Important Care Tips For Chinchilla Owners

Chinchillas are beautiful, exotic creatures that have found their way into the hearts of many pet owners. Chinchillas require a great deal of care, but every bit of it is well worth it. If you are considering a chinchilla as a pet, following these tips can help make it a great experience for you and your new furry friend.

Locating An Exotic Veterinarian Is An Important First Step

If you wait until your chinchilla is experiencing an issue like diarrhea or lethargy to find a vet, you may find that vet is not trained to treat your chinchilla. Exotic pets need to see exotic pet vets that are trained to treat unusual creatures like chinchillas. Chinchillas can experience unique medical conditions that are specific to their species, so knowing you already have a vet before your furry friend gets sick or injured is best.

Home Sweet Home For Your Chinchilla

Before you take home a chinchilla, having a cage set up and ready for him or her is a good idea. Choose a cage that is large and has two floors so your chinchilla can climb. Always remember to never put anything made out of plastic in your chinchilla's cage because it is easy to chew and can contain harmful toxins. Adding a covered house is important to provide your chinchilla a place to sleep and hide. Choose specially designed chinchilla wooden toys because chinchillas must chew to keep their teeth trimmed down. Add timothy hay to your chinchilla's cage and be sure to add a thick layer of it because your pet will eat some of it every day. Never put cedar or pine shavings in your chinchillas cage because it contains oils that could be harmful.

Providing A Healthy Diet Is Vital To Avoid Medical Problems

Chinchillas require a high-fiber diet. Choosing foods that are formulated especially for chinchillas is important because diets that do not provide enough fiber will cause your chinchilla to have severe diarrhea that will need to be treated by an exotic veterinarian. Timothy hay is one great source of fiber, but feeding a diet of chinchilla pellets containing alfalfa is a good idea as well. Avoid choosing pellets that have various colors in them because they tend to also cause diarrhea.

Chinchillas can be wonderful pets and can live up to 18 years. If you want a chinchilla, taking steps to have a home, food and qualified vet like Canal Road Animal Hospital ready for him or her first is best.


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