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Pet shop sellers assure those wishing to purchase a chinchilla that these cute animals are unpretentious and undemanding in content, but this is not entirely true. Before buying a fluffy pet, the owner should learn everything about chinchillas, including their diet, lifestyle and living conditions.

The chinchilla at home is not just an adorable amusing rodent, but a pet that needs to be taken care of. And each owner should know what the peculiarities of keeping chinchillas are and how to provide them with the most comfortable conditions.

If you sleep with a chinchilla in the same room, it is better to purchase a display case, not a cage.

Choosing a cage for keeping chinchilla

- this is the chinchilla's personal space, the place where the animal spends most of its life. Therefore, the owner should carefully and seriously consider the choice of home for a fluffy pet.

The main criteria for choosing a cage.

The size

The dwelling of chinchillas should be spacious and high, because mobile and active chinchillas need a lot of space for free movement and jumping.

Strong and durable rod material

The animal will definitely taste the rods of its home. Therefore, preference should be given to cages with metal rods, rather than wooden or plastic ones. Otherwise, the pet can gnaw through the rods and escape from the cage.

Distance between rods

Chinchillas are extremely flexible and can crawl into even the tightest crevices. To prevent the rodent from escaping from the cage, the distance between the rods should not exceed one and a half centimeters.

Safe and quality material

It is unacceptable that the internal and external parts of the dwelling are covered with paint or varnish. Once in the animal's body, these harmful substances can cause severe food poisoning.

For the care and maintenance of chinchillas at home, there are two types of cages: ordinary metal cages and the so-called showcases. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages.

Metal cages

Many owners choose metal cages because they are inexpensive and easy to clean and clean. Among the disadvantages of such a home can be noted poor sound insulation. When the animals start a fuss at night and start running around the cage, they make too loud a noise, interfering with the owners' sleep. Another disadvantage is that the remains of feed and filler are scattered in all directions and you will have to carry out daily cleaning of the area near the cage.

The minus of the metal cage is scattered debris around

Showcases

They are a dwelling made of a wooden frame and walls made of glass and fine mesh. The indisputable advantages of the showcase are that it well hides the noise of pets fussing, and garbage from it does not scatter throughout the room. Disadvantages of the showcase are that it is inconvenient to clean, the wooden frame absorbs foreign odors, and the walls and floor swell from moisture. Therefore, such a dwelling will have to be changed periodically.

Important: Regardless of the type of cage, it should be equipped with several shelves, suspended at different levels, which act as simulators for rodents and satisfy their passion for jumping.

The disadvantage of a wooden showcase is the absorption of odors and, as a result, the need to replace it

Items and accessories for cage equipment

To make keeping a chinchilla at home convenient and comfortable, another important step for the owner is the pet. At the same time, it is important to know what items you need to purchase for a chinchilla, and what accessories you can do without.

Chinchilla cage should not be cluttered with accessories

Necessary accessories:

feeder;
drinker;
sennitsa;
shelter house;
mineral or salt stone for grinding teeth;
litter tray.

Additional subjects:

hanging ladders and hammocks;
labyrinths and tunnels;
running wheel;
ladders;

Important: if the cage is small, then you should not clutter up its space with unnecessary items. The animal must move freely around the home, and not cling to unnecessary and useless accessories.

Choosing pet food

The health and well-being of a fluffy rodent is directly dependent on a correct and balanced diet. It should be remembered that a chinchilla at home should eat the same food as its wild fellow tribesmen in natural habitats.

The main food for the rodent should be. The composition of the feed made for chinchillas, taking into account the peculiarities of their digestive system, includes cereals, dried herbs, seeds and dried fruits. Premium food also contains additional elements and vitamins, vegetable oils and plant extracts (echinacea and alfalfa).

When feeding chinchillas, you must strictly follow the recommendations of specialists, since chinchillas are susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases

In addition to the main food in the chinchilla's cage, there should always be hay, which improves the digestion of animals.

Don't forget about. Homemade chinchillas are given fresh or dried leaves of dandelion, plantain, spinach, clover and lettuce.

