Chinchilla Care Sheet
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| Water | Bottled water or filtered are best. Change daily. |
| Food | Chinchilla pellets: Approximately 2 heaping tablespoons
per chinchilla. Change daily. Hay: Timothy, Bermuda grass, alfalfa or oat. Change daily. Treats: Chinchillas have a very sensitive digestive system. Serve not more than one level teaspoon per adult chinchilla per day. Treats can consists of fresh fruit, dried fruit, carrots, organic oats, whole grain bread or cereal, raw almonds, or raw sunflower seeds. |
| Dust Bath | Set in cage for approximately 3 minutes per day. A large bowl or extra large jar works best. |
| Companionship | Chinchillas are social in the wild. They are much happier with a companion. They will groom each other and snuggle while sleeping. 2 males, 2 females or mix. |
| Handling | Chinchillas do not like to be squeezed even slightly. If you need to pick
them up, encircle their body with your hands, arms and body. While holding them, allow
them freedom to move on and around your body. They do not like to be heavily stroked like
a cat. However, they do like to be scratched or rubbed around their ears, chin and face. It is helpful to see how they do it to each other. If you want to pet them, do it very lightly. |
| Housing | Requirements: Chinchillas need a hide-away house to feel secure. Safety: Sawdust on bottom level. Terrace shelves to prevent falls. If their cage is kept outside it will need more enclosure to prevent drafts and fear from approching predators. Wood can be places on top and sides. Temperatures should never get above 80F or below 40F. If you have enough chinchillas so they can cuddle together, the temperature can drop much lower. For Fun: Chinchillas love wheels 14" in diameter. Branches are fun and make the cage easier to clean because droppings and urine fall to the bottom. For Easy Cleaning:Litter boxes on wood shelves. Note: Eucalyptus, Red Cedar, Redwood and plywoods are reported to be toxic for chinchillas. Soft Pine, on the other hand, is best. |
| Mary-Ann Holden [email protected] |
20840 Elfin Forest Rd. |
Phone : 760 591-3111 |
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