# anyone own a chinchilla? I have some questions



## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

I've never had a chinchilla and I know very little about them, but I came across one that is in a bad situation that I'd like to help. My mom is house sitting for a friend of a friend and I went over there today and saw they had a chinchilla. It is kept in a tiny one story cage with only a food dish and a water bottle. It just broke my heart to see it there without even a nesting box. I have an extra guinea pig cage that I want to combine with its cage to give it some more space, and I want to give it some toys/hideouts/etc. 

I'm thinking of getting some untreated wood to make some shelves and ledges. Is pine ok? I've read a few places that it is ok to use for shelves but I wanna make sure.

I am also going to give it a cardboard box to nest in (I dont have a wooden one) and I wanna put some nesting material in it. Is paper towel ok? 

I'd also like to put in a rock and a branch from my crabapple tree. Is this ok? Should I bake the wood first or anything to disinfect it?

I also want to give it one of my rats pvc pipe tunnels. The tunnel is 4.5 inches in diameter. Is this big enough? I also have some cardboard tunnels that are 3.5 inches; would that be dangerous to give the chinchilla in case it gets stuck?

I would also like to put up a fleece hammock and fleece tunnel. Is that ok for chinchillas?

Should I not put any ramps in at all? I read that ladders can be dangerous. 

Also, this chinchilla is 13 years old. Is it still safe for it to be hopping around up to different levels?

Thanks for any advice! I really wanna help this little guy (or girl?) out.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

I would personally advise against messing with someone else's animal in someone else's home.


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

They don't mind. They just dont have the initiative or motivation to do anything themselves. It was their kids' pet or something and the kid has since moved out


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

JessyGene said:


> They don't mind. They just dont have the initiative or motivation to do anything themselves. It was their kids' pet or something and the kid has since moved out


And I would of course wait til they were home, so I could set it up with them. It's just they don't know much about chinchillas and I don't want the chinchilla to suffer just because its owners aren't very interested in it, so I would let them know my ideas and offer my toys and such.


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## Munchie (Mar 13, 2012)

My parents had a Chinchilla when I was very young, compared to what I've read about Chinchillas these days and how to care for them, what we knew was pretty basic... however he lived to be around 16 years old (apparently they can even live on to be around 20)! 
From what I know a large cage (floor space wise) is a must, Oscar (our Chinchilla) loved his dust bath and when he wasn't rolling around in sand, he spent most of his time rocketing around his cage bouncing off things. Oscar always seemed pretty content with his simple set up, although I'm sure if we had another Chinchilla now I would insist it had far more toys.

Maybe check around some Chinchilla forums for tips?


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

Nope, never had a chinchilla, and I have little idea what one is either .

But 13 years is old, much older than a rat can live, I presume.


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## PetoftheDay (Aug 4, 2009)

Do bake the apple wood before you give it to him. Does it not even have a dust bath? That's a MUST for a chinchilla! Room to run around and move around, a little shelf so it can either be "up" or "hiding" .... It would be much better off with all of that. Does it get play time outside the cage at all?

There's a good chin forum here - http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/index.php


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

PetoftheDay said:


> Do bake the apple wood before you give it to him. Does it not even have a dust bath? That's a MUST for a chinchilla! Room to run around and move around, a little shelf so it can either be "up" or "hiding" .... It would be much better off with all of that. Does it get play time outside the cage at all?
> 
> There's a good chin forum here - http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/index.php


Thanks for the forum and advice. And no, it doesn't have a dust bath and it doesn't get free time out of the cage. That's why I want to help it. I'd like to talk to the owners and offer a few of my things (in a nice, not an attacking kind of matter). I know pet owners don't want people messing with their pets but this chinchilla is in such neglect I just can't turn away without at least trying to give some help.


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## PetoftheDay (Aug 4, 2009)

Good luck, and I agree, the gentle approach is best. People will tend to heed advice given calmly, instead of blocking their ears and getting defensive if you attack.


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