Chinchilla

Is a chinchilla right for you?

The chinchilla is a rodent from the cool, dry heights of the Andes with one of the densest coats of any animal. Adults weigh 450-680 g and live on average 10-15 years, sometimes up to 20. Its soft appearance suggests an animal "made for cuddling", but it is timid, active in the evening and at night, and extremely intolerant of heat. Keeping a chinchilla through a hot summer without proper cooling is life-threatening.

The most critical point: chinchillas cannot sweat and have a very dense coat. The ideal range is 10-20 °C; above 27 °C, particularly when humidity is high, heatstroke can quickly become fatal.

Before you adopt

Plan for summer first: can the chinchilla's room be kept cool all summer? What happens during a power cut or while you are away? If you have no answer, postpone adopting.

A healthy chinchilla has bright, dry eyes, a clean nose and a smooth coat with no patches. Check:

• Teeth: orange-yellow front teeth are normal. Drooling or wet fur around the mouth or on the front paws suggests dental trouble.
• Coat: bald patches or chewed fur tips can indicate stress or fur chewing.
• Droppings: dry, plump and uniform; soft or very small droppings signal a digestive problem.

Find an exotics vet in advance; some common antibiotics can be fatal to chinchillas.

Legal note: wild chinchilla species are endangered and listed in CITES Appendix I, but CITES states that the domesticated form is not subject to those provisions. Adopting a captive-bred pet chinchilla is not a legal problem; trade in wild-caught animals is prohibited. Check local rules if you are unsure.

Social needs

Chinchillas live in groups in the wild. The RSPCA recommends keeping them with at least one compatible chinchilla unless a vet advises otherwise. Same-sex pairs or neutered male-female pairs work. Introductions should be slow and supervised; young animals adapt more easily than adults. Separate them if fighting or injuries occur.

Cage and living space

Chinchillas are very active and excellent jumpers; height matters as much as floor space.

• Size: VCA recommends a multi-level cage of at least about 90x60x90 cm (3x2x3 ft) for one chinchilla and 90x60x150 cm (3x2x5 ft) for a pair; bigger is always better.
• Material: metal wire; plastic and wood get chewed. Galvanised wire carries a risk of zinc toxicity.
• Floor: cover at least part of any wire floor with untreated wood or a solid surface; standing on wire all the time causes foot sores.
• Safe heights: avoid any uninterrupted drop longer than 60 cm inside the cage; break it up with shelves.
• Wheel: at least 38 cm (15 in) in diameter with a solid surface.
• Hiding place: a nest box filled with hay.
• Position: quiet, out of direct sun, dry and draught-free, away from predators such as dogs and cats.

Summer precautions: keep the room temperature steady with air conditioning, but do not aim cold airflow straight at the cage. A cold granite or marble tile in the cage gives the chinchilla somewhere to lie and cool down. Avoid humid rooms such as bathrooms or next to the kitchen.

Feeding

Chinchillas are herbivores with sensitive digestion; sudden diet changes cause diarrhoea and gas.

• Hay (unlimited, most of the diet): timothy or meadow grass hay available at all times. Tooth wear depends on it.
• Pellets (1-2 tablespoons a day): grass-based pellets made for chinchillas. Avoid mixes with seeds or fruit.
• Treats (very few): dried herbs and plantain. Dried fruit and root vegetables are sugary; if given at all, offer rarely and in very small pieces.
• Water: a drip bottle; check it twice a day and refresh daily.

Do not give: nuts, sunflower and other seeds (high in fat), sweets, human food, or alfalfa-heavy feed for adults.

Health and lifespan

Average lifespan is 10-15 years; some individuals reach 20. Chinchillas hide pain, so small changes matter.

Signs to see a vet: not eating, fewer or smaller droppings, drooling, lethargy, eye discharge, foot sores, heavy fur loss.

• Heatstroke: fast or open-mouth breathing, high body temperature, weakness and reluctance to move. This is an emergency. Move the animal to a cool place at once and call the vet; do not wait for it to recover on its own.
• Dental disease: all teeth grow throughout life. If the bite is misaligned, sharp points cut the inside of the mouth, causing drooling, dropping food, weight loss and eye discharge. Lack of hay is the main risk factor.
• Fur slip: a chinchilla that is gripped roughly or frightened releases clumps of fur as a defence. Regrowth takes months. Never hold a chinchilla by its fur.
• Digestive problems: sudden diet changes, too much fruit or fresh greens can cause diarrhoea and bloating; a chinchilla that stops eating needs urgent attention.
• Fungal infection and fur chewing: bald, scaly patches or chewed fur; linked to stress and husbandry.
• Fur ring in males: fur can wrap around the penis; check males occasionally and see a vet if you notice straining or frequent licking.

Do not: use medicines prescribed for other animals. Some antibiotics, such as penicillin and erythromycin, can be fatal to chinchillas.

Dust bathing and coat care

A chinchilla is never bathed in water. The dense coat cannot dry, stays damp and invites fungal problems. A dust bath removes oil and dirt from the fur.

1. Use special chinchilla dust or very fine bathing sand. Cat litter, builder's sand or hamster sand is not suitable.
2. Container: at least 15x15x23 cm with 2.5-5 cm of dust.
3. Duration: offer it for 10-15 minutes a day, then remove it from the cage. Dust left in all the time irritates eyes and airways, and the animal uses it as a toilet.
4. Replace the dust weekly or whenever it is soiled.

Handling and taming

Chinchillas rarely bite, but most do not enjoy being stroked or held. Trust takes time.

1. In the first days just sit nearby and talk calmly.
2. Work in the evening; never wake a sleeping chinchilla.
3. Hand-feed treats: a small piece of dried herb in your palm.
4. If you must lift it, support the chest with one hand and the hind legs with the other. Never grab it by the fur.
5. Stay low, and give free-roaming time in a safe room with escape routes blocked and cables removed.

Enrichment

1. Shelves and branches: untreated wooden ledges at different heights provide jumping space.
2. Chew items: wood, pumice, cardboard and rope toys; avoid plastic.
3. Wheel: a wide, solid wheel helps burn off night-time energy.
4. Routine: chinchillas like predictability; keep feeding and play times consistent.

History and life in the wild

The pet chinchilla descends from the long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera). It lives in groups in rock crevices and burrows at 3,000-5,000 m in the Andes of northern Chile. Its coat grows many hairs from each follicle; this density suits cold mountain nights but leaves the animal vulnerable in hot climates.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries it was hunted heavily for its fur and was driven to near extinction. In the 1920s, American mining engineer Mathias F. Chapman brought a small number of animals from Chile to the United States; they are considered the ancestors of most pet chinchillas in North America today. The wild long-tailed chinchilla is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN.