Chinchilla

Heatstroke

SignsBright red, hot ears; lying on its side, limp; rapid breathing; drooling; seizures. Life-threatening within tens of minutes

PreventionKeep room temperature below 25°C at all times, ideally 18–22°C. Run the air conditioner 24 hours a day in summer and have a plan for power outages

Malocclusion

SignsDrool wetting the chin or forepaws; stops eating hay; eye discharge; tearing; weight loss; facial swelling

PreventionHay as the staple diet to wear down teeth. Do not overfeed pellets or treats. Can be hereditary; have regular dental checkups

GI stasis / bloat

SignsNot eating; fewer or smaller droppings; belly swollen and tight like a drum; sitting motionless

PreventionHay available at all times. Almost no treats or fruit. Avoid sudden diet changes, heat and stress

Fur chewing (self-barbering)

SignsFur on part of the body cut short in patches; a cagemate's fur missing

PreventionCaused by stress, boredom or cramped housing. Enrich with dust baths, play space and hides; review cagemate compatibility

Dermatophytosis (ringworm)

SignsCircular hair loss with dandruff on the nose, around the eyes or on the feet; scabs

PreventionKeep humidity under 60%; replace bath dust weekly. Quarantine new animals. See the vet early for any hair loss

Fur ring (penile hair ring)

SignsIn males, fur wraps in a ring at the base of the penis; difficulty urinating; penis stays extruded

PreventionOnce a month, gently extrude the male's penis and check for tangled fur. If abnormal, do not remove it yourself; see the vet

Fractures from falls

PreventionFit fall guards on high cage shelves. Hold it while sitting on the floor, with both hands. It jumps hard and will leap from heights

First aidIf it drags a leg or the leg sits at an odd angle, do not splint; pad a carrier with towels and keep it still. See the vet the same day

Fur slip (hair loss)

PreventionA defense reflex: fur comes out in a clump when startled. Do not grip hard; support the base of the tail when holding. Do not chase it

First aidNo treatment needed if the skin is unbroken. Regrows in a few months. See the vet if there is a wound or bleeding

Tail injury

PreventionNever lift it by the tail. Check before closing doors or the cage door so the tail is not caught

First aidIf skin is torn off or bone is visible, cover with clean gauze and see the vet the same day. Do not cut anything yourself

Leg fracture in cage wire

PreventionAvoid wire floors; use solid board shelves. Wide-mesh wire lets a foot drop through and break

First aidIf the leg dangles or bears no weight, do not touch it; move it to a carrier. See the vet the same day

Dermatophytosis (ringworm)

RouteContact with an infected animal's fur, skin or bath dust

PreventionHandle animals with hair loss using gloves and wash hands. Do not share dust

Salmonellosis

RouteOral infection via hands that touched droppings or urine

PreventionWash hands with soap after care. Do not wash the cage in the kitchen

Giardiasis

RouteOral infection via water or hands contaminated with feces

PreventionHave animals with persistent diarrhea seen and their stool tested. Always wash hands after cleaning

Allergy (dust, fur)

RouteInhaling bath dust, fur or hay particles

PreventionGive dust baths in a ventilated area. People with asthma should wear a mask

Food

• Unlimited timothy hay at all times. Hay should make up most of the diet
• Chinchilla pellets once or twice a day, about 1–2 tablespoons
• Treats: a very small amount of dried herbs or forage plants. Fruit is unnecessary

Water

• Water bottle, refreshed daily. Drinks 30–100 ml a day
• Use a bottle, not a dish: a dish wets the fur and causes skin disease

Toys & play

• Chew sticks, pumice stone, wooden swing, straw balls
• Exercise wheel: solid-surface type, at least 38 cm in diameter. No mesh wheels or exposed axles
• Offer the dust bath container for about 15 minutes daily, with fine chinchilla dust

Nest, bed & hideout

• One wooden nest box. A ceramic cooling house is also useful
• Fabric hammocks get chewed and swallowed; use wooden shelves instead

