Pet Appeal/Behavior
- Affectionate, intelligent, charming personalities.
- Bond quickly to their owners.
- Hardy and suffer few illnesses.
Chinchillas can make great pets, because they are easy to care for, have very little odor and rarely bite.
- Dogs, cats and ferrets are predators.
- Basically nocturnal, they may be active during the day.
- They need at least 30 min/day for exercise and play.
- They are often difficult to litter-train (fecal).
Sexing and Reproduction
- The anogenital distance in males is about twice as long as females.
- Male chinchillas do not have a scrotom, and the testes remain primarily in the inguinal canal or abdominal cavity.
- There are two small moveable sacs next to the anus (post-anal sacs) into which the caudal epididymis can drop.
- In females, the anus is immediately caudal to the relatively large cone-shaped urethral papilla.
- The female vagina is normally sealed by a membrane except during estrus (3-5 days) and parturition.
- If a female chinchilla is not bred at a young age, its pelvis will fuse and it may have difficulty giving birth later.
- An open vulva, often with visible mucus, is an external indication of estrus.
Housing
- House individually, in pairs or in a polygamous group with a single male and 2-4 females.
- Cage should be at least 3 x 2 x 2 feet (90 x 60 x 60 cm), constructed from wood and mesh wire.
- Use pine litter for substrate (avoid cedar as it is toxic).
- Chinchillas need climbing ares, a dust box and a sleeping box in an upper corner.
- Dust baths help chinchillas keep clean without becoming chilled. Chinchillas should be allowed to roll in the dust material (about 2-3” [8-10cm] deep) for 10 to 15 minutes several times per week.
- Temperatures higher than 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) can be result in heat stroke. Optimal temperatures are 50-68 degrees Fahrenheit (10-20 degrees Celsius).
Diet
- Commercial chinchilla pellets, water and unlimited timothy hay provide an adequate diet.
- Chinchillas can thrive on a mixture of grass (timothy, brome, and oat) and legume (alfalfa) hays.
- Adults require 1-2 Tbs of pellets daily.
- Sugary treats, such as raisins or dried apples, and fatty foods, such as sunflower seeds or peanuts, should be avoided.
Restraint
- Lift the Chinchilla by supporting the body with one hand under the abdomen and holes the animals by the base of the tail close to the body with the other hand.
- The chinchilla can also be placed on the arm.
- A chinchilla should be restrained gently to avoid “fur slip.”
- Chinchilla may bite if restrained against their will.
Blood Collection
- IV: 25-28 ga needles in lateral saphenous or cephalic vein
- IM: 23-25 ga needle in quadriceps, gluteals; max. Volume 0.3 ml per single site/adult
- SC: 23 ga under skin, neck or flank; be careful of “fur slip”
- IP: Hind limb should be extended with animal restrained, introduce 23 ga needle or smaller along the line of the leg into the center of the posterior quadrant of the abdomen; up to 10 ml fluid can be given.
Physical Examination
- Annual veterinary visits should include a physical exam and review of the diet and husbandry.
- The need for fecal analysis and blood hematology and chemistry should be discussed.
- Bi-annual or quarterly examinations to assess weight, dental health, nail trim trimming and overall health are recommended.
Most Common Disorders
- Dermatophytosis
- Trauma (broken bones, bite wounds)
- Diarrhea/constipation
- Respitory disorders
- Eye irritation/conjunctivitis
- Convulsions/encephalitis/lead poisoning
- Malocclusion/molar spurs
- Penile hair rings in males/paraphimosis
- “Fur-barbering” from stress
- Heat stroke
- Esophageal choke
- GI stasis/bloat
- Cardiomypathy
- Rectal proplapse
- Giardiasis
Zoonotic Potential
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)
- Dermatophytosis
- Baylisascaris procyonis
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