Basic Care
Understanding Their Needs
Chinchillas have specific care requirements that are essential to keeping them healthy and happy. Their care includes a spacious and secure enclosure, a high-fibre diet with constant access to fresh hay and water, regular dust baths, a cool and dry environment, safe enrichment and opportunities for exercise.
Regularly monitoring their behaviour, appetite and weight is also an important part of their care. Before bringing a chinchilla home, you should have a veterinarian experienced with exotic animals, including chinchillas, prepared in case veterinary care or an emergency arises.
Cage / Enclosure
Chinchillas are active animals that need plenty of space to run, jump and explore. A large cage is required to provide them with enough space to stay active and comfortable.
Recommended Cage
A cage we highly recommend is the double-unit MidWest Ferret Nation or Critter Nation. These cages provide plenty of vertical space while also being sturdy and easy to access for cleaning and daily care.
Important: The plastic pans that come with these cages should be replaced with replacement metal pans. Plastic should never be within a chinchilla's reach, as chinchillas are natural chewers and may chew and ingest plastic.
Flooring & Bedding
Chinchillas should never be required to live or walk directly on cage bars. Their feet can become injured, and legs can become caught between unsuitable bars, potentially causing serious injuries or fractures.
For flooring, we recommend metal pans as they are durable, chew-proof and easy to clean. For bedding, suitable options include kiln-dried pine shavings or anti-pill fleece liners.
Avoid plastic wherever possible, especially anywhere your chinchilla can reach and chew. When furnishing their cage, always choose safe wood, anti-pill fleece and metal instead of plastic or other unsafe materials.
Hiding Places
The cage should provide plenty of hiding places where your chinchilla can feel safe, rest and sleep. As prey animals, having places to retreat and hide is important for their sense of security.
Platforms & Ledges
Multiple ledges and platforms should be provided at different heights, using safe materials such as metal or kiln-dried pine. Chinchillas enjoy climbing and jumping, so having at least one safe house or platform higher up in the cage is highly recommended.
Enrichment
Other suitable enrichment can include anti-pill fleece hammocks, tunnels, bridges, lava ledges and safe wooden accessories. The goal is to create an interesting, secure environment with plenty of safe things to explore, climb, jump on and interact with.
Diet & Nutrition
A proper diet is one of the most important parts of keeping a chinchilla healthy. Chinchillas need a high-fibre diet based mainly on Timothy hay, with suitable chinchilla pellets as a supplement.
Timothy Hay
Timothy hay makes up the majority of your chinchilla's diet and should always be available. Fresh Timothy hay should be provided every day.
Remove and throw away the old hay before replacing it with fresh hay. Providing fresh Timothy hay daily is crucial because it encourages natural chewing, supports healthy digestion and helps wear down their continuously growing teeth.
Chinchilla Pellets
Pellets are made specifically for chinchillas and are used as a supplement to their hay-based diet.
Refill the pellets when needed, while keeping hay as the main part of their diet. Rabbit, guinea pig or other species' food is not suitable.
Fresh Water
Fresh, clean drinking water is available at all times.
Provide new water every day and throw away the old water rather than simply topping it up. Clean the water bottle regularly to keep the water supply hygienic.
Treats & Chewing
Candy and treats are not needed. Fresh vegetables, fruits and other unsuitable ingredients can upset a chinchilla's sensitive digestive system and can cause serious digestive problems.
Instead of treats, provide safe chew toys and materials made from appropriate wood. Suitable examples include kiln-dried pine, apple sticks and pear sticks. Chewing is important for dental health because chinchilla teeth grow continuously.
Temperature & Environment
Chinchillas are adapted to cool, dry environments and are highly sensitive to heat. Their dense fur makes it difficult for them to cool themselves, and overheating can quickly become life-threatening.
A temperature of approximately 10–18°C is recommended. Temperatures approaching 27°C or higher can cause heatstroke and may be fatal. Keep your chinchilla's environment cool, dry and well ventilated, and avoid direct sunlight, radiators, heaters and other sources of heat.
Humidity
Chinchillas should live in a cool, dry environment. High humidity can make it more difficult for them to regulate their body temperature and can cause moisture to become trapped in their dense fur.
Keep the environment dry and avoid placing the cage in damp or poorly ventilated areas.
Dust Baths
Chinchillas do not bathe in water. They clean their dense fur by rolling in specially formulated chinchilla dust, which absorbs excess oils and moisture from the coat.
A dust bath should be provided regularly, using high-quality dust specifically made for chinchillas. The dust should be fine enough to reach through their dense fur without damaging the coat or irritating the eyes and respiratory system.
Provide the dust bath for a limited amount of time and remove it afterwards. Leaving the dust bath inside the cage permanently can result in excessive dust, contamination and unnecessary exposure.
Never use water, sand, household dust or other unsuitable materials as a substitute for chinchilla dust.
Exercise & Enrichment
Chinchillas are active animals that need daily exercise and mental stimulation. A properly furnished cage provides opportunities to climb, jump, explore and stay active throughout the day.
