Caring for a pet chinchilla requires a lot more work than most people think. Before getting a pet chinchilla it is important to understand what it takes to properly care for one of these fine furry friends. To properly take care of a chinchilla, the owner will need a cage, bedding, Timothy hay and a bin for the Timothy hay, daily chinchilla food and a bowl for the food, filtered water and a water bottle, treats, dust and a dust house, an exercise wheel with a solid surface, and a pumice stone or special block of wood. This may seem like a lot of items for such a small animal, but all of these items are necessary to proper care for a chinchilla. Once the owner has acquired all of the different materials they can then start to care for their chinchilla. .
Getting a suitable cage and proper bedding for the chinchilla should always be done first. Chinchillas are overly active animals meaning that the bigger the cage the better. These animals love to run around their cage, so multi-leveled cages tend to work the best. The taller and wider the cage is the better, but if it's a choice between a wide or tall cage go with the wider cage. When picking out the cage make sure to pick the cage that has a solid bottom. Cages with wire or mesh bottoms can cause their feet to get stuck, and possibly make them injury themselves while trying to free their foot. While all types of bedding get the job done, it is important to try and get Carefresh bedding. This is because bedding made from wood shavings such as pine or cedar is known to cause skin, liver, coat, and respiratory problems.
After getting a suitable cage and proper bedding the next step for caring for a chinchilla should be to get them proper food and water. Chinchilla's water should be replaced daily. Avoid using tap water, since chinchillas can't handle most naturally occurring bacteria. When changing the water don't forget to wash the bottle thoroughly, because the algae that grows in the water can cause liver problems or a bad case of diarrhea.
