Chinchillas – How They Make a Good Pet
By Gary Prestwich
Chinchillas make great pets. Unlike other small animals, the chinchilla’s lifespan is about fifteen years. That’s great for the folks that really get attached to their small pets. Chinchillas are very small, and can easily be kept in smaller spaces. Your child can have years of enjoyment from them.
Caring for chinchillas is relatively easy as well. You can get a cage for them and use woodchips, as you would for other small caged animals. You can also let your chinchilla out of the cage, but be careful to watch them as they love to hide and can be difficult to find!
One of the other nice aspects about pet chinchillas is the fact that they sleep during the day, making them nice pets for children who can play with them when they get home from school in the afternoon, or for adults who work during the day.
Pet chinchilla’s are fun to play with. They can be housetrained, too, although it might be difficult, so watch them if they are out of their house. Also be sure to keep them away from dogs and cats. They are excellent pets for apartments that don’t allow larger animals, too.
Your chinchilla likes to have hiding places in its house, so provide things like clay pots for them to sleep in. They need that nesting box, so make sure their cage is large enough for it. All wood used in a chinchilla’s environment must be non-treated, because your pet chinchilla is, after all, a rodent. They like to chew!
Chinchillas are generally clean animals, but they do need some grooming in the form of dust baths to keep their fur nice and soft. Chinchilla dust is available at most pet stores or through your veterinarian’s office. Let your chinchilla enjoy a dust bath a few times a week. Be sure to follow the directions on the label, but it’s quite easy. As for more aesthetic grooming, you can get special combs at the pet store for your chinchilla.
When you get your pet chinchilla, it’s best to get a young one, so you have a chance to let your chinchilla get accustomed to being held. They might nip if you scare them, so acclimatize them to their new home and their new owner as soon as possible. They are soft and cuddly, and when you start interacting with them early, you’ll have a loyal pet that will bring you years and years of enjoyment. For the young or old, a chinchilla makes a wonderful pet, that is easy to care for, and will be a friend for a long time.
Chinchillas make great pets. Unlike other small animals, the chinchilla’s lifespan is about fifteen years. That’s great for the folks that really get attached to their small pets.
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