Chinchilla - maintenance, feeding and care in the apartment, house: Rules, recommendations, a list of permitted and prohibited products, real reviews of the owners

This article will talk about the rules of home maintenance of chinchillas.

Every year, there is more and more exotic at home, and this is expressed not only by unusual interior details, but also by species of pets. South American chinchilla, the content of which is becoming more and more popular, is now in demand not only because of incredibly soft and valuable fur, but also as a pet.

If you at least once held her in your hands, then you understand how hypnotically the wool affects people. After all, another explanation cannot be found. But we want to reveal the main features of care for them. After all, we once again focus on - a rodent from the South American continent, therefore, in our area, its retention requires simple, but still special conditions.

Chinchilla and its maintenance at home: Let's start by studying the appearance

Interesting: at the beginning of the 20th century, the wild rodent was practically destroyed due to its valuable fur and listed in the Red Book. When there was a threat of extermination, many tried to save the animal, but all attempts to keep Shinshilla at home ended in its death! For the first time, M. Chapman managed to transport a rodent from the mountains in 1973, which began to breed them in a farm with 3 females and 8 males!

In nature, in general, there are only two varieties of this rodent - Small long -tailed and large short -tailed chinchilla, The content of which is no different. All of them have a natural gray color called agouti - More dark on the back, lighter on the stomach and paws. But in captivity of the breeders, more than 40 different breeds of chinchillas were bred, characterized by a variety of coloring. Now the chinchilla can be bought not just white, but velvety white. But this is not all - there are beige animals with a pink tint, sapphire or purple color.

• Chinchillas - cute, charming animals that are easily tamed, tolerate well and have Life expectancy 12-15, and sometimes up to 20 years.
  • Their weight -500-800 g, while females are always more than boys
  • Body length -25-38 cm
  • The length of the tail -8-17 cm; The short -tailed look is very massive hind legs and neck
• Chinchillas are very mobile, jumping and funny creatures. They have well -developed hearing, vision and smell, they are good to teach And they can even perform simple commands. In relation to familiar people Friendly configured They are able to recognize the owner by voice and miss his absence. To other animals - Indifferent and not tuned to communicate with them.
• Chinchillas have a very pleasant appearance - a rounded head with an expressive face, deeply planted with black eyes, rounded ears, small paws with five thin, mobile fingers.
• Unlike many other rodents, chinchillas are very clean and even in the presence of a small living space always Clearly distinguish between places for sleeping, food and toilet. In addition, they are very fond of taking baths, but from sand. Therefore, they always have a pure skin that does not have a specific smell. By the way, they have Unique ears - They are equipped with a special membrane that does not let the grains into the ear.
• The fur in these animals is also unique - From each hair follicle it grows up to 70 thin hairs, for each centimeter of their body there can be up to 20 thousand, which creates its incredible density, makes it very beautiful and pleasant to the touch. It is believed that the fur of the chinchillas Hypoallergenic.

Important: but do not forget that the elementary objects of the animal hygiene by the type of the same sand or filler do not have such hypoallergenic properties. Therefore, if you have a predisposition to allergies or asthma attacks, then this aspect should be taken into account. Although, if you reason so, then any animal can be prohibited for you, since in any case there will be risks!

Chinchilla content: We study signal sounds

Chinchilla, the content of which can be at home or in wild, always makes sounds very diverse in volume and tonality, which always means something:

• working sound - satisfaction;
• a sound similar to duck grunts is the pleasure of food during meals;
• tweeting and grunts - discontent;
• blowing and growl (sometimes accompanied by clicking teeth) - indignation;
• a frequently repeated squeak - a cub calls his mother;
• a sound similar to crying is a stressful state;
• a sharp piercing squeak - fear and pain;
• sound, similar to the intermittent barking of a dog - a warning about danger;
• a formidable jerky sound similar to growl is a warlike cry.

Important: but chinchillas are very afraid of sharp and loud sounds, especially screaming and music, as well as bright light! Strong and sharp cotton, for example, can even bring to death. The observance of silence during the adaptation period is especially important!

