Caring For Your Pet Chinchilla

Chinchilla Toys

Chinchilla Planet — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:36:12 +0000

An entertained chinchilla is a happy chinchilla. So you'll want to provide as many toys and accessories as you can while being reasonable with the costs. Over the years we've tried several products with a few of them emerging as favorites.

Chinchilla Chew Toys

Chinchilla Planet — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:21:10 +0000

Chinchillas need to constantly chew on things to keep their teeth healthy. Might as well have fun doing it, wouldn't you say? Here are some of the chew toys we've tried over the years.

Chinchilla Breeders

Chinchilla Planet — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:09:29 +0000

We're often asked if we know of any chinchilla breeders in such and such an area. Generally, our answer is, "no." We're just pet owners and aren't really part of the world of raising chinchillas in large numbers. However, we recognize that finding a list of chinchilla breeders isn't necessarily easy so we decided to compile one.

Safe and Unsafe Food for Chinchillas

Chinchilla Planet — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:07:36 +0000

At some point during your care of your chinchilla you'll probably wonder whether it's safe to feed your chinchilla a particular food. We've been in that situation. Here's a list of food items that we know to be safe and unsafe based on extensive use by fellow pet owners.

Traveling with a Chinchilla

Chinchilla Planet — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:54:12 +0000

One of the questions that we're asked is whether it is safe to take a chinchilla on trips. Our general response is that taking your chinchilla on your travels is a bad idea.

Chinchillas as Pets

Chinchilla Planet — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:42:54 +0000

If you were to ask a pet chinchilla owner if chinchillas make good pets, you'll probably get an earful of all the care and maintenance they require. Only after getting through a laundry list of items will the owner respond with, "Yes, we think chinchillas are great!" Admittedly, we're the same way.

Chinchilla Movies and Videos

Chinchilla Planet — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:34:12 +0000

Some of us take pictures of our pets, others take videos. Here are some that we've found on YouTube, a movie/video sharing web site.

Various Chinchilla Owner Polls

Chinchilla Planet — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:28:08 +0000

We've gathered various poll results from around the web (mostly from the Chins & Quills forum) and consolidated them here. These are the ones we found interesting and hope you do too.

Chinchilla Harness and Leash

Chinchilla Planet — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:19:00 +0000

When we first got our chinchillas, one of the things we asked ourselves was whether we could get a harness and leash that would fit them. Our goal was to be able to take our chinchillas out to the backyard or a field and give them exposure to something outside their regular environment.

Chinchilla Pictures

Chinchilla Planet — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:10:58 +0000

Just about every pet owner ends up taking pictures of their chinchilla. And with the increasing popularity of digital cameras, it has become quite easy to do so.

Are Raisins Safe?

Chinchilla Planet — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:53:27 +0000

L Miller asks... I have heard different descriptions of how raisins affect chinchillas. One pet store person said that toxins from too many raisins can build up in a chinchilla's system and kill it. Our chinchilla loves raisins but now we are afraid to give him any. Is there a limit as to how many he can have?

Why Not to Have a Pet Chinchilla

Chinchilla Planet — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:36:25 +0000

We believe that people should make an informed decision before taking on the responsibility of caring for a chinchilla. Here are reasons to NOT get a chinchilla as a pet.

How Much Does a Chinchilla Cost?

Chinchilla Planet — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:20:54 +0000

Pet chinchillas vary in price with much of the cost determined by the chinchilla's color. The rarer or more difficult it is for a particular color, the more expensive the chinchilla will be. And while costs will also vary from breeder to breeder and from pet store to pet store, we've compiled a list that we think will give you a good idea of the potential price tag.

Emergency Cooling

Chinchilla Planet — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:14:47 +0000

If you live in a warm climate, it's important that you have a backup plan to keep your chinchillas cool in case your A/C unit fails. We keep a couple of frozen jugs of water in the freezer during the summer months. So far, doing so has come in very handy.

Win a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate!

Chinchilla Planet — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:03:05 +0000

We thought it would be fun to hold a chinchilla photo contest with a $50 gift certificate from Amazon.com as the prize for the winner. All you have to do is e-mail us the cutest picture you have of a chinchilla.

Chinchilla Invasion

Chinchilla Planet — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:38:18 +0000

We saw this article in a local paper and thought you'd enjoy reading it.

Keep Sandbox in Cage?

Chinchilla Planet — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:25:45 +0000

Piku asks... Is it okay to just leave the sandbox in the cage or do you have to take it out after every bath?

Chinchilla Cages

Chinchilla Planet — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:14:56 +0000

You have two options when it comes to cages for chinchillas. You can build your own or you can buy one ready-made. We've actually done both.

Chinchilla Book Recommendations?

Chinchilla Planet — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:04:26 +0000

fishcube asks... So which books do you recommend? Pets and breeding books on chinchillas?

Coated Wire?

Chinchilla Planet — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:45:40 +0000

PetsPlease asks… I found a new cage at a local pet store. Its really big, so I know my chins will enjoy it, and it has a great price. The only problem with it is that the wire is coated. Is it still okay to get? I've never seen my chins chewing on their wire before, [...]

How Do You Clean a Wooden Cage?

Chinchilla Planet — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:40:34 +0000

snuggy1 asks… How does everyone out there clean wooden cages? Chinchilla Planet answers… The base of our cage is made out of melamine. This makes it easy to clean. We also have a wooden box with bedding to encourage our chins to do their "business" there rather than on the shelves of the cage. However, when the shelves do [...]

Getting Another Chinchilla… Or Two

Chinchilla Planet — Tue, 05 May 2009 11:27:29 +0000

Sondra asks… Pikachu is my one and only chin. My husband said that one of the girls at his work has a friend who is moving and can't bring her chinchillas with her. Also, the female is pregnant and so the owner said I could have one of the babies. Well, that fell through, because her [...]

Do Chinchillas Need To Go To The Veterinarian?

Chinchilla Planet — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:32:34 +0000

Do they need check ups? If they do are there any other pets you know of that don't need to go to the vet? I just hate paying the bills. stacy g answered: I had one that I never took to the vet nor have I ever seen one go to the vet unless there was something [...]

Is Poplar Safe or Unsafe?

Chinchilla Planet — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:03:38 +0000

Baby.Angel021 asks… My husband was wondering if Chinchillas can have shelves made out of poplar wood? I'm not sure if he said it was untreated. I'm just the momma and being very protective of my new baby. Chinchilla Planet answers… Poplar of which aspen is related is safe from what we've read. We once tried using aspen shelves, [...]

How Do You Keep a Chinchilla Cage Clean?

Chinchilla Planet — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:33:44 +0000

I am getting a chinchilla and I want to keep its cage as clean as possible so how often do I have to change the litter and do I have to scoop soiled areas daily? I am thinking about wiping down the levels of my chins cage with baby wipes is this safe for the [...]