How to care for a chinchilla

If you have a chinchilla and you want to have all the information to give it the best care, read on. The chinchilla is a rodent unknown to many people but it is a very special pet and different from the wild chinchilla. Hairy, small, gentle and very intelligent, get ready to share your life with an adorable animal with which you will enjoy wonderful moments. In .com we tell you how to take care of a chinchilla because its quality of life depends on you.

one

To know how to care for a chinchilla first and fundamental is that you prepare a good cabin. You must choose a good cage so that it is comfortable and safe; pay special attention that the bars are narrow so that they do not escape. If you choose a wire cage, make sure there is no protruding piece so that it does not get damaged.

You must place a suitable bed for your chinchilla, it is not recommended to use cedar or pine shavings because the phenols can cause respiratory and skin problems, in addition if they ingest this type of wood they could be poisoned. The best thing is to make a custom nest . It should measure about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide and you have to place it on the ground so your pet does not fall.

two

If you want to take care of a chinchilla, it is convenient that you look for a partner. Chinchillas are rodents that love to live in company, they are not solitary animals, they need others of their species. So from the beginning it is recommended that you have two young chinchillas . If you do not want them to have offspring, choose two males or two females.

Another consideration to take care of your pet is that you treat it with delicacy . When you take it, you should lift it as if it were a cat, put your hand under the belly of your rodent and the other hand on the back and let your chinchilla support the hind legs in the hand that you have below. You should never take your chinchilla hard because you could hurt her.

They are very nervous and restless animals so you will have to be able to hold them firmly but without pressure, especially on the upper part of your torso. They have the floating rib cage and if you press too much you could cause internal injuries.

3

To care for a chinchilla, you must provide proper nutrition. Your pet must have a quality food so you can give it some alfalfa but without going over it because they could expel foam. The food is convenient to place it in a hay trough or in a hanging container so that it stays clean.

You should not feed him very often because you could cause digestive problems. A couple of times a week you can administer walnuts without salt or dried fruits. Something you should not forget is to change the water daily because the algae that grows in the water can cause liver problems, severe diarrhea or death.

4

Another of the basic care for your pet is that your cage conditions with some exercise wheel as they are very active animals and need to exercise every day. Place a wheel to exercise daily that must have a solid surface although, yes, do not choose mesh or wire, the best option is plastic .

You can also let him play outside the cage but always under supervision so he does not get hurt. They are pets that can jump several meters and fit very small holes, so be very careful. Do not forget that they love to gnaw, so be careful with furniture, cables and all kinds of elements.

5

To care for a chinchilla you must clean its cage every day so it removes the dirty hay and all the dirt from the base. You will also have to use your pet every day since they are rodents that need to bathe every day, especially in the morning and it will be enough to last about 10 minutes.

To undertake this task for the first time talk to a veterinarian of exotic animals to do it correctly. You will have to be careful with the temperature of the water and with the chosen soap. A good way to bathe him is to use a small basin in which he is not at risk.

Regarding the cleaning of the cage, you will have to do it only with hot water or, at most, do it with a little chlorine mixed with water and then rinse with plenty of water. After cleaning, let it dry to perfection outdoors.

6

One aspect that you should consider very seriously is that your teeth grow about 12 cm each year so one of the care you have to keep in mind is that you put a block of wood (or pumice) for your chinchilla to gnaw . You can also put in a gnawed branch so that it scales and bites into the cage. It must be apple or sycamore wood that are not toxic and are also very resistant for your pet to sharpen their teeth.

You should also know that they are animals that get hot easily so keep your cabin in some area of ​​the house with a little air flow and do not give the sun directly. And finally, the chinchillas need to get rid of excess fat from their hair, for this they need to take a powder bath with a mixture of clay or volcanic ash.