As a treat, the animal can sometimes be offered a slice of dried apple or carrot, raisins, seeds and nuts (only not fried).

Chinchillas are also given twigs of trees such as apple, linden, willow or birch.

Chinchilla care at home

How to care for a chinchilla at home so that the animal can live a long and happy life? Maintain the order of his home and provide the pet with the opportunity to keep his fur coat clean.

Rodent hair care

A huge plus of the chinchilla, unlike other pets, is that it does not shed.

Chinchillas don't swim in water! Moreover, water procedures are dangerous for the health of a fluffy pet, because animals do not have sebaceous glands, as a result of which their fur coat gets wet through. And this can lead to the fact that the rodent will catch a cold and die of pneumonia.

And so that the luxurious iridescent fur of the chinchilla always looks well-groomed, the animal is arranged with sand baths.

For this purpose, once or twice a week, a bath filled with special bathing sand is placed in the animal's cage. After the chinchilla is bathed, the container with sand should be removed, otherwise the sand will get into the animal's food or water.

Cage care rules

In order for a pet to feel good in its own home, you must follow these rules:

surface cleaning of the cage is carried out two to three times a week;
household chemicals should not be used to clean the rods, pallet and cage walls;
general cleaning of the chinchilla's home should be carried out at least once a month;
it will be much cleaner in the cage if you pour special filler into the tray. For this purpose, sawdust, straw or wood pellets are used. Scraps of newspaper, cellophane and cloth are not suitable for bedding.

How to tame a chinchilla

The chinchilla is not a dog or a cat, so the activity is useless. These rodents are very independent and independent and do not expect that the pet will be happy to sit in the owner's arms and accept human touch favorably.

Since the chinchilla is a shy animal, the taming process can be long

But still, it is possible, and if the owner wants to win the trust of a fearful animal, he will have to be patient and put a lot of effort into this.

Many owners, having brought the chinchilla home, begin to stroke and hug their pet on the first day, and this is their main mistake. After all, do not forget that these animals are very shy and for them the stress is already that they were taken from their usual cage and carried away somewhere. It takes a long time for a chinchilla not only to get used to an unfamiliar environment, but also to the voice and smell of the new owner. Therefore, for the first two weeks, it is better to minimize communication with the pet and let him get comfortable in a new place.

When the rodent adapts a little to the environment, you can from time to time come up to his home and talk to him quietly. You can open the cage and stick your hand in there, giving the animal the opportunity to sniff your palm and even bite lightly. Perhaps the chinchilla will even jump into your arms to get to know you better. If this happens, do not frighten the animal with a sharp movement and try to pull it out of the cage, as this will discourage the pet from coming closer to you for a long time. Let the chinchilla get used to your hands and the fact that you are not a threat to it.

After a while, try to lure your pet out of the cage with his favorite treat. Substitute an open palm with a treat when leaving the dwelling, and let the animal decide for itself whether to climb into your hand or drag the treat into the cage. With the right patience, the animal will soon get used to you and stop being scared when you reach out to stroke it or scratch its neck.

Scratches - that's what chinchilla loves!

But do not forget that the behavior and character of chinchillas depends on the individuality of the rodent. Therefore, do not despair if, despite all efforts, the animal has not learned to trust you and refuses to go into your hands. Just surround the rodent with attention and love, and perhaps over time he will reciprocate you.

Chinchilla and a child: is it worth buying a rodent for children

Many parents think that a cute and friendly chinchilla will be the perfect pet for a baby. After all, these animals are not characterized by aggression, they do not bite, and the child will be able to take care of his little pet on his own.

But in fact, keeping a chinchilla in a house with small children is not such a good idea. Experts generally do not recommend buying a fluffy rodent for children under ten years old.

