Chinchilla Pets are social animals, so it is essential to accompany your Chinchilla for their happiness and good health. You may be wondering how much time should you spend with your Chinchilla Pet? So, I did some research and consulted some experts, and here is what I have learned. It would be best if you can spend at least one hour daily with your Chinchilla Pets. Chinchilla Pets are most active during the morning and evening hours, so it would be a perfect time to play, cuddle, and groom your Chinchilla Pets. Younger Chinchilla Pets will need more floor time as compared to old ones as they are more energetic. Most importantly, it would help if you spent quality time with your Chinchilla. This means setting aside an hour where you do nothing else, and your only focus is to bond with your Chinchilla Pet. That includes active play, with mazes, tricks, and toys. Also, it involves some activities like searching for hidden food or roam around the house.
If you are in a hurry or donāt have enough time you can go with two sessions of half an hour. It is better to provide some attention to them as they hate it if they are left ignored.
Do Chinchilla Pets need a lot of attention?
Despite their quiet and calm and behavior, your Chinchilla Pet wants a lot of attention from you. Having a companion is crucial for the well being of your Chinchilla. Wild Chinchilla Pets survive in large groups. It helps them search for food and to avoid predators. Chinchillas have evolved since their domestication, but their need for companionship still exists.
However, pet Chinchillas donāt have their own colony. Most of the owners prefer to keep one or two Chinchilla pets. That leaves them craving for more attention and care from their owner. Chinchillas should be given proper attention as they donāt have a colony to socialize. If your Chinchilla does not get enough socialization then there is a possibility of certain behavioral issues These includes:
- Aggression
- Stress
- Destructive habits
- Depression
Provide appropriate attention
Donāt try to force your Chinchilla to spend the time with you. If your Chinchilla seems scared or doesnāt want to interact with you, it is better to stay away.
Your Chinchillas can feel upset, tired, or unsafe if you force them. They may even bite you, hideaway, or refuse your care in the future. If your Chinchilla doesnāt seem to attract socially, you need to try again after a while.
At the same time, your Chinchilla may be interested in your care and attection. In such a case, you can provide them as much attention as you want.
Feel free toĀ cuddle, play, or stroke your Chinchilla as long as they allow you to do. They are having fun if they seem very active for several hours.
If your Chinchillas playtime lasts only for a short period, you can try again after some time when they feel energetic again.
Understand your Chinchillas properly
Maybe some of the Chinchillas prefer to have socialization differently as compared to others.
For example, the young Chinchillas can enjoy the playtime without any hesitation. Those Chinchillas who are old can be comfortable in just lying or sitting beside you.Ā Older Chinchillas can only cuddle in your thighs and refuse to play with toys.
Similarly, some of the ChinchillasĀ need more attentionĀ as compared to others. You may have a Chinchilla that likes to be alone. While your other Chinchilla can be mad for your continual attention in form of cuddle and grooming.
Hence, it is essential to understand your Chinchilla. You can easily avoid overstimulating a scared Chinchilla pet or understimulating your energetic Chinchilla.
Paired Chinchillas require less attention
Chinchillas are very social animals. Thus the owners can leverage their social behavior and keep two Chinchillas pets together.
Providing a company of the same species of the Chinchilla is a good idea if it is hard for you to provide sufficient time to them.
The pairedĀ Chinchillas can be happyĀ together within themselves. They can socialize with each other as per their need.
They will be happy together without any attention from your side if they are healthy, properly housed, and well-fed.
As a bonus, they will have a calm behavior and can be managed easily.
Spend some quality time daily
One hour next to your Chinchillas can be different from a good floor time of 15 minutes. Providing quality time is more important than the number of hours spent.
That implies, playing with your Chinchilla for 15 minutes is better than lying beside them for an hour.
It is essential to be focused and provide more attention to a young energetic Chinchilla. You can train your Chinchilla to perform some tricks, play the games, or run mazes.
However, when it comes to senior or less energetic Chinchillas, you may need to take a subtle approach. You can conduct a different activity by sitting beside your Chinchilla. Or you can take them out for a change.
Chinchillas are crepuscular animals. That means they are active throughout day and night.
However, early morning and early evening is the best period to spend some time with your Chinchillas as they are most active and energetic during those hours.
You can choose activities that are suitable for their energy levels.
