The chinchilla blog.

The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

Let’s say your child wants a pet. Ok, you think, “I can deal with a small puppy or a kitten”. Hmm……so you think. What if your child told you they wanted a chinchilla for a pet? A chinchilla? Yes, your child says again, a chinchilla. You think, they probably don’t know how to spell it, let alone pronounce the word.

It looks like you’ll have to do some research on chinchillas. First, you’ll have taken into account the age of your child. Find out why they would want a chinchilla. Maybe they saw someone else with one and couldn’t resist. Children like to compete against each other. Are they old enough to take care of a pet such as this? If so, will they need assistance? If it’s an exotic animal like this one, more than likely they will need your assistance. They would probably need your assistance anyway because most children have a short attention span.

When they find out the child’s explanation for wanting this exotic animal, they have to think about if they really want it in the house or not. Will they be good company for your child? Will the animal and your child have a human to animal relationship? Are they going to be responsible? You’ll have to make your child understand that caring for an exotic animal such as a chinchilla is very different than taking care of a puppy. A chinchilla requires more maintenance.

Once the decision is made to get the chinchilla, there are other factors to take into consideration. You must recognize and be ready for changes in your home. Their sleeping habits are different. Chinchillas are basically night owls, so if you or your child is not sensitive to noise in the wee hours of the morning, more power to you. Chinchillas are known for making noise early in the morning, before the roosters do their cackling. You will need to set aside a room for the chinchilla.

Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

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Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

Before you put your pet chinchilla in their cage, it must be cleaned thoroughly. Once they’ve made it their home, you should clean it at least once a week. To keep the cage smelling fresh, you can use baby cornstarch powder or baking soda (preferably the Arm & Hammer brand). It should be sprinkled in the areas where they urinate. Usually, your pet won’t venture into those areas, but if they do, they may contact a fungus.

If your pet’s cage has solid flooring, the bedding needs to constantly stay fresh. Keep the flooring area clean and use a disinfectant for the area. Pull-out litter pans that have a wire mesh may be in conflict with solid flooring. If the flooring is wire-based, make sure that you have shelves and mats installed to give your pet relief from standing on the wire mesh.

If you’re cleaning your pet’s cage at in your shower or outside, you must use disinfectant by scrubbing the cage with pet-safe cleaner soaked brush. Make sure you scrub the cage thoroughly and with lots of elbow grease. Only use hot water to rinse; it is easier to use something that sprays it off, like a hose or a shower attachment. Be sure that the cage is completely dry after rinsing. Any damp spots can produce mold or fungus, which would be detrimental to your pet.

The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

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Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

Chinchillas are available for purchase from breeders or pet stores. When you purchase one from either place, you’re probably getting a reputable one. Beware of those who are amateur breeders. They try to sell their chinchillas also, but it’s usually in classified advertisements. Personal preferences decide on whether or not they should buy the pets from breeders or pet stores.

If you do buy one from a pet store, make sure that facility has a reputable following. The employees there should be knowledgeable about what you’re looking to buy. They should also be able to offer you tips and suggestions to keep your pet healthy. If you’re looking more on the breeding side, you should get one from a breeder. They will be able to advise you on the different aspect of breeding, etc.

Buying a chinchilla from a pet store is not without its risks. It’s been noted that some pet stores take chinchillas that can’t be bred or the skin can’t be removed. If you are considering one of these pets from the pet store, ask about the breeders and related sources, along with a history of how they were raised. This way, if they have any problems, you’ll know up front.

Then you can decide whether or not you want to still take on the task. If you can’ insist a breeder in your area, then a pet store is probably your only recourse. If you have to get one from the pet store, ask how long have they been in the store’s care. If you do decide to buy one from there, consult with the employees about getting a contingency agreement. This agreement allows you to return the pet if they don’t pass a checkup. You would also get a refund from your purchase.

