Have Fun With a Chinchilla

A charming, fuzzy rodent with a long history, chinchillas are native to South America’s Andes mountains. The velvety fur of chinchillas can be white, beige, ebony, sapphire, silver, or beige. Chinchillas typically weigh 1.5 pounds. They are amicable and entertaining. Even though they are nocturnal, chinchillas frequently wake up throughout the day to exercise, play, and eat. They are unable to withstand extreme heat and humidity. Make sure your pet doesn’t overheat by exercising caution.

Chinchillas are Chewers

Rodents, like chinchillas, need to chew. Their teeth are constantly erupting, but chewing keeps them in check. Chinchillas enjoy chewing on branches from non-toxic trees including apple, poplar, and willow. Chinchillas can safely chew on parrot-designed wooden toys, cuttlefish bones, mineral stones, and cholla, all of which are readily available in pet stores. Give your chinchilla no branches from citrus, cherry, wild cherry, walnut, cedar, plum, or fresh pine trees.

Interacting With Your Chinchilla

Your chinchilla will enjoy playing with you most in the late afternoon or early evening. Interact with him for two to four hours every day at the same time in a small, enclosed space. Avoid frightening him when playing with him by moving slowly and speaking softly. Chinchillas dislike change, so having a regular schedule gives him some predictability. It’s simple to develop a relationship with your chinchilla and teach him basic tricks if you have a little patience.

Chinchillas are attentive animals. They will clamber inside open boxes and bags, under and behind furniture, and anywhere they can. Keep children safe when they are playing on the floor. Lock any doors leading outside and into other rooms. Chinchillas will gnaw on whatever they can get their teeth on, including furniture, books, toys, and electrical cords. They might stumble off of furniture or downstairs. When your chinchilla is roaming free, never leave him unsupervised.