Bedding & litter

• Wooden slat flooring or hardwood chips. Avoid softwood chips
• A corner litter tray in a corner. Wood pellets, changed daily
• Fabric mats get chewed, so generally do not use them

Cage / housing material

Tall metal cage. Plastic gets chewed and swallowed

Size & space

At least 60 W × 45 D × 80 H cm. Needs vertical movement

Layout

• Shelves in a zigzag 20–30 cm apart, with fall guards
• Nest box on the upper level; dust bath on a wide spot on the lower level
• Fixed-mount water and food so they cannot be chewed off or knocked down

Placement notes

• Avoid direct sunlight, direct AC airflow and temperature rise by windows
• Nocturnal and noisy at night, so keep away from bedrooms. Place a thermometer at the animal's eye level

Exercise, free-roam & walks

• Free-roam time 30 minutes to 1 hour daily, during its active evening hours
• Jumps extremely well and climbs furniture and curtains. Watch for falls and getting pinched
• Remove all cords, houseplants and small objects, and never take your eyes off it

Temperature & humidity

Temperature18–22°C. Heatstroke risk above 25°C; needs warmth below 10°C

Humidity40–50%. High humidity raises the risk of skin disease and heatstroke

Summer & winter

• Summer: run the AC 24 hours. Provide a cooling spot of aluminum or marble
• Winter: do not overheat. Keep above 15°C and avoid direct heater airflow

Nail trimming

Worn down naturally by dust baths and wooden shelves. If long, trim only the tips with small-animal clippers. If difficult, have the vet do it

Brushing, skin & coat care

Dust bathing is the best care: 15 minutes daily with chinchilla dust. Gently work out mats with a fine-toothed comb

Other care

Never bathe in water (fur will not dry and causes skin disease). Wipe dirt with a dry cloth. Check males monthly for a fur ring

Protection from predators

• Keep in a separate room from dogs, cats and ferrets. Lock the cage
• Crows, stray cats and weasels will come, so never take it outdoors
• Keep mosquitoes and flies out with screens in summer; do not open windows during free-roam time

Foreign-body ingestion

Chews and swallows plastic, rubber, fabric, cords and wallpaper. Clear everything away before free-roam time, and keep only metal and wood inside the cage

Being stepped on

Moves quickly underfoot, so being stepped on is a common accident. Look down while walking during free-roam time. Check under sofas and cushions

Getting pinched

Tail or feet get caught in cage doors and sliding doors. Check the whole body before closing. Use door stoppers when opening and closing doors

Falls

Jumps from heights and breaks bones. Fit fall guards on cage shelves. Hold it while sitting on the floor and set it down at once if it struggles

Escape

A strong jumper that escapes through narrow gaps. Enclosures need to be at least 1 m high with a lid. If it escapes, set out the dust bath and a dark box, darken the room and wait

Safe release procedure

1. Stop moving and quietly rest the bitten hand on the cage or floor
2. Stroke its back with your free hand to calm it
3. Do not put fingers in its mouth; wait a few seconds for it to let go
4. Once it lets go, return it to the nest box and leave it alone for a while

After the release

Wash under running water with soap and disinfect. For deep wounds, swelling or pus, see a doctor. Check the animal for problems too

What to tell the vet & what to bring

Time of last meal, state of droppings, room temperature, diet. Bring a stool sample, and put hay and a wrapped ice pack in the carrier

Checking consciousness, breathing & heartbeat

• Call its name and touch it to check for a response. Moving or vocalizing means it is conscious
• Check breathing by the rise and fall of the chest. Normal is about 40–80 breaths per minute
• Place a hand on the chest to check the heartbeat. Normal is about 100–150 beats per minute

Stopping bleeding

• Press firmly with clean gauze for 3–5 minutes. Do not lift it to check
• For a bleeding nail or tail, press styptic powder or flour onto it
• If it will not stop or blood is dripping, keep pressing and go to the vet immediately

Transport

• Line the carrier with a towel and cover it to darken. In summer, wrap an ice pack in a towel and place it alongside
• In winter, wrap a hand warmer in a towel and place it on the outside. Use the car's AC to keep the interior cool