The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'

The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

If you want a chinchilla as a pet, you can keep a domestic chinchilla. They are known to have nervous tendencies and are night owls. They like to stay up at night and be active. They also don’t care for someone holding them. However, they can be friendly animals, but it will take a while for them to get used to their owner. They’re not easily coerced into getting close to people. The owner has to earn their trust, just like a human relationship.

Chinchillas that become captive have a life span from 15 to 20 years. /They can be noisy, making sounds in the form of chirping, barking and squeaking. They use these noises to communicate and express their feelings. If you are not an early riser, you may have to deal with them making noise in the wee hours of the morning. If you are sensitive to noise while you sleep, a chinchilla may not be for you.

It’s ok to have more than one chinchilla of the same gender, as long as their personalities don’t clash. If they interact when they’re still young, they have a better chance of enduring each other. If they’re older, it may take a little longer for them to form a bonding. If you have a male and female in the same domain, they will have to be sterilized so to prevent procreation of offspring. The chinchillas are so full of life, that it’s necessary for them to have plenty of space for them to roam.

If you have a house, you should set aside a room just for them. You can also house them in a cage, as long as it’s large enough with items that they can play with. They also require wooden toys (birch, willow apple tree or manzanita is acceptable) and chew toys to entertain them. Please keep in mind that chinchillas should not have plastic toys because the plastic can damage the intestinal area. The cage itself must have plenty of air circulation because they don’t sweat much.

Getting too sweaty can cause them to have a heat stroke. Don’t keep the animals in the cage the whole time. It’s good if they get some outside exposure (at least 30 minutes a day, under the watchful eye of the owner). They need exercise and get a feel of their outside surroundings.

Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'

Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

If your child asks you if they can take a pet chinchilla to school, please show wisdom and tell them no. There are obvious reasons why. Under no circumstances should a child take a pet chinchilla, or any pet for that matter to school (unless it’s a seeing-eye dog). They should not be stored as pets at school.

The chinchilla and schoolchildren operate on two different schedules. When the chinchilla is up at night, the children are sleep. The chinchilla cannot be surrounded by a lot of noise, and schoolchildren make noise. It’s just in their nature. The chinchilla needs relatively no light or as little light as possible in order to get some sleep. They can get stressed if they don’t get enough rest due to lights and noise. The stress can lead to them biting their fur, spraying urine and acting unfriendly.

Another reason why your child should not bring a pet chinchilla to school is because they need a large case and constant supervision, especially when they’re being let out of their cage for exercise. They also require constant attention every day. Bring a pet chinchilla to school will hinder the everyday regimen for them. Temperature is another concern. The chinchilla has to remain comfortable and not too hot.

They cannot stand high heat or humidity. If the air conditioner goes out for any reason, the chinchilla would start to get hot and sweaty. If there were an emergency, more than likely, the teacher would be responsible for securing the animal’s safety in addition to the students. That would be too much on the teacher because her first priority is the safety and welfare of her students.

Your child’s classmates probably have an agenda in mind. They probably want to take turns holding the animal. What they don’t realize is the chinchillas like to move around and not be held or petted. They are very independent and get irritated if you try to hold them. Chinchillas like to roam free and most times are hyperactive. They must be dealt with gently and not manhandled.

The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

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A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

The chinchilla’s process of consuming food is quite different than other animals. They should have a lot of roughage and fewer nutrients. One of the things that they must have enough of is pellets.

Chinchilla pellets can be purchased from a breeder or a pet store. Not all brands contain the same ingredients. When your purchase them, be sure that the basic ingredients are in the mix. This would include alfalfa meal, wheat germ, molasses, oats, soybean oil meal, corn, and added vitamins and minerals. The chinchilla pellets are long because the animals eat with their hands and they must be able to grasp them.

The chinchillas consume the pellets until they feel full. When they get to that point, they will stop and refrain from overeating. You can either feed them once or twice a day. You’ll want to figure out which feeding regimen is best for them. Stick with whatever works best and be consistent. If you’re not, the chinchilla will know and the inconsistency will cause them to be stressed.

