Chinchillas have some of the most beautiful fur in the world. Chins enjoy cleaning their coats by taking dust baths a few times a week. However, you can also help keep your chin clean by tidying the chinchilla enclosuredaily, weekly, and monthly. Today, we'll walk you through the cleaning steps and suggest what non-toxic solutions to use to clean the chinchilla enclosure.
Chinchilla Enclosure Cleaning Prep
Before cleaning the chinchilla enclosure, you must move your chinny friends to a safe, quiet spot. It’s best to keep your chins away while tidying up their abode. If you have a spare hooman furamily member, ask them to supervise chinchilla playtime while you clean.
Assemble Non-Toxic Cleaning Supplies
When cleaning your chinchilla enclosure, it’s crucial to use non-toxic cleaners to clean. A 50/50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle is your secret cleaning chinchilla enclosure cleaning weapon. You can spray it anywhere and wipe it off with clean paper towels or an unused cleaning cloth. You'll also need dishwashing soap and a clean sponge to wash all their food and water bowls. Other helpful items include:
- Biodegradable trash bags in a trash can to collect waste.
- Dustpan and a small broom.
- A vacuum cleaner with an extension hose.
- Extra clean rags or paper towels, etc., for dusting and wiping.
- Music to get your boogie on while you clean.
If you're unsure what ingredients are toxic to your precious pets, check out our Guide to Pet Poison Prevention.
Cleaning Schedule
Let’s face it…hay is messy, but chinchillas need a high-fiber diet to stay healthy. Spot cleaning daily will keep your chinchilla enclosure cleaner and save you time when you do a weekly or monthly clean.
Daily | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
Sweep up hay. | Replace dirty litter/bedding entirely or swap out dirty fleece liner with a clean one. | Remove everything from the enclosure. |
Remove soiled litter/bedding. | Cell | Vacuum or sweep out. |
Sweep up poop. | Cell | Spray everything down with vinegar water and wipe dry. |
Add fresh litter/bedding. | Cell | Replace everything in the chinchilla enclosure with clean items. |
Refill hay rack. | Cell | Cell |
Change food and water bowls/bottles with clean ones. Wash used items in hot, soapy water. | Cell | Cell |
Refill food and water bowls/bottle. | Cell | Cell |
Clean and inspect toys/enrichment items. Remove any hazardous items. | Cell | Cell |
That’s it!! It’s super simple to keep your chinchilla enclosure tidy, even while using non-toxic cleaners. Your chinchilla will appreciate the lengths you go to keep them and their environment neat and clean. Do you have any chinchilla enclosure cleaning tips? We’d love to hear them, so email or comment on our socials.
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VETERINARY DISCLAIMER: We are not veterinarians, and none of our information should be construed as veterinary advice. If your pet is acting unwell, you have concerns for their well being, or before adding any new product, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
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