This page covers the important factors involved in keeping chinchillas (housing, exercise, etc.) and most of the  health issues encountered by chinchilla owners

Chinchillas are rock hoppers, they come from the arid regions of the high Andes in South America, with the long tailed varieties hailing from the transverse mountains of North Central Chile.  They live in burrows and rock crevices in the rough terrain on and above the tree line.  They exist on coarse grasses, seeds and the bark of trees and bushes.  In captivity they have a life span similar to cats and dogs. They are very clean animals, with no odour and their fur is very dense with up to 80 strands per hair follicle that fleas and lice find it impossible to live in.

Click here to see chinchillas in their natural habitat.

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Cages

Chinchillas are best kept in wire cages with mesh not exceeding ¾ of an inch square.  With larger mesh their feet and legs can become trapped resulting in grazes, sprains or more seriously, broken legs and dislocated hips.  All shelves in the chinchilla cage must be covered with wood, preferably untreated pine.  Similar attention should be paid to the bottom of the cage, this is to stop the chinchillas feet becoming sore from constantly walking on wire.  These shelves will have to be replaced as they take great delight in destroying them to keep their teeth filed down.  The inside of the cage should be interesting to stop boredom setting in.  Put lots of wooden items in for them to chew on and branches and steps for them to run up and down.  They also need a secure safe place to sleep, a hut or tube made from either plastic, cardboard or a terracotta pipe.  The main emphasis is getting the largest cage possible for your chinchillas, this will help keep them happy and healthy.

Click Photos To Enlarge

        

 

Where to put your chinchilla cage is also an important issue.  They should be placed above floor level on a table, or have legs fitted to the bottom of the cage.  Make sure it is never put in a steamy environment like a bathroom or kitchen.  Similarly, avoid hot places such as conservatories, near radiators or any other heating appliances.  If the temperature drops, supplement with a fan heater, place at a distance but pointing towards the cage and they will soon congregate towards the warm air blowing into their faces.  On hot days draw the curtains and use a cold air fan to keep the temperature down.  Never put the cage in a garden shed, garage or out in the garden, chinchillas belong with you in your environment.  They require even temperatures, some fresh air but no draughts, no direct heat or sunlight.  As chinchillas don't like water, a sand bath should be available to them on a daily basis, it keeps their fur clean and dry and gives them good exercise as they roll around in it.

Another issue to look at is smoking.  The likes of dogs and cats are mobile in that they can escape from an environment they don't like i.e. a smoke filled room, whereas a chinchilla in a cage has no such luxury.  Chinchillas can still suffer from the same smoking related illnesses as humans but because they are a fraction of the size, any complaints will progress rapidly.  So please consider this and keep your pet in a smoke free zone.

Exercise

It is essential that your chinchilla gets lots of exercise and even the best equipped cage is not enough to provide this. Ideally, your chinchillas should be let out of the cage for a run daily.  Although they are small they are very athletic and need a large space to perform their activities, they love climbing, jumping and generally running. If there are two or more, they will generally chase each other round like mad then retire for a nap once exhausted.  Outside the cage give them lots of toys like old leather shoes, footballs, plant pots, pipes, wooden climbing frames ( see below ) etc.  The more occupied the chinchilla the more tired it will become, therefore it will sleep well when returned to its cage, baby chinchillas can be let out within a day of being born.  Time outside their cage must be supervised, as chinchillas are gnawing animals and are not fussy about what they chew so,

Be careful of:

·         Electric cables

·         Anything containing water, ( bowls, buckets or toilets ) as they drown very easily

·         Wallpaper

·         Expensive furniture

·         Any furnishings

·         Gas, electric, open fires

·         Floor coverings

Feeding

They are easily pleased with food and the simpler their diet the healthier they tend to be.  Chinchillas have very long intestines compared to other animals of the same size and feeding them the wrong diet can cause them serious harm and in the worst case be fatal.  They require only chinchilla pellets, clean hay free from dust, and fresh water.  As a treat they enjoy raisins just one or two and every now and again.  Other treats are a fresh dandelion leaf, small piece of apple or carrot.

