this is really intresting

Thank you so much. The tips on your website are extremely helpful!

These are great tips. I would add to be sure that, if you are using fans as a method of cooling, be sure not to have it pointed directly at the chinchilla.

Nice addition thank you again Amanda!

No problem :) I meant to say also that I was able to get a slab of scrap marble at our local Lowe's store for free. As a cheap cooling option, chinchilla owners may want to check the local hardward store. My chin sits on the marble square like it's a throne :P

Amanda, You seem very knowledgeable! I am looking for great contributing writers for the blog. Let me know if you would be interested. I would be happy to set you up with your own log in and we would love to see your chins!

Ok, my last addition, I promise! The most common cause of heat stroke in chinchillas are those darned exercise balls. Never put your chinchilla in an exercise ball, no matter how big, as air flow is insufficient to cool the animal while inside. Instead, designate an area in your home where your chinchilla can escape his cage for a while and explore new surroundings. In our home, this area is a spare bedroom where the chinchilla cage is kept. This way, if the animal becomes frightened or uncomfortable, he can easily retreat to his familiar cage. Ensure that this is a safe environment in which there are no electrical cords exposed nor any other sharp or dangerous object that would be harmful to the chinchilla upon contact or chewing. Also, check that there are not any holes or crevices through which your chinchilla could get stuck or escape. As owners well know, the little buggers can fit into the most unexpected places! Most of all, never leave your chinchilla unattended while he/she is outside of the cage. Just as with an infant, you are your pet's only advocate!

We appreciate the additional help and advice! I also updated the cage picture, as I would hate to cause confusion over the right kind of cage.

HA HA...yeah. Tell me about it. 
 
They can fit through almost anything lol. I've got to seal up all the wholes on my room. 
-under my dresser 
-under my bed 
-under my desk 
 
lol

My chinchilla, Chillie, loved sqeezing underneath the stove and climbing into the drawer at the bottom of it. She would sit in the frying pans until we found her. She also got in behind the dishwasher at one point - we never thought she'd be able to fit into the narrow slot that was beside it. Now everything is blocked off with boards, towels, or anything we can find.

hello 
 
My Mother has gotten me a Chinchilla, but the thing is i havnt gotten him yet becausee I live with dad and you know how that goes... Anyways i have stayed up all night looking at things im going to buy my Chinchilla(Ihave decided to name him "Mr.Chin Chin") well i got all the top brands down and the prices at "MY" local petstores and wadged them out.. The thing im MOST concerned about is I live in Florida and I did add onto my list of things to buy Mr.Chin Chin was a chin-chiller thingy, but Mr.Chin Chin will be living in my garadge (even though it is very nicely air conditioned) I would have to bring him in my room for playtime because its the only chinchilla proof room in my whole house, the thing is no small pets allowed in house(only animal aloud is my dog) anyways i was wondering would it be an okay idea to get a "Chinchilla leash" and just take him out side for him to see the outdoors or play even in the shade? Another concearn of mine is Mr.Chin Chin has had other owners before and im not that sure if he would bond with me pretty well and i was wondering if anyone could give me some tips on bonding with Mr.Chin Chin... 
 
 
 
Thank you,  
 
Courtney

Hi Courtney, 
 
 
 
Welcome to the world of chinchillas! They are such unique and fun little critters and being an owner can be very rewarding. I'm glad to hear you've been doing your research in order to provide Mr. Chin Chin with all of the things a chinchilla needs. Since you're just getting started, I want to express to you that you must use discretion when choosing your chin products. Often times, pet stores do not carry safe products for chinchillas (even though the product might say "for chinchillas"!). Since they are exotic pets, I've had the most luck ordering cages, accessories, and food from specialized retailers online, many of which you can access from our "Links" page on the menu bar above. The most common misconception is that plastic is acceptable for chinchilla cages and toys, but this is absolultely NOT the case. Plastic is VERY hazardous to chinchillas and can kill them if chewed. Here's a link from ChinCare if you want to read more about it: http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/HealthLifestyle.htm 
 
 
 
I've never heard of anyone using a leash on their chinchilla and the first sight that comes to mind is a VERY unhappy chinchilla. I know Tango wouldn't let me even think about it! But what I'm more concerned with is your chinchilla possibly having heat stroke from being outside in the Florida weather. Even in the shade, the heat and humidity can be lethal. They should not ever be in an environment that is warmer than 70 degrees F. The closest Tango has ever been to the outdoors is a screened in window on a cool summer night in Michigan. Your room should be fine though, so long as it's chinchilla-proof as you say. At our house, we close the doors to most of the other rooms in the house (other than the room he's kept in) and keep the house fairly clean so he can romp around in safety and have more running space, but Mr. Chin Chin will likely be perfectly content in the bedroom if you allow him at least 30 minutes running time outside his cage every day. 
 
