One of the questions that we're asked is whether it is safe to take a chinchilla on trips. Our general response is that taking your chinchilla on your travels is a bad idea.
The reasons for our response are many. Here are the top reasons to NOT travel with your chinchilla:
- Chinchillas are skittish to begin with. Moving them outside of their familiar surroundings can cause them great stress.
- If you move them very frequently, they may learn to associate your presence with the move and thus stopping trusting you.
- You don't have as much control with the environment when you travel. As a result, you may put your chinchillas in situations where the temperature and/or humidity are high enough to kill them.
- The more moving, the more likely your chinchillas will become physically harmed e.g. broken leg.
We also understand that sometimes you have no choice but to take your chinchilla with you. Breeders that attend shows are obviously taking their chinchillas to different locations with no ill-effects. So it is quite possible to do successfully. We do hope that you'll carefully examine your plans and make sure that at all stages you've considered the implications to your chinchillas.
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Hi! I am in middle school right now and will be moving to california soon. I live in Maryland right now which is all the way across the country! I love my chinchillas way to much to leave them or sell them, but i cannot seem to find an airline that is chinchilla-friendly! A little help, please?
I moved from Indiana to California and I had to send my Chinchilla Chile on American Airlines and they charged me $200.00
Hi! I have a chinchilla and my uncle has been taking take of it for me when i moved with my mom (divorced parents). And he said that i can take him for the week to her house (4 hours away, driving) for a week to see if he likes it there. And then bring him back a week later. would this be too much stress for him? I don't want to do it if it is going to harm him. Thanks for the help
-maggie and chico!
I am flying from Indiana to California and I called American Airlines about bringing my chinchilla Chile onto the airplane with me and they said only cats and dogs in the cabin with you and it would be $100.00 to take a cat or a dog on the airplane and they said they would let the chinchilla onto the airplane but it would not be able to ride with me it would be in the back ot the airplane and they said they would charge me $200.00 for him to be on the airplane!!!!
I've been thinking about a chinchilla to and I really want one.But my dad is in the army and after our three years in Hawaii we well be going back to the mainland.I want to know if I should wait tell I get back on the mainland before I get a chinchilla.Or will it be okay for them to tavel on the plan.I just want the best for my future chinchilla(s).
Wait till you get back! I am trying to move to Hawaii with my 2 chinchilla's and will then need to move them back to the mainland 6 months later. Few airlines will carry them, and those that do seem to be $200 dollars at the lowest. Alaska Cargo, and Delta tend to be the cheapest to bring them but It is crazy dealing with all the airlines, not to mention the stress on the chinchilla's. I suggest just wait.
Hey everyone, what about if flying is your only way of travel? I am also hoping they well let me keep him in his carrier on my lap. But its a big flight from Florida to California...any tips ?
I've been thinking about getting chinchilla's, and then taking them with me to a chinchilla-friendly college when the time comes (I'm in middle school right now). But the drive there would be 13 and a half hourse long, and I'm not sure about the plane ride. Should I not even bother, drive, or fly?
Hi Delilah,
I am impressed that you are thinking so far ahead in the future. When the time comes for college and a 13 hour ride, I would definitely suggest driving. I drove my chinchillas from NJ to CA and they were just fine. You may have to consider that almost all colleges will not be chinchilla or pet friendly unless you live in an off-campus apartment, which even then often do not allow pets. I got my chinchilla in college, I just kind of hid it in my dorm room and never got caught lol. Good luck with the process!
Steph
Hey Delilah,
I actually was faced with an incredibly similar problem to yours when my university cut the program that I was in and I was forced to move (I was going to the university in my home city and in order to find a similar program I ended up having to move several hours away). I'd say that driving is definitely your best bet for getting the little guy out there and then if you visit home periodically you can fly and just make sure your chin has a lot of food and water to keep him satisfied for the weekend. As for living accomodations, I skipped out on res because I hate the party atmosphere and I need my own space, so if you're considering getting on off-campus apartment look into the larger property companies as well as individual renters, and even if you find a place that says "no pets" be sure to ask. An animal that is kept caged (Except for a little daily run-around) usually isn't a big deal. The reason people say "no pets" is because cats and dogs are unpredictable to landlords and have the potential to make a mess on carpets, as well as when people move out the landlord usually has to make sure that there are no fleas or anything left behind which can come asa huge cost to them. Some places also offer pet accomodation for a "pet fee". This is why I chose my apartment, but lucky for me when I told them about my circumstances (I have a Chin, two goldfish, and am looking at getting another chin or a bunny) they told me to just check off "no pets" on my lease and not worry about the fee so long as I didn't leave a pet mess behind when I moved out.
Best of luck! I hope you enjoy your chin. Out of all of the pets I've had over the years (And I grew up in a house full of pets, so I've had a lot) my little Edgar is my favourite because he's so feisty and fun.