Animal Cage 4 Levels Pet Cage 136cm Height for Chinchillas, Squirrels with 3 Doors, Storage Shelf, Tray, Bowl, Water Bottle, Ramps - Charcoal Grey below.

I understand I would need to put some fleece on the bottom as it is wire and wouldn't want to hurt any little feet.

Would this cage be suitable?
Size wise we are looking at a max 45cm D and 60cm L. So a little tight but if you are able to find another more suitable one I would be thrilled! Cost up to £175.
I have found an insurance company called britishpetinsurance as they cover exotics up to £3000, would that be a safe bet?
Can you recommend any repeatable breeders in UK, Surrey?
we also have a dog, she is a 2 year old miniature labradoodle and she does spend a lot of time in my sons room with him and he has her in with him whilst he falls asleep (I take her out when I go to bed) she is very inquisitive little girl so I have no doubt she will be interested in the chin but we have guinea pigs who live in the lounge and she is very good with them and I think she does consider them as family and watches out for them. Would I need to put an extra layer of something between her and the chin cage or would it be OK for her to have a sniff through the bars?
A/C wise, unfortunatly i can not afford an A/C unit but my sons room is actually naturally fairly cool, i will be getting a baby monitor to keep track of the temperature but will be buying the cooling tiles.
Are wooden or plastic wheels suitable or does it need to be metal? If so which specific wheel is best for them?
Can they really have NO veg or fruit?? I thought a little amount of veg was alright for them?
I can't think of anything else right now but I am sure I will do 😆









 
The cage can be made into an ok cage with some modifications, not great but it's about the bare minimum size for a single chin, ideally you want at least 365 cubic cm of space, and ideally about 60cm x 90cm of floor space. You can make it work though since the cage is tall, so long as he is out to play and run in a chin proofed area regularly. You don't want any plastic in the cage at all, that includes those shelves and the middle floor, chins will chew and eat it, causing a blockage and/or cut up their gut if swallowed. If the chin you get doesn't chew on the fleece you can make covers to go over the plastic though to protect it from being chewed on. Most chins don't chew on fleece but some do, and if they do it's no longer considered safe to use since it's not edible or digestible, so it can cause a blockage if enough is swallowed. The ramps are not safe, they are plastic and the middle ramp style commonly catch toes and end up with the chins breaking a foot, leg, dislocating their hip or leg, and/or even end up hanging from a leg. You can add ledges and perches, spaced about 6" apart or less, for the chin to hop from one level to another, they hop more then walk anyway so it's more natural.

I don't know what vet costs are like in the UK, but I advise people to have at least a couple thousand dollars on hand, which converted to pounds would be around £1,500 so £3000 sounds good, so long as it covers everything (I didn't look up that insurance company).

I don't know any breeders in the UK so I can't help there either. I know there at least use to be some UK people on this forum in the past.

It's best if they dog doesn't have any physical contact with the chinchilla, they can carry bacteria in their saliva that can make the chin sick or even die. So long as the dog just sniffs and doesn't try to lick the chinchilla or the cage you should be ok, but putting a fencing around the cage isn't a bad idea. I have two dogs, they ignore the cage for the most part, but they are not allowed in the room with the chinchilla cage unless I am home and awake.

The cooling tiles are really only useful for additional cooling in an already cool room, like after they have been running around, and only if the chin actually sits on them which not all chins will do even if they are overheating. However with a wire bottom cage that needs to be covered anyway, one option to cover it is to cover it in tile, that kind of forces the chin to sit on the tile. The easiest way to do that is get a piece of corrugated plastic and then get tiles cut to fit the floor. Chins don't nest so bedding is really only for absorbing their pee. Many chin will use a small pan filled with shavings for peeing in, so no need to cover the whole floor.

Plastic wheels are a big no for the reason already mentioned as well as most are not big enough, and wood would likely get chewed on as well and could end up getting peed on, ruining it. Since you live in the UK, Tic Tac Wheels makes good quality metal wheels for chins, https://www.tictacwheels.co.uk/metal-wheels If you can't afford a wheel right away it's ok they are not required, they are just something fun like a swing set for a kid, so not having a wheel is better then using an unsafe one. Wheels under 15" can cause the chin's back to bend backwards, which puts pressure on their spine leading to back injury over time. Also wheels are not recommended until the chin is at least 6 months to a year anyway since kits can over do it, so if you get a kit you'll have time to save up if needed. Use of a wheel should even be monitored for adults, some over do it and can lose weight, which reminds me of something else that is advised to get, a small scale that weighs in grams. It's a good idea to keep a weight record on the chin, since they hide illness so well weight loss is often the first sign something is wrong with them.

Unfortunately a lot of people, many vets included, lump chinchillas together with guinea pigs and rabbits, but they are from a completely different natural habitat. Chinchillas are from high elevation where there are no fruits (beside cactus), and no vegetables, so the types of fruits and veggies we would normally eat are way way too high in sugars for chinchillas.
This is photos of the natural habitat of wild chins
chinchillawild.jpg
The only "fruit" considered ok are rose hips, hawthorn berries, and very occasionally (one a month at most) a single goji berry. Fresh plants of any kind, fruit, veggies, and even fresh grass, flowers, and herbs are all a big no as well, they can cause gut issues. Even dried the sugar content in fruit and vegetables can still cause things like, gut issues and seizures right away, as well as diabetes, liver and kidney failure, and tooth decay over time. The average lifespan of a chin fed fruits and veggies in their diet is only around 5-10 years, whereas with good care and a simple diet of pellets, hay, and water, with dried herbs and flowers as treats (treats are not a required part of the diet, unless you ask the chin 😉 ) the average is about 15-20 years, with some even live well into their 20s. Think of fruits and veggies like junk food for chins, although it might not kill them right away and some may appear fine for years, especially if they are young (giving people the idea that it's fine), it's similar to how some people can eat junk food for years, but that doesn't mean it's good for them or that it's not doing any harm.
 
The cage can be made into an ok cage with some modifications, not great but it's about the bare minimum size for a single chin, ideally you want at least 365 cubic cm of space, and ideally about 60cm x 90cm of floor space. You can make it work though since the cage is tall, so long as he is out to play and run in a chin proofed area regularly. You don't want any plastic in the cage at all, that includes those shelves and the middle floor, chins will chew and eat it, causing a blockage and/or cut up their gut if swallowed. If the chin you get doesn't chew on the fleece you can make covers to go over the plastic though to protect it from being chewed on. Most chins don't chew on fleece but some do, and if they do it's no longer considered safe to use since it's not edible or digestible, so it can cause a blockage if enough is swallowed. The ramps are not safe, they are plastic and the middle ramp style commonly catch toes and end up with the chins breaking a foot, leg, dislocating their hip or leg, and/or even end up hanging from a leg. You can add ledges and perches, spaced about 6" apart or less, for the chin to hop from one level to another, they hop more then walk anyway so it's more natural.

I don't know what vet costs are like in the UK, but I advise people to have at least a couple thousand dollars on hand, which converted to pounds would be around £1,500 so £3000 sounds good, so long as it covers everything (I didn't look up that insurance company).

I don't know any breeders in the UK so I can't help there either. I know there at least use to be some UK people on this forum in the past.

It's best if they dog doesn't have any physical contact with the chinchilla, they can carry bacteria in their saliva that can make the chin sick or even die. So long as the dog just sniffs and doesn't try to lick the chinchilla or the cage you should be ok, but putting a fencing around the cage isn't a bad idea. I have two dogs, they ignore the cage for the most part, but they are not allowed in the room with the chinchilla cage unless I am home and awake.

The cooling tiles are really only useful for additional cooling in an already cool room, like after they have been running around, and only if the chin actually sits on them which not all chins will do even if they are overheating. However with a wire bottom cage that needs to be covered anyway, one option to cover it is to cover it in tile, that kind of forces the chin to sit on the tile. The easiest way to do that is get a piece of corrugated plastic and then get tiles cut to fit the floor. Chins don't nest so bedding is really only for absorbing their pee. Many chin will use a small pan filled with shavings for peeing in, so no need to cover the whole floor.

Plastic wheels are a big no for the reason already mentioned as well as most are not big enough, and wood would likely get chewed on as well and could end up getting peed on, ruining it. Since you live in the UK, Tic Tac Wheels makes good quality metal wheels for chins, https://www.tictacwheels.co.uk/metal-wheels If you can't afford a wheel right away it's ok they are not required, they are just something fun like a swing set for a kid, so not having a wheel is better then using an unsafe one. Wheels under 15" can cause the chin's back to bend backwards, which puts pressure on their spine leading to back injury over time. Also wheels are not recommended until the chin is at least 6 months to a year anyway since kits can over do it, so if you get a kit you'll have time to save up if needed. Use of a wheel should even be monitored for adults, some over do it and can lose weight, which reminds me of something else that is advised to get, a small scale that weighs in grams. It's a good idea to keep a weight record on the chin, since they hide illness so well weight loss is often the first sign something is wrong with them.