A chinchilla’s livelihood is based on routines. You can feed the pellets to them either from a hopper feeder or a ceramic bowl. The hopper feeder is good to use because you don’t have to concern yourself about it falling over. Ceramic bowls are good because they are heavy and the chinchilla can’t chew it, like they would a plastic bowl.

Chinchilla pellets are one of the best things they can eat; but if for some reason you can’t locate them, you can substitute rabbit or guinea pig pellets for them. These are fine to consume as long as they contain plenty of fiber and are low in fat. If for some reason you do have to switch their pellets, do it gradually. Once they get used to a system, it’s difficult for them to change suddenly. They will adapt, but they get stressed if it happens all at once.

The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'

Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)

When you want to discipline your chinchilla, you have to be mindful of how you do it. Please note that they are not responsive when you verbally berate, hit, or smack them in anger. The physical actions can result in wounds and abscessing. The physical actions don’t serve a purpose because your pet already has a sensitive body. Chinchillas are already fearful and chewing them out verbally will do nothing but escalate the situation. The negative verbal actions are not effective at all.

Since they are fearful, when their owner treats them as such, they start to feel withdrawn and stressed out. Like a human, they can feel your hostility and anger. In turn, they will become more defensive. You should never blow in their face to punish them. The germs from your air can transmit onto them. They are susceptible to catching a virus, the cold or the flu.

When a chinchilla gets hostile, they will spray urine. They are acting out on their need to withdraw. They still feel defensive, and you may not know why. The withdrawals won’t start until the root cause of it is revealed. When the owner finds out what the problem is, the pet will feel better and can be safe in their habitat.

They will definitely make a change when they sense that you are not trying to put them down (degrade). You will have to spend time giving them lots of love and patience. This scenario is reminiscent of what humans go through in relationships. Women, for the most part, want respect. If their boyfriend or husband can’t or won’t give it to them, then they won’t be happy campers.

Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'

Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)

This exotic animal was named after the Chincha people of the Andes region. The Andes Mountains in South America. Chinchilla actually means “little Chincha”. Back around the close of the 19th century, the animals were known for their thick and soft fur.

There are two types of chinchillas. The chinchilla brevicaudata, which is also known as the Bolivian, Peruvian and Royal chinchilla, has a short tail. They came from the Andes Mountains in the regions of Chile, Peru and Bolivia. This chinchilla was on the verge of becoming extinct and were known for the exquisite fur. Even with the fur, the population of these animals continued to decrease. The chinchilla lanigera, which is also known as the Chilean, Coastal or Lesser chinchilla, has a long tail.

This species of chinchilla can be found in Chile. Even though the word “lanigera” means “having a woolen coat”, they are covered with hair instead. The hair is soft, sleek and sticks to their skin. There are three types of chinchilla lanigera: The LaPlata are muscular, round and have a short head. The Costina has longer hind legs, slight hump and a pointed nose. The Raton is similar to the LaPlata in they way it’s structured. It has a pointed nose and they are of a smaller size.

Burrows or cracks in rocks are where chinchillas reside. They can jump very well and at least up to 5 feet high. When residing in the wild, chinchillas consume fruits, seeds, plants and small insects. As far as breeding is concerned, that can take place at any time of the year. When the female chinchillas do procreate, their average length of pregnancy is 111 days. For a chinchilla, that’s a long period of time compared to other animals in that group. Because their pregnancies are so long, their offspring are born with their eyes open and their body full of fur. At the time of delivery, their litter is usually one or two, with the two more times than not are twins.

The first try of breeding started in 1895. In that same year, the first animal was born and each year two litters were born. In the summer of 1896, an unknown disease halted the breeding process. By then, there were 13 animals and all of them succumbed within two months time. Around 1918, there was a resurgence of chinchillas. A man from California was interested in trapping chinchillas so he could raise them as pets.

Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'

The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

Re-homing your chinchilla is not necessarily a delight to accomplish. However, if you are in a situation where you can no longer properly care for your chinchilla, the best thing to do is to seek out someone who can give it the love and care that they need. It will break your heart to let your pet go, especially if you’ve become bonded to it. It’s also better if you let someone else handle it rather than let it suffer and die.

