Since chinchillas are part of the rodent family they will instinctively chew on wood or anything they can get their paws on. It is part of their natural behavior, so it is up to their human friends to keep them from chewing on wires, walls, plastic, or other materials that could be harmful. Though their chewing can be a bit challenging for human friends, it should not be discouraged as chinchillas need to gnaw to keep their teeth healthy and prevent them from growing too long. Rodent's teeth never stop growing so they have to gnaw on things regularly.

There are some instances where chewing is a negative behavior for chinchillas--fur chewing. This behavior is similar to the feather plucking that some pet birds display. Some fur chewing tends to be hereditary, but it can also have environmental influences. If your Chinchilla is distressed, has recently undergone a traumatic move, you have changed the food, she has not had much play time out of the cage, or she is pregnant these are some reasons why your chinchilla may be chewing her fur. Fur chewers will chew their own fur either constantly, or at intervals, re-growing it completely in between. They usually chew the fur off of their hips and sides, and base of the tail about half-way down the length of the hair. It looks very unsightly, but it is usually not harmful to the chinchilla’s physical health. Unfortunately, they will also chew the fur off of other chinchillas and their offspring. If you are thinking of breeding be cautious if your chinchilla displays this behavior, as chewers tend to produce chewers.

Chinchilla chew toys are recommended as a great way to enrich your chinchilla’s environment and keep their teeth healthy. They enjoy wooden small animal chew toys that you can pick up at most pet stores, hanging chew toys, alfalfa blocks, and chinchilla chew toys like lava bites that are made to simulate the chewing materials they would find in their natural habitat in and around the Andes Mountains.