Step 1
Buy a large cage with plenty of room for the chinchilla to run around and exercise adequately.
Step2
Purchase large quantities of quality hay and chinchilla pellets to feed the chinchilla. Also, buy a fresh supply of vegetables to supplement the chinchilla's diet. Buy at least one bag of dust to line the bottom of the chinchilla's cage.
Step 3
Find a quiet corner of the home to place the cage. Make sure the space is quiet during the day; chinchillas are nocturnal. Keep the area at a constant room temperature free from drafts and direct air from air conditioning and heating vents.
Step 4
Construct an area for the chinchilla to enjoy some time out of his cage. Keep the area free of any items that your pet can chew on or damage.
Step 5
Acquire a chinchilla from a pet store or a breeder. Choose a breeder that has handled the animal often, if you want a chinchilla that is social.
Step 6
Look over the animal carefully—watch for any signs of illness such as watery eyes or dull fur. Observe its behavior and determine whether the chinchilla is tame enough to make an enjoyable pet. Pick up the animal, and see how he interacts with you.
The Cage
The larger the cage, the better. The minimum floor space is about 24 by 24 inches, and a tall cage is best; if possible get a tall cage with shelves and ladders that allow the chinchilla to climb. Wire is the best cage material, and avoid plastic cages or accessories and chinchillas chew and destroy plastic readily. The tray can be lined with wood shavings (avoid cedar shavings, and hardwood shavings such as aspen are preferred over pine), or newspapers. Many chinchilla cages have a wire floor, which is nice for cleanliness but can be hard on chinchilla feet so are best avoided. Wire floors or shelves can be covered with wood to give the chinchilla's feet a break. A nest box, made of wood, should also be provided.
Where to Put the Cage
The cage should be placed in a quiet area of the home where human activities won't disturb (and stress) them during the day. The cage should also be located in a cool area (no drafts) and not exposed to direct sunlight which could cause overheating. Summertime temperatures must be monitored to make sure the ambient temperature is not much over 77 F (25 C). If you do not have air conditioning, placing a shallow pan of ice cubes in the cage may help, or drape a damp towel over part of the cage (the evaporation of water is cooling).
Place the cage on a table or stand as this will help make the chinchilla feel secure (chinchillas can be intimidated if you must lean over the cage to interact with them).
Water Bottles
Glass water bottles are ideal because the chinchilla can't chew through them. If you use plastic, encasing it or creating a barrier to it with wire mesh should reduce the risk of damage (you can also get commercial chew guards). For feeders, hopper style feeders that attach to the outside of the cage are nice because they can't be tipped and the chinchilla won't be able to urinate in their food. If a food bowl is used it should be a heavy ceramic bowl to reduce tipping, and it must be cleaned daily.
Toys
Toys can be provided too - blocks of wood and tree branches (free of pesticides) are good chew toys. Some of the wooden parrot toys make good toys as well, as do the willow balls and rings that you can find for rabbits. It is important to provide toys that do not have small or plastic parts that could be ingested. In addition, a "chinchilla block" or pumice block can be provided for chewing and this will aid in keeping the teeth trim.
Wheels
Wheels can provide excellent exercise, although you may find that unless the chinchilla is introduced to the idea at a fairly young age it may not take to running on a wheel. Look for a 15 inch wheel (anything smaller will be too small for most adult chinchillas), with a solid running surface and an open side with no cross supports (wire wheels are dangerous to feet and tails).
Some people also find the use of running discs like the Flying Saucer a good option for chinchillas.
The risks of overheating make the use of plastic run about balls undesirable. Your chinchilla would much rather run around in a secure room
As much as your chinchillas appreciate playtime outside of their cages, it is important to remember that the natural curiosity of chinchillas can get them into danger. To keep your chinchilla safe at playtime, you will likely find it easiest to designate one room in the house the chinchilla playroom, and make sure that room is as safe as possible.
Keeping Curious Chinchillas Safe
Curious chinchillas are apt to investigate things by biting them. This means that you need to protect your chinchilla from dangerous electrical cords, toxic plants, household chemicals and cleaners, and other things that could harm your chinchilla if bitten or swallowed. You will probably also want to protect your favorite belongings, books, and furniture from your chinchilla!
Chinchillas are also very agile and good jumpers -- make sure there is nothing they can jump or climb into that is potentially dangerous. Make sure dangerous items are truly out of reach, and not somewhere that a chinchilla could reach by jumping and climbing.
Make sure there are no dangerous hiding spots (behind heavy furniture, under appliances, the underside of couches or beds, gaps in the wall or uncovered heat vents). Keep in mind that under all that soft fur is a small flexible body that can fit into surprisingly small gaps.