Unfortunately a lot of people, many vets included, lump chinchillas together with guinea pigs and rabbits, but they are from a completely different natural habitat. Chinchillas are from high elevation where there are no fruits (beside cactus), and no vegetables, so the types of fruits and veggies we would normally eat are way way too high in sugars for chinchillas.
This is photos of the natural habitat of wild chins
View attachment 22240
The only "fruit" considered ok are rose hips, hawthorn berries, and very occasionally (one a month at most) a single goji berry. Fresh plants of any kind, fruit, veggies, and even fresh grass, flowers, and herbs are all a big no as well, they can cause gut issues. Even dried the sugar content in fruit and vegetables can still cause things like, gut issues and seizures right away, as well as diabetes, liver and kidney failure, and tooth decay over time. The average lifespan of a chin fed fruits and veggies in their diet is only around 5-10 years, whereas with good care and a simple diet of pellets, hay, and water, with dried herbs and flowers as treats (treats are not a required part of the diet, unless you ask the chin 😉 ) the average is about 15-20 years, with some even live well into their 20s. Think of fruits and veggies like junk food for chins, although it might not kill them right away and some may appear fine for years, especially if they are young (giving people the idea that it's fine), it's similar to how some people can eat junk food for years, but that doesn't mean it's good for them or that it's not doing any harm.
Hiya, thankyou so much for your advise!
I think realistically this is the only cage that is going to fit our space as it will be going in my Sons room.
The only other one I have found is the

Amazon- PawHut Small Animal Cage with Wheels Pet Home for Chinchillas Ferrets Kittens, with Hammock, 4 Platforms, Removable Tray, Grey


think this is very similar though? Except it doesn't have a wire floor? And comes with a Hammock.
I am fully willing to make any modifications needed so that's no problem and your idea of putting cooling slabs at the bottom is great!
If I were to take out the shelves and put sping boards in would that be OK, he could have a little hanging hut?
 
I would definitely go with the first one you linked, small doors on the cage suck for cleaning, adding things to the cage, and accessing the chin. Also that hammock is unfortunately not chin safe so not really useful at all. The only fabric that is ok is antipill fleece, that includes all edging and straps too. Unlike other fabric if chewed fleece doesn't unravel into strings or rip and shred, so you can notice and remove it before too much has been swallowed to cause a problem.

I'm not sure what you mean by sping boards, but wood boards are great, they double as something for the chin to chew on.

Just another thing I wanted to add, chins are very social animals that naturally live in herds and are roughly as smart as a young toddler or a small parrot. So they do require at least a couple hours of attention everyday (ideally a lot more) especially if you only get one since the humans are their entire social circle. There are some people that feel, similar to guinea pigs, chins shouldn't be kept as singles, but personally I think they can be fine with just humans so long as you give them enough attention, but do agree that even having another chin around is almost always beneficial. It doesn't have to be hours of out of cage time (which is not really realistic anyway since they need to be supervised the whole time they are out), just hanging out with them is including in that time. It's just something to keep in mind if your son likes to go out with friends especially with him getting into his teenage years.
 
I would definitely go with the first one you linked, small doors on the cage suck for cleaning, adding things to the cage, and accessing the chin. Also that hammock is unfortunately not chin safe so not really useful at all. The only fabric that is ok is antipill fleece, that includes all edging and straps too. Unlike other fabric if chewed fleece doesn't unravel into strings or rip and shred, so you can notice and remove it before too much has been swallowed to cause a problem.

I'm not sure what you mean by sping boards, but wood boards are great, they double as something for the chin to chew on.

Just another thing I wanted to add, chins are very social animals that naturally live in herds and are roughly as smart as a young toddler or a small parrot. So they do require at least a couple hours of attention everyday (ideally a lot more) especially if you only get one since the humans are their entire social circle. There are some people that feel, similar to guinea pigs, chins shouldn't be kept as singles, but personally I think they can be fine with just humans so long as you give them enough attention, but do agree that even having another chin around is almost always beneficial. It doesn't have to be hours of out of cage time (which is not really realistic anyway since they need to be supervised the whole time they are out), just hanging out with them is including in that time. It's just something to keep in mind if your son likes to go out with friends especially with him getting into his teenage years.
Ok, Have also found Paul Spooner online he makes chin cages, would they be better do you think?
My Son is actually autistic and so far does not really have a big social circle (obviously this may change) as he does not go to main stream school.
I will also go in and sit with him and talk/read to him during the day so I am sure he will get plenty of attention.
We are going to chin proof his room so that he can have him out for some time when the dog is not in there.
 
I had to look up Paul Spooner, http://www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/cages.html is that the one? If so those style cages are ok, I had similar cages with my chins growing up (back in the 90s), the biggest issue is the small doors. I guess it depends on how flexible you are, but I find adding things like toys or rearranging the shelving and cleaning with small doors can be hard, and getting the chin out can be a pain. It does say they can make the doors to suit though, so you could see if they can make larger doors to solve that problem. Also make sure you either get the stand or put the cage up on something, they prefer to be up high, ideally being able to get eye level with humans in the cage if they can, being on the floor all the time can stress them out, I would say at least 30cm off the floor is enough (my cage is about 40cm off the floor). I also wouldn't go with the single listed on the page, breeders claim it's fine but it's like living in hotel room. The smallest I would go would be this one http://www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/36x18x24.jpg but the one that looks the best is this one http://www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/chilloptions.html

I completely forgot (your post reminded me) but another brand I've heard very good things about in the UK that are similar is the Thickets House cages. I'm only able to find the ebay store but these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?i...id=p4429486.m3561.l161211&_ssn=thickets.house
I would go with the tall one personally, it's ok size (45cm x 60cm x 90cm) and has a nice big door, add some more ledges and shelves maybe a hammock or two and it could be a good cage. Chins like to go high but a fall of more then about 15cm for a kit or 30cm for an adult can seriously hurt or kill them if they land wrong, so you need to overlap with shelves and hammocks.
 
I had to look up Paul Spooner, http://www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/cages.html is that the one? If so those style cages are ok, I had similar cages with my chins growing up (back in the 90s), the biggest issue is the small doors. I guess it depends on how flexible you are, but I find adding things like toys or rearranging the shelving and cleaning with small doors can be hard, and getting the chin out can be a pain. It does say they can make the doors to suit though, so you could see if they can make larger doors to solve that problem. Also make sure you either get the stand or put the cage up on something, they prefer to be up high, ideally being able to get eye level with humans in the cage if they can, being on the floor all the time can stress them out, I would say at least 30cm off the floor is enough (my cage is about 40cm off the floor). I also wouldn't go with the single listed on the page, breeders claim it's fine but it's like living in hotel room. The smallest I would go would be this one http://www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/36x18x24.jpg but the one that looks the best is this one http://www.paulspoonerchinchillas.co.uk/chilloptions.html

I completely forgot (your post reminded me) but another brand I've heard very good things about in the UK that are similar is the Thickets House cages. I'm only able to find the ebay store but these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?i...id=p4429486.m3561.l161211&_ssn=thickets.house
I would go with the tall one personally, it's ok size (45cm x 60cm x 90cm) and has a nice big door, add some more ledges and shelves maybe a hammock or two and it could be a good cage. Chins like to go high but a fall of more then about 15cm for a kit or 30cm for an adult can seriously hurt or kill them if they land wrong, so you need to overlap with shelves and hammocks.
OK will go with the original one then and modify it with ledges and a tunnel and bits for him.
We have bought a digital thermometer to see what temperature and humidity is like in my sons room and will take a log each day and if need be will have to get a portable air conditioning unit for Bean.
 
Would this be suitable as a potty?-

GreenLife Healthy Ceramic Non-Stick 33 cm x 23 cm Rectangular Cake Baking Tin, PFAS-Free, Turquoise​

1710441313571.png
A
 
Would this be suitable as a potty?-

GreenLife Healthy Ceramic Non-Stick 33 cm x 23 cm Rectangular Cake Baking Tin, PFAS-Free, Turquoise​

View attachment 22241
A
That should work fine, use a 20cm x 28 cm glass baking dish and it's plenty big enough (you just needs to be at least 20cm x 20cm). I don't know how much you have read about potty training chins, but just know it's not like litter training a cat or even a rabbit, not all chins catch on to the idea and many don't use it 100% of the time. Most chins pick a spot were they pee the most, normally a corner, and you put the pan of shavings there. So it's really more a case of they pee in it because it happens to be in the spot they want to pee rather then actual "potty training" as well as if they are use to peeing on shavings that is the only place that has them. If they don't use it you can try to encourage them to buy soaking up the pee with some shavings and putting it in the pan, also don't clean the pan for the first couple weeks, you can change the shavings but you want the pan to still have pee smell. Most seem to catch on eventually, but some don't, and some just decide one day they don't want to pee in a pan anymore. They can't control their poop though, and poop about once a minute when awake (couple hundred poos a day), so although some will end up in the pan it will also end up everywhere. Their poop should be dry and odorless though, so it's easy to just sweep or vacuum up.
 
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