Soft lush fur, very active, boisterous, low maintenance, easy to train, easy to keep. These are all terms that best describe this little animal and the reasons why so many people adore them. Chinchillas are also very quick and somewhat perky which are both inherent in their nature. With this stated and given the fact that they make great pets, we don’t suggest them as pets for children as they are too small, fragile and if squeezed too tight, will bite as a defence mechanism.
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The Chinchilla is an adaptable and smart creature. They are also very active, fun to watch and can be extremely vocal at times. Considering they can live as long twenty years means you will have yourself a great companion for many years to come.
We don’t recommend the Chinchilla for young kids. Children often tend to be overzealous and when showing affection, may hurt or freighting your pet. In addition, a Chinchilla could possibly bite your child if placed in this predicament. Ensure your Chinchilla receives careful handling.
Keep in mind that a single Chinchilla does require a great deal of attention and can become attached to its owner. They are very social creatures with a high attention requirement, so it’s often suggested to pair them up. Two Chinchillas will be much happier together than a single animal, it’s stress level will be lower and overall health, much better.
As with any pet, it’s crucial to provide your Chinchilla with basic needs. Its also vital to provide your pet with a gentle hand from the start so they come tame companions. You’ll receive returned affection when you meet these requirements, every day. This is especially true if you Chinchilla will not have mate sharing their living space. We highly suggest allowing your Chinchilla(s) out of their cage as much as possible to roam around in a secure area of your home and ensure to keep any items that can be easily gnawed on, kept away from the safe area. Just as important for the health of your pet if fresh food and water, every day. Refreshing the substrate can be completed once a week. Your pet will need a some items, to keep it occupied while in their fortresses. Such items can include chewing items and toys to play with. If your in the Fort Wayne community, ensure your pet get’s regular medical attention. We highly recommend services provided by the Fort Wayne Pet Hospital, but your choice should be one that you feel comfortable with.
We must avoid feeding your Chinchilla certain types of food and treats. Any food loaded with natural sugar should be avoided. For example, dried bananas, rains, dried papaya are loaded in natural sugars. Unfortunately, fruits and vegetables are also a bad idea since they can cause diarrhoea.
A good, healthy and creative treat for your Chinchilla is mixed rose hips with Quaker oats. Prepared Wood twigs make an excellent substitute for treats. But don’t spoil you pet rotten with it.
Chinchillas love to chew. As a matter of fact, if you give them half a chance, they will chew your table, your chairs, your house, the car, etc. They have a natural tendency to chew because they have a need to wear down their teeth, otherwise, the teeth will continue growing and they will become uncomfortable with this.
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Some of the cutest bundles of fluff has to be the Chinchilla. They have the most gorgeous dense, soft coats – for which they have paid dearly in the days of real fur coats – but make very good pets. Here are several other facts regarding the Chinchilla.
Chinchilla are large nocturnal rodents that are crepuscular (most active around dawn to dusk). They are usually about ten for fourteen inches in length with another five to six inches of tail, and weigh around two to three pounds.
Chinchillas are native to the South American Andes mountains, now only in Peru and Chile but historically also in Bolivia. They are highly sociable creatures that dislikes living alone – their colonies also consist of one-hundred or more animals and are, in the wild, found only at high altitudes.
Chinchillas are very well adapted to living so high, their blood has thickened with extra red blood cells so they can carry more oxygen. In addition they have developed their signature highly dense and soft coats to cope with the cold, and thick fleshy pads on their paws to help them when climbing around the rocks up there.
Chinchillas were named for the Chincha people of the Andes, who whore their fur, and the name means, literally, “little Chincha”. The fur comes in a wide variety of colors from a silver-grey (the only wild color) to beige, tan, violet, sapphire, white and black to a variation of these.
There are only two species of Chinchilla living, Chinchilla Chinchilla (nearly extinct), which has a shorter tail and ears and thicker neck and shoulders, and Chinchilla Lanigera (still found in the wild, but very rare), which is thought to be the variety now found in domestication.
Chinchillas are extremely active if kept as pets, need lots of toys and space in which to run around and play. They prefer to have a chinchilla companion as they are very sociable. If kept as a sole pet they will become very attached to their humans and need a great deal of attention, which many people would find difficult to maintain.
As part of routine coat maintenance, chinchillas take “dust baths”, where the roll around in specially provided baths of fine pumice – ground volcanic rock in the wild. They require a number of baths several times a week to absorb the oils in their fur and clear out any dirt.
Chinchillas are adapted to sleeping in small holes and crevices on cliffs and rocky mountainsides, chinchillas can sleep in literally any position – upside-down, upright, on their sides, and so on.
The Chinchilla is an easily frightened and fragile little creature. As a result, it’s not suggested for a small child or for handling by a minor. When they are not handled with care and are frightened, they may bite. In general, if they are treated well, not mishandled, feed properly and cared for appropriately, they are quite good pets, which will not usually require vet visits unless something goes wrong. Just as with any other animal, they are subject to ringworms and other infections and can develop oral issues if they don’t have anything to gnaw on. Also, in hot or humid environments, they may be become prone to heat stokes, so be sure it’s environment remains relatively at room temperature. One more tid-bit of information is that the Chinchilla should have its toe nails and hair around the anus trimmed. Overall this pet is easily tamed and can learn easily.
Housing for your Chinchilla doesn’t need to be a complicated affair. Many new pot owners start in the basement or spare room and build a suitable new environment for their new pet. Chinchillas can be successfully raised in a semi-open shelter type building as well, for minimal cost. This of course, is the least expensive way to get started. However, the wised investor invests in quality breeding stock first and then works on buildings and the required equipment at a later point.
Cage sizes can rank anywhere from twelve inches high, fifteen inches wide and twenty-four inches deep. Cage material can be a combination of wood, wire and metal. A polygamous colony of one male and five females utilizing six cage opening occupies a space of one foot, by two feet by eight feet.
Remember that your chinchilla requires a comfortable temperature range of seventy five degrees Fahrenheit to 75 degrees of Fahrenheit. In areas of high humidity, some air conditioning may be needed.
The general consensus within the chinchilla-circles is that several brands exist that offer the highest quality in chinchilla nutrition. These brands are Mazuri, Oxbow and Tradition. Here at Petware House we carry top brand food names for pets, so, let’s look at each of these items.
Tradition Chinchilla Pellets are an excellent choice and can be found primarily on the Internet. You can buy it in 25 pound sacks.
Oxbow is a an excellent choice and can be found at number of locations, some veterinarians and at Petware House. Oxbow is formulated for chinchillas of all ages, high fibre diet is designed to meet their unique nutritional needs. High fibre formula helps control obesity. Pelleted diet contains farm-fresh alfalfa hay for intestinal and digestive health and helps supply the energy required to keep your active chinchilla healthy and active.
Mazuri Chinchilla Pellets - can be found at Pets Mart, most Feed Stores, or you can buy on-line directly from Mazuri's web site. He Mazrui diet is a pallet-based choice and assures good consumption. In addition it contains natural vitamin E, stabilized vitamin C, probiotics and flex seed.
Chinchilla pet food has been the center of debate for quite sometime now, however, the three listed brands typically rank at the top of the list. However, what you will be feeding your pet will typically depend on brand availability, the price you are will to pay, and the preference of your Chinchilla’s taste buds.
Be sure to feed your Chinchilla sufficiently, we recommend a couple of tablespoons of fresh pellets per chinchilla on a daily basis. Use feeding as a basis to provide your pet with more or less feed. It’s always better to have a little left over than having your pet go hungry.
Hay should be a fresh and sweet, bright green color, if it’s brown, then its not fresh. Black hay clearly indicates the presence of mould. To prevent this, store you hay in the original bag it came in or a well-ventilated container.
Don’t hesitate to contact Petware House regarding pet food for chinchilla and we will be pleased to answer all of your questions and provide you with the best possible food for your pet.
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