Morning
When your Chinchilla wakes up in the morning, they become very active or energetic. It will get themselves busy in grooming, running around, playing with their toys, and foraging.
When they become hungry, they will probably run towards you for the meal. That could be the best time toĀ teach some tricks and play games. You can reserve all the energetic activities for high-energy hours.
During the middle of the day, the energy of your Chinchilla will start to decrease. You will probably find them falling asleep in their sleeping spot, or they will lie down to relax.
Evening
Your Chinchilla will become active again during the evening hours. However, this is not the best time for intensive exercise or play.
As their energy level is not top-notch, stroking or cuddling them should be better at this time.
Even if your Chinchilla doesnāt like to be petted, then you can find it more obedient at this hour.
At this period, it is appropriate to serve some treat to your Chinchilla to encourage their positive behavior. The stubborn Chinchillas can refuse. But, they will surely love to spend the time playing or relaxing around you.
What do Chinchillas like to play with?
Chinchillas love to play with toys or to perform some tricks. Without methodical ways to have a bond with your Chinchilla, you can begin by:
- Hide the treats for your Chinchillas to findĀ
- Give a rope to your Chinchillas for chewing
- Create a maze for them to run around within
Toys can play the best part to entertain your Chinchillas when you are not around.
An exhausted or bored Chinchillas will probably like toĀ chew the objects, hit or kick out at someone or something, or mess their habitat.
You can put some small toys in the enclosure of your Chinchillas to avoid that.Ā Some popular examples are:
- Wicker baskets
- Chew toys
- Big brown paper bags
- The cardboard box that opens from both side
- Tunnels or PVC tubes
- Newspapers and paperĀ towelsĀ
- Untreated wood chips
What to do if you donāt have enough time?
For Chinchillas, friendship is very much important. The owners need to make sure that they are giving sufficient time to their Chinchilla. However, it is not always possible.
If you donāt have much time, then there is no need to worry. These are some methods that can ensure that your Chinchilla will get the attention they need.
Provide small duration of floortime whenever you are free
It would be best if you spent at least an hour with your Chinchilla every day.
However, if you donāt have much time to manage, then you can try to break small additions of that hour.
For example, before going for work, you can try to spend at least 30 minutes with your Chinchilla in the morning. And in the evening, when you come back home, you can try to spend the rest 30 minutes together with your Chinchilla.
You can also play 6 times a day for at least 10 minutes with your Chinchilla.
That could be the best way for a break if you are working from home or doing homework.
Your Chinchilla will enjoy the effort, and it can be beneficial for you too.
Here, the objective is quality and consistency. One or two minutes is not enough time for your Chinchilla pet to play or relax.
For this reason, you need to make sure that you have at least ten minutes in each session of bonding. Otherwise, your Chinchilla will not get the time to enjoy any of it.
Do your activities alongside your Chinchillas
It is better not to give attention instead of providing half attention to your Chinchilla.
If you cannot offer a full or entire hour, then over 2 hours, try to give half attention. If you had completed another activity or task, later try to:Ā
- Talk with your Chinchilla in a very gentle, calm tone.
- Pet your Chinchilla with one hand.
- Place your Chinchilla in your thigh.Ā
Your Chinchilla can join some other tasks also. For example:
- You can do your workout in front of your Chinchilla
- Start drawing, painting, sewing, or writing so that your Chinchilla can smell and analyze the pieces.
- You can cuddle your Chinchillas while doing your office work or homework.
- You can also eat a meal with your Chinchilla. Even you can feed some treats to your Chinchillas, but you need to make sure that they are safe for them or not.
Try to give enough attention to your Chinchilla pets as you can. The time will count if you are energetically trying to have a bond with your Chinchilla.
If you cannot give the attention to your Chinchilla, you can ask for help.
For example, you are reaching out to your social group. That could be the best chance to give their attention to your Chinchilla for one or two hours.
Also, that person will probably be happy to help. You need to make sure that your Chinchilla is comfortable with that person. It would also help if you made sure that the person knows how to take care of a Chinchilla.
Chinchillas can spend enough time on their own, but there is a difference between being alone and alone. If your Chinchillas is bored and requires attention, then it is not suitable for their health.
You can make them feel loved and well socialized by spending only one hour with your Chinchillas. You need to select the favorable activities and need to understand what your Chinchillas likes the most and enjoy.
