If you have a chinchilla and you want to have all the information to give it the best care, keep reading. The chinchilla is a rodent somewhat unknown to many people but it is a very special pet and different from the wild chinchilla. Hairy, small, gentle and very intelligent, get ready to share your life with an adorable animal with whom you will enjoy wonderful moments. At OneHowTo.com we tell you how to care for a chinchilla because their quality of life depends on you.
Steps to follow:
1
To know how to care for a chinchilla The first and foremost thing is that you prepare a good cabin for it. You should choose a good cage so that you are comfortable and safe; pay special attention that the bars are narrow so that it does not escape. If you choose a wire cage, make sure that there are no pieces that protrude so that it does not hurt.
You must place a suitable bed for your chinchilla, it is not recommended to use cedar or pine shavings because phenols can cause respiratory and skin problems, and if they ingest this type of wood they could be poisoned. The best is make a custom nest. It should measure about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide by height and you have to place it on the ground so that your pet does not fall.
2
If you want take care of a chinchilla it is convenient that you look for a partner. Chinchillas are rodents that adore live in companyThey are not solitary animals, they need others of their kind. So from the beginning it is recommended that you have two chinchillas youths. If you don’t want them to have offspring, choose two males or two females.
Another consideration to take care of your pet is that you treat her delicately. When you pick it up, you should lift it as if it were a cat, put your hand under the gut of your rodent and the other hand on its back and let your chinchilla rest its hind legs on the hand underneath. You should never hold your chinchilla with force because you could hurt him.
They are very nervous and restless animals so you will have to be able to hold them firmly but without applying pressure, especially in the upper part of their torso. They have a floating rib cage and if you push too hard you could cause internal injuries.
3
For take care of a chinchilla well you must provide an appropriate diet. Your pet must have quality food so you can give him some alfalfa but without going over because they could expel foam. The food is convenient that you place it in a hay trough or in a hanging container so that it stays very clean.
You should not feed him very frequently because you could cause digestive problems. A couple of times a week you can give him unsalted nuts or dried fruits. Something you should not forget is change the water daily as algae that grow in water can cause liver problems, severe diarrhea or death.
4
Other basic care for your pet is that you condition his cage with some exercise wheel since they are very active animals and need to exercise every day. Place a wheel so that he exercises daily that should have a very solid surface although, yes, do not choose mesh or wire, the best option is plastic.
You can also let him play outside of the cage but always under supervision so that he does not hurt himself. They are pets that can jump several meters and fit through very small gaps, so be very careful. Do not forget that they love to gnaw, so be careful with furniture, cables and all kinds of elements.
5
For take care of a chinchilla you should clean his cage every day so it removes the dirty hay and all the dirt from the base. You will also have to lavar your pet daily since they are rodents that need to bathe every day, especially in the morning and it will be enough if it lasts about 10 minutes.
To undertake this task for the first time talk to a vet of exotic animals to do it correctly. You will have to be careful with the temperature of the water and with the chosen soap. A good way to bathe him is to use a small basin where he is safe.
Regarding the cleaning of the cage, you will have to do it only with hot water or, at most, do it with a little chlorine mixed with water and then rinse with plenty of water. After cleaning, let it air dry perfectly.
6
One aspect that you should consider very seriously is that their teeth grow about 12 cm each year so one of the care that you will have to take into account is that you place a block of wood (or pumice stone) so that your chinchilla can gnaw. You can also put some gnawed branch for him to climb and bite into the cage. It should be apple or sycamore wood that are not toxic and are also very resistant for your pet to sharpen their teeth.
You should also know that they are animals that get hot easily so keep their habitat in some area of the house with a little air stream and that does not shine directly on the sun. And finally, chinchillas need to get rid of excess oil from their hair, for this they need to take dust baths with a mixture of clay or volcanic ash.
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