 
 
It is always a challenge adopting a chinchilla that has had previous owners. If possible, you should find out what kind of routine the previous owners used. Chinchillas are creatures of habit and will become comfortable with you more quickly if they recognize a familiar routine. As long as you are gentle and patient, I'm confident he will warm up to you! Remember that not all chinchillas like to be handled, and surely not always right when you first adopt them, but they are still a lot of fun and most will come sit on you and let you pet them. You should check out Jennifer's article about bonding with your chinchilla. There should be a link on the right-hand side of this page up above. 
 
 
 
I hope this helps. Feel free to browse Chinchilla Place. There are a lot of great tips from handling your chin to which products are safest. If you want to know which products I recommend, click on the "Product Reviews" link above. I only feature products that are safe for chinchillas and that I personally have used with my chinchilla Tango. One last comment before I bid you good luck is to not be fooled by the "pretty" and cheap products you might find at pet stores. Most are unsafe and, even more riduculous, is that they don't last very long so you end up buying them over and over again making them more expensive in the long run. 
 
 
 
Good luck! Thanks for stopping by - we'd be happy to answer any questions you have. Come back soon!

I thought of one more red flag about taking a chinchilla outdoors. It would be very difficult to prevent him from eating grass and various other objects he finds outdoors that could be toxic to him. I think the risks really outweigh the benefit in this case. Have no fear - the bedroom will suffice provided he has plenty of time to stretch his legs ouside of the cage and maybe change things up for him with some new *safe* toys every so often. What kind of cage are you using?

this is really intresting

Thanks for the tips. I was just begining to wonder what the signs would/could be if my little chin had heat stroke. This is my first summer with him. He's only 8 months old and is REALLY healthy, so I dont want him ever getting sick! :)

We have had our chinchilla, Jack for about five years and love him dearly. We let him out of his cage every night and he has a ladder to get in and out of his cage. He loves this and everything was great with Jack until last night/early Monday morning. Someone left the door open and he got outside. We have looked everywhere in our yard and walked around the block, posted signs and talked to neighbors. It's now been over 24 hours and the biggest problem is we live in Maryland and we are having a heat wave. The temperature was in the 90's today! My only hope is that he dug a whole somewhere and managed to stay cool but I doubt it. Does anyone know how far they usually will run? He had never been outside before so I'm sure he had no clue where he was once his feet his feet hit the ground.  
do they have a sense of smell that would lead him back to his house? We are heartbroken. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening... I can't sleep thinking about him.

Hi Lisa, 
 
 
 
I am SO sorry to hear about Jack - my heart is seriously breaking for you :*( It sounds like you have done everything you possibly can do at this point. I have no idea how far they would go, to be honest. Are you absolutely certain he left the house and isn't hiding inside somewhere?  
 
 
 
The other thing you might try is contacting local animal shelters to report your missing chin. Often when these pets are recovered outside, someone will bring them to a shelter because chins really have no idea what to do in this enviornment and are found wandering. Hopefully he will gravitate toward people since he is domesticated. You were smart to post fliers. This might seem strange, but what about putting his cage outside the door where he escaped? If he does happen to pass your house, he might find the familiar cage. 
 
 
 
Unfortunately, I'm not sure what more can be done after the fact. I'm so sorry this has happened and hopefully readers will benefit from your story which I *hope hope hope* will have a happy ending for you!!! Keep us updated. 
 
 
 
Amanda

26 August 09 
 
This is my first visit to this site 
 
and I'm overwhelmed at the amount of (accurate) information available. My little guy is about 
 
one year old and was expensive but 
 
cheaper than 2-5 years ago. I'll be 
 
back--frequently. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
i

Thanks for stopping by, Robert! Let us know if you have any trouble finding what you're looking for.

:( 
 
my chinchilla just died like 3 hours ago cause of a heatstroke! 
 
i feel so bad. 
 
he was in the exercice ball for too long. 
 
when i was gonna get him out...it was hardly breathing. 
 
we tried to take him to a vet, but they were all closed. 
 
we tried everything....and it still died:( 
 
i feel terrible.

