Although many items at a pet store may be marketed for a chinchilla, they may not be chinchilla safe products. Here are a list of products to steer clear of that can be harmful or even fatal for your chinchilla.

1. Plastic Exercise Ball-These round plastics pet ball are very dangerous have caused many deaths in chinchillas. They have poor ventelation so they become hot. As everone reading this foum should be awate chinchillas are very heat sensitive. These platic balls very easily cause chinchillas to overheat and go into heat stroke.

2. Mesh Small Pet Exercise Wheel With Spokes- Many chinchillas have ended up with broken legs and severed limbs due to getting their feet caught in the spokes of these wheel. A safe alternative would be the flying saucer wheels.

3. Pine/Cedar Wood Chip Bedding- The problems with softwood shavings such as pine and cedar stem from the natural, armotic chemicals called phenols that give the woods their natural aroma. These phenols interact with the liver and respiratory system in the body, potentially producing unwanted and harmful side-effects.

4. Wired hay feeder-  Hay feeders run similar risks to the problem with the mesh wheel. Your chinchilla can eaily get a foot stuck in the mesh and get injured. I have also read in forums chinchillas crawling inside of them and getting stuck. (Thank you for the submission Rosemary!)

I am continuing to think of things to avoid, but was wondering if you have any specific ones in mind? I would love to have a complete list to help the chinchilla community. Please put suggests in the comments section below.

Thanks!

Jennifer