Avoid giving them fattening snacks such as nuts or sunflower seeds and never give them coconut as this swells up inside them.  Do not put them out to run on a lawn as their digestive system is not adapted to such a diet as fresh green grass and diarrhoea would soon occur and can be fatal.  An adult chinchilla will eat about 1oz of pellets per day, keep this in mind when bulk buying as they may become past their sell by date and stale before they are finished.  A salt block should also be available along with a pumice stone for sharpening and reducing growth of their teeth.

AILMENTS WHICH MAY AFFFECT YOUR CHINCHILLA

(This listing of possible ailments is for reference only and are not categorical diagnosis.)

Bumble Foot

As amusing as this sounds,  it is not very pleasant for your chinchilla to suffer from it.  It's main cause is if your animal is having to constantly walk across the wire mesh that most chinchilla cages are made of.  Their feet become very red and swollen and painful for them to walk on.  It can be easily rectified by covering all the surfaces that they walk on with untreated wood. Although you are doing them a favour, this will not stop them chewing at the wooden bases you have put in so from time to time they will have to be replaced

Constipation

Your chinchillas droppings are a good indication as to their state of health. They should be a good even size, cylindrical, dry, dark and numerous. If they become small, pointed at one end and scarce your chinchilla may be constipated.  Initially try increasing the hay intake and a few extra raisins, if there is no improvement  try any of the following but one at a time, 

·         Fruit or fruit juice

·         Syrup of figs (IMPORTANT!!! Please consult your Vet for amounts)

·         Liquid paraffin 1ml per day

Fur-ring

A condition affecting males only, it is a build up of fur around the penis under the sheath caused by a male trying to mate with a female who is either to young or unwilling.  If not treated it can lead to a slow painful death.  If your chinchilla is looking uncomfortable and listless then lay him on his back and gently pull the sheath down as far as it will go.  Be extremely careful and do not extend the penis at all as it can become damaged at the root very easily.  If there is a ring of fur visible it must be removed with a pair of small scissors, gently work one tip of them under the fur-ring snipping and easing it away.  Once removed, with a little water for lubrication (or KY Gel)  gently tuck the penis back into the sheath.  Keep an eye on it for further problems in the future.

Fur biting

Fur biting in a lone adult is often caused by boredom.  This is because the animal may be in a cage with no stimulation, not enough room to exercise and no toys.  Not only will its fur look dowdy with pieces missing your chinchilla will be miserable maybe spinning round in a corner or huddled up shaking it's head from side to side, lack of human companionship will exacerbate the problem.  Lack of hay in a diet can also cause fur biting, maybe because they see the fur as an alternative form of roughage when hay isn't available.

Evidence of fur biting on a rescued chinchilla. Photo by John Seamons

Fits In Chinchillas - by Mandy Elliott

For three years, I have successfully treated one of my chinchillas who has fits.  In her case, my method really did work and my vet told me that the product I use is safe and harmless.  She also told me that allegedly the treatment most vets use for fits in chins can cause liver failure so bear that in mind!

I got the following information from a Mr. A.T.Sweeney who opened a chinchilla ranch in Papplewick, Nottingham in 1951 and introduced the first chinchillas into this country. Many books published contain photos of his chins which were bred for show and pets only, NOT THE FUR TRADE. He has now retired.

The fit that my chinchilla, Buffy suffers from is a 'Thiamin Fit' (lack of Thiamin) She will shake and wobble and sink to the floor, small convulsions will sometimes occur and her limbs will shake and her body becomes very limp. This type of fit can last five to forty minutes. Depending on the severity of the fit, here is the solution; Give ABIDEC (Baby Vitamin Drops). Add two drops of this to four ounces of water and administer daily for one month. Then, after one month reduce the ABIDEC to one drop in three ounces of water, again administer this for one month. Then start to taper off, put one drop of ABIDEC into three ounces of water and give this every OTHER day, then stop. Watch closely, if the chinchilla has another fit then start the whole process all over again. Like my Buffy, some chinchillas may need this treatment in small doses indefinitely.