Another hazard to watch for is standing water, such as open toilets (always keep the lid down!) or full bathtubs, as this is a drowning hazard.
Get a Chinchilla's Eye View
One of the most efficient ways of making a room safe is to get down on the floor and have a look at the room from your chinchilla's perspective. Check for little things that you might have missed, such as items on the floor or in reach that might be interesting to a curious chinchilla, electrical cords, or small spaces to crawl into. Do a quick scan of the room this way before every time your chinchilla comes out to play, to make sure the room is cleared for chinchilla fun!
Chinchilla Safety Checklist
no electrical cords, cable or stereo cords, phone cords, etc. accessible (more advice on protecting cords can be found below).
cover electrical outlets.
cleaners, chemicals, and medicines should safely out of reach.
no open toilets, filled bathtubs or sinks, or buckets of water.
no houseplants in reach (or fallen leaves to chew on).
recliners and rocking chairs can trap or crush a chinchilla - it's best to remove them from the room or at least make sure they are not used when the chinchillas are out to play (be cautious with pull-out couches, too).
turn off space heaters (keep in mind that chinchillas overheat easily).
no plastic bags in reach.
keep doors and windows closed .
remove items that could be chewed and swallowed.
watch for fraying fabrics or threads / strings which could be ingested.
remove other pets from room (unless absolutely certain interactions will be friendly).
no objects painted with lead paint in the room. Also make sure any lead drapery weights are removed.
no access to garbage cans or waste baskets.
no ash trays (risk of tobacco/nicotine poisoning).
no small spaces for them to get into, especially gaps under or behind appliances (there's usually accessible wires in these spaces), gaps in heating vents or walls.
More Chinchilla Safety Tips: Electrical and Phone Cords It may be possible to arrange the furniture in your room to hide most electrical cords (be fire safe: don't run cords under carpets or place items directly on cords due to fire risk). Be sure, however, that your chinchilla cannot get into any spaces where the cords are hidden (you may be able to use cardboard or pieces of wood to further block access).
Any cords cannot be hidden should be covered -- you can buy plastic tubing with a slit down one side to encase wires. Alternatively, you can buy tubing at hardware and pond supply stores, which you can slit with a utility knife for the same effect. You can also get hard plastic wire channels that attach neatly to the floor or baseboard. Have a look at many options for hiding wires at CableOrganizers.com. You can treat phone cords the same way.
Once the cords are taken care of, make sure your chinchilla can't get to the outlets or the origins of your cords (e.g. on the back of your computer). Cardboard or pieces of wood can be used block these areas off too, if necessary.
Deter Chinchillas from Chewing
Chinchillas love to chew, so in addition to keeping them safe you will probably want to protect your furniture and home from their teeth. First, remember that they do need to chew, so make sure to provide your chinchilla with some things that he can chew during playtime outside of the cage: pieces of wood, safe branches, pumice stone, cardboard, grass mats, and so on. Then, chinchilla-proof your belongings:
if possible, block access to or remove things they want to chew on (again, you can use cardboard or pieces of wood to block off areas).
Wrap wooden furniture legs with heavy plastic or tin foil to discourage chewing.
Make sure carpets are securely tacked down, and if your chinchilla does start chewing the carpet, cover the trouble spots with plexiglass, plastic carpet protectors, or a piece of furniture.
Use heavy slipcovers or blankets can to protect couches and chairs.
Make sure books, knick knacks, shoes, and other chewables are kept out of reach.
A regular dust bath is an absolute necessity for chinchillas. Taking a vigorous dust bath is one of their natural behaviors, and is how chinchillas keep their lush coats clean and healthy. Not only does this dust bath help to keep their thick fur smooth and silky, it is thought to be relaxing and fun for chinchillas. Indeed, chinchillas really get into their baths, rolling and flipping in the dust with great abandon. The Dust
Always use store-bought chinchilla dust for bathing. This is specifically made for chinchillas and this purpose. When the chinchillas roll in this dust, it penetrates their coat down to the skin and absorbs oil and dirt from the fur. Other powders or sand may look or feel similar, but just won't work the same way -- chinchilla dust is made to mimic what they would have access to in their native habitat. The dust should be at least a couple of inches deep in whatever container you use, so that the chinchilla can effectively roll in it. "Blue Cloud Chinchilla Dust" and "Blue Sparkle Chinchilla Dust" are two commonly recommended dusts, but just make sure you get one made specifically for chinchillas.