For this reason, it is dangerous to start a chinchilla in families with small children. Also, due to the fact that the animal is considered exotic, it is worth refraining from the purchase to everyone who has not reached 12 years!

Content of chinchillas: Features of behavior, character

The main characteristics of their behavior:

• Chinchilla is characteristic Twilight and night lifestyle. Most of the day they sleep, and the evening falls on the peak of their activity. Therefore, when acquiring a chinchilla, be prepared for night sounds, running and rummage with bowls. Ideally, it is better to keep chinchilla in a separate room.
• Chinchillas, especially young and not socialized, very shy and are subject to stress, They can hardly endure the change of situation and trips in transport, can be afraid of unfamiliar objects. We repeat that in the case of severe fright, they can even die from a break in the heart. Therefore, from the moment the animal appears in the house, it must be socialized, gradually accustomed to hands and to communicate with people. And remember - taking in his hands the chinchilla is worth it slowly, without pressure.
• Each animal is characterized by an individual character, but also great curiosity - This is their common feature. They are attentive to everything that is happening in the house, learn with interest to everything new and observe people.
• And of course, such a fluffy and cute rodent likes to “scratch” the teeth on the wires, flowers or furniture. For this reason Do not let him go freely around the apartment.
• But then you can calmly leave the rodent at home while you are at work. Here is a big plus for busy people - Chinchilla does not need constant care and affection,like a cat, or in a daily walk, like a dog. At the same time, you can even leave the pet for 1.5-2 days during the trip. Of course, it is better to leave them completely unattended!
• She does not bite, does not scratch, and in general it is a very friendly, non -aggressive animal!
• It is also worth noting that Chinchilla does not need a couple, she is perfectly alone. If compared with hamsters, then one of them himself can greatly get bored and even die. In fluffy rodents, the content of the couple creates more troubles - they are very noisy, and sometimes even compete. Moreover, this applies to both same -sex and heterogeneous animals.
• If you want to start a couple, then they need to be properly friends and planted to each other. Therefore, ideally, choose already familiar rodents. Chinchilla is divorced, if the content is based in a private house, it is not easy, but it is still possible. True, there are many restrictions. For example, it is forbidden to live half a year after childbirth. In the apartment or in small quadrature, this is almost impossible. You can read more information in our article "How to breed and mate chinchillas: pregnancy tips"

Important: noted that the chinchillas that are in pairs are less manual!

Content of chinchillas: select a cage, a window for a house, apartments, how to equip - Rules

In order for your animal to be healthy, happy and delighted with your existence, it is necessary to provide him with normal living conditions. But it cannot be said that the chinchilla has a very limited content. They are relatively unpretentious, simply quite impressive.

Take care of the house in which the pet will live

• It should be spacious cell, At least 70 cm high and 50 cm wide, allowing him to freely run and jump. Keep in mind that the distance between the rods should be no more than 2 cm. And even better if you provide a pet, the so -called, Showman - a higher and spacious structure made of natural materials - wood, chipboard or fiberboard with three deaf walls and an open front side of a small grid.
  • The showcase has several advantages over the cage - garbage does not get out of it, it is easier to clean and the animal feels more comfortable in it.

• An approximate plan for the placement of objects:
  • The cage or window should be shelves, On which the chinchilla will run with pleasure. In general, the animal loves the height more. And also, if a place allows, it is advisable to install for entertainment running wheel and hammock;
  • A cozy one should be built in a separate corner house,in which the animal will rest. Ideally, make it from wood, but a plastic analogue is also suitable. The main thing is that there is a roof and a minimum of holes. His chinchilla will use to hide from prying eyes. It should be removed in it once every 5-7 days;
  • Nearby should be suspended A feeder and a drinking bag.In no case should they be put on the floor, because they can be turned upside down during the game. In this matter, ordinary devices for rodents are suitable. Place them about 5-10 cm from the base;
  • Traywith the filler should be located on the opposite side of the cell;
  • The floors should be covered carpet or sawdust. It is very good to use the coniferous filler for the tray, as it is still good and disinfects the paws of the animal;
  • Be sure to buy Bathing tray in the sand. Yes, not simple, but in Zeolite! Zeolite It has a volcanic origin and is suitable for bathing fluffy rodents. You need to clean it about 1 time in 2 weeks. The size of the tray is approximately 20 by 30 cm. By the way, it can be made independently from a plastic flask or canister. Above in the photo we showed an example;
  • It also does not hurt to put tooth sharpeners or chalk stone, branches of trees;
  • Do not forget About toys.As a council - it will simply appreciate the same branch, a wooden designer, cubes or a shell from walnuts. You can build a tunnel from pipes;
  • Buy a sennik - Although the chinchilla is clean, it is more convenient to take hay from a special container. By the way, if the grass fell to the floor, be sure to raise it. So you extend the cleanliness in the cage!