Provide plenty of safe ledges, platforms, tunnels, bridges and wooden toys for your chinchilla to explore. Rotate suitable toys and accessories regularly to keep their environment interesting.
A chinchilla-safe exercise wheel can also provide additional exercise. The wheel must be large enough for a chinchilla to run with a straight back and have a solid running surface. Wheels with wire, mesh or open bars can cause serious injuries and must not be used.
If your chinchilla has supervised time outside the cage, the area must be completely chinchilla-proofed. Remove electrical cables, toxic plants, unsafe materials and anything else they could chew or ingest. Always supervise them closely during out-of-cage time.
Exercise and enrichment are essential for keeping chinchillas physically active, mentally stimulated and able to express their natural behaviours.
Social Needs & Companionship
Chinchillas are social animals and should live with at least one other compatible chinchilla. They naturally form social groups and benefit greatly from having another chinchilla as a companion.
There are exceptions where a chinchilla may need to live separately, such as when an individual is aggressive, seriously ill or giving birth. Any separation should be handled carefully, as chinchillas are naturally social animals.
Chinchillas often form strong bonds with each other and enjoy cuddling, sleeping and resting together. They are not naturally cuddly animals towards humans, however. While many chinchillas can become very comfortable with their owners and enjoy interaction, they generally prefer to interact on their own terms rather than being picked up or held.
Chinchillas are also intelligent animals and can become familiar with their owner's daily routine. They may adjust their activity and behaviour around the routines of the household, but they remain crepuscular, meaning they are naturally most active around dawn and dusk.
Dental Care
Chinchillas' teeth continuously grow throughout their entire lives. Regular chewing is therefore essential for keeping their teeth naturally worn down and healthy.
Timothy hay is essential for dental health and should always be available. The constant chewing involved in eating hay helps naturally wear down their continuously growing teeth.
Safe wooden chew toys are also highly valued by chinchillas and provide additional opportunities for natural chewing. Suitable options include apple sticks, pear sticks and other chinchilla-safe woods.
Providing plenty of appropriate chewing materials is an important part of preventing dental problems and maintaining healthy teeth.
Health & Veterinary Care
Chinchillas can be very good at hiding signs of illness, so knowing your chinchilla's normal behaviour is important. Small changes can sometimes be the first indication that something is wrong.
Pay attention to changes in appetite, drinking, droppings, weight, activity, behaviour and appearance. A chinchilla that suddenly becomes quiet, stops eating, loses weight or behaves unusually should never be ignored.
Regularly check your chinchilla's eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, fur, feet and overall condition so that any changes can be noticed early.
Finding an experienced exotic-animal veterinarian before you need one is an important part of responsible chinchilla ownership. Chinchillas can deteriorate quickly when they become seriously ill, so prompt veterinary attention is important when something is clearly wrong.
Keeping a record of your chinchilla's weight and any changes in behaviour or health can also make it easier to notice problems early and provide useful information if veterinary care is needed.
Cleaning & Hygiene
Keeping your chinchilla's cage and environment clean and hygienic is an important part of maintaining their health and wellbeing. A regular cleaning routine helps provide a comfortable, healthy environment.
We clean out our chinchillas' cages every day. Old water, hay, pellets and soiled bedding are removed and replaced with fresh supplies.
Shelves, platforms and ledges are also checked daily and vacuumed when needed to remove loose hay, dust, fur and other debris.
Weight Monitoring
Keeping track of your chinchilla's weight is essential and is your responsibility as an owner. Regular weighing can provide valuable information about your chinchilla's health and can help you notice changes before other signs become obvious.
Weight loss can be a sign that a chinchilla is unwell and should never be ignored. Knowing your chinchilla's normal weight makes it easier to recognize when something has changed.
For females used in breeding, gradual weight gain can also be an indication of pregnancy. Keeping accurate weight records can therefore be particularly useful when monitoring a breeding female.
We recommend weighing your chinchilla regularly and keeping a record of their weight so that changes can be identified over time.
Daily Checklist
Throw away the old water and provide fresh, clean water.
Remove the old hay and provide fresh Timothy hay.
Check the pellet supply and refill when needed.
Remove old hay, food and soiled bedding and replace with fresh supplies.
Check shelves, platforms and ledges and vacuum them clean of debris.
Take a moment to observe your chinchilla. Check their behaviour, activity, appetite and general appearance.
Daily care is not just about providing food and cleaning the cage. Taking the time to observe your chinchilla is an important part of responsible ownership. A consistent routine helps ensure their basic needs are met and allows you to notice changes in their health or behaviour.
Final Reminder
Owning a chinchilla is a long-term commitment and a responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Chinchillas can live for many years and depend entirely on their owners for their care, safety and wellbeing.
They require proper housing, a suitable diet, companionship, daily care, patience and attention throughout their lives. They are not low-maintenance pets and should never be brought home on impulse.
Do your research, understand their needs and make sure you are fully prepared before bringing a chinchilla into your home. A chinchilla is a living animal, not a temporary toy or passing interest.