I like what you stated about how important it is to pick the right cage. I have had several chinchillas for a few years now and have learned more and more about them everyday. With research and hard work you will know which chinchilla supplies and cages will work for your pet. I do have some suggestions though. I would not recommend using newspaper on the bottom as they may tend to chew them up to much. This can cause a blockage in their intestines if they consume to much paper. Since they do not have a gag reflex it could potentially become a serious risk. Also there are many cages at the pet store that you can purchase, but most do not come “chin safe” There are stores out on the market where you can purchase a safe chinchilla cage such as http://www.chinnieshop.com, but if you do decide to buy one from a pet store. Make sure that you remove any plastic levels or ramps from the cage, and that the wiring is not coated in paint or plastic as they will chew it. This again goes back to chinchilla being rodents and wanting to chew everything. You can either make or purchase platforms made out of wood for the cage. Make sure you use the correct wood, the cheapest I have found that works best would be pine, but it must be kiln dried. They will enjoy that much more. Also there are no needs to leave the ramps, chinchillas are very agile and will enjoy jumping from one platform to the other. Well hope this has helped!

It is perfectly fine to take the chinchilla out of the cage. Every chinchilla born here or that I rescue, I immediately start letting them get accustomed with me. To do this, take the chinchilla in the bathroom, making sure the toilet lid is down, bathtub dried out, and pickup or block anything the chinchilla can hide under/behind/in (this means behind the toilet). Let the chinchilla explore while your laying on the floor or sitting on the floor. Take some treats with you (raisins, dried cranberries, posted shredded wheat’s cereal) and give the chinchilla a treat every time it comes near you so she knows your not going to hurt her in any way. This let’s her become familiarized with you in a good way. Let her run around for 30 minutes, then place her in her cage for 1 hour to rest, eat and drink. After the one hour is up, take her back in the bathroom for 30 more minutes.

To get her out of the cage, take out anything that she can hide in so she can see you. Move slowly toward her. Let her smell your hands and even nibble you a little, if she wants. Lay your hand in the cage so she can smell your hand to get use to your scent. When she feels comfortable with you, she will place her front paws on your hand. It’s best to let them get use to your palm area first, so you can pet her with your fingers while she’s on your hand. If it fails, don’t rush her, let her go at her own pace.

Skiba doesn’t seem to enjoy being out of her cage because it’s a new place to her, but in due time she will be all over the place. Chins don’t "supposedly" have good memories, they DO have good memories, especially if hurt by someone.

The problem with holding off from extra cage adventures for a while is, if she don’t get out of the cage, she will want to stay in the cage all the time, because she is going to associate the cage with where she is suppose to be at all times. I have a rescue that I cannot get out of the cage because it’s previous owners never let him out. He will let me pet him, but as far as coming out to play, he just won’t. I keep his cage door open throughout the day thinking he will come out on his own, but he never does. My chinchillas are in a room of their own and I will open a cage door, randomly, so 1 can come out to play when it wants to, but he never comes out when his door is opened. I have him in a big wide cage with lots of things to do so he don’t get bored. An absolute MUST for any chinchilla to get exercise is an exercise wheel. He loves his wheel and that’s how he gets his exercise everyday. Chinchillas have their own personalities so Skiba just might have the personality when she wants to be left alone.

Since Skiba is so shy and hides a lot, I’m guessing the people you got her from didn’t handle her very much. I handle all my kits daily, more than once a day, and all my kits are very friendly and people associated. They love to be held and out of the cage.

Be patient and it will all work out!
References :
Chinchilla Breeder
http://www.geocities.com/softfurrycritters

Patience and a lot of TLC will probably do the trick but sometimes, they’re just inclined to be skittish forever.
References :

http://hubpages.com/hub/chinchilla-care-guide

http://hubpages.com/hub/chinchilla-care-guide

If you use wood shavings, stay away from cedar. Cedar is toxic to all animals and they should not be exposed to it.

Some people have also chosen to use cage liners made out of fleece. I myself didn’t care for it, because I just have too many chins/cages for it to work. But if you only have a single chin, it may be something to check into.

If you have more questions about chinchilla care, please see http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com. You can see different kinds of bedding in use, and if you’re interested in the liners, the members will share how to make them.
References :
Chin owner/breeder, 9 years. http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com

2. I wouldn’t, he’ll probably chew on it and it’s not good for him to eat the fabric, it could possibly block him up.

3. Yes, but they’re like little, uncooked rice pellets, nothing a dust buster can’t pick up.

4. Chinchillas not being able to get wet is a myth. It’s not going to hurt them to get wet, they can even be given a water bath (but ONLY when absolutely necessary). They just need to be dried thoroughly and don’t let them catch a chill while wet. Their fur will NOT fall out, and it will NOT lead to fungus, pneumonia, or death. Try raising the water bottle so he can’t rub his body against it. It should be high enough that he has to stand on his hind legs to reach it, but without stretching or straining to reach it (probably about 6 to 7 inches, depending on how tall he is, from the bottom of the cage floor).

