Chinchillas are not necessarily the number one pet for a young child and there are several reasons why a chinchilla may not be the best choice as a playmate for your child.

Chinchillas are fragile animals and can be severely injured if they are picked up improperly or squeezed even lightly in their mid-section and stomach area. A chinchillas ribs are as as thin as a tooth pick and very delicate. That is why it is always important to pick up your chinchilla the right way. Make sure one hand is supporting her hind legs. Chinchillas will panic if their hind legs are dangling in the air. Support her upper body with your other hand by placing it gently under her arms.  Amanda also wrote some additional tips regarding holding your chinchilla.

Many breeders will handle there chinchillas by picking them up by the base of the tail. This is also the way that most chinchillas are handled at chinchilla shows. If done properly this does not harm the chinchilla, but it is unnecessary and often frightening for your chinchilla to be dangeling upside down from her tail. As mentioned in previous articles we have only picked up our chins by their tails on very rare occasions during desperate attempts to catch an escaped chinchilla that was running around in a non-chinchilla proof room. If a chinchilla is picked up by its tail improperly it can cause severe nerve damage and in extreme cases break the tail. That is another reason why we recommend the holding method above. Often times it is difficult for a young child to hold a chinchilla properly. Many chinchillas are not fond of being held and tend to squirm about. A child trying to hold a chinchilla may squeeze the chin and accidently cause serious damage. It is best to supervise young children when introducing them to a chinchilla. 

Chinchillas do interact well with people, but not in the same way as dogs and cats.  I have only met one chinchilla in England who ever walked on a leash (no idea how they managed to get the chinchilla to LIKE the bunny leash), and very few that come when called or go to their cage on command. J's chinchilla is the first one I have met that jumps on its owners shoulder right from the cage . Chinchillas enjoy being pet and talked to when they become comfortable with your voice but they can become frightened and skittish around loud noises and quick movements. Children often times have a hard enough time sitting still on their own, and putting an extremely cute and cuddly looking animal in front of them is just too tempting for many kids. Their excitement and fast movements will send your chin running for its hiding box!

Also keep in mind when choosing a pet for the family, that chinchillas are crepuscular which means they are most active at night and during the twilight hours. While you can wake your sleepy chin up to play with you, and they do not seem to mind, it is really neat to watch them play at night when they are fully alert and most active. This is also likely the time that your kiddos may be down for the count.

Most pet stores recommend chins as pets for ages 12 and above, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Especially if Mom Dad plan to help in the chores and monitor chinchilla play time with children.