So sorry to hear about your chinchilla dying. I hope this is a sad lession to our readers that you should NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER under any circumstances put your chinchilla in an exercise ball. They are dangerous and regardless of what the box says, there is NO type of exercise ball that is safe for them. They WILL overheat. Instead, create a safe area for them to play, whether it be a spare room, or a bathroom (with the toilet seat closed) or another clean area where he or she cannot find debris on the floor to chew. Also, ALWAYS supervise your chinchilla, even if you do have a safe area for them to play. They should never be left alone other than in their cage. 
 
 
 
Sorry again for your loss. I've said it many times, but hopefully others will understand that I am 100% serious!

You had some great points about heat. I wonder if you know anything about cold and a Chinchilla. I live in Wisconsin. Yes, I have heat in the winter, but I was wondering if the house can be too cold for a Chinchilla? Thanks, Kris

Hey Kris, 
 
 
 
Great question! While we do focus a lot on preventing a chinchilla from overheating, it is important that they don't get too cold either. Domestic chinchillas have adapted somewhat to the warmer climates outside of the Andes Mountains and thus are not as tolerant of very cold temperatures either. I would not let the chinchilla's environment get colder than 60 degrees F, which means being careful that he or she is not exposed to a cool draft such as a fan, or AC vent, or open window directly on the chinchilla. Ideally, you should aim for a temp between 60 and 70 degrees. 
 
 
 
Hope that helps and thanks for your post!

To clarify, that is between 60 and 70 degrees Farenheit for our international readers! :)

Hey, I've had a chinchilla for about a month and today he was laying in his hammock in his cage and started shivering as if he were cold, I checked the temperature in our house and it said 71 degrees Fareheit, I got him out of his cage and he did it even more, I closed the blinds and turned on a fan, was he having a heatstroke or was he just doing it because he was cold? I have looked all over the Internet and I couldn't find anything about shivering. All I could find were things about when getting him wet blow dry him if he's cold. Please help! I'm clueless!

Olivia. That is very strange. If he was twitching and laying on his side, it may have been a sign of heat stroke. He wouldn't be cold with the temperature at 70. How is he acting today?

He's been acting normal except for the shivering,he's acting perfeclty normal now, I don't know what to think :(

Olivia, 
 
 
 
While I'm unfamiliar with this particular behavior, it sounds like your chin is having trouble regulating his body temperature and this is concerning. I highly suggest calling a vet that specializes in chinchillas. You may only have a limited amount of time to address the issue if he is suffering from heat stroke, or dehydration, or the like. Please make an appointment and let us know how it goes. 
 

my chinchilla is breathing very fast and is also lethargic. he is lying on his side alot but he doesn't seem hot and his ears are cold. i have also noticed he is bumping into walls whenout of his cage. is this heat stroke or could he have a cold? can anyone help me

Debra, 
 
 
 
This does sound like heat stroke or something very serious. You need to get your chinchilla to a vet immediately! Any time your chinchilla behaves in this manner is an emergency.

Thanks your advice has just saved my new chins life. He was playing out but when we returned him to the cage he rolled on his side very cutely, we thought. Then he was disorientated and dizzy staggering and falling. I noticed his ears were red unusually so rushed him to spare room about 10 degrees cooler and put a fan near the cage although not directed at him. He came back to us quick and his ears returned to normal. I have never been so frightened! It seems to have improved our bond though as he less jumpy since! Thanks again for saving Pooky.

MOst poeple dont recommend using a fan beacues it just blows the hot air around.

We just had our first really hot day... It hit 100*F and we had our two chins upstairs with the window open... I was gone to work and didnt really realize how hot it was and when I got home they were both weak and one of my babies was laying on his side and acting really sick... I rushed them down and hooked up the AC that I just bought that night.. we put the really sick one in his igloo with ice pops wrapped in a wash cloth for a floor. it was like his very own AC igloo... he seemed ok after about an hour, he was walking fine and seemed alert... the next dayt he was lying on the bottom of the cage, on his side all stretched out and he doesnt seem to have control over one side of his body... it seems to get better then worse then better ... can somebody help me- give me tips? Does any one think he will pull through? we hand fed him some food he ate and pooped and drank some water and peed but he has no control over one side of his body and cannot really move? I dont know what to do.. and I am afraid if he dies that my other chin losing his cage mate may also die?? help?