5. Yes, they like the wheels. Something 15 to 18 inches in diameter is best and preferably something not plastic. http://www.chinchillas.com/estore/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=wheel
http://www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CW030010&Category_Code=CW03
NO, they CANNOT have those balls!! The balls are usually too small and they can overheat in them. Do NOT use the balls!

6. Things for them to climb on and/or chew are best.

7. They love raisins, papaya, carrots, celery, fresh and dried fruits (especially apples), dried rosehip, and sunflower seeds to name a few things. Just go easy on the treats – they can become junk food junkies and won’t eat their ‘real food’ if given too many treats.

8. In my opinion, no. Chinchillas chew on everything and the plastic is not good for them. It can, over time, be fatal to them. A wooden one would be best. You can make (or have someone make) one out of pine or buy one already made at a pet shop.
References :

However, moving to a new environment is stressful, even on the most socialized chins. For this reason, time should be taken to allow the chin to get used to their new cage so that they feel that this is their safe haven no matter what. There are a lot of new sights and smells in their new home to get used to as well and this is best done from inside a safe cage.

The biggest mistake we see new owners make is taking a chin home and immediately beginning to take them out for play time. Even if the chin seems to be calm, he/she needs time to settle into their own little safe world prior to exploring the big world of the new house. This is especially true of homes that have other species in them.

Chinchillas are a prey species and as such may not show outward signs of stress until it is too late. Smells of other species, especially predatory species can be very frightening to a chinchilla. You may not think Fluffy, your cat is predatory, but the chin has no way of knowing this and will only go by what he/she smells.

For this reason, we suggest that new owners give new chins a minimum of two weeks before taking them out for play time. This gives them time to feel comfortable and safe in their new cage. You can bond with them and interact with them from within their cage. Let them approach you however, do not reach in and "grab" them. If they climb onto your hand, then hold them. But, we do not suggest letting them run around their new home for a minimum of two weeks. This time can be longer, depending on the chin’s particular personality, but two weeks should be a minimum.

We know this is hard for new owners, however, it would be much harder if the chin were to end up dying due to the stress of his/her new environment. So please, give your new family member time to settle in prior to letting them out for play time.

A great place to find out about chinchillas and ask questions is http://www.pets-on-the-net.com/…...

Here is a great place to buy a cage and wheel
http://www.qualitycage.com/chinchilla.ht...

Chinchillas need lots of exercise and they love to climb UP so the cage should be tall not wide. My chinchilla loves to run in her wheel " all night LONG "

A high quality pellet is the staple to any chin diet. We used Mazuri Chinchilla Diet for many years with wonderful success.

http://www.mazuri.com/

A constant supply of hay should be kept in the chinchilla’s cage at all times. Hay is important for many reasons. It is a wonderful source of fiber, as well as calcium and protein. With chinchillas though, it is also important for helping them to keep their back teeth from overgrowing and causing health issues. Cube hay will not help back teeth nearly as much as loose hay does.

Timothy, alfalfa and oat hay are all good for chins. Alfalfa is much higher in calcium and protein, which an be harsh on chin’s digestive systems, especially if the pellet portion of the diet is alfalfa based.

Also make sure you always provide plenty of different sizes of chew sticks for thrie teeth as well

A basic rule of thumb is that if your pellets are alfalfa based, as Mazuri is, you need to feed timothy hay. If the pellets are timothy based then feed a alfalfa hay

The fear of any chin owner is a bacterial infection happening to his or her chinnies! Contamination of water is pretty easy to prevent and hard to fix. Bacteria is the most common of contaminants in chinchillas’ drinking water. It can come from a dirty waterbottle where it has cultured itself and grown to a concentration that is enough to affect the animals or it can come from the water source. The consequence of the bacterial infection is usually diarrhea and can be fatal if not treated promptly. There are several different types, some are worse than others, but all are parasites that chins are much better not having.

Heavy metals, floride, arsenic, lead, and other chemicals either added intentionally or not can be harmful as well. This is why tap and well water can be dangerous. Even if the concentrations are not hight enough to make humans feel ill, the chinchillas can still cause problems. The consequences can be the poisoning of your chinchilla or even neurological problems that can affect a chin for the rest of his life. If you think that your chinchilla is suffering from parasites or poisoning, get him to the vet immediately!!

Regular bottled, purified water is just fine for chinchillas as is reverse osmosis or distilled water. They don’t need the expensive bottled mineral waters and shouldn’t be given carbonated water (this could really cause problems..use only flat water!) However, if you are sure that the water you are giving them is clean and contaminant free, then it’s probably going to be just fine. Our chinchillas are given reverse osmosis water since our household water comes directly from a well. There are just too many possibilities of contaminants in the well water so I would never risk giving it to my chinnies.