Young children find it difficult to cope with caring for a chinchilla

And for good reason:

leading a nocturnal lifestyle, the rodent will sleep during the daytime, so it is unlikely that the child will be interested in watching a constantly sleeping pet;
chinchillas are very shy animals. And noisy children's games in the room where the animal's cage stands can greatly scare and injure the fragile psyche of the pet;
children love to grip animals, carry them in their arms and lift them by the tail. And most chinchillas cannot stand being touched and picked up. In addition, the baby can strongly squeeze the animal and injure him;
a small child can leave the chinchilla's cage open and the animal will use this to escape and hide in a secluded place, from where it will be very difficult to get it;
you should only feed fluffy rodents with special food and delicacies, and not food from your own table. And a child, unknowingly, can accidentally feed a chinchilla with a prohibited product, which will provoke digestive problems in the pet, and in some cases even cause the death of the animal.

Chinchilla in the house: reviews of the owners

If you can't decide whether to get this cute rodent, read the owners' reviews on the care and maintenance of chinchillas at home.

Anastasia: I am very glad that this fluffy little ball of happiness lives in my house.

I got a chinchilla for my birthday. And to be honest, I have never regretted such a wonderful gift. They say that keeping chinchillas is troublesome, but it's easy and simple for me to take care of such a pet. You do not need to walk it, there are no problems with feeding either, in general, it is a pleasure to take care of a chinchilla. And the main plus is that the rodent does not smell at all.

Sergey: never have a chinchilla

I gave in to my wife's requests and bought a chinchilla. Yes, the rodent is cute and cute, but this is where its merits end. There is so much noise from the chinchilla at night that it is impossible to sleep. Here she chews on everything - the rods of the cage, shelves, a house and even a feeding trough, although they bought her a special mineral stone for grinding her teeth. Walking the animal around the apartment is generally a separate topic. If you let the chinchilla out of the cage, consider that the end of furniture, wires, baseboards and wallpaper has come, because it will chew on everything it can reach.

Elena: these are the most wonderful and delightful animals

For two years now a couple of chinchillas have been living with us - Homa and Larik. They are very playful, affectionate and tame, they gladly go into their hands and let themselves be stroked. Caring for them is not difficult and there is practically no smell. And how interesting it is to watch them swim in the sand. If you decide to have a decorative rodent, then feel free to choose a chinchilla, these are wonderful and amazing pets that will not give you much trouble in keeping.

Breeding chinchillas is a profitable business

Increasingly, a chinchilla is brought up in the form of a home.

In popularity, she has long overtaken the guinea pig and various hamsters.

Why the animal is so popular and how to care for a chinchilla at home, we will talk in our article.

In the wild, the chinchilla lives in the mountains among the rocks. Usually reaches up to 40 centimeters in length. The body of the animal is covered with dense fur, which protects it from the cold in the wild.

The long tail can reach 20 centimeters. It is covered with hard and spiny hairs. The weight of an adult chinchilla can reach one kilogram.

The animals prefer a nocturnal lifestyle, during the day they, as a rule, sleep the whole day, gaining strength, and by the evening their activity increases.

They thrive at night thanks to their large eyes with vertical pupils that can see in complete darkness.

The head of the animal is round, and the neck is short.

The ears of the animals are specially arranged so that sand does not get into the ears during the sand baths.

It has four legs that allow you to jump upwards.

With proper care, the animal can live up to 20 years. The color is usually ash or gray, some have a pronounced white belly.

Maintenance and care of a chinchilla at home

Chinchillas live in nature for about 10 years, at home you can increase their life expectancy up to 20 years. To ensure a happy and long life for the animal, you need to know a few rules for caring for it.

Home improvement for a furry friend

A chinchilla needs a spacious and capacious cage, it is desirable to have various shelves located at different levels, since the animals love to climb on hills. If the cage is smaller, the animal will feel uncomfortable, the enclosed space will oppress the furry friend.
It is necessary to place a pet bath in the cage, you will regularly pour sand into it. This is necessary for the care of a fluffy coat.
A layer of sawdust must be laid out on the bottom.
It is also obligatory to have a bowl for food. It is better if it is screwed to the bars of the cage, otherwise the active animals will overturn the bowl of food.
So that your animal does not have digestive problems, be sure to purchase a sennitsa. Hay or straw for chinchillas can be purchased at specialized pet stores.
So that your pet does not get bored, install a lot of different entertainments in his house, for example, swings, attractions, various bridges and tunnels.

