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Domestic Habitat
Cage
House
Water Bottle
Food Bowl
Hay Container
Treat Bowl
Ledges
Bathing Dust
Dusting Bowl
Bedding/Litter
Chew Toys
Fleece Hammock
Exercise Wheel
Ceramic or Marble Tiles
Wooden Shelves
Cardboard Tubes
Urine Guards
Travel Carrier
Cleaning
Temperature
Lighting
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can
be judged by the way its animals are treated.
Mohandas Gandhi
Chinchillas are strictly indoor animals so you will need to plan which area in your home will be his space and prepare a nice, fun-filled, safe cage for him. Chinchillas are very social animals so where you put his cage will be an important decision, especially if you have only one chin. Don't think that just because chins are nocturnal that they must be kept away from everyone in a quiet room all day. You want an area that you spend time in, but is not too hectic. If you set up a really nice cage for him with a house that he can have quiet time in, then he should do fine. He will sleep all day, while occasionally getting up to munch on hay/pellets and maybe to say hi to you. When evening comes around he will be happy to have company to socialize with and spoil him rotten with love. Please read our Emotional Health page also.
Let's discuss the items you will need to get ready for your new chinchilla companion. You want to make your chin's cage as comfortable and fun for him as possible. There are many things sold for chinchillas, but please keep one thing in mind, just because it is in a pet store or has a picture of a chinchilla on the package, it does not mean it is safe or healthy for your chinchilla. I cannot emphasize this enough to you. We see so much junk food, unsafe cages, dangerous toys and other items not fit for a chin, it is shameful. I hope to help you sift through all the confusion and make you knowledgeable of the products that are truly safe, fun and healthy for your chinchilla.
As much as I would like to encourage you to get all the goodies listed below for your chinchilla, I know startup budgets may not allow everything to be purchased right up front. An exercise wheel and extra wooden shelves are great for chinchillas and definitely things you should strive to get for your chin. However, I feel the most important things to invest in as a solid base for your chin's life is a safe cage, a high quality diet along with the basic essentials. You can always add more bells and whistles to the cage at any time.
Here are the essential items you will need for your chinchilla: cage, wooden house, water bottle, food bowl, hay container, treat bowl, wooden ledges, dusting bowl, bathing dust, bedding/litter, chew toys. Pellets & hay of course which are discussed under Diet.
Secondary Items: fleece hammock, exercise wheel, ceramic or marble tile, wooden shelves, cardboard tubes, urine guards.
Let's take each of these items separately. Please visit Our Store page for many chinchilla-safe products.
Cage - Chinchillas are very active animals and therefore need a good size area to live in. This is a necessity for a happy and healthy chinchilla. Even if you only live with a single chin, the minimum size cage you should consider purchasing is 36"h x 18"d x 30"w.
Basically, there are two styles of cages you see most often and can choose from. A drop-in pan and a wire bottom with slide-out tray. The drop-in pan has no wire flooring. The cage fits into a galvanized or plastic tray bottom that you add litter to. Some people prefer this type of cage because they don't want their chin to be standing on a wire floor. These types of cages may also need to be cleaned more often if you have more than one chin because the chin is directly on the wet litter. A wire bottom cage has a tray that pulls out from under the wire flooring. There is nothing wrong with a cage that has wire flooring, as long as you provide several solid surfaces for your chin to rest on if he would like to. When pulling out the tray for cleaning, do so carefully if your chin is on the bottom floor and watch out for his toes in case the tray is a snug fit. Any wire flooring /shelves or ramps should be 1/2" x 1/2" mesh for your chin's comfort.
The ideal size of wire mesh for the outside body of the cage should be 1/2" x 1". You can find some cages with 1" x 1" wire spacing as the outside body of the cage and this is also acceptable. The two most popular brands of cages that have this size wire spacing is Martin's Cages and Quality Cage.
I highly recommend Martin's Cages as the best and safest chinchilla cage you can get. All but one of the cages in our rescue is made by Martin's cages. The smallest cage you should consider is their Chinchilla Skyscraper model R-695, but of course you can get a larger cage if your budget allows and you have the room for it. You can get a drop-in pan or pull-out tray, whichever you prefer. When I order a Martin's Cage, I tell them to leave out the middle floor and no ramps. So basically I just use the outside body of the cage and the two half wire shelves that come with the cage. I use both drop-in pan and pull-out tray type of cages. Then I add all the extra goodies. The cage has two doors in the front. You need to assemble most of this cage and having two people makes it an easier job. They send you c-rings and disposable pliers which can leave the c-rings too loose, so make sure you tighten them with a pair of needle nose pliers. You don't want any parts of the cage to have gaps or any of the levels to rattle when your chin is jumping on them.