As a last resort (or maybe a first), the water may be boiled to kill any bacteria. This is pretty highly effective at making water safe for chinchillas and humans alike. Personally I just buy regular bottled water

Of course you can give them treats, such as rasins , rose hips, dried papaya but be careful " not too many sweets " give them a bad tummy ache.

If there is anything else you need please feel free to email me
References :

2) Why? They won’t "play" with it. Better to get chew toys, or "snugglies" for them to sleep in.

3) Yes. They don’t have any control of bathrooming, and no desire to please you, so they’re pretty much impossible to potty train.

4) Water is not good for the fur. It will ruin it. BUT, because it’s only been 9 hours, you will freak him out if you try to prevent him. Best to stick something in there where he can hide. A shoe box with a hole cut in the side, or specially made hides from a pet store. The "igloo" style is a favorite. More than one is also a good idea.

5) DO NOT EVER put a chinchilla in a ball. It damages their spines, and gets them too hot. Heat alone can kill the little guys. Some will use the wheels, but they have to be the right size. ONLY get the one for chinchillas.

6-7) Look here for toys and treats. It says guinea pigs, but it has great ideas for toys, treats, "hides", snugglies, and other equipment. http://www.guineapigcages.com.

That’s a great choice.

Bouncy time outside the cage, just means you need to do a little extra cleaning when he’s done. Watch for him to pee, and clean that up right away with a cleaner specially made for pet pee, and get a little broom and dust pan for the poop. They vacuum well too.
You do realize he will be awake and LOUD all night, right? I hope you’re a deep sleeper.
References :

2. i probably wouldnt do it, but it would probably be okay.

3. yes and chew everything up and probably pee

4. unless it gets soaked it should be fine

5.yes, but they can easily escape from the balls and so you have to tape it shut and then they pee and the pee comes out of the hole and on the floor. for your sake i recommend just a wheel.

6. wood stuff he can chew on, they have a ton of stuff at petco

7. wood and stuff. they have a sensitive digestive track so only give them one treat a day. they love raisons but you dont want to give them too many because it can make them sick and die.

8. its fine.

to let him out you can let him loose in the bathroom and make sure you put tooth brushes and stuff out of his way. make sure you keep the door closed and stuff.
References :
i have 2 chinchillas

If you could spend even a couple dollars, big pieces of PVC pipe make wonderful tunnels for your chin. You can even take boxes, cut holes in the end, put the PVC pipe between the two holes and make a fort with a tunnel! They love stuff like that.

Do you have any 2 x 4′s lying around? You could build him some steps, a balance beam, a jungle gym out of them. You could really have fun creating stuff for him to play on. You could also use that PVC pipe again on a 2 x 4 creation.

Other than that, yes, the paper towel rolls and the toilet paper tubes are lots of fun. Try stuffing one full of hay and put a bite sized nonshredded wheat in it. They will dig and tear at it until they find the "prize" in the middle.

I’d like to ask though, if your mom won’t spend any money on a pet – what will you do if your chin needs veterinary attention? Will he just have to suffer because mom feels it’s an expense she doesn’t want? Just something to think about.

If you’d like more ideas on chin toys and have more questions about chinchillas, please join http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com. There is a wealth of ideas on this forum, with lots of experienced breeders and pet owners who love to help.
References :
Chin owner/breeder 8+ years. http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com

Chins are not “cheap” pets to get set up, but they aren’t expensive to maintain!

Their diet should include a high quality pellet ( with NO treats ), Oxbow is one of the best retail brands, Mazuri is better than some, or buy online much cheaper and better quality! Tradition, PANR, Manna Pro, etc. Then hay and water, this is all they need. If you want to give treats opt for a plain cheerio, or non-frosted shredded wheat no more than once a day.
They need to chew and require hay and chew sticks, pine or chin safe varieties.

Please, PLEASE, no fruits, no seeds, no plastic… If you want to learn more join or search at a good forum with good information such as http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com

As for costs, yes they can be a bit expensive and are the most expensive rodent to keep and care for. It’s just the chinchilla and the cage that are the big expenses, but their food is a bit more expensive than that of other rodents. You’ll also need to buy bedding/litter, hay, and chew things. Oh, and also dust. Mine usually get their dust bath three times a week.

If you’re really interested in learning more about them, check out this site: http://www.chincare.com It has a lot of useful information.
References :
chin owner for 11+ years

They generally love dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, etc. – but should be given these in moderation. Some also love fresh vegetables like steamed corn on the cob. Each one has specific likes and dislikes, so offer small tidbits to see what they like. Be careful however, they have a tender digestive system and can get diarrhea from too many treats.
References :
http://www.petshub.com/chinchilla/feed-chinchilla.php