Is a chinchilla right for you?

Chinchillas are a wonderful interactive pet that can amuse you for hours with their antics. However, they are not the pet for everyone. There are several things to consider before hand. First, are you financially prepared? Chinchillas are certainly not the cheapest pet. They tend to range from $60- $500, possibly more for a show champion or high end breeding stock. Their cages and accessories can easily run $300-500+. Also, being an exotic, vet fees can be quite expensive even for the more 'simple' treatments. Thankfully, they are relatively economical to feed as the pellets and hay are generally priced very well as say compared to dog or cat food. Another thing to consider is that they are nocturnal. Most chinchillas will wake early in the morning (5-6am) and in the evening (7-8pm) with high activity around 2am. While some adjusting to your schedule will happen, it would be foolish to think your chinchilla will be up with you during the day. Attempting to do so would only be detrimental to the chinchilla as it goes against their natural design. For the working adult, this can be quite beneficial as they will often be waking up after dinner and are a good way to unwind after a hard days work. You might also want to consider where you are going to place the cage in your house. You want them to be near the family, but away from the hustle and bustle of the day. You also do not want them to keep you up at night as they barrel around their cage. While the chinchilla itself is relatively quite, the sounds of them bounding around can take some getting use to.

Chinchillas are not considered good pets for kids. They do not like to be held and petted. They squirm, are incredibly quick and will 'slip' fur when frightened, which can also lead to a negative experience for the child. I do not sell to anyone under the age of 18, however if the parent is very involved and taking full responsibility for the pet, a younger child can make a good owner. I still personally recommend they are 12yrs of age or older.

So you have fallen in love with that little bundle of fur, but what do you really know about them? On these pages I will cover the basics, from what they are to how to care for them.