The Container
A heavy, tip-resistant bowl or deep dish can be used. It should be slightly larger than the chinchilla. Glass fish bowls or canisters can be used and work well. Also, a plastic house-type container with a rounded bottom can be purchased for this purpose. Fish bowls and the plastic house-type baths have the advantage of being fairly enclosed, which can help minimize the amount of dust flying around the room. If you watch this dust bath video, you can see an example of the plastic house-type dust bath in action, along with visualizing why it is nice to have an enclosed bath container. Place the bath in the cage every evening when the chinchillas are active. Sand will be sprayed everywhere, but this is part of having a chinchilla. The sand can be reused for a time, as long as any wastes are removed.
Giving the Bath - How Long, How Often?
The dust bath should only be made available to the chinchilla intermittently, rather than left in the cage indefinitely. Too much bathing can dry the skin, and if the dust is left in the cage chinchillas will often sit in the bath and.or use it as a litter box. Offer the dust bath to your chinchilla at least twice a week, typically in the evening when they are getting most active. Twice a week is usually sufficient, though you can offer the bath more frequently if your chinchilla's fur starts to look rough or feels damp or oily. In humid weather, baths should be offered more frequently. Usually 10 to 15 minutes is plenty of time for a chinchilla bath. If your chinchilla has dry, flaky skin or seems itchy, decrease the bathing time and frequency a bit.
Re-Using Chinchilla Dust
It is fine to re-use the dust for several baths. Make sure to scoop out any waste when the chinchilla is done each bath. If the dust starts to look clumpy or dirty, discard and use fresh dust.
The Dust is Everywhere!
Unfortunately, this is an inevitable part of chinchilla ownership. Using a covered bath can help, but your chinchilla will still shake and groom after a dust bath, resulting in a fine layer of dust on everything around your chinchilla. Invest in a good duster and remind yourself that you are being a good chinchilla owner by providing regular baths!
Safe and toxic woods:
When choosing wood for your chinchilla, care is required. Any wood collected to use for chewing should be absolutely pesticide-free, and not treated, glued or painted.
Collected wood should also be soaked in hot water, then dried. You can also purchase chew sticks commercially, such as these apple sticks from Cats and Rabbits and More.
The following lists of safe and toxic woods have been compiled from several chinchilla reference sites, to which I have provided links after the lists. The lists here are not comprehensive -- for more detail and wood types, see the references listed below.
Safe woods:
apple
arbutus
ash
aspen
bamboo
blackberrry
blackcurrant
cholla
cottonwood
crabapple
dogwood
elm
grapevine
hawthorn
hazelnut
kiwi
magnolia
manzanita
mulberry
pear
pecan
pine - kiln-dried white
poplar
quince
rose hip
sycamore
willow (but not white willow)
Toxic Woods
almond
apricot
beech
birch
black locust
black lotus
blackwood
box elder
buckthorn
cashew
cedar
cherry
chesnut
china berry Chinese snake tree chokeberry
citrus woods - orange, lemon, grapefruit, etc.
cypress
ebony
elderberry
eucalyptus
fir
ginkgo
hemlock
holly
honey locust
hydrangea
juniper
kumquat
laurel
mahogany
mango
manufactured/glued woods like plywood or fiberboard
maple
mesquite
myrtle
nectarine
oak
oleander
peach
pine - fresh, pressure treated, red -- kiln dried is thought to be safe
pinecones
pistachio
plum
redwood
sandalwood
sequoia
spruce
teak
walnut
weeping fig
white willow
yew
How to tame your Chinchillas:
With a little patience (and bribery) you can get your chinchilla comfortable with handling.
Give a new chinchilla time to adjust by keeping maintenance and interaction to a minimum.
Move slowly and speak softly around your chinchilla.
Limit interaction to the evening as that is when chinchillas are naturally more active and therefore more receptive.
Initially sit next to cage to acclimate chinchilla to your presence.
Offer chinchilla a treat (half a raisin) when it approaches cage bars.
Once taking treats from your hand through the bars of the cage, offer treat through open cage door.
Once taking treats this way, place treat on open hand to entice chinchilla to step up onto hand to retrieve treat.
Place treat on forearm and allow chinchilla to climb onto hand.
When your chinchilla is comfortable with your hand, lean in toward cage and allow chinchilla to climb onto arms, and keep offering treats.
Once chinchilla is comfortable climbing on you, try gently placing hand over back to pet chinchilla.
Avoid chasing or grabbing chinchilla to get it back into cage: allow it to hop back on its own (entice with a treat) if at all possible.
Handle your chinchilla regularly to keep him or her well socialized.
Tips:
Getting a 3-4 month old chinchilla that has been handled will make taming much easier.
Use lots of treats and work in small steps; make sure your chinchilla is comfortable with each step before proceeding to next.
It is best not to allow your chinchilla freedom in the room until he/she is used to handling.