Diet and nutritional rules

are herbivores, and with great pleasure they eat a variety of herbs and plants, as well as their seeds and fruits.
Concentrated feed is essential for chinchillas. They are very nutritious and contain a lot of useful trace elements for the healthy growth of the animal. It is worth giving preference to grain feed, as well as legumes.
Animals are very fond of sweets, but such delicacies are undesirable in the diet. If you want to treat the animal with something tasty, give it a carrot, a slice of apple or rose hips.
For better assimilation of food, the presence of hay for the animal is imperative. The hay should be fresh and thoroughly dried.
Monitor the water level in the drinker, the animal needs regular drinking of clean water.

Air temperature

Pets are accustomed to living in the wild in temperate climates, so chinchillas cannot stand the sultry heat.

The room where the cage is located must be dry, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room, the air temperature should be maintained from 17 to 22 degrees.

In winter, a heater can be installed in the room, and an air conditioner can be used in summer.

Set up the cage out of direct sunlight in summer.

Sunbathing is possible in the evenings, when the sun is not capable of harm, no more than 15 minutes a day.

Basic rules for caring for a pet

Chinchilla should not be bathed in water, as the pet is prone to colds. Perfectly replaces water procedures by taking sand baths. If there is visible dirt, you can use a damp cloth and gently wipe off the stains.
Do not allow drafts and heat, this will be detrimental to the animal.
Do not take the chinchilla in your arms too often, especially if you resist the animal, stress can cause various diseases.
You can't keep a chinchilla in a small cage.
Letting the animal out of your house is strongly discouraged. The chinchilla is very curious, from which an accident can occur. She can gnaw through the wire and get an electric shock, eat inappropriate food, her weak stomach is unable to process heavy food. Perhaps the animal decides to gnaw the wall or other materials treated with paint or other harmful substances, in which case the chinchilla will get poisoned and possibly die. The best walk for the animal is a large volumetric cage.
It is forbidden to feed chinchilla food that is intended for other pets. Each feed is individual and designed for individual consumption.
Do not take the chinchilla outside, there is a high risk of catching various diseases
Chinchillas cannot be vaccinated as a prophylaxis. The introduction of injections is possible only with a complex illness and strictly under the supervision of a veterinarian.
It is impossible to treat chinchilla with grass that grows on the street, even when processing them. Poisoning of chinchillas is almost impossible to cure, the pet risks dying.
Do not add young chinchillas to adult males. Early pregnancy almost always ends in failure.

Chinchilla pregnancy signs

Pregnancy is easy to recognize. it is enough to notice the discharge of the vaginal plug into the cells in time.

Once discovered, labor will begin in about 100 days.

When the female has a belly, you cannot touch it with your hands, with such actions you can harm not only the pet, but also her offspring.

About four weeks after the successful fertilization of the female, the babies begin to actively move in the mother's stomach.

These tremors can be identified visually. If the tremors stop abruptly and do not resume within 24 hours, it is necessary to urgently take the pregnant female to the veterinarian.

Do not be surprised if during pregnancy the female begins to behave strangely: excessive aggression or affectionate behavior is the norm for pregnant individuals.

Caring for a pregnant female

After the chinchilla has become pregnant, it is necessary to weigh it once a week.

This will help monitor the health of the animal.

By the middle of pregnancy, she herself will begin to gain weight intensively.

Closer to childbirth, weight growth will stop.

For feeding a pregnant female, give preference to cereals, milk powder and food with a good calorie content.

Give the female a nibble on a calcium tablet once a week.

Childbirth of a chinchilla

Labor usually occurs early in the morning. How long the birth will last depends on the individual characteristics of the female. In some individuals, childbirth takes place in a matter of minutes, and in some it can last for 6-7 hours.

If you find that labor is difficult and painful, give the female sugar, it will help stimulate the uterus for a quick labor.

