Sammy and Littlefoot- Gina's Chinchillas


Sammy and Littlefoot are Gina's chinchillas. Now if you don't know what a chinchilla looks like, picture a guinea pig with mickey mouse ears and a squirre-like tail. Sammy is an all black female who has successfully given birth to several litters of babies. Female chinchillas have two uterises so they can become pregnant quite often. Littlefoot is a standard grey colored male who is very attached to his cage mate.

General Care

Chinchillas come from a cold dry climate up in the Andes mountains in South America, so they need to be housed in the same manner. They should be kept in a spacious bi or tri level cage if possible because they are very active at night ( they are nocturnal), they love to jump and hop all over their cage. A large wire cage like the ones used by ferrets are quite acceptable. A hiding place such as a wooden box is also needed so there is a place to retreat during the daytime hours.

The temperature in their enclosure should never exceed 70 degrees and the colder the better, they are adapted for snow dwelling as long as you keep them dry- NO HUMIDITY! Lighting is not needed as long as they are in a room with windows during the day, so they can differentiate between day and night.

Sammy and Littlefoot's diet consists of commercial chinchilla food with occasional fruits and raisins. Their diet needs to be varied and they must be fed and watered daily, they need a water bottle because they will not drink from a bowl. Chinchillas also enjoy flavored chew sticks which usually come in shapes of carrots and other vegetables. Sammy and Littlefoot can reduce these to splinters in a matter of hours.

Bathing is very important for maintaining a healthy chinchilla. They require a "dust bath" at least twice a week but would prefer one daily. Chinchilla dust ( which is actually volcanic ash) can be purchased at most pet stores. Since they will roll on their sides vigorously covering themselves, we use a plastic pet container on its side with the small opening to keep most of the dust on the inside instead of everywhere else in the room.

Chinchillas can make fascinating pets. If you can get them to breed then you can watch them show their young "the ropes". But if you are wanting one that you can handle extensively, then you must keep them separate. Once they bond with each other, they will no longer need your affection, at the same time if you keep one separate and don't handle it or interact with it then they can actually die from loneliness.