ABOUT THE CHINCHILLA CHAT LINE

C.C.L is an original thought from Founder Roger Whear. C.C.L was inaugurated in February 1998. We exist to promote and expand knowledge of the Chinchilla and to create a more responsible, caring and euphoric life for the said pet.  We give observational advice to all who request it. As far as we know, C.C.L is the first of it's kind in the world.  We can help you with the fundamental welfare / husbandry, including diet, exercise and housing, all of which needs to be right for your pet to thrive. The only cost to the enquirer needing advice will be the cost of a telephone call to one of our advisors.  C.C.L can, of course,  also be contacted by email or snail mail (see our Team page for details ) We do, however  recommend that if your Chinchilla requires urgent medical attention he/she should be taken to a veterinary practitioner immediately.

CCL’s team of advisors have many years of experience in keeping Chinchillas,  however, if for some reason, the Advisor cannot answer your query, Roger is always available for additional help.

C.C.L has no commercial interests therefore it can be a non-biased platform. However, we do incur costs from running a very informative website and various administration expenses. Small donations are always welcome and gratefully received. If you would like to donate to C.C.L please contact any one of our members (see the Team page). Surplus funds are donated to other animal welfare organisations.

Our newly reconstructed web site is designed to be uncomplicated yet comprehensive, following along the lines of Roger Whear's books  'Your First Chinchilla/How To Care For Your Chinchilla' published by Kingdom Books ISBN: 185279140-3. Available in all good pet stores and at http://www.amazon.co.uk

We welcome your participation (please see our Forum), send us photographs, stories etc of your Chinchilla to feature on our site. Any suggestions on how to improve this site will also be welcomed. CCL aims to promote more awareness of the delightful Chinchilla which will inevitably lead to better lives for these exotic animals. We do hope you enjoy our website and you invite your fellow Chinchilla lovers to visit us too.

We only include submissions on our website that have been checked and are, to the best of our knowledge, accurate. However, we are only human and mistakes can sometimes be made. C.C.L would be obliged to anyone spotting such errors to contact us immediately so we can amend same.

Here, you can find out more about the lovely people who have agreed to be Patrons to CCL.

Click the thumbnails to enlarge

Roger Whear Roger Whear is the Founder of Chinchilla Chat Line. He served as its Administrator and Senior Advisor from its inception in 1998 until handing over to Liz Arnold-Smith in 2008. He is an author, artist, poet, master craftsman, raconteur and lovable person to furry creatures. Roger lives on Plymouth's historic Barbican with his Dachshund Chiz Whiz. View Roger's Amazon listing. Lord Bath Alexander George Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath (born 6 May 1932), styled Viscount Weymouth between 1946 and 1992 he is a politician and author. He was born with the surname Thynne but adopted the spelling Thynn in 1976. Although born in London, he grew up at his family's seat, Longleat, a great Elizabethan house set in 18th century parkland, landscaped by Capability Brown. He served in the Life Guards and was commissioned a lieutenant in 1951. Beryl Cook OBE Former Patron It is with great sadness that Beryl Cook MBE has passed away.  Beryl has been a long standing and very valued patron of Chinchilla Chat Line and she will be greatly missed. Our heartfelt condolences to her husband John and family. This picture and following text was taken from her book 'Cruising' published by Cassell Paperbacks ISBN: 1.84188-207-0 Never formally trained, Beryl Cook first started painting nearly forty years ago, after introducing her small son to his box of watercolours. Since then she has received great popular and critical acclaim. Beryl's paintings reflect her delight in observing humanity at close quarters and her own wide and varied experiences. She has worked as a show girl, a model, managed a pub and run a boarding house. Visit  Beryl's website

Eric Roberts Brother of Julia Roberts and an actor who has found his niche and continues to grow in range and accomplishment. Eric's most successful, recent, projects are the US comedy 'Less Than Perfect' (currently showing in the UK on 'abc1') and 'Heroes' (currently showing on BBC Three). More details. Eliza Simons Wife of Eric Roberts and now more commonly known as Eliza Roberts, Eliza is an accomplished actress with an impressive list of credits. Most notable of these are appearances in 'Doctor Who' in the late 1990s and 'Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'. More details.

John Bower BVSC MRCVS John Bower was born in Nottinghamshire. He graduated from Liverpool University in 1965 and in 1969 he began the Veterinary Hospital Group practice in Plymouth.  When not at work, or at home with his wife, children and  pets, he enjoys bird watching, fishing, skiing, sailing and general outdoor pursuits in beautiful Devon. Visit the Veterinary Hospital website

David Grant MBE B.Vet.Med.FRCVS Most people will know of David from watching the hugely successful Animal Hospital, presented by Rolf Harris. David has been at the RSPCA Harmsworth Animal Hospital since 1987 and his genuine compassion and concern for all animals is obvious. David has a column in the Daily Express every Friday, where he answers pet problems. Visit the BBC Animal Hospital website