Next, there is the 'Calcium Fit.' Try not to mix this one up with the Thiamin Fit. During a calcium fit, the chinchilla will again sink to the floor but there will be no shaking or wobbling, he/she will stretch out his head upwards and backwards, the front legs stretched forward and the back legs stretched backwards. The chinnie's body will be stiff and rigid. Soon the cramps will disappear and he/she will return to normal.  Solution; Give the chinchilla half of a calcium phosphate tablet with NO Vitamin E in it. And, as with the Thiamin Fit, administer ABIDEC drops in water daily for one month or longer if required.

I have not come across the 'Calcium Fit' so cannot comment on it's solution further than I already have, but with the 'Thiamin Fit' ABIDEC has really worked. Fits can be brought on by stress, sometimes when feeding starts and if the chinchilla exercises after long periods of being caged. Try to make sure that food is available at all times and exercise periods should be often but shorter until the fits are under control.  Hope this helps, good luck.

Listeriosis

A disease in chinchillas causing inevitable blindness, brain damage and ultimately death.  It is curable with antibiotics if caught at an early stage.  Tell tale signs are unusual behaviour, weight loss, loss of appetite, little or no gnawing and impaired vision.

Malocclusion (Teeth)

Among many of the problems that our chinchillas face, dental disease stands out as being the most common and life threatening. Unlike humans, chinchillas teeth never stop growing and as a result of this they need to be worn down.  In the wild the diet they live on is grass and other fibrous materials which needs to be ground down before they can swallow it, this then causes the teeth to slowly get worn away.

So what goes wrong?   In captivity they do not always get the correct diet, if they don't get enough fibre then they will suffer with molar overgrowth.  This is when the teeth are growing faster than they are being worn away, leading to their teeth twisting and causing spikes which can lacerate the tongue or cheeks and is intensely painful.  Diet though can't be totally to blame, genetics can also play a part and age, in the wild 5yrs is old for a chinchilla but in captivity 15yrs is not uncommon.

Signs and Symptoms

Eye discharge/winking.  An early sign that the roots of the molars are pushing into the back of the eyes causing pain (and characteristic winking) and a white discharge is evident.

Not eating.   Monitor food intake carefully especially hay. If the intake drops get teeth checked as soon as possible.

Weight loss. This is the most striking sign, often missed as the chinchilla is so fluffy it is difficult to tell. Try and check when gently handling your animal.

Slobbers.  Drooling which shows itself as a matting of fur around the chin and an odour can develop.

If your chinchilla shows any of these signs they should be examined by a vet as soon as possible.

Prevention

This is mainly done by ensuring the diet is correct, it should include small amounts of pellets and large amounts of good quality hay. Cheap bedding hay should not be used as it contains dust and fungi which will put the chinchilla off eating it thus increasing the possibilities of dental problems. Greenstuffs and fruit can be given but in very small quantities as it can lead to dental and other problems.

Information from Chris Jones BVSC MRCVS, The Veterinary Hospital Group, Plymouth.

Peracute Diarrhoea - a sad story

This beautiful chinchilla, Chilly, died very suddenly. An autopsy revealed she had suffered peracute diarrhoea, probably due to the sugar content of the fruit and honey bar she had eaten. Chilly's owner has approached the makers of this treat to urge them to place a warning on the packs and she has brought this to the attention of C.C.L in the hope that other chinchilla owners will be extra vigilant with feeding. Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

Some extracts are taken from Kingdom / T.F.H publications of
Your First Chinchilla / How to care for your chinchilla YFK - 631
Author Roger Whear ISBN 185279140 - 3.

Chinchilla's In Need Of New Homes & Owner's Seeking Chinchillas

"A warm ball of silk marshmallow encased in your hands, a delight

It's your pet you hold gently, your friend, your furry mite.

The pleasure it gives is unsurpassed, it trusts you, it relies on you.

In return you must look after it, give it a most euphoric life too."

By Roger Whear

Important Information

Please note that the Chinchilla Chat Line is not a re-homing centre.  We can, however, advertise chinchillas that are in need of a home on this page.  Please be aware that C.C.L does not make any monies from the re-homing of chinchillas.  Any financial transactions are strictly between the buyer and the seller..

SHELTER HELPER Can help re-home animals and find lost ones, please visit their WEBSITE HERE!

Do you have a chinchilla who needs a new home or can you help re home an orphaned chinchilla?   If so, please call Roger on 01752 256053.