Wondering whether chinchillas make good pets? If you're considering adding one to your family, you may be trying to decide whether they're a good fit. These rodents originate from the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. They are best known for their extremely soft fur. They're also known for being ridiculously cute, with independent, unique personalities. Due to being so cute and cuddly, they are sought-after as pets. Many families gravitate towards these floofy creatures, assuming that they'll be easy, cuddly, and fun pets for kids. Although they can make excellent pets for some people, they're not always the best choice for everyone.
Chins can make fantastic friends if you're looking for a pet that is independent, fairly clean, and sleeps while you're at work or school. As long as their needs are met, they are happy to do their thing, coming out at night for a treat or bit of interaction. They are best suited to families with older kids or adults. Keep in mind that these guys live for a long time – as long as 20 years! This means that they are a big commitment. It is never a good idea to give your kids one as a gift. Chins are not the cuddliest of creatures and they are most happy staying in their cages. They are delicate and need to be handled very gently.
What else should you know before making your decision? Keep reading to find out whether chinchillas make good pets for your family?
Chinchillas are known for their super soft coats, cute little faces, and fun personalities, but do chinchillas make good pets? Well, that depends on your specific lifestyle needs and on your environment. Chinchillas are a great pet for some families and not the right fit for others.
Let’s look at the awesome and the "think twice before you adopt" facts of owning a chinchilla and what you should know before you bring one into your family.
Do Chinchillas Make Good Pets? More About Their Care
Whether or not a chinchilla makes a good pet depends on your unique home situation, level of commitment, and experience taking care of small animals. Let’s dive into the chinchilla supplies, including food, hay, habitats, and accessories that you will need to take care of your chinchilla, as well as some information about their unique little personalities and needs. Then, you can decide for yourself whether a chinchilla is a good addition to your home.
Chinchilla Diets
Like other small animals (think bunnies and guinea pigs), chinchillas have a very specialized digestion system and are natural foragers. This means that their diet at home should be similar to their diet in the wild, which includes lots of grasses and hay. We see lots of pretty colored chinchilla food and fancy treats in the pet store, but these aren’t a chinchilla’s natural diet, and before you buy ANY food, you need to know it’s safe for your chin.
Chinchillas love (and need) lots of hay. They’re herbivores and require lots of fiber to keep their complex digestive system running smoothly. Unlike other larger pets (who rely on protein-rich foods), chins are constantly eating fibrous meals. Think of them more as all-night snackers (they usually sleep during the day and are super active at night) rather than the “sit down and eat dinner” type.
To get the fiber needed, chinchillas should always have constant access to unlimited hay. Hay helps prevent bloating and GI stasis and provides dental care and stimulation for your chin. If you’re wondering if chinchillas would make good pets for your family, it would be beneficial to learn more about the different types of hay, to understand if you’re committed to supply it at all times to keep them healthy. It’s an absolute must.
In addition to hay, some chins also eat pelleted food. Keep in mind, though, you have to be careful when feeding pelleted food. Some pellets are over processed and contain icky dyes, chemicals, fillers, additives, pesticides and added sugar… none of which are good. Make sure you read the ingredients of any pelleted food for your chinchilla and only buy pellets made from real hay and natural ingredients. That’s what we believe in.
But what about treats? Chinchillas deserve treats just like the rest of us, but because of their sensitive tummies, you’ll want to limit the amount of treats you offer. Always run away from processed, fake, store-bought treats… they almost always have added sugar. Research before you buy. We highly, highly advise doing so.
Chinchilla Habitats
Another factor to consider when wondering if chinchillas make good pets (for your family) is what kind of environment they require. Chinchillas love to roam free and hop around your home, but they will still spend some time in their chinchilla habitat, so chin parents need to make sure it’s a good one. When it comes to your chinchilla’s home, think “bigger is better.” Your chinchilla’s cage should be metal (not wood or plastic), have a solid bottom (not a wire bottom), have clean water, food, bedding, and lots of places to hide, play, chew, and burrow. Consider adding an exercise wheel, chew toys, shelves, sticks, and more.
It’s important, though, to avoid toys with artificial glues, dyes, plastic, or pesticides. All of our chinchilla toys are all-natural and are fun to chew, toss and bury. Toys are a great way to bring out your little chin’s playful side and offer the enrichment and entertainment domesticated animals need and deserve.
Other Chinchilla Supplies
Beyond your chin’s food and cage, you’ll also need:
- DUST BATH. Dust baths for chinchillas are an absolute requirement; these little ones use them to stay clean and healthy. (Never, ever bathe a chinchilla in water.)
- TOYS AND CHEWS. Did you know that a chinchilla’s teeth never stop growing? Because of this, it’s super important to provide your chin lots of things to chew on. Otherwise, you might find that their cage (or your furniture during playtime) has some extra bite marks.
- SOFT BEDDING. Most chinchillas love paper bedding because it’s super soft and absorbent. You can also use a wood bedding, like aspen. Unlike other woods (cedar, pine), aspen wood bedding is cozy, and absorbent. Chinchillas use bedding as their sleeping place, litter box, and as entertainment as they burrow and dig, so make sure you invest in some great stuff.
The Awesome and The “Make Sure You’re Ready For This” of Having a Pet Chinchilla
Do chinchillas make good pets? Well, that’s up to you to decide. Now that you know more about the care required for a pet chinchilla, let’s look at what you should be prepared for if you decide to adopt.
The Awesome of Having a Pet Chinchilla
Here are just a few of the many benefits of having a chinchilla as a pet:
- They are super-duper cute. (That one’s easy.)
- They can live alone or in pairs, depending on the chin’s unique personality.
- It’s common for them to live 15- 20 years.
- They usually bond with their humans and are loyal friends.
- They are very clean and will keep themselves and their cage nice and tidy.
- They are not susceptible to fleas or lice.
The “Make Sure You’re Ready For This” of Having a Pet Chinchilla
While there are lots of benefits of having a pet chinchilla, before you answer the question “do chinchillas make good pets?” consider these facts as well:
- Chinchillas can’t sweat. This means that they must live in a temperature-controlled environment at all times. Each chinchilla has specific temperature needs, but the ideal temperature ranges from 50 to 70 degrees with moderate (about 40%) humidity.
- As we mentioned, chinchillas have sensitive tummies, so they need lots of hay around at all times. You need to be careful what treats you give chinchillas, and they shouldn’t have a lot of fat or sugar.
- They’re likely to chew everything.
- They’re nocturnal, so they will be louder at night.
- They are costly. Between the large cage, the constant hay and chews, the dust baths, and more, chinchillas are more expensive than other small rodents.
So, do chinchillas make good pets? That depends on what you’re looking for in a pet. If you want a friend that will live for a long time and will bond with you, but enjoys their space, a chinchilla might be a good pet. If you want a super low-maintenance pet that is inexpensive and not too sensitive, you may be better off passing on a chinchilla.
In each household, pet care needs and preferences are different, so bringing a chinchilla into your home is a decision you’ll have to make on your own. Make sure that if you do say “yes” to adopting chinchilla (or a few), you can commit to providing them the love, care, and attention they deserve for 15 or more years. Pets are a commitment and not for everyone, but they do bring years of joy and love into your life.
