Can Chinchillas Have Blankets & Pillows in Cage?

By james

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Can Chinchillas Have Blankets & Pillows: Chinchillas are very fond of soft materials. These pets love to have a blanket or pillow in their enclosure to sleep well on them. But you don’t know are they safe for them? Can Chinchillas have blankets in their cage? I did some research, and here is what I have learned about “Can Chinchillas Have Blankets & Pillows in Cage?”.

Can Chinchillas Have Blankets in Cage

Blankets and pillows seem to be a great addition to a Chinchilla enclosure. Make sure you don’t provide old, threadbare blankets with holes, as paws can be trapped. Also, ensure that your Chinchilla is not ingesting a large amount of fabric as it can lead to intestinal blockage. Never wrap your Chinchilla in a blanket. They may feel panic and trapped and can injure themselves trying to run. Put down a blanket and let your Chinchilla arrange it in their comfortable way.

Can Chinchillas have a blanket?

Chinchillas love soft fabrics. They will roll around in a towel and blanket in your home. Chinchillas adore the warmth and softness of such materials.

These materials provide all manner of entertainment and comfort to Chinchillas. Blankets provide softness, and also they get an opportunity of burrowing. Chinchillas adore to burrow and dig to create a warm, dark space. That imitates the wild instinct of digging a burrow. Blankets also help Chinchillas to get warm and protect their paws. Some Chinchillas have a tough, metal floor, which can lead to bumblefoot. A blanket or towel helps to prevent such an issue.

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Chinchilla safe blankets

Blankets can make an excellent addition to your Chinchillas enclosure. But there are some warning to this:

  1. Never provide a blanket with holes to your Chinchilla. Your Chinchilla can end up trapping their paws in holes. That can get your Chinchilla in stress. They can also lose their nail while trying to flee.
  2. Chinchilla usually will chew the fabric of the blanket. They will end up eating some parts of the fabric. Remove the blanket from their enclosure and get to the vet if they show any signs of intestinal discomfort.
  3. Your Chinchilla can trap themselves in the blanket. They may also suffocate in case they burrow too profoundly. Make sure you don’t provide your Chinchilla blanket, which is too big for them.
  4. Watch your Chinchilla if they have any signs of an allergic reaction. Possibly a Chinchilla can be allergic to the fabric, fabric softener, or laundry detergent.
  5. If you provide your Chinchilla a blanket, don’t take it back and use it for yourself later. Chinchillas are territorial. If you try to claim ownership, your Chinchilla will become irritable or grouchy. Chinchilla do hold a feeling of grudges. 

You can visit the pet store if you want the perfect blanket for your Chinchilla enclosure, as pet stores sell the specialist items for your Chinchilla enclosure. You will get the blanket pet store specially designed, keeping in mind the size and needs of Chinchilla. But they can be expensive. A fleece blanket is suggested in case you want to recycle a blanket from home. This material is very soft to appeal to Chinchillas, and also sturdy when being chewed.

Do Chinchillas need blankets in cold weather

Chinchillas have an unexpectedly high tolerance for cold weather. Chinchilla bodies adapt accordingly with the change of seasons. Although the ideal temperature should not be below 16°C(61°F), they can tolerate even if the mercury drops below that. Provided they have adequate supplies to survive. Chinchilla adopts a thick coat of fur when fall arrives to accommodate the imminent drop in temperature.

Despite this, your Chinchilla may also like the additional comfort provided by a blanket. Chinchillas find blankets comforting. Chinchilla feel safe and secure by sliding under a blanket. Avoid wrapping your Chinchilla in a blanket. Chinchilla hate the feeling of being restrained. You are not helping your Chinchilla by wrapping them in a blanket at night. Wrapping Chinchilla in a blanket can cause stress to them.

Why do Chinchillas hate being wrapped in blanket

Chinchillas don’t like the feeling of being trapped. Your Chinchillas will try to free themselves, which can end up being injured or causing stress. It can also result in a heart attack because of the desperation of your Chinchilla to get free. If your Chinchilla is wrapped in a very secure manner, it can also lead to overheating in your Chinchilla. That can have terrible consequences. Chinchillas like being a little chilly than too warm. A wrapped Chinchilla can create a real risk of hyperthermia.

Why does my Chinchilla keep digging at the blanket

Digging is the most common behavior in all Chinchilla. Digging helps Chinchillas to satisfy their wild instinct. There are several reasons for your Chinchilla digging blanket:

  1. Your Chinchilla wonders if they can dig through a blanket, like hay or dirt. A digging blanket can provide your Chinchilla hours of entertainment. 
  2. Your Chinchilla is making a blanket untidy or dirty to set it as they like. Chinchilla don’t share a human fondness for clean, soft blankets. They like to crush blankets up. 
  3. Your Chinchilla loves the feeling of softness of the blanket under their paws. They can end up digging for hours without hurting their paws. 

If your Chinchilla digging troubles you, distract them. Digging can cause a problem even if it is a natural behavior of Chinchillas. Your Chinchilla can end up digging in carpets or other surfaces in your home.

How to stop Chinchilla from digging in blanket

Most Chinchillas are very much fond of digging. It does not matter what they submerge their claws into. That means that you can provide alternatives for stopping your Chinchilla digging blanket. 

Thick books like telephone directory will keep your Chinchilla occupied for hours. You can also provide your Chinchilla more hay to burrow into. In the end, Chinchilla will dig. It is what they do. Digging blankets in their enclosure are far better than any other alternatives. It is best to leave them to it.

