If you were to ask a pet chinchilla owner if chinchillas make good pets, you'll probably get an earful of all the care and maintenance they require. Only after getting through a laundry list of items will the owner respond with, "Yes, we think chinchillas are great!" Admittedly, we're the same way.
Responsible pet owners want to make sure that you're truly ready for the responsibility of caring for a chinchilla. Not because we don't want you to have one, but because we care so much about them that we want all chinchillas to live in perfect homes. We've already presented our list of reasons why not to have a chinchilla, so now we're going to get in to the more positive aspects.
- First off, they're really cute combining the features of a rabbit (body), mouse (ears), and squirrel (tail).
- Their fur is the softest thing you'll probably ever touch.
- They're fun to watch when let loose from their cage as they'll run, hop, and bounce off of the walls.
- Once your chinchillas trust you, they will be happy to run over to you and crawl on your legs, arms, and even in to your shirt.
- They don't need to be taken outside like a dog.
- They don't need a huge area to live in like a cat and dog.
- They don't bark when you leave the house, chirp early in the morning, or scratch at your bedroom door at night.
- They don't smell (although the cage can if you don't clean it often).
- Chinchillas are generally healthy animals that usually don't need vet visits.
Can you think of any other items we missed? Feel free to mention them below.
Entries (RSS)
April 5th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Because of their dense fur they are great for people with allergies, i am allergic to many animals but have not been affected by my new chin at all!
March 29th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Daisy,
Sorry, we haven't come across any breeders in Washington State. We can't imagine there not being any. If you do come across one, please let us know so we update our chinchilla breeder list. Good luck!
March 28th, 2007 at 3:22 am
I'm considering getting a chinchilla but am having a hard time finding a breeder in Washington State around the Seattle area. I would like to get a baby that has been handled of course. I've only been able to find them at PetCo and I will NOT buy one there as I don't think they are very well taken care of and not handled enough. I would consider adopting one from a rescue.
If you have any info about breeders or rescues/havens in Washington please let me know.
I also would like to know if chinchillas and rabbits would be good companions? Could they live together if they get along?
Thanks a lot.
January 24th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Hi Debra,
A fan and cold plate are insufficient to adequately cool a chinchilla in a warm room. If a room is 80 degrees, it'll still be 80 degrees no matter how high you turn up the fan.
January 24th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I just got a chinchilla for christmas and I too have a cold house. My concern is the summer when the house gets too hot. I have a cold plate and wonder if that would be sufficient. I was thinking leave a small fan to circulate the air around the cage.