When many people assemble these cages, they accidently put them together backwards. So keep in mind when you are looking at the front of the cage, the highest 1/2 wire shelf should be on the left side. You then have the middle floor in which the opening (with the ramp leading to it from below) will be toward the back of the cage. The other 1/2 wire shelf will be lowest on the right side. I highly recommend you completely remove the ramp that is on the bottom floor level since a chin does not need it and it only takes up room and is one more thing to have to clean around. Also, the front panel of the cage should have the lower door on the left front side with the door hooks going over the wire (not under). If you do purchase a running wheel for your chin when you get the cage, the wheel will not fit through the doors so install the wheel before attaching the front panel of the cage. If you purchase a wheel at a later date, you can always partly remove the front panel and squeeze the wheel through at that time.
Here are two photos of Martin's Cages. One is with the middle floor and ramps as you would receive from Martin's and the other is with no middle level, but wooden shelves which I installed.
The Quality Cage also has nice cages and they are very popular among chinchilla parents. They have the 1" x 1" outside bar spacing and it is basically a drop-in galvanized pan, but they have designed it with a pull out tray. This cage has one large door. The cage comes with wooden shelves, but not enough of them in my opinion. They leave too much space between jumping surfaces and you should definitely plan on purchasing extra shelves from them or make your own. You should also add wooden ledges as steps.
A cage that has gained a lot of attention lately is the Critter Nation cage. This cage is basically a bird cage that has been around for many years, but now it has been slightly altered with cut-out trays if you want to use it as a two tier cage. It has 1/2" horizontal bar spacing which is the maximum spacing you should have. This cage also has a protective coating so keep in mind that a chin can chew off any coating on a cage if he is inclined to. Some people do not use a middle tray and fix the cage up as a large open space, while others use the plastic tray as a divider for a first and second level. One of the issues to consider with this cage is that the tray is only about 1" high which will be more of a mess if you have a chin that likes to pee in the corner of the cage. Keeping any bedding in the tray with it being so shallow poses a problem. Most people who use these types of cages use fleece liners in the trays. You would need to sew your own or find someone who sells them. They need to be changed often since your chin would be peeing on the fabric. Some people have said their cage is not as fresh smelling despite washing the fleece liners while other people swear by using fleece liners. Because the trays are not deep, using wood shavings will be messy. All of the shelves and ramps in these cages have horizontal bar spacing. I do not recommend these types of ramps/shelves ever. Having only horizontal bars is not safe for your chin and we have rescued many chins with amputated legs because their cages contained these. So basically, I would recommend removing all the shelves and ramps from these brands of cages and replacing them with wooden ledges and shelves. I don't recommend the Ferret Nation cage because it has 1" bar spacing which in my opinion is too large for a chin.
What about making a homemade cage? Some people would like to make their own cages. If you want to try this, safety needs to be your first priority. The cage needs to be very sturdy since your chin will be romping around in it. You can get wire that is 1/2" x 1" or 1" x 1" at most home improvement stores. You want galvanized after weld. You will need to have some kind of a tray to put the cage in and there are some cage suppliers that allow you to purchase just a tray. If you use wood as framing, your chin will chew the parts he can get to. It should also be a safe wood for your chin in case he does chew it. Do not paint or stain it for the same reason. Do not use chicken wire!
Cages that are not safe for a chinchilla are rabbit, guinea pig and ferret type cages and never put your chinchilla in a glass tank/aquarium for any reason. Also, most cages sold in pet stores are not safe. We have rescued several chins with amputated legs along with chins that have had foot/arm injuries due to being housed in cages that were not appropriate. The reason why the larger wire mesh is not safe for your chin is because chins will rebound off the inside of the cage walls and their foot can go right through the larger wire and cause serious injury. Since it is very difficult to successfully pin and cast a chin's leg, amputation is usually the final result. This is so unnecessary and avoidable by getting the proper cage.
When getting a cage that is galvanized wire, you want to look for galvanized after weld or GAW. You don't want galvanized before weld because they weld the wire joints with lead and if your chin should chew that area it is toxic to them. