If you want a chinchilla as a pet, you can keep a domestic chinchilla. They are known to have nervous tendencies and are night owls. They like to stay up at night and be active. They also don't care for someone holding them. However, they can be friendly animals, but it will take a while for them to get used to their owner. They're not easily coerced into getting close to people. The owner has to earn their trust, just like a human relationship.

Chinchillas that become captive have a life span from 15 to 20 years. /They can be noisy, making sounds in the form of chirping, barking and squeaking. They use these noises to communicate and express their feelings. If you are not an early riser, you may have to deal with them making noise in the wee hours of the morning. If you are sensitive to noise while you sleep, a chinchilla may not be for you.

It's ok to have more than one chinchilla of the same gender, as long as their personalities don't clash. If they interact when they're still young, they have a better chance of enduring each other. If they're older, it may take a little longer for them to form a bonding. If you have a male and female in the same domain, they will have to be sterilized so to prevent procreation of offspring. The chinchillas are so full of life, that it's necessary for them to have plenty of space for them to roam.

If you have a house, you should set aside a room just for them. You can also house them in a cage, as long as it's large enough with items that they can play with. They also require wooden toys (birch, willow apple tree or manzanita is acceptable) and chew toys to entertain them. Please keep in mind that chinchillas should not have plastic toys because the plastic can damage the intestinal area. The cage itself must have plenty of air circulation because they don't sweat much.

Getting too sweaty can cause them to have a heat stroke. Don't keep the animals in the cage the whole time. It's good if they get some outside exposure (at least 30 minutes a day, under the watchful eye of the owner). They need exercise and get a feel of their outside surroundings.

If the chinchilla gets wet, they have to be dried off rather quickly. If not, their fur will collect fungus. You can use a blow dryer on a low cool temperature and you can also use a towel (best choice).

For their eating regimen, chinchillas cannot consume fatty foods. They can only eat so much of green plants. The best dietary plan for them is loose hay. They can also have a raisin or other kinds of dried fruit, but only in moderation. Don't give them fresh vegetables as their stomach can expand and cause a fatal reaction. When they eat, they do so in small portions and they also drink water in small sips.

They can drink water from a water bottle and the water must be fresh at all times. Because they can't ingest a lot of fat in their system, nuts are to be avoided.


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How To Cure Some Health Problems of Your Pet Chinchilla

As with humans, prevention is the key for your chinchilla to staying healthy and not getting sick. Even though precautions are taken, sometimes steps are still missed. It is crucial that your pet's cage have fresh food and water daily. Their cage should always be kept clean and their food should not contain fungus or insects. Any violations of these can cause adverse effects for your pet. Keep in mind your chinchilla has a sensitive digestive system. It cannot easily get rid of bad food from their system. This means they could get sick.

Please find below some health problems that could affect your pet and what you can do:

Constipation:

You will know that your pet is constipated if their bowels are dry, small, strangely shaped and have a foul odor. Provide them with more fresh water and hay. Also, you can give them 1 - 2 raisins.

Bloating:

Your pet will look like a balloon and their bowels will contain mucous. Their bowels are also holey and sticky. Give your chinchilla a longer time to exercise and give them food culture.

Diarrhea:

Your pet's bowels will stick and look like a grape. The diarrhea in your pet could be caused by hay that is moldy or algae that has grown in their water. Check the hay for mold and check the water for algae. It is imperative that their water is changed out everyday and that it's fresh. Also check to see if their diarrhea is caused by an environmental change.

Seizures and Cramping:

If your pet does not move or starts to tremble, this may be a sign of a seizure. This can be caused by stress, injury to the head or lack of calcium. You will know if your pet lacks calcium if their teeth turn white. This can happen moreso with the female chinchilla. Don't allow your pet to injure themselves. They should be kept warm. Since this is a more serious issue, see a veterinarian immediately.

In addition to the above, you should see a veterinarian immediately if your pet is experiencing any of the following:

Severe diarrhea or constipation, injury of the eye from a sharp object, pneumonia, weight loss, ingesting poison, or broken bones anywhere on their body. Any of these will require additional medical care from a specialized veterinarian.

You hope that you don't have to experience any of this with your pet chinchilla. There are things you can do to make sure your pet stays healthy and not fall into any health dangers.
Listed below are some of the tips:

- Keep their cage cleaned on a regular basis.

- Don't change their food too often; they have a sensitive digestive system.

- Don't move them around a lot; chinchillas can't withstand changes too well, especially sudden ones. If you do have to move them, try to do it gradually.

- Make sure their roughage food is fresh.

- Make sure their water is fresh and constantly changed out.

- Their food should be administered in small portions.

- Since chinchillas are night owls, they should rest during the day.

