We believe that people should make an informed decision before taking on the responsibility of caring for a chinchilla. Here are reasons to NOT get a chinchilla as a pet.
- Chinchillas are crepuscular which means they may not be awake when you are and they may make noise while you are trying to sleep.
- Chinchillas need attention, but they don't like to be picked up. This makes them less than ideal for young children.
- Chinchillas need to have their cage cleaned frequently for their own health and to keep it from smelling.
- Chinchillas will chew on everything including baseboards, doors, furniture, and wires. If you can't chinchilla-proof a room, you're going to be in for a lot of maintenance.
- Chinchillas can live up to 20 years which means a long-term commitment.
- You can't leave your chinchillas unattended for days while you travel.
- Chinchillas don't travel well. Their skittish nature means that travel will cause them stress.
- Chinchillas can overheat and die under conditions that you would find tolerable.
And in case you think we're anti-chinchilla (not true), check out our list of reasons to own a pet chinchilla.
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July 24th, 2007 at 6:29 am
Santi,
We don't think chinchillas make good pets for younger children. They are often skittish and aren't the ideal pet for constantly being held and played with.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:51 pm
My son is almost 8 and totally in love with the thought of owning a chinchilla though he has never had one or has any friends who have one. Are they good pets for younger children? It seems they dont like to be held for too long and there most active when he most likely would be asleep.
February 11th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Well, my sister has 2 cats and a dog which i don't even think i interact with but will i be able to go to school during early morning and early afternoon and come home and play with my chinchilla?
January 14th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Shelby,
A chinchilla probably isn't the best pet for a college-bound individual. Your schedule in college will likely be hectic both from an educational and social perspective. In addition, should you find yourself with roommates which isn't too uncommon, having a chinchilla may not be a good idea. We think you should wait until after you graduate. It sounds like you have plenty of pets to care for already!
January 13th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Oh, sorry, but I forgot to mention that I have 3 dogs, 1 cat and 4 hamsters. Do you think I would be getting into too much
Thanks again.