$
Cage Guidelines
Wire spacing on the cage should be: 1" x 1" or 1" x 2" wire, if babies are possible than the wire spacing should be smaller at ½" x 1" wire.
Chinchilla cages should have a solid bottom to protect the chinchilla's feet.
Chinchilla's love to chew so ensure no plastic is accessible in the cage.
I recommend the Critter Nation cages as they are easy to assemble and wire spacing is ideal. If the Critter Nation cage is utilized all plastic will need replaced with metal pans that can either be purchased from Bass Equipment or Quality Cage. See Resource page for links. All ramps should also be removed from the cage to prevent any injury due to the chinchilla's foot size.
Chinchilla's love to snuggle in an enclosed space so the ideal home will have a wooden house or tunnel for them to hide in.
Any shelves added to the cage should be wooden. Not all woods are safe for chinchilla's so be sure to research the type of wood prior to placing in the cage: Kiln Dried Pine is the most common safe wood. Cedar is TOXIC.
Items to stay away from are the wire hay racks, running wheels and plastic balls. These items are not safe for chinchillas. The flying saucer and chin spin made by Quality Cages are the safest options to use.
Food Guidelines
There are many types of foods available for purchase with the name chinchilla or a picture of chinchilla but many of them are not made for chinchillas and can cause intestinal issues. Any pellets given to chinchillas should be without extra goodies in them. Ideally, if the pellet has 18% protein chinchilla's tend to do very well on those pellets. Some brands that I can recommend include: Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Deluxe, Modesto Milling Organic feed or Purina Show.
Treat Guidelines
Treats can be a lot of fun to give to chinchillas; however, if your chinchilla is under 6 months of age they should NEVER get treats. After the chinchilla is more than 6 months old they can have a MAX of 2 treats per day of any of the following: Apple wood, rose hips, shredded wheat (without any frosting or sugar), cheerios (plain, no sugar or honey). A special treat they can have no more than a couple times a week can be raisins or goji berries.
Hay Guidelines
Chinchillas love to graze and need hay daily. It is recommended to provide Timothy Hay daily.
Water Guidelines
Chinchillas need fresh water daily. Since they love to chew on anything plastic they can reach it is recommended to get glass water bottles that can be washed in the dishwasher. Water either needs to be filtered or bottled purified water. Read labels carefully at the grocery store as some bottled water is just tap water and hasn't been filtered. It will disclose this in the fine print of the bottle.
Dust Bath Guidelines
Chinchillas love to have dust baths and as a pet owner it is a lot of fun to watch. The container for the dust bath should be chew proof and should only be placed in the cage 1-2 times per week. Once the chinchilla finishes the dust bath it should be removed. The dust can last for a very long time. Many chinchilla dusts are available for purchase. I utilize Oxbow Poof but other brands that have good reviews in the chinchilla group include: Blue Cloud, Chill Dust or Blue Sparkle.
Subscription Option
For those who want to take the time and planning out of chinchilla care, Chillabox offers a monthly subscription with food, hay, dust, treat package and cage accessory or toy for a monthly fee. See the resource page for a link to the page.
Veterinarian Care
Prior to bringing your chinchilla home ensure you have a vet identified that can see the chinchilla in case of illness or injury as not all vets will see chinchillas.