There are a few core questions you should ask yourself to make sure a chinchilla is the right pet for you.

Do you have the time?

Chinchilla's are social, active and intelligent animals. They strive in duel pairs, but when keeping a Chinchilla singly, she will need even more attention from her human companion. 

Are you a night person?

Chinchillas are considered to be nocturnal by most books, but are actually  crepuscular, which means they are most active in the twilight hours... usually before their human friends have even thought about hitting the snooze button!This doesn't mean that they are not more than willing to play during the day, but at least a few hours during the day, you should keep them in a quite area of the house to rest. 

Are you in it for the long haul?

Did you know that the average life expectancy for a pet chinchillas is between 10-15 years? Unlike pet rats that only live up to 3 years,  pet chinchillas have lived up to 30 years! Keep in mind that your new pet Chinchilla will live longer than many dogs or cats. 

 How Do you feel about dust?

In the wild, Chinchillas roll, or bathe, in volcanic ash to keep their dense fur from becoming oily. At home, synthetic chinchilla dust helps keep their coats and skin clean and healthy. Unfortunatly, Chinchilla dust has a tendency to get everywhere! So be prepared for clean up at least once a week as your chinchilla will need to have regular dust baths.

Get the Facts

There are plenty of wonderful books available that help you to take great care of your pet chinchilla. On the right are a few that we found to be helpful.