Important: the general cleaning in the house should be carried out once a month. In no case do not use disinfectants for the toilet - they are extremely dangerous for the respiratory system of the animal. Process with soda, can be calcified - perfectly disinfects, does not have a smell, harmless and costs a penny. We wash all the objects, pour boiling water and rinse with cold water, in the end we wipe everything well!

And also information will be appropriate for you how to accustom the animal to your toilet

Chinchilla content - select a place and create optimal conditions: where to put a cage or a window?

• Chinchilla dwelling should be located Far from heating devices and drafts!
• Compliance is very important temperature regime in the range of 18-20 ° C. The deviation from the optimal temperature does not affect the well -being and health of the chinchilla, and its sharp excess can turn out for the animal with a thermal blow and death. The temperature of 25 ° C is already considered undesirable, and an indicator above 28 ° C is extremely dangerous.
• In the hot summer, in the absence of air conditioning, you should keep and constantly change the chinchillas in the cage Several bottles of ice. When trying to bite them, bottles can be placed outside the cage. You can place tiles next to the cage, which was previously frozen for about half an hour.
• But we take into account that Below 15 ° C the indicator should not fall. Yes, the pet can catch a cold. Therefore, place a thermometer nearby to navigate.

Important: in no case do not use the fan for cooling - the animal can catch a cold and die.

• In addition to sharp temperature drops, chinchilla does not like and increased air humidity, which should not exceed 50-60%. Therefore, we remove any moisturizers!

• Darkly for chinchillas and direct sunlight, But the morning and evening sun is very useful, it activates life functions.
• The content of chinchillas is based on clean and fresh air, so the room where the animal is contained should regularly Improve.

Important: near a cage with chinchilla, in no case can you use hair spray, perfumes, deodorant and any other substances with a strong smell.

• Chinchilla cannot be bathed in water, since, getting wet, she experiences severe hypothermia and may die. In addition, thick fur dries for a very long time and poorly, and sometimes this can lead to mold. We have already indicated above which bathroom they use. No need to constantly keep the tray-It must be given a rodent about 2-3 times a week, for 30 minutes 1 hour.
  • If you leave longer, then a high chance is that the rodent goes into this sand to the toilet. And if the baths take cups 3 times a week, then the skin of the animal can dry out.
  • And a few words about the sand itself - Do not use ordinary river sand or a product of Polish production. It extremely detailed affects the fur of chinchillas, which may even break. Mixing zeolite with German sand in equal proportions is allowed. This is much more convenient to use volcanic sand, since it looks more like large dust, and prolongs the use of use. As practice shows, 2 such packs are enough for about 6 months.

• Another contraindication for chinchilla is its Walking on the street. These pets are very sensitive to street bacteria and are illegible in what you can try on a tooth. In addition, a relatively small rodent can run away or even suffer.
• Is it possible let out the animal from the cage, Giving him the opportunity to run at home - depends on the interior of the room. It’s good if there is little furniture in it, there are no secluded places where the animal can hide and where it will have to be difficult to get from. Also, there should not be an open balcony from which it can fall. And keep in mind - there should not be wires, indoor plants, books, aquarium and other items that pose a danger or which it can begin to gnaw at the field of reach. Then such walks will only benefit him.
  • And you also need to remember one feature of chinchillas - it has a special structure of the body, which can be significantly flattened, allowing to climb into such narrow cracks, the penetration into which at first glance seems impossible.
• Chinchilla is a rodent, she has an incredibly developed need to constantly gnaw something. To do this, there should be wooden toys and twigs in her cage. The chinchilla also needs other entertainment, for example, in the form of minks and tunnels in which it can hide, in the form of a hammock or shelves where you can jump. This diversifies her life, makes her more comfortable and favorably affects well -being and health.

Content of chinchillas: food issue - recommendations, a table of necessary vitamins and minerals, diet

• At home, the chinchilla content should be as similar as possible to natural inhabitation. By the way, the diet itself is somewhat similar to rabbit feeding, but has its own nuances. Therefore, we are betting On dry grass and bark of trees.
• It is also possible and necessary to feed more professional granular feeds, intended specifically for chinchillas, which can be purchased from breeders or in specialized pet stores.

If you care about the health of your pet, use only high-quality feed of famous manufacturers. When choosing food, pay attention to its composition. It should not have salt, yeast and preservatives, which may be contained in economy class feeds. Having decided once with the brand of food, try not to change it, if there are no special reasons for that.

• The content of chinchillas must include special vitamins, goodies in the form of dried fruits and berries, Dry branches that she can gnaw. By the way, these goodies can be harvested yourself, collecting in environmentally friendly places and dried branches, stems and leaves of various plants. But preliminary necessary to familiarize yourself with the list of useful and dangerous components.

Keep in mind that dried fruits, seeds and nuts, despite the benefit, can cause negative consequences in great dosages. Therefore, we give a treat no more than 1 unit per day, no more than 2-3 times a week!

• In addition to the main feed of the chinchilla, you need to give Cereals and hay. From cereals as an additive to the main granular feed, you can give Wheat, buckwheat, Hercules, lentils. Hay can be given 1-2 times a week in small portions, about 20 g. It is important to ensure that it is clean, without roots and earth. Best for feeding chinchilla Hay from multi -traverse is suitable.
• As mineral top dressing In the chinchilla cage, you can hang a mineral and salt stone.

This is what the diet of chinchillas for the day looks like

On average, an adult eats an adult up to 50-65 g of food, At the same time, you need to feed the pet 1 per day. Treats can be given during the game.

Important: chinchillas have very sensitive digestion. Therefore, if there is a need to change the diet, this must be done carefully, gradually, within a few days, replacing the usual food with a new one.

We also focus on the proper quality of drinking-the strictest taboo on the tap water! But it is not recommended to give boiled liquid. This water is considered dead and does not give anything useful. It is necessary to give preference to filtered or defended water.

Chinchilla content: permitted and prohibited products

The content of chinchillas is based on the finished granular stern, but also on herbs and grains. Therefore, it is worth noting what Products are included in the green sector.

Important: All products should be well dried!

• Such greens are suitable:
  • salad
  • spinach and sorrel
  • plantain
  • calendula
  • coltsfoot
  • chicory
  • parsley
  • jasmine
  • blooming Sally
  • nettle
  • alfalfa
  • clover
  • mint
  • thyme
  • chamomile
  • melissa
  • kitty
  • a series
  • echinacea
  • dandelion
  • yarrow
  • calamus and burdock
• We give such branches:
  • from the apple tree
  • pear
  • birch
  • osins
  • and you
  • rerbs
  • linden
  • hazelnut
  • vine of grapes

Important: the twigs from the oak can be given only by the rodent that suffer from diarrhea! Otherwise, he will cause constipation.

• Legal cultures are extremely useful and loved, especially:
  • lentils
  • white and red beans
  • bobs
  • peas
  • soy

• Do not forget about grain crops:
  • wheat
  • corn
  • as well as buckwheat
  • rice
  • millet
  • oats
  • and barley

Important: rose hips or hawthorn can be given almost in unlimited quantities.

