Chinchilla

[niamherrity]

Does anyone keep or know anything about chincillas were thinking of getting one.

The kids would love one, the did want a rabbit but i don't want the rabbit mixing in the garden with henny Last week we were in the pets shop and the seen them there, they are beautiful. I won't be buying it there it will be from a breeder

Have looked on the net but need to know if they liked to be handled and if they make good pets

[eve_laura]

I wouldn't suggest a chincilla to children under the ages of 12, so it depends how old your children are? They are also nocturnal so they will be asleep for most of the day and they can also live up to about 20 years of age.

[niamherrity]

Hi thanks for the reply my daughther is nearly fourteen and my son will be 5.

You don't think its a good idea as a pet for them so Don't want to get them something the can't handle either

[piglet]

I used to keep Chinchillas years ago they are if bought young good but flighty pets , they do better in pairs single sexed or they will reproduce two or three litters a year.
They need regular handling to tame them down once tame are quite happy to sit on your lap much the same way as rabbits or guinea pigs , chin's are fighty though and can be very quick when they want so a closed room when handling is best.

Darren

[niamherrity]

Thanks darren Just need to get a young one so

I know Julie from tortsmad has two chins.
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/tortsmad

[niamherrity]

Thanks josh i'm a member I will ask her

[eve_laura]

Originally Posted by niamherrity

Hi thanks for the reply my daughther is nearly fourteen and my son will be 5.

You don't think its a good idea as a pet for them so Don't want to get them something the can't handle either

They can be difficult to handle and as piglet said they are quite quick but as long as you get one that has been regulary handled or a young one you should be fine. I know that they can have problems with their teeth so they need plenty of things to chew on and also they need a container full of sand to bathe in.

They are really nice animals, if you do decide to get one post some pics if you can

[shelley]

Well I think I have a bit of exeperience with Chinchillas, at one time I had 70 , and I have kept them for 10 years . I am now down to 34, much easier to manage!

It has already been said that they are not the pet for a child who wants something cuddly to sit on their knee, that is so true. They are intelligent, inquisitive and into everything, fascinating to watch. Some don't mind a quick cuddle, but the most want to be off exploring! You are more likely to have one come and sit on your shoulder than be cuddled.

It has to be remembered that they have very thick fur, so they do suffer with the heat, so you don't want the cage in a room you keep really warm. As I have so many mine are in an insulated air conditioned shed, I keep it under 65 degrees in the summer. But in the winter they don't get any heating, they are fine with their fur coats. When I first put them in the shed I had a thermostate on an oil filled radiator, that came on if the temp went below 5 degrees. But over the last few years I haven't bothered with it, and they are fine.

I don't recommend feeding mixed foods such as Charlie Chinchillas as they are basically the same as junk food for us. If the chins ate the pellets in them it wouldn't be so bad, but they don't, they just eat the "treats". Much better to feed them pellets, they also need hay daily, and they can have things like Readigrass, Timothy hay, and alfalfa.... though not a good idea to give the last one daily.

PM me your email addy and I can send you my fact sheet