Chinchillas As Pets

You may wish to consider a chinchilla as a possible pet. They are of the rodent family, (but it doesn't seem that way).

Also known as "chins" they have incredible velvety fir, and they resemble a chubby squirrel with Mickey mouse type ears. They are nocturnal, although they do get up and play alot during the day. Chins are very smart and playful, and I'm told can be trained. They are also very clean,so their cage area doesn't tend to stink as many other types of caged animals can.

I got my first pair of chinchillas, as adults, a proven breeding pair. They were nice enough but they never really did bond with us. We ended up having 3 litters total. They usually have 1-3 babies (also known as kits), and their pregnancy is 111 days (about 4 months), which is very long gestation period for an animal that size.

The babies are born fully formed, "ready to go" you might say. Fully furred, eyes opened, running around. They can even eat adult food almost from day 1, although they prefer to nurse.

Chinchillas eat prepared chinchilla food that comes in a pellet form. They also need 1 raisin a day (which they LOVE!). Every few days it's a good idea to give them a dust bath. You can purchase"chinchilla dust" at a pet store. You put it in a bowl and they dive in, roll and kick up a fuss, and is pure delight to watch. Company always love to watch "Ittle bittle" take her bath.

The real joy for us came as we kept one of the babies, we later sold mom and dad. She bonded really well with us, she was handled a lot from birth on. She has been one of the BEST pets I've ever had (of any kind of animal). She is playful, friendly, never bites, when she "barks" its a quiet, cute kind of bark. A whole lot of personality and character she is.

Chins are more playful type pets, than a sit down lap type animal. I would recommend getting a baby if you decide to get a chinchilla. They usually run about $100. in the US for a pet, but that price can vary a lot. Try to purchase one from a reputable breeder.

Another very nice quality about chins as pets, is they have no claws or fingernails. They have these little soft pads on the bottom of their feet, so you don't get scratched. I wouldn't recommend them with small children however, as young children could easily hurt a chinchilla.

They have a life span of about 25-30 years. They do need to live indoors, or climate type controlled setting. Chins come in a variety of colors but the standard gray color is the most common, and the other, more rare colors will cost more usually. Because of their very long life span, be sure you're ready for that commitment before getting one however.

I found when I was trying to sell the babies that most people had no idea of what a chinchilla was, or had even seen them. That made it a bit difficult to find homes at times, although with such few babies, this wasn't a problem. The people who did come to purchase a chin had this 1 thing in common: all of them had either owned a chinchilla previously, or had a close friend who did and had been around them. That really says something about this type of animal for a pet.

I would however, if you do decide to purchase a chinchilla, get only one and not a pair. If you have one, they bond much better to their human owner (you), than if you have a pair. That's probably the biggest reason why the original pair never bonded much to us, because they were so closely bonded to themselves.

By Valerie Garner-Mother, grandmother and candlemaker / owner of Joyful Designs in Soy. She loves to write on a variety of topics with a warm, and engaging style. http://www.joyfuldesignsinsoy.com

---

Understanding Dog Fleas: How Fleas Breed & Affect Your Dogs Health

Fleas belong to the insect order Siphonaptera. They are common... Read More

Should Your Family Get a Purebreed Dog?

Many people ask the question: "Should we get a purebreed... Read More

Preparing for Your New Pet

Getting a new pet can be a lot of fun.... Read More

Protecting Yourself From Online Pet Classifieds Scams!

Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies are world... Read More

Pet Identification Tags And The Internet

The greatest fear of most pet owners is that there... Read More

The Cat Learned How to Work the WHAT?

When I carried him home, he was this tiny little... Read More

Ensure a Good Relationship Between Your Cat and Your Kids

Many parents know that the best way for children to... Read More

Cockatiel Illnesses

Cockatiels are one of the most lovable pets in the... Read More

Tips on Choosing a Boxer Dog...

An easier and more pleasant journey with your chosen Boxer... Read More

Saving Ginger From Being Put To Sleep ? Part 2

The Story Continues... Following the first of many visits to... Read More

7 Puppy Naming Tips

You've picked out the perfect puppy. You spent hours on... Read More

Pros and Cons of Buying Pet Medicine Online

Pets are many things in many ways but they are... Read More

Dog Training Book ? Why Buy One? When Everything is Free Online!

I'm a dog lover who believes that every dog owners... Read More

How to Care for Your Kitten

Caring for a kitten is a lot of work. With... Read More

Beds for Smaller Dogs

All puppies are small dogs ? some, however, won't be... Read More

The Sporting Westie Terrier

Because it is intelligent and energetic, a Westie terrier is... Read More

5 Ways to Pamper Your Parrot

We are all busy these days and I know it's... Read More

The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Set Up

The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise... Read More

Your Dogs Health Is At Risk!

Dogs should be living to age 20 or more. That's... Read More

How to Maintain Your Love Affair With Your Dog: Part One - Training

Training Tips for a Happy and Healthy Relationship with Your... Read More

Does The World Need More Cats?

Aren't they cute? Yes, they are! A nest of meowing... Read More

4 Ways In Which You Can Spoil Your Dog Rotten

You spoil your pooch as close to rotten as you... Read More

Horse Stable keeping

It is very important to decide whether to keep your... Read More

Treat Fleas Naturally and Avoid Vaccinations, for a Truly Healthy Dog

An essential to your dog's health is his/her regular annual... Read More

Dogs - Mans Best Friend

Dogs have been known as man's best friend for decades.... Read More

Health Concerns for Goldfish

Most of the diseases that threaten goldfish can be cured.... Read More

How Intelligent is Your Dog

It is entirely normal to look for signs of intelligence... Read More

Horse Training Techniques From The 1800s

Was he the world's greatest horse trainer of all time?... Read More

How To Load A Horse Into A Trailer - Easy As Pie!

If there is an art to getting horses to load... Read More

Golden Moments and Dog Training

Let me introduce my dogs. I have 3, Nikki and... Read More

How to Teach YOUR Cat to Use a Litter Box - Secrets to Litter Tray Success

Even the most dedicated cat lover has little patience with... Read More

Practical Advice for Adopting a Dog

If you are thinking of adding a dog to your... Read More

The Importance of a Plan When Building a Reptile Cage

Would you put together a model plane without looking at... Read More