reasons for owning chinchilla

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beachy_keen

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Joined
Apr 24, 2009
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23
I recently saw a pic of a chinchilla and thought it's a rabbit/squirrel/hamster-I want one! But before I would really even think about owning a Chinchilla, I had a question.
-Why would you want to own a Chinchilla?
-What special needs does a Chinchilla need?
Thank-you!!!!!
 
Let's not forget they can live 15 -25 years!! A lot longer than your typical rabbit/squirrel/hamster, and have no smell if you clean the cage every week!
 
Chinchillas are fun loveable pets that can live 10 - 15 years and steal your heart quickly. They require a good size cage, a cool environment, and an owner who will take the time to play with and care for them always, not just for the first few months but for the next 10 - 15 years. And an owner who is capable to afford the equipment & vet bills should a problem arise.
 
beachy_keen said:
I recently saw a pic of a chinchilla and thought it's a rabbit/squirrel/hamster-I want one! But before I would really even think about owning a Chinchilla, I had a question.
-Why would you want to own a Chinchilla?
-What special needs does a Chinchilla need?
Thank-you!!!!!
Click to expand...

We have had hamsters, guinea pigs, iguanas -- you name it, we have had it. Chinchillas are by far the best ever and easiest. Here are some of the best reasons for owning a chinchilla:

They are Adorable.
They have personalities.
They are fun to watch and play with.
No messy baths. They bathe in dust and it's extremely entertaining to watch!
They don't get fleas -- their fur is too dense.
Their urine doesn't smell.
Their feces is dry, so if it falls out of the cage, you just vacuum it right up.
They eat pellets and hay -- very easy.

However, there are some things you need to know also:

They overheat if the temperature is too high. If you live in Arizona and don't have air conditioning, they won't make it.

Vet bills (as with any animal) can be costly and it could be difficult to find a Vet that has experience with chinchillas. (Although, my Vet says they are very similar to rabbits). My first chinchilla got an upper respitory infection that turned into pneumonia. He went from a sneeze to me rushing him to the Vet literally overnight. He stayed at the Vet for a whole week and they were unable to save him. It cost me $500 and I still lost him. It was the most heartbreaking thing.

Learn all you can about the animal. Do your research. Read the message boards on this forum and see some of the debates that have gone on. Follow the advice.

Read about rescuing vs. buying from a pet store vs. buying from a breeder. Although you're sure you would never ever think about breeding them, READ ABOUT BREEDING. I'll tell you right now, it will save you a world of trouble.

I guarantee that if you decide to go the chinchilla route, you will be come addicted. One will turn into two and then five. They will become your world.

Ok, I'm done now. LOL Good luck and let us know what you decide!
 
I 2nd, 3rd and 4th everything Dodgerchick has said. They are amazing pets, but despite their small size when things go wrong with them they tend to go really wrong so you need to have the means to care for them should that happen. They have wonderful personalities and make your heart smile just looking at them.
 
They're adorable and can make loving companions if you take the time to play with them and spend time with them every day. Plus, they're crazy entertaining when they're hopping around, taking dust baths, or just being chins...and about the cutest little things you'll ever see.

They do need constant work though- must be fed daily with the proper diet, and you can look around on these forums to learn what is best to feed a chin. You will NOT find the best information at a pet store, nor will you often find the right products- so you've come to the right place!
Must always have fresh water, room to jump and climb, safe things to chew (no plastics, laminates, wires etc. because they WILL CHEW) They need a room to run around in for a few hours of exercise each day, so you need to have the space to "chin-proof" a room.

Like has been said, they need to be kept cool...nothing above 75 for very long, but no cold drafts either.

They can be trained to pee in one area- but will poo EVERYWHERE! It's just little pellets, but you've got to be willing to have to pick up the trail a chin leaves behind.

Like most rodents, they don't usually work well with other pets. They do tend to work well with other chins, though.

The biggest thing to remember is: you HAVE to be willing to learn as much as physically possible before taking on a chin, and you've got to be willing to learn as you go.

Like I said, you've come to the right place, so good luck in your decision!
 
Thank-you everyone for this amazing help!! Chinchillas sound like they make great pets! I only have one other question about them: Can you be allergic to them? I'm allergic to cats so would Chinchilla fur have the same principle as cats fur? Anyway, thank-you again!! Now I just need to convince my parents....
 
Lots of fur and lots of dust flying around with chinchillas, but I don't know if the dander is the same as cats.
Maybe you can find someone locally who has chillas and just go hang out and hold them. If you are allergic, you should know pretty quickly.

On top of what everyone else already covered: chinchillas are awesome entertainment!
Chilla-vision is usually much better than television!
 
People own them, because they like them.