• From vegetables it is worth noting:
  • carrot
  • pumpkin
  • young corn
  • bell pepper
  • kohlrabi
  • zucchini
  • zucchini
  • patissons
  • jerusalem artichoke

• From fruits it is worth choosing a choice on:
  • apples
  • pears (in a moderate dose)
  • bananas
  • figs
  • strawberries
  • brusnik
  • rosehip

Red sector Or what can not be given to the chinchillas:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds in large quantities. Also It is worth being careful with almond and cedar nuts -They can be given no more than 1-2 times in 2 weeks!
• Herbs that are toxic for chinchillas:
  • fern
  • horsetail
  • buttercup
  • sitnik
  • black nightshade
  • durman
  • st. John's wort
  • chezheitsa is white
  • cornflower
  • raven's eyes
• Bone trees sprigs, containing a lot of synical acid, Therefore, do not harvest rods from:
  • acacia
  • cherries and cherries
  • plum
  • conifers
  • any citrus
  • maple
  • chestnut
  • buzins
  • cherries
  • almond
  • cedra
  • buka
  • apricot
  • mirta
• Meat products and eggs
• Bakery products
• Sweets and confectionery products
• Mushrooms
• Cabbage in any form
• Beets
• Dairy products
• Chips and popcorn

When keeping chinchillas, it is important to comply with all these recommendations and remember that there are not so many veterinarians specializing in rodents specializing in diseases. They are only in large cities, so the life of the animal often depends on how favorable conditions are created for its content.

Chinchilla content: how to make friends with the animal correctly?

• Do not impose your friendship! The chinchilla content has only a voluntary basis - let the animal be adapt to the new house. It is possible that he will even temporarily disappear or worsen his appetite. But this is only for a few days. Continue to change the food in time, wash the bowls.
• And when the rodent settles in his new house, about it takes 2-5 days, you can proceed to the dating stage. But do not grab him right in your hands! For this reason, it will be extremely difficult for families with children to adapt the chinchilla, because it will simply be even more scared from sharp pressure and move even more. In addition, as we already say, her heart can stop from fear.
• All these days we walk and pay attention, but do not sit for hours near the cage, knocking on the house - when the rodent crawls out and runs on the wheel. Leave her, but each time passing by, contact and talk. At this stage, you can give her a nickname.
• Recommended, but not all family members should do this and not every hour, Give her a yummy. In general, we lure through food. Ideally, give it with your hands, but at first just put food in the cage so that the rodent sees, while talking to it. They love raisins very much but it can be eaten no more than 1 piece per day. And it is worth giving a half or a quarter, because it is strongly lazy! This method is used only at the stage of acquaintance or in extreme cases.
• Then we move on to the next stage - We open the door and try to feed from your hands. Over time, the animal will gain courage and take you to meet the first steps. Sometimes they can express the joy of waiting for a delicious sound - this is also a good sign.
• Then try it Hope the rodent behind the ear or under the chin. Over time, the pet will go to this step - this is the stage of rapprochement. And after that you can try to pick it up.
• Also, if the chinchilla does not want to go for a walk, it does not force her, but usually the question will be built differently - she does not want to go. For this We lure with raisins or a bathing tray. If this number does not work, then carefully take it at the base of the tail, and hold it with the second hand from below.
• And one more word - Chinchilla is restless Therefore, do not expect that she will sit on your handles to be stroked.

Content of chinchillas at home: owners' reviews

Chinchilla is just a fluffy lump of incredibly soft fur. And you can not call them too picky in matters of content, but chinchillas, like all rodents, require certain conditions. Let's look at the real reviews of the owners who have acquired this pet.

Veronica, 28 years old

The chinchilla was madly to herself after she held her in her hands in a tactile zoo. Of course, she immediately cost more than an ordinary hamster, but the desire took up. I'll start with a pleasant one. Very beautiful, soft and interesting. It really can be watched for hours. Regarding nutrition - like an ordinary rodent, eats corn, peas and other grains, hay. Without problems, you can buy at any pet store. She does not smell at all! This is a big plus! It is not necessary to bathe it, but I will say about the sand later. Like advice from me - the wheel needs to be taken continuous. Otherwise, the Shinchilla foot can focus between the crossbars, and it can break! And all because the chinchilla runs with jumps.

And now I'm talking about my mistakes! First - I took a small cage. A good deed, in my acquaintances, I found a wooden rack, to which a mesh door was attached. She needs a lot of space for games, so even standard chinchilla cells are better to take at once the maximum size, at least two floors. My second disappointment - she does not just walk in the evening, and in the late evening, this after 10 and until the morning. In general, in my one -room apartment, this roar simply tired wildly. Another of my mistakes is to release a walk without a ball! She gnawed at the cable from the Internet. It’s good that the animal was not injured, but the Internet is gone. There are still more disadvantages than pluses - it litter, like an ordinary hamster. I thought it was a very smart and clean animal. Perhaps this is not a matter of chinchilla, just like any rodent, she goes to the toilet with peas, there is hay and grain! And you need to monitor the cell, if not every day, then after 2 days for sure. In my apartment, I vacuumed 2 times a day and still it was always dirty. I am mostly at work, so for me such cleaning before the exit and upon arrival home was taken away a lot of time.

As a result, after 4 months of torment we had to say goodbye - the owner was found quickly. In general, my verdict is such a very beautiful and interesting animal. But this is a night rodent, albeit fluffy! Therefore, he needs an isolated room from noise so as not to interfere with his sleep during the day, and he is people at night.

Elizabeth, 32 years old

I am very pleased with the purchase - we have the whole family from her crazy. Already exactly a year since we have a new member of the family. I will not tell how cute and beautiful they are - you already see from the photo. I will dispel the main myths and tell you how to become the owner of the chinchilla. She is not picky, but needs special care. And the first is a lot of space. We have a private house, two -story. Therefore, her noise does not bother us at night, and she sleeps most of the day. She needs a big house and a lot of toys in it. We bought such a window for 5 thousand rubles. By the way, the purchase itself for the first time cost more than 13 thousand!

As you can see, we have a lot of food supplies - and that’s not all! Chinchilla does not eat much, but requires a variety of food. If she is tired of the food, then she will throw it through the cage and refuse it completely. But this is not the worst thing - the monotony in food can cause digestive problems. Their stomach is very susceptible and they should give absolutely pure things - I harvest many when I come to my parents in the village. The second point, which is often not ready for chinchilla owners, is cleaning. And what do you expect when you buy a rodent? It is relatively very clean and does not smell like hamsters, for example. But you need to remove at least 2-3 times a week or as it is contaminated. If you have a cage, put the pallet under the bottom - this will significantly reduce time. Everything is much easier with the window. But I do every day:

• let me drink and eat, always fresh, even if it remains
• i follow the temperature and humidity
• i remove the sores. By the way, they should not be smeared with chinchillas, after a short period of time they become solid.

And I do this about 3 times a week:

• my feeder and drinker
• i wipe the cage itself and all toys, shelves
• i am engaged in disinfection
• i put a swimsuit

She is very friendly, she made contact quickly, but she was afraid of some, especially young children. She is scared of noise! Our daughter is already an adult, so there were no problems with this. But if you have children who do not have 10 or at least 8 years old, then do not torment the animal! She bathes very interestingly - so far this action is all delighted with us all. Chinchillas can rearrange objects themselves - be ready for this. They are very fast, smart and cunning, especially if they want to get out of the cage. You definitely can’t walk with them on a leash, even you need to walk around the house only in a ball or under supervision! They have soft claws, so they do not scratch and do not bite. For me, this is an ideal pet, which, like any species of an animal, requires a little attention and care!

The content of chinchillas is not very complicated, but relatively expensive. Although it is precisely such a pet that will be an indicator of your high position, because not everyone can afford chinchilla. And the point is not even about finances, it is a little demanding in properness for games. In addition, you should have your own room for your pet - after all, this is a night rodent that likes to make noise at night.

Video: Contents and Care for Chinchilles

Video: Chinchilla content - gross errors