If you are looking for a fun loving pet, you should first ask yourself these questions: Do you like soft and fuzzy animals that require patients? Is your house quiet? Are you getting this pet for you or a child? These are all very important questions if you are thinking a chinchilla is the pet for you. A chinchilla has some pretty cool characteristics which include a bushy tail, long whiskers, big eyes, and ears. They are herbivores with a sensitive digestive system, very short forelimbs, and very soft fur. Chinchillas are mostly nocturnal, but can slowly adapt to your life style and are easily prone to sickness through stress. Before you choose this pet you should know that they have tiny bones which can easily be broken and very …show more content…
Their diet should be rich in fiber, low in protein, and extremely low in fats and sugars with added minerals and vitamins. Important vitamins and minerals include vitamin C and B, Thiamine, Calcium. A pelleted diet formulated specifically for chinchillas is a good choice. Refrain from using brans that have seeds, dried fruit, corn, etc. as these are treats not food and should be limited. Do not feed your chinchilla guinea pig or rabbit pellets as they are formulated differently. Their diet should be supplemented with fresh timothy hay, alfalfa cubes, cuttlebone, and mineral licks. Be sure that the hay is dry and free from mold. The chinchilla will never over eat but will be picky when it comes to freshness. Grooming is quite a bit different as these pets need a volcanic ash dust bath and require no brushing or wet baths. Do not use sand as it can hurt the chinchilla and never try to bush your chinchilla as this can cause fur slip. Chinchilla need to be able to take a dust bath in a shallow bowl every other day or twice a week for 10-15 minutes. Never leave the bath in their cage as they may use it as a litter pan. The bath should be completely changed once a week due to the dead skin cells and dirt that may