If the birth took place right in the cage, it is necessary to place the babies on a warm blanket after birth, since small chinchillates can very easily catch a cold. After warming up the babies, give each baby one drop of glucose.

Many breeders are wondering how to care for a chinchilla at home after giving birth. In fact, special care is not required, the female will recover on her own after giving birth in a short time. For successful closure of the uterus, sugar can be given to the female, about 5 grams per day.

Caring for newborn animals

Most often, in one pregnancy, the female carries one or two babies.

Advantages

Benefits include:

if you work during the day and come home in the evening, then in your absence the animal will not be bored;
Chinchilla wool is odorless and does not cause allergies. But the sand in which the animal bathes can provoke an attack;
give in to training, can respond to their nickname, carry out some commands;
absolutely non-aggressive, so that the chinchilla even slightly bites you with its teeth, you need to try very hard.

Well, in general, a chinchilla is a very positive and active creature that does everything funny and is fun to watch.

Habits, character and characteristics

This is a very important point, because the pet should suit you according to your liking and lifestyle:

A couple of times I heard from familiar owners that chinchillas smell very unpleasant. It all depends on how many times a month you clean after them.

Choice

There are a great many chinchilla colors, but to keep chinchillas at home it is not necessary to know all of them, because we choose them more to our liking. The most common are standard gray (this is a wild chinchilla color), black and white velvets, beige, purple and sapphire. The rest are mainly the results of crossing them.

Accommodations

Cell

To begin with, they need a large cage. The minimum WxDxH for one animal is 70x50x50. If there are several of them, then the width and depth increase to at least 90 and 70 cm, respectively.

If you are planning to breed chinchillas at home, then do not buy a tall cage - they very quickly learn to climb walls, they can fall and get injured.

The dimensions of the cells are 1.5 by 1.5 cm for the bottom and 1.9 by 1.9 cm for the walls and roof. The cage should be galvanized and not painted. It will be more convenient for you to clean up after your pet if there is a pallet in the cage that is easy to pull out.

Feeder and drinker

They cling to the cell wall, otherwise they risk turning over or turning into a latrine. Now it is no longer a problem to find and buy special drinkers for rodents, equipped with dispensers in the form of a ball at the end of the tube.

It is better to take a chinchilla feeder made of metal or ceramic. By the way, there should be as many of them as the types of food you give the animal.

You also need to put a special pebble for grinding your teeth, because your rodent is still growing.

House furnishings

There should be a shelter in the cage, about 30x15x15 cm in size with a bedding that will be easy to reach and wash. If you plan to breed, then you need as many houses as chinchillas. Residents often quarrel with each other, like real married couples, and live in different apartments.

Shelves with a width of at least 15 cm are hung along the walls of the cage. All kinds of ladders, tunnels and passages are also welcome, you can put a wheel.

Water procedures are taken in baths, which are filled with special fine sand (you mix zeolite and bathing sand - 2 packs take about six months). You can create a bath with your own hands - from a three-liter jar or an old saucepan. Such a bath is installed at home for a chinchilla for 20-30 minutes 3 times a week. More often it is impossible - the skin is overdried. After bathing, the sand can be cleaned through a sieve.

Feeding and cleaning

For chinchillas, special pelleted food is sold. Food for other rodents will not work.

Be sure to buy hay for the animal. Dried fruits and vegetables will be useful (except for raisins, it is too sweet), dried leaves of plantain, dandelion - all this is a real treat for them. You can give twigs to gnaw, there are special salt wheels, factory vitamins. They are especially necessary when you start breeding chinchillas.

You can't - conifers, nuts and sunflower seeds (too fat), and, of course, wallpaper (they love this business).

Water must be purified, boiled, filtered or bottled.

Daily care:

cleaning the feeder, filling in new feed, add water as much as needed;
remove hay that has fallen on the floor, since the chinchilla can go to the toilet on it, and then eat it;
sweep garbage off the shelves;
clean around the cage.

Weekly chinchilla care - replace the entire bedding, wash the tray, disinfect the drinker (those that cannot be washed - you can clean it with water and salt), wipe off the dust, clean the sand in the bath.