You can start your search by placing classified advertisements in the section designated for exotic animals or chinchillas. Make sure you let them know that there is an adoption fee attached. You should set the fee at a starting price of $50.00. It has been advised that you should set it higher than that. This way, you will weed out the freebie seekers or cheapos. These types of people are usually not interested in taking care of a chinchilla; they just want to purchase it for their own corrupt whims.

The purpose of the adoption fees are to see if the candidate can properly and is financially able to take care of an exotic pet such as a chinchilla. Chinchillas need routine care not only from you, but also from a specialized veterinarian. When you’re dealing with specialties, that usually costs more than general things. If the interested person has an adverse reaction to the fees, then that’s a strike against him. You’ll know that they’re not interested in the chinchilla’s well being. You want to make sure that the person getting your pet is the most qualified.

Find out how long this person has been taking care of chinchillas. Did they keep them healthy and active? Ask them what kind of food did they feed them. Let them know what brand of pellets and hay you used, in the event it’s different from what they use for their pets. If they already have a chinchilla, will they try to get them together as mates?

Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'

Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)

As with humans, prevention is the key for your chinchilla to staying healthy and not getting sick. Even though precautions are taken, sometimes steps are still missed. It is crucial that your pet’s cage have fresh food and water daily. Their cage should always be kept clean and their food should not contain fungus or insects. Any violations of these can cause adverse effects for your pet. Keep in mind your chinchilla has a sensitive digestive system. It cannot easily get rid of bad food from their system. This means they could get sick.

Please find below some health problems that could affect your pet and what you can do:

Constipation:

You will know that your pet is constipated if their bowels are dry, small, strangely shaped and have a foul odor. Provide them with more fresh water and hay. Also, you can give them 1 - 2 raisins.

Bloating:

Your pet will look like a balloon and their bowels will contain mucous. Their bowels are also holey and sticky. Give your chinchilla a longer time to exercise and give them food culture.

Diarrhea:

Your pet’s bowels will stick and look like a grape. The diarrhea in your pet could be caused by hay that is moldy or algae that has grown in their water. Check the hay for mold and check the water for algae. It is imperative that their water is changed out everyday and that it’s fresh. Also check to see if their diarrhea is caused by an environmental change.

Seizures and Cramping:

If your pet does not move or starts to tremble, this may be a sign of a seizure. This can be caused by stress, injury to the head or lack of calcium. You will know if your pet lacks calcium if their teeth turn white. This can happen moreso with the female chinchilla. Don’t allow your pet to injure themselves. They should be kept warm. Since this is a more serious issue, see a veterinarian immediately.

In addition to the above, you should see a veterinarian immediately if your pet is experiencing any of the following:

Severe diarrhea or constipation, injury of the eye from a sharp object, pneumonia, weight loss, ingesting poison, or broken bones anywhere on their body. Any of these will require additional medical care from a specialized veterinarian.

You hope that you don’t have to experience any of this with your pet chinchilla. There are things you can do to make sure your pet stays healthy and not fall into any health dangers.
Listed below are some of the tips:

- Keep their cage cleaned on a regular basis.

- Don’t change their food too often; they have a sensitive digestive system.

- Don’t move them around a lot; chinchillas can’t withstand changes too well, especially sudden ones. If you do have to move them, try to do it gradually.

- Make sure their roughage food is fresh.

- Make sure their water is fresh and constantly changed out.

Chinchillas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)
The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel
Guide to Owning a Chinchilla (Guide to Owning A...)
Getting to Know Your Chinchilla (Getting to Know Your...)
A New Owner's Guide to Chinchillas (New Owners Guide)
Chinchillas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
Chinchillas: A Guide to Caring for Your Chinchilla (Complete Care Made Easy)
Breeding and Caring for Chinchillas
The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)
Chinchillas (Keeping Unusual Pets)

CURR: http://chinchilla-portal.info

Q: select urldest from tbpburls where urlsource='http://chinchilla-portal.info'