Follow these tips and your chinchilla will live a long and happy life.

Having The Right Exercise Wheel For Your Chinchilla

With a cage for your chinchilla, they should also be some chew toys, a television and a wheel for exercise. This way they'll have plenty of things to do while they're in the cage. In order for the wheel to fit in properly, you should measure the door of the cage. Even though your pet will still get their outside exercise, a cage is strongly recommended for exercise inside.

Sometimes, your pet chinchilla may not adapt to the wheel right away. Don't fret--sometimes it may take them a while to get acclimated, especially since it's new to them. Older chinchillas don't adapt to change very well and it may take them longer to get used to it. It may take them weeks, or even months to get acclimated to the device. When they do, they usually like it and take to the wheel well, especially when they realize that it's benefiting them. Anything that benefits them is good, and they try to keep a positive demeanor.

Another aspect of having a wheel in your pet's cage is safety. You have to make sure that they are able to exercise on a running surface. The surface should be solid or made from mesh. The measurements should be no more than 1/2" X 1/2". Anything more than that can result in the chinchilla having leg, foot or toe injuries. Their lower extremities are very delicate and can result in amputation if not attended to properly.

As with chew toys, the wheels should not be made of plastic. Plastic can harm your pet by causing issues with their intestinal area. The pet can chew and ingest the plastic pieces which can cause this. If you use a wheel with spokes, you are asking for trouble. Not only can your pet chinchilla face injury to their arms or legs, the risk of having their limbs amputated increases.

Even your pet can sense when there's danger with these type of wheels. When that happens, they're reluctant to exercise on them. These type of wheels are not recommended to be installed in their cages. If you do use them, you are not looking out for your pet's best interests. Another type of wheel, called a safe wheel, has screws in the inside center. They seem to have more fun on this type of wheel because of the decreased danger.

The recommended measurement for a wheel is 12", even though there is some debate about that. Most people seem to do ok with that size wheel. Pet stores normally sell the wheels with the spokes, which as stated in the previous paragraph is dangerous for chinchillas. There have been reports that the wheel may cause your pet's spine to curve, because there's only so much room; of course, that's probably remain to be seen.

If you find abnormal issues with your pet after getting on the wheel, you should stop until your find out what's going on. If you are unsure about what type of wheel to purchase, contact your local pet store or consult with your local veterinarian.

Chinchillas Staying Healthy With Pellets and Hay

The chinchilla's process of consuming food is quite different than other animals. They should have a lot of roughage and fewer nutrients. One of the things that they must have enough of is pellets.

Chinchilla pellets can be purchased from a breeder or a pet store. Not all brands contain the same ingredients. When your purchase them, be sure that the basic ingredients are in the mix. This would include alfalfa meal, wheat germ, molasses, oats, soybean oil meal, corn, and added vitamins and minerals. The chinchilla pellets are long because the animals eat with their hands and they must be able to grasp them.

The chinchillas consume the pellets until they feel full. When they get to that point, they will stop and refrain from overeating. You can either feed them once or twice a day. You'll want to figure out which feeding regimen is best for them. Stick with whatever works best and be consistent. If you're not, the chinchilla will know and the inconsistency will cause them to be stressed.

A chinchilla's livelihood is based on routines. You can feed the pellets to them either from a hopper feeder or a ceramic bowl. The hopper feeder is good to use because you don't have to concern yourself about it falling over. Ceramic bowls are good because they are heavy and the chinchilla can't chew it, like they would a plastic bowl.

Chinchilla pellets are one of the best things they can eat; but if for some reason you can't locate them, you can substitute rabbit or guinea pig pellets for them. These are fine to consume as long as they contain plenty of fiber and are low in fat. If for some reason you do have to switch their pellets, do it gradually. Once they get used to a system, it's difficult for them to change suddenly. They will adapt, but they get stressed if it happens all at once.

Hay is good for them because it also provides fiber for their system. You can choose from two kinds: alfalfa or timothy. They can be purchased in loose or small compressed blocks with a measurement of 1" X 1" X 2". The animals will eat both kinds and it must be chemical and mold free. Because of their sensitive digestive system, chinchillas can only consume fresh hay. To remain fresh, it must be stored in a dry place.

Fifty-pound bags may be too much for a chinchilla owner, so cubes can be purchased in smaller amounts. It's better if the cubes are broken into smaller pieces. This way, they can handle them easier as opposed to being one cumbersome piece. One pressed cube or a handful of hay is all an adult chinchilla usually eats.

An alternative to hay would be Bermuda grass. If your house has a lawn with Bermuda grass, you can feed that to your chinchilla. However, the grass must be chemical and fertilizer free. Just wash it off and give your chinchilla a few. Bermuda grass helps to remedy any digestive issues.