My thoughts are with you, see a Vet immediately. I dont know for sure if it same in heatstroke but when you stroke you lose feeling down the left. Is it your Chins left side? See a vet. I am going to look online for you but best bet is vets. 
 
I know that people can recover from strokes so I assume Chins can also.  
 
If hes eating/drinking that has got to be a promising sign. I scared for you but it might be ok. 
 
The trouble is you don`t know how long he was suffering with heatstroke. With most ailments the sooner you catch it the better. My thoughts and prayers are with you Meg, wot his name?

Meg I asked an Online Vet who keeps Chins for their answer ( I cut and pasted your post to them and have copied reply here).... 
 
I can't advise anything else besides seeing a vet and trying handfeeding and making sure he is pooping. It could be permanent brain damage or it may resolve, but unfortunately, there is no treatment, just supportive care and hoping. Sorry :( 
 
 
 
Angie

I am just wondering why only one of your Chins got so sick. Do you know about their Lineage? Most Chin problems are heat/ husbandry issues. 
 
Am hoping to hear good news and pray for your `Pooky`

Hello, I just got a chinchilla pet, his name is Gary (after a very famous football player here in Chile). He is the sweetest thing, I've read a lot about these little animals, and he's got a great cage, lot's of space, and even his own room! He's been with us only for a week now, so he still doesn't feel comfortable outside his cage. Anyway, here in Chile it is very dificult to find chinchilla stuff, even though these animals are originally from these lands! I was wondering how to improve his diet, he eats rabbit food, pellets made out of hay and alfalfa. He´s got wooden toys and mineral thingies to chew on, but for all that I've been reading, I was wondering if there's enything else he needs, like vitamin C for instance, or something else. I tried to buy online from foreign petstores, but taxes and delivery cost me A LOT more than the original price (50 dollars turned to 600 dollars in Amazon). 
 
 
 
So please,if you could help me make my chinchilla a happier pet, with very little resources, I'd be very gratefull. 
 
 
 
Carola

Hi Carola, Thank you for coming by chinchilla place. That is strange that there are not more chinchilla products offered in your area, but it sounds like you have your chinchilla on the right diet. I would recommend adding a few rose hips to the diet as well. They add vitamin c and are a GREAT treat for your chin. It sounds like Gary is in great hands with a loving family :)

Carola, 
 
Is `Gary` playing in the world cup? 
 
Anyway Hay is THE main and most important food for him, staple diet. Avoid giving him rabbit food or anything unless specific for chins. I sure u can get hay in chile. For treats plain cornflakes or shreddies. unsalted peanut is a good treat. Raisin once a week. Avoid too many raisins tho. Chins are unable to process sugar, fat and salt, so too much sugar can turn Chins diabetic. Get wood to chew on but check type as pine for eg has poisonous oils. Check around a few sites to find wood accesable to u and safe for G. Info off of the net is unreliable at best so always check ur facts on multiple sites. Wikipedia is pretty accurate. 
 
Temp is BIG issue we nearly lost pooky to heatstroke in the winter in uk. up to and over 25C is dangerous so make sure his room is cooled. A piece of granite for him to sit is good as it is always few degrees cooler than surrounding air. 
 
Ears are a good way for losing heat so if they go red that is awarning sign. 
 
Hay is main point I get dustfree stuff. Let me know if you can get hay easily.  
 
 
 

Hey Carola, 
 
 
 
I'm going to agree with Gary and suggest you switch to a hay-based pellet that is specifically formulated for the chinchilla's GI system. I would suggest Mazuri or Oxbow alfalfa pellets and supplement with loose timothy hay, to balance the alfalfa diet. 
 
 
 
You can find a list of safe chewing woods for chinchillas in my article here, as well as instructions on how to prepare it properly: http://www.chinchillaplace.com/blog/?Tag=Safe+Woods+for+Chinchillas .  
 
 
 
I also agree with Jennifer's suggestion of one rose hip daily to provide vitamin C. Chins love them (and even think they are a treat!) but they are also good for them. You can find info about ordering rose hips and other snacks in the Product Review section under the menu at the top of this page. Carise at Forchinate Chins may be able to work with you to ship them internationally. 
 
 
 
Thanks for stopping by and best of luck with Gary! 
 
