Why Chinchillas Make Great Pets: Are you planning to get your first Chinchilla pet? or maybe for your children or yourself? Are Chinchillas easy to take care of? all these questions will arise when you want to get your first chinchilla. Like every other to be Chinchilla owner, I wondered the same thing, and here is what I found out Yes, Chinchillas are easy to take care of. They are a great beginner’s pet. However, they are far away from mainstream pets like dogs and cats yet so popular among many people.
One of the main reason for Chinchillas being so popular in United States and western countries is because they don’t need many supplies. Just some good quality hay, vegetables, pellets. Freshwater and regular maintenance are all that is needed to keep them happy.
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Are Chinchillas Easy to Take Care Of..?
If we could provide our Chinchilla pets with all the chinchilla essentials like a fairly large cage, Quality food, Daily exercise, they can live a happy life. They can easily live up to 5-7 years if all their needs are taken care of properly. Even though it is quite possible that a pet can be easy to take care of for one person while it might be a difficult task for others. It all depends upon your passion, time, and dedication. So, let me help you clear your thoughts out about the same. Here I have listed a few points which will help you clearly determine the same.
#1 Needs a large enclosure..?
Chinchillas do need a large enclosure to live a happy life. On average, a pair of chinchillas should have an enclosure of at least 7.5-10 sq feet size. The larger the cage, you have the more bedding material you shall need. Also, ensure to use only good quality bedding materials for chinchillas. Now, this is important not only because of the cage’s cost or the bedding itself, but the larger the area, the more maintenance it shall need daily.
If you don’t clean the poop and other derbies daily, it can be bad for your chinchillas health. It also creates a foul smell, making the room or place you keep chinchillas smelly. Go ahead and read How To Keep A chinchilla Cage From Smelling? (Avoid Unsafe Ideas) Thus, Depending on the number of chinchillas you own, you might need a cage size of 7.5 sq feet to maybe 30 sq feet if you plan to keep lots of them. So the level of care and your efforts shall vary accordingly.
#2 Grooming on a regular basis
Chinchillas are cute little pets, but they do need a grooming session every so often. Yes, the grooming shall depend upon the breed to breed, but usually, there is something or the other you need to look after. You need to see if that is an easy task for you or not.
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#3 Cleaning:
All chinchillas have a Grease Gland located just below their tailbone. These glands secrete an oily substance that is used for scenting and making purpose. Some chinchillas have a more active grease gland than the others. If the grease glands are not cleaned regularly, then there might be a grease buildup that not only smells bad but can also lead to health issues in chinchillas.
#4 Dust Bathing:
Chinchilla Pets do need a water bath, they don only dust bath to clean themselves. In general, if you maintain good hygiene in their enclosure, then Chinchillas can go without a bath for months. It is recommended to bathe them only if the situation so demands. Like, if they smell really bad or if their fur is filthy and so on.
#5 No Need variety of diets
Chinchillas no need a variety of diets of special treats. A normal diet of Chinchillas consists of good quality Hay (80%), Fresh fruits and vegetables (15%), Pellets and treats (5%).
#6 Easy to Train:
Last but not least, The Chinchillas really are easy to train, which makes them a perfect choice for most beginners. Many people are worried because they have a high metabolism rate, but if you can take Chinchillas some time out and potty train them, trust me, you will get a lot of relief while cleaning the cage.
#7 Vet visits:
Chinchillas are hardy creatures, and they do not get sick easily if you take care of them properly. But they do need some regular vet visits now and then. Chinchillas have ever-growing teeth, and so they do need a lot of hay in their diet to keep them in shape. However, sometimes their teeth can grow out much larger than usual, and so you will need to visit a vet to fix the same.
The nails of Chinchillas are another major concern. If you are a beginner, it might be tough for you to trim down your Chinchillas nails so, you might also need to visit a vet for the same. In general, Chinchillas do need a nail trim once every month. You must learn to do it by yourself or take them to a vet for the same. This can be challenging in some cities because Chinchillas are exotic animals and need a specialized vet that is sometimes unavailable in your area.
#8 Are chinchillas good pets?
Yes, chinchillas are the good pets to start your pet owner journey. They are beautiful creatures and good pets from kids to old people. They will fill happiness in your family. Chinchillas are the best small pets among the rodents and moreover they don’t cause any kind of allergies to their owners because they are hypoallergenic. However, the maintenance of chinchillas cost some extra when compared with other small pets like hamsters and guinea pigs.
#9 Are chinchillas friendly pets?
Yes, chinchillas are very friendly pets. They play with you and they will climb on you whenever they feel happy. They show so much love towards humans until and unless they don’t have any kind of health issues or mental problems.
#10 Are chinchilla hard to take care of?
No, chinchillas are not hard to take care of. They are great pets until and unless they got sick.
Final Words:
Yes, Chinchillas are fairly easy to care for if we compare the same with other mainstream pets like dogs and cats. However, there are a few factors you need to take care of, which we had discussed earlier in this article. I would recommend you go ahead and get your first Chinchilla pair if you haven’t already. They really are an adorable pet, and I am sure they will change your life forever.