My Chinchillas ignores the blanket

If two Chinchillas share an enclosure, one may have claimed a blanket by two of them. Chinchillas are territorial; this all is taken very seriously. Your other Chinchilla will never wish to use something which belongs to another Chinchilla. 

A lack of scent can also concern your Chinchilla. Chinchillas make comfort from familiar scents. Your Chinchilla will lose interest in a blanket that has just been cleaned. You should check the material of the blanket. In case it is unfamiliar, the fabric may be disagreeable to the touch. You can try changing blankets for two alternatives; one of the same, one of a different material.

Make sure that your Chinchilla has not gone through any negative experiences with the blanket. An allergic reaction may stop her from using it. Ticks and fleas can also live in the bedding and soft towels. If your Chinchilla feels that their blanket makes them itch, they will keep a distance from a blanket then.

Is it okay to put a blanket over a Chinchilla cage?

There will be a time when you will wish to throw the blanket out from your Chinchilla enclosure. The blanket is the best form of cover than other materials. A blanket covers the enclosure without affecting the circulation of air. Weight it down on the ground in case you are concerned about the blanket falling off. That will prevent the blanket from slipping if your Chinchilla chews and jog it through the bars.

Why should I put a blanket over my Chinchilla cage

There are several reasons to put a blanket over a Chinchilla enclosure:

  1. A blanket can help to stop the drafts. Your Chinchilla enclosure should never be kept near drafts as direct airflow can make them sick.
  2. A blanket will help your Chinchilla to calm down. If your Chinchilla is unable to see activity outside their enclosure, they will be less nervous.
  3. Covering the enclosure from the blanket provides privacy and darkness. That helps your Chinchilla to sleep.
  4. That will make your Chinchilla safe as it prevents other animals from looking into the enclosure. 

Make sure that you don’t leave the blanket over your Chinchilla enclosure for all-day. That will cause your Chinchilla some stress. Used infrequently, it can be an effective technique. Are towels safe for Chinchillas?

Towels seem to be a cost-effective addition to your Chinchilla enclosure. The primary three purposes for using a towel are:

  1. Towels play the role of cheap substitutes of a blanket. The towel can be rolled around on, or wrapped on for warming up. 
  2. Chinchillas love biting on a towel. Your Chinchilla will spend hours on nibbling at an individual corner. That is safe entertainment until your Chinchilla is not eating excessive fabric.
  3. Putting a towel in a Chinchilla enclosure will act as a carpet for them. That will protect their paws, and also prevent dreadful conditions like bumblefoot. 

Don’t provide your Chinchilla a towel, which will be of your use later. Once you provide your Chinchilla a towel then it belongs to your Chinchilla now.

What type of towel is best for Chinchillas

Softer towels are best for Chinchillas. Your Chinchilla will be comfortable with the fluffy towel. They will also find it hard to ingest the parts of the material. A hand towel is suggested. A small towel will prevent the risk of suffocation in your Chinchilla. 

Do not provide your Chinchilla a slightly wet or used towel. Your Chinchilla can find the scent of the towel comforting, but this can be dangerous. You should always make sure that your Chinchilla must be clean and dry all the time. There is a possibility of the soap remaining in a used towel, which is a risk for your Chinchilla. Chinchilla have different skin alkalinity to humans. There is a chance that rash can be caused if human soap touches the skin of Chinchillas.

Chinchilla eating fabric

If you are worried about your Chinchilla chewing on a towel, detect the behavior. Focus on alternatives rather than applying training or negative reinforcement for this. Chinchillas are very much fond of chewing. They will always look for something to chew. Chinchilla adore new experiences. If you offer a new toy to your Chinchilla , it will capture their imagination. Put in a sweet taste such as honey to make it enticing. 

If you grow very concerned, make the towel non-attractive. Dip the corner in something that tastes bad. Vinegar will do the work, as Chinchillas don’t like bitter tastes. Just be aware that this can stop your Chinchilla from using a towel. That could be harmful to their quality of life. Towels can be handy for your Chinchilla if they use them safely.

Cleaning towel and blankets for Chinchilla

Blankets and towels of your Chinchilla enclosure should be cleaned occasionally. Your Chinchilla will not like this. They will draw comfort from their familiar scents of the towel. If the towel and blankets in your Chinchilla enclosure are clean, there is no need to wash them. While you clean an enclosure weekly, blankets and towels can be washed after every two weeks. Again, this is presuming there are no stains on blankets or towels.

Check regularly if there is any urine staining in blankets. If the urine sinks into your Chinchilla skin, it can result in the fur or scald’s yellowing. It will also create a bad, unpleasant smell.

How to wash Chinchilla towel and blankets

If your Chinchilla has been sick, you should wash the blankets and towels of their enclosure. You can wash it by hand in a sink or a bathtub. Make a solution of little bleach and warm water. That will kill germs and bacteria. If you detect fleas in your Chinchillas enclosure, wash all the blankets and towels in a washing machine. Make sure you use a mild heat (not for fleece liners) and a Chinchilla safe detergent. That will kill eggs of a flea hiding in the blanket.

If you are just doing a general wash, neither approach is exceptional. You can also hand wash, with or without taking bleach. On the other hand, you can also put the towel through a standard cycle with your laundry. 

If used in the right manner, blankets and towels are an excellent addition in the Chinchilla enclosure. Blankets and towels serve many purposes and bring joy to your Chinchilla life. Apply a safety-first approach by avoiding overheating, restrictions, and choking hazards.

james

I have made this blog for sharing whatever I learned in my journey in the past couple of years so that you people can take advantage of the same. In this blog, you will discover numerous supportive tips to take care of your exotic petss, their sustenance diet, habitat, and so on.

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