 
 
Amanda

Sorry, I meant agree with PAUL! Sorry Paul :P

I felt so bad having my chinchillas in the cool basement so I thought they would like a nice warm day outside. They both died of heat stroke. I wish I had read all of these comments before I even let thme go out side. I put a covering over the cage but a couple ofhours later I found them dead. I am so so so so so heatrbroken. I feel horrible. Before anyone ever buys a chinchillas they must be warned about heat and chinchillas. I didnt know. I thought they would like to be outside. Ihave been doing it for the last two months but I guess yesterday was too hot of a day. My prayers go out to all that have done the same thing. But I do believe that animals are Gods creatures and I will be reunited with my two chinchillas in heaven.

I have realised that you actually have missed one of the big heat stress indicators wshich is the ear color. They try to lose heat from ears (as you can see the veins in them) so the ears turn bright red. Red = danger. 
 
Monika I am gutted about your story and am suprised that the people who sold them to you did not mention it. Heatstroke and Malaclusion are the biggest problems. Malaclusion is where their teeth grow oversized as they have not got enough things to chew on. Chins do not like extreme cold either.

Monika, that is devastating and heart breaking. I cannot stress enough how sensitive these little guys are to heat and I only hope that people read these comments and learn from your experience so further death can be prevented. It's really unfortunate that this is not a BIG warning to anyone purchasing a chinchilla. I do not sell to people even in MA that do not have central air or a window unit purchased for the room the chinchillas will be in. 
 
Paul very very good addition to the article I am going to include that now and thank you for your assistance.

I knew that chinchillas were sensitive to heat, but only because I read it online. When I got Gary, no one warned me either, so I know that the information offered by many sellers is less than adecuate. Monika, I'm very sorry for your loss, my heart goes with you. 
 
 
 
We are still on winter here in Chile, so Gary's room and cage are kept at 20°C. In the summer, however, when the temperature rises at 30°C or 33°C, I plan on keeping next to the cage many bottles of frozen water during the day (around the cage and not inside it, so he doesn´t chew on them), so the air inside the cage is cooler, and getting Gary a granite plaque for him to sit on. I cant´s afford A/C, so I'm devising other ways to cool the room. Anyway, it's never that hot inside the apartment, and he doesn´t get direct sunlight, but I still want to be prepared. Any other ideas?

Carola, 
 
If you add a fan to the frozen water that IS a basic Air conditioning unit budget style. I would imagine that to be as effective so it is a good idea. Gary is in great hands with you. 
 
I don`t know if you know but Chins are very sensitive to their diet. Avoid sugar ( a raisin or two now and then seems ok) but avoid like the plague salts and fat. They have no way to process these foods (they have no gaul bladder). 
 
Chins are, if you follow these rules, normally very healthy animals and will not need frequent vet visitsare the golden rules. Diet and Temp

I keep my chin in an air conditioned room on the hottest of days. I've only had her for a week and she is a 3 year old mosaic. Around 9pm I saw her lying at the bottom of the cage by the door. Upon getting closer she would not move until I went to pet her. Then she jumped up and immediately went to run in her wheel. Is this a way of playing or is she sick? I am trying to get a feel for her behavior since I just get her but does anyone know exactly what's going on?!?!?

Angie- Sounds like play to me,Pooky often stays still until we get near him. Her eyes are open when still? Does not much sound like If she was sick I doubt she would then run on her wheel.

I am thinking about getting a chinchilla, since i live in Mohave County in AZ. Heats rise above 120 sometimes during the day, we keep our AC on 80 because of our high electric bill. Would an 80 degree house and one or 2 fans be cool enough or does the AC specifically need to be on. I want one sooo bad but i want it to be happy.

Yes 80 is to near the cusp of killing a Chin. You should look to 70. Our living room was 22 (76) and ours had heatstroke luckily we caught him early. If you can maintain 70 or below then get a Chin else they will get really sick and die.

I have a chinchilla and 2 nights ago our central air went out while we were sleeping. When I woke up and noticed it wasnt working we checked on her and she had got stuck through a hole in her house overnight. The air was fixed that day and we put a cooling stone in the cage. Since she has barely been moving, not eating and sort of dragging herself around when you pull her out of the cage. If youre holding her, her head starts to drop backwards. Is this a sign that she has had a heat stroke? Is there anything I can do to help her?... We do not have any vets around us that will treat her. Thanks