Temperature is very important for the health of your chinchilla(s). If they should become overly hot, it could lead to heat stroke. Average temps. should range anywhere from as low as 40 degrees to a maximum of 80 degrees. Humidity levels should also be kept low. The higher the humidity, the more dust baths they will require. Keep in mind chinchillas come from a very dry & mild climate! Air conditioning is a must during summer months!

Food is also a very important issue. DO NOT feed them the pet store feed with all the nice treats inside; this will only cause long term health problems & the death of the animal! All your chinchilla needs is a good quality pellet & timothy hay. Alfalfa hay may also be fed. Some good quality feeds are: Mazuri, Tradition, Oxbow, & APD. Hay cubes may also be fed instead of loose hay to control the mess they will make with the loose hay. When switching from one food to another make sure to change over gradually (usually a 4 week period), start with 75% old food & 25% new food; 50% old food & 50% new food; 25% old food & 75% new food; 100% new food. Chins which are not for breeding purposes should have a diet that consists mostly of hay (as much as they'll eat) & maybe a Tablespoon of pellets daily.

Baths ~ Chinchillas do not like water & should not be given regular water baths! They take baths by rolling in dust. It is also very amusing to watch! Highly recommended dusts are Blue Cloud or Blue Sparkle. I personally use Blue Sparkle & love it. Bath Sand is not recommended, but may be used to control allergies. It is recommended that they have a bath at least 2 times/week. In the summer months when the humidity rises, you may want to increase to 3-4 times/week. Do not leave the bath inside the cage at all times, as it will become soiled & to many baths can cause them to get dry skin. If their fur should look oily, this means they really need a bath. To contain the dust most use a bath house made by SuperPet or you can use any container big enough, which you may find in your house.

Life Span ~ Chinchillas can live anywhere from 15-20 years. So this is something you want to consider before buying one.

Chew Toys & Bedding ~ Very important to the health of your chinchilla! As their teeth continually grow, they need to chew in order to keep them from becoming overgrown. Wooden chew blocks will keep them entertained as well as keep their teeth short. Some safe untreated woods: Apple, ash, aspen, elm, pine (kiln-dried), poplar, willow. Some unsafe woods would be: cedar, cherry, oak, peach. Kiln-dried pine shavings, aspen, Carefresh are all recommended bedding for your chinchilla. Never use cedar bedding!! (Please note, yes your chinchillas teeth should be a yellowish-orange color!) Cuttlebones for birds are also good for them,as it not only gives them something to chew, but also provides them with calcium! Too much calcium can result in bladder stones, so give sparingly & not on an every day basis!

Cages should be spacious enough for them to jump around in. Some recommended brands are: Martins Cages & Quality Cages. Wire spacing on the cage should be 1/2" x 1" (this is the biggest for babies or they will squeeze out of anything bigger).

Treats may be given in small portions (no more than 1 or 2 per week; No treats for baby chinchillas until 6 months of age) List of treats: plain cheerios or shredded wheat square, dried banana, apple, or papaya, alfalfa nibble rings, rosehips, chin (horse) cookies.

Exercise is also needed for healthy chinchillas. Make sure the room is safe & chin-proof (same as you would baby-proof)! Anything within reach, they will chew it!

Health Issues ~ Some common ailments of chinchillas:  Bloat: does your chinchilla's belly feel extended & tender, is the chinchilla stretching alot & rubbing it's belly along the cage bottom? You can use infant gas drops but also seek medical advice. Causes are overeating (be sure to gradually switch feed), too many treats (chinchillas do not need treats; be sure to use something healthy if you must use anything at all).   Malocclusion: Is your chinchilla drooling or have wetness around it's eyes? There is no long term cure, teeth filings done by your vet can help short term unless it is diagnosed in the roots of the teeth (xrays need to be taken). Causes can be any number of issues: genetic, mouth injuries (hitting it's chin on something, getting it's teeth stuck in the cage wire), not eating for whatever reason causing the teeth to become overgrown, lazy chewers.  Heat stroke: Biggest sign your chinchilla is overheated, is if it's ears suddenly turn red & is acting lethargic; get the animal cooled down asap (put it in a carrier & get it into an air conditioned car, keep a marble/ceramic tile in the freezer & lay under the animal, do not run a fan directly on the chinchilla (a fan only cirulates the air & doesn't cool it), fill a small plastic bottle w/lid w/ice cubes & wrap a small towel around it & allow the animal to lay against it. Causes: keep the temperature down especially during play time, minimize their run time, keep out of direct sunlight for long periods (do not place their cage in front of a window or heating vents) Seizure: Seek medical attention right away! Could be low blood sugar, low calcium, or other things. Make sure you are feeding a good quality pellet!  Fungus/Ringworm: Is your chinchilla loosing patches of fur w/skin exposed? Is the skin in that area red & flakey? Causes: humidity is too high, fur has gotten extremely wet & not dried immediately. In mild cases you can use Tinactin in the dust bath usually until you see the fur growing back in or Blue Kote. If it doesn't clear up seek a vet. It is very contagious, so always wash & change your clothes after handling the animal; keep other animals away (preferably in different rooms).

Breeding is a whole different topic & shouldn't be entered into lightly! Never breed a chinchilla from a pet store with no background knowledge! Please do a lot of research before deciding to breed!! Are you ready for the loss of babies? Loss of mom?  Hand feeding every 2-3 hrs around the clock? What to do in the event of a kit stuck in the birth canal? How to handle a breech birth? Just because an animal can breed, doesn't mean that it should!