As far as special needs - That is what research is for. Please, do some before you buy a chinchilla. Start at the top of the chinchilla forum here, and go through each section. Read the FAQ's. Instead of expecting people to do the research for you, you will learn so much more reading about it and finding out about it yourself. Take notes, do some shopping, contact some breeders, then ask specific questions you couldn't find the answers for.

Your parents will be much more impressed as well, if you do the research yourself and can speak in an educated way about the animals themselves, and their care.
 
Why *I* wanted to own a chinchilla was really a combination of too much love for small fuzzy things, and seeing the first one I ever met being mistreated. I couldn't save all of them from the guy that has them, but I knew I could give at least one a much better home than he started out in.

As for the positives of owning a chinchilla: they're funny, goofy, cute, energetic, smart, inquisitive little guys that are fascinating to watch. Once the initial set up is complete and the animal adopted/purchased, they're not nearly as expensive to care for as a dog or cat (to the tune of $50/mo. for a chin or two v. $120/month for our 1 small dog). They're as affectionate, in many cases, as a cat or dog, but in a different way. A dog will walk up and lick your hand, drop a tennis ball, or ask to be petted. A cat will crawl into bed with you or into your lap. A chinchilla often won't do *that*, but they will groom you, climb on you, and generally include you in their little family in a rodenty way. They're a herd animal just like most other mammals, so a solid bond with a human or two is expected, if not the norm. I have one that never cuddled much until I had my wisdom teeth out in March; once the loopy pills wore off and I started cage maintenance again, he found any way he could to lean against my sore jaw and make little chipping noises in my ear-- I think he understood that the muscle was damaged and he wanted to help me feel better. This is the same chinchilla that, one night during a crying fit, I asked "Can mommy have cuddles? Please?" and sat on my shoulder for ten minutes, grooming my hair and sweat shirt. His 'brother', that same night, groomed a patch out of my eyebrow. That's chinchilla love; on their terms, in their specific ways, but incredibly touching when you get it.
 
If you are debating on buying a chinchilla see if there is a breeder near you that you can visit.
 
Most people aren't allergic to the chins themselves, however they do find themselves allergic to hay, dust, and/or bedding.

There's ways to cut down on such things though, by finding a more enclosed dusting area, using hay cubes instead of loose hay, and using a bedding that doesn't bother as much, such as fleece liners instead of carefresh or shavings.
 
Perhaps one of the reasons I became interested in chinchillas as pets is because I'm allergic to cats. Highly allergic. The primary allergen cats produce is a protein, Fel d1, produced in their saliva and secreted through glands on their skin. It is not found in chinchillas, or anything outside the feline family that I know of.

That was basically a really science-y way of saying cat allergies do not equal chinchilla allergies. However, their supplies (hay, dust) can be irritating, so I'd do a lot of research and try to spend time around these things to find out if they bother you.
 
They are adorable and I love owning them. But like everyone said, you need to committ to up to 20 years of the animal being alive, you have to constantly clean the cage and poop off the floor, there are alot of do's and don'ts and you need to know the don'ts to protect the chinchilla. You need to find a vet chinchilla specialist which is hard to do, and they can cost alot of money if something does go wrong. You have to watch them every second when they are out playing around, unless you have a safe enclosed area for them to play in, which I don't, so I have to sit in the room with them and take turns letting them out. You have to know the signs if one of them gets sick so you know how to take care of it or if it needs a vet's attention immediately.

Theres just so much, but from what everyone wrote, it think most of it has been covered.

Jean
 
OKay wasnt sure if this got totally answered or not..NO you should not be allergic to the animal itself since they do not have the dander that dogs and cats do..However if you have hay or dust allergies this may bother you..

Best bet is weeding through the info that is good from the bad..There are tons of both everywhere..My advice is find a REPUTABLE breeder in your area to educate you and answer you questions..Do not take ANYTHING you read on a forum or a book at 100%..Everyone has different 0pinions and methods..Most books are severly outdated and filled with out of date material..Including the ones you will find in librarys and pet stores..

Read FAQS then ask questions..If you have any..they do make great pets if all is done right from the begining. Which includes finding a proper exotic vet who knows about chins (which not all exotics do). Best solution to a problem is preventing it..And it is best to line a vet up who is qualified before you need one..
 
I've owned several types of pets including hamsters, rats, and mice. I would say that chins are similar, but also very different from other pets. One thing you really need to consider is that they chew CONSTANTLY! So in addition to always providing chew things (like apple sticks or wooden blocks), you will have to supervise their out-of-cage playtimes because they will take chunks out of your walls and skirting boards in one bite. Plus that means that you will have to assume by default that your chin will chew everything in its cage. So make sure if you do get one, that you find a cage that won't be torn apart by little incisors, and that everything will be safe if chewed (ie no plastic goods or poisonous woods).

Good luck with your decision. They are enchanting animals :)
 
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