Monthly care - completely wash and disinfect the cage, change the sand.

More chinchillas!

If you are interested in breeding chinchillas at home, then pay attention to what colors can and cannot be crossed with each other. Because, for example, puppies of two white parents practically do not survive.

Another important point is that the female is the main one in the chinchilla family. Therefore, ideally, she should be younger than the male, and the process itself should be arranged on his territory. If one of the points is not met, then at first it is tedious to arrange an "acquaintance" - to put the cells of the future couple next to each other for 2-3 days, then to plant the chinchillas together. If they start to fight, put the aggressor in the carrier until the quarrels stop. And now they already live together.

It is not difficult to take care of chinchillas when you started breeding them - 10 days before giving birth, put out the male, cover the nest house with bedding. Remove the bath shortly before the chinchillates are born.

The female copes with childbirth without assistance, they pass around 5-8 o'clock in the morning. The room should be quiet, you cannot take her in your arms. Puppies are born with open eyes and erupted teeth, the skin is already covered with fluff.

Milk from a chinchilla mom appears immediately or within 3 days, so if the kids sit with their tails down, then they need to be fed with condensed milk without sugar (dilution - 1: 2 with water).

A pet is a source of positive emotions. Today, along with cats and dogs, the chinchilla is gaining popularity. Care and maintenance of such an exotic animal undoubtedly requires knowledge of special rules. But the charm of furry pets is very difficult to resist. So, what you need to consider before starting a chinchilla at home.

Chinchillas as pets

Fluffy and kind - the chinchilla will be an excellent family favorite

In order to make an objective decision as to whether it is worth having such a pet or not, you should initially familiarize yourself with the positive and negative aspects of the presence of a chinchilla in an apartment.

So, the pluses of the content include the following aspects:

chinchillas have a good-natured character, rarely bite;
they get used to hands without problems;
difficulties with training will not arise, since chinchillas lend themselves well to it;
the period of their life is quite long and reaches 20 years;
they have an attractive appearance;
the animals are unpretentious in keeping and feeding;
do not create an unpleasant odor.

pets are most active at night. They run and jump, which makes noise and can interfere with sleep;
when freely moving around the apartment, the animals will not miss the opportunity to gnaw furniture, shoes, wires and anything that will attract their attention. It will not work to wean them from such a habit;
if you accidentally leave the cage doors open, you will have to make a lot of effort and time to find a chinchilla;
the animals take sand baths every day, as a result of which dust constantly forms in the apartment;
a lot of space is required to place the cage;
in the room where the chinchilla is located, it is necessary to adhere to a stable temperature regime, and also to avoid an increase in humidity;
in the event of a disease of the animal, it is rather problematic to find a veterinarian specializing in this animal.

Chinchillas love human society

Alone, these animals do not feel comfortable, and the owner needs to pay more attention to them.

The selection criteria also include the financial capabilities of potential owners. The price is determined by the color of the animal and the age. Chinchillas, which have a common gray color, are more expensive than colored animals.

Features of the content

A chinchilla in an apartment will feel quite comfortable if you provide her with the necessary living conditions. Let's consider in more detail the features of keeping a fluffy animal in an apartment.

The necessary conditions

The cage should be comfortable for the animal

Before a fluffy pet appears in your apartment, you need to prepare a house for it. This can be a cage or aviary that meets the needs of the chinchilla. She prefers well-ventilated, light, dry and warm rooms. The cage can be purchased ready-made or made yourself. But some nuances should be taken into account:

If you intend to get offspring, you should not choose a tall cage. Small animals will climb the walls of the enclosure, while they can fall and be injured.
For several chinchillas, you will need a spacious cage - at least 70x90 cm and 50 cm in height.
For one animal, a house with a size of 50x70 cm is suitable.
It is recommended to purchase cages with a pull-out tray, where shavings or sawdust are poured. They will serve as bedding for the chinchilla.
You can install shelves made of wood up to 15 cm wide, tunnels and ladders where the animals will rest and hide.
For raising cubs and resting, chinchillas need a house that fits in a cage. It should be borne in mind that it will also have to periodically change the litter.
It is necessary to organize twilight in the house so that the animals can feel themselves in natural conditions. Its length should be 30 cm, height 15 cm.
It is advisable to place the drinker and the feeder on the door or front wall. It is not recommended to put them on the floor, as the animal can turn them over or use them as a toilet.
A ceramic or metal feeder designed for parrots, which has a special mount, is suitable. Chinchilla drinkers can be found at any specialty store. They are bottles equipped with a metal rod 5-6 cm long.
One of the components of the diet of this animal is hay, which requires a separate feeder. It is fixed on the roof of the cage or installed inside. Hay that has fallen from the trough to the floor should be removed.
Chinchilla belongs to the order of rodents, therefore one of its basic instincts is the constant need to gnaw something. For this, a stone or wooden objects are placed in the cage.
The humidity level in the room where the cells are located should be 50% -70%, and the temperature should be 18 ° C-20 ° C.

How to toilet train

Toilet training is an important step in raising chinchillas

First, you need to track the area in the cage where the animal goes to the toilet, then pour sand or sawdust there. If the animal again uses this place for its needs, a container with filler can be placed on it. First, you need to check if the animal is walking in the tray. If the chinchilla does not use the prepared container as a toilet, wet sawdust is poured there. Then the animal will understand what is being sought from him.

But chinchillas can go to the tray not only for small needs, these animals do not control the process of defecation. Therefore, the sawdust in the cage must be systematically removed. Once a week is enough. The tray is changed with the same frequency.

Care features

Chinchillas have long been tamed and feel comfortable in human society. They have a developed desire for socialization, so caring for their pet is more likely to be one of the pleasant concerns than a duty.

Chinchilla diet

A balanced diet is the key to the health of chinchillas

These animals eat hay, special feed, nuts, barberry, rose hips, dry bread crusts. They love fruits: plums and apples, they will not give up raisins or dried apricots. When buying food, you need to make sure that the expiration date has not expired, and also study its composition. Hay ensures the normal functioning of the animal's intestines. In the summer, the diet can be diversified with a small amount of hazel, nettle, birch and apple branches.

Food is placed in the trough once a day in the evening between 17.00 and 21.00. Chinchilla also consumes chalk, replenishing the content of mineral elements in its body. You should limit the amount of high-calorie foods, the consumption of which causes obesity. This negatively affects the reproductive capacity of chinchillas.

Chinchillas must have constant access to water.

Bathing

Chinchillas can only swim in the sand

To maintain their coat in proper condition, the animals take sand baths. For such a procedure, they need a special container - a bathing suit. This is a plastic or tin container 20x20x30 cm in size. The bath is placed in the cage twice a week for 30 minutes. It is not recommended to leave the container for a longer period, as the chinchilla may mistake it for a toilet, and the sand will need to be thrown away.

In addition, frequent sand baths dry out the skin of the animal. Bathing a chinchilla is a pretty funny sight. Whenever possible, a container of transparent materials should be used to allow observation of this procedure. The container can be made on your own from a three-liter jar or saucepan.

You cannot use water for bathing chinchillas.

The wool of these animals has a high density, so it takes a long time to dry. Animals should not come into contact with liquid, this can lead to their death.

Video: the process of bathing chinchilla in the sand

Chinchilla training at home

In order for your pet to please with its behavior, it is necessary to conduct special training sessions. This is perhaps the most enjoyable part of keeping a chinchilla. Let's take a look at the main points to remember.

How to teach to hand

A little patience and your chinchilla will become tame and affectionate

To successfully establish contact with a chinchilla, it should be remembered that this is a shy animal. You do not need to pick up the animal on the very first day of its stay in your home. Actively imposing friendship will scare him away. Initially, you need to wait a few days, during which the chinchilla will adapt to the new place. Then you can start dating:

You should talk to the animal using gentle intonation, repeat its nickname.
A piece of raisins will help to earn his trust, since chinchillas love him very much. But it is important to observe the measure. For one time, half a raisin will be enough, 1-2 pieces can be given a day. In large quantities, this delicacy will disrupt the digestion process of the animal.
The zest of the early days is offered through the cage. In this case, sudden movements should be avoided. Then you can open the door and treat your pet by sticking your hand into the cage. If the animal boldly takes a treat, you can proceed to the next stage.
Chinchilla can be picked up. Stroking around the chin and behind the ears will help build trust.
After a certain time, she will try to examine the hand, can get close to the shoulder or face.

It is worth remembering that acquaintance will not happen overnight. This may take several months.

How to train to sleep at night

Chinchilla is nocturnal. But if desired, its mode can be adjusted. This process can be started no earlier than the animal gets used to its new habitat. All necessary actions are feeding no later than 19 hours. Over time, the chinchilla will be awake during the day, and use the night for sleep.

Diseases: why are they dangerous and how to treat

Chinchilla has strong immunity, but poor care provokes disease

These animals have strong immunity, which is why they rarely get sick with proper care. But being in unfavorable conditions can negatively affect their well-being. If the animal has a loss of appetite and decreased activity, this is a cause for concern. Chinchillas are characterized by the following diseases:

Bronchopneumonia is accompanied by fever, shortness of breath, nasal discharge, coughing, and wheezing. The animal is treated with glucose, vitamins. And also with small doses of penicillin. This drug is prescribed once every three days intramuscularly. The dosage must be agreed with your veterinarian.
Rectal prolapse. This causes constipation. The dropped out part is first treated with a solution of furacilin, then with paraffin oil and, using a pipette, carefully set.
The formation of hair rings around the male genital organ. This prevents it from multiplying. The rings are removed by hand. If they are dry, they are treated with soapy water.
Constipation. It can be triggered by a lack of fluid and changes in the diet. If there is such a problem, dry food is excluded. The pet is given a laxative, and paraffin-based oil is injected into the mouth or rectum.
Keratitis is a lesion of the cornea of the eyes. The disease occurs due to contact of the chinchilla with poor-quality sand or mechanical damage. Eyes are washed with furacilin and treated with levomecitin or tetracycline ointment.
Diseases of the teeth occur in the absence of a stone for grinding. The incisors of the animal reach 8 cm and injure the tongue. The molars move. The chinchilla is unable to eat and dies. Treatment consists of grinding the teeth, but this should be done by a veterinarian.
Conjunctivitis is expressed as a purulent or clear discharge from the eyes. May indicate the presence of an infection. The eyes of the animal are instilled with fluorescene, then every hour they are treated with eye ointment.
Ticks. You can find them after careful observation of the animal. The chinchilla's skin peels off and becomes thicker, the animal suffers from itching. The animal loses weight, and in the absence of adequate treatment, it dies. The wool needs to be cut off, and the affected areas should be treated with a bromocyclene composition at intervals of 8 days. The dosage is prescribed by the veterinarian. You will also need to disinfect the cage.
Flatulence occurs as a result of feeding poor-quality food. The temperature of the animal drops to 34.5 ° C, the general condition worsens. The animal is given powdered activated carbon. You can use dill water or chamomile infusion. It is better to coordinate treatment with your veterinarian.
Otitis media is an inflammatory process that affects the external auditory canal. Is the result of pollution. The disease can be detected by the flowing brown liquid. The ear is treated with fish oil and an ointment containing zinc.
Diarrhea - occurs due to stress and unbalanced diet. The animal's temperature rises. He is given oak bark, maple leaves and activated carbon.
Heatstroke. This malaise can be recognized by observing the behavior and appearance of the animal. It lies on its side, the ears turn red, there is a profuse discharge of saliva. The chinchilla is transferred to a cool place, a cold object is placed in the cage. For example, a bottle filled with cold water.
Ringworm - baldness appears in the back, sides, head, neck and tail. The skin is flaky and inflamed. The animal is treated with 5% iodine solution, medical sulfur or fungistop.