This page is a BRIEF summary of some of the essentials for keeping your Chinchilla healthy and fit.  As with all pets, ensure you research a variety of sources of information to ensure that you are best prepared for the arrival of your pet - BEFORE you collect it

• A cool draft free environment
  
• Avoid high temperatures
  
• Avoid damp - it makes the fur clump and can cause chills ( a dehumidifier can
• sometimes be needed)
  
• Large wooden or 16 gauge wire cage (not plastic as it gets eaten)
  
• Plenty of toys to keep them occupied - wooden, untreated.
  
• A quality pellet food daily
  
• Fresh hay/grass daily for roughage
  
• Fresh clean water daily
  
• Regular Sandbaths
  
• Exercise
  
• FEW treats

Chinchillas are naturally herbivores that live in herds or social groups - and as such require a very balanced nutrition diet and company in order to stay healthy.  Where possible always keep two chinchillas together - you can keep same sex pairs, or a mixed sex pair - if the later be aware that unless the male is castrated that young will occur -and a separate cage will be needed on occasions to give the mother a break.

Cages should be roomy and spacious, without sharp edges.  Many rat cages are sold as suitable for chinchillas - quite often they are too small.   As a general rule of thumb, for a pair of chinchillas have a cage 36 inch long by 24 inches high by 18 inches deep.  This should contain at least one shelf for the chinchillas to sit upon.

The simplest and most convenient way to provide an appropriately balanced meal is to feed a good quality pellet and fresh hay daily.  Ensuring that they have a constant supply of clean, fresh water.  DO NOT give more than one treat a day as this will encourage animals not to eat their pellets.

IN MY PERSONAL OPINION AND THAT OF MANY TOP CHINCHILLA BREEDERS AND PET OWNERS, YOU SHOULD NOT feed mixes such as Charlie Chinchilla or XtraVital (these look like rabbit mixtures).  The animals will pick at the food and eat the items that they like and leave the pellets where the balanced nutrition and minerals that have been researched have been placed. Feeding these types of products can often lead to tooth disorders over prolonged periods of time as the animals east all the 'treaty' items that it contains and leave the harder pellets which help to create the required dental wear.

For treats - only provide sparingly and infrequently.  Chinchillas have a very easily upset digestive system.  Avoid fresh fruits, nuts, sugared or fatty items - and be sparing with the raisins.  Good treats include pumpkin seeds, mini shredded wheat, small pieces of apple (one piece a week), tea spoon of 'luxury' mixes like Charlie Chinchilla or dried apple leaves

Treats should be limited to one a day eg one raisin. Incorrect diet or too many treats will lead to dental problems. Their teeth grow all the time and are dependent on pellets and hay for correct grinding to keep them in shape and the right length. Gnawing on wood will keep the incisors at the front of the mouth in shape - but have no effect on the molars at the back of the mouth which can on an incorrect diet can overgrow and lead to a chin unable to feed itself and requiring veterinary assistance - it can at times also lead to the death of the animal

Chinchillas can cope in low temperatures, but do not cope well with warmer weather - being kept at temperatures of over 85 degrees F can lead to death - so it is important  to ensure that the chinchillas in times of hot weather are sufficiently cooled.  This can be done by a variety of methods including fans, ice and frozen treats.

Chinchillas are intelligent and like to be active and become bored very easily - provide plenty of toys for them to pay with and explore - ensure that a large proportion of these are wooden for them to gnaw on.  As with all rodents a chinchillas teeth are constantly growing need to be worn down in order to avoid teething problems.  you should also enable your pets to come out and exercise in a larger area than the cage - but me sure to keep an eye on them as they will chew furniture, wires and other objects that they can reach!   Good toys for chinchillas can be apple branches (thoroughly scrubbed with SALT and water  - no soap!), untreated wood, wooden bird toys (avoid roped ones), large cardboard tubes (be careful they don't eat the loose paper) and  large plastic pipes.

In order to keep a chinchillas fur sleek and healthy they should have a dust bath daily for approximately 10 minutes.  This removes all grease from the pelt and reduces clumping.  Chinchillas should not be got wet - they have over 30 hairs from each follicle upon the body - this density of fur takes a very long time to dry down to the base - and in doing so will chill the animal and could cause death.   Appropriate sand can be brought from most pet stores (where possible look for silver bathing sand).  Do not leave the sand bath in the cages - otherwise they may stay in  the sand too long causing the hair to become too dry and causing irritation to the skin.
If at any time you are concerned about the health or fitness your chinchilla ALWAYS Seek medical advice.

Chinchillas once ill will decline VERY rapidly - DO NOT leave things too late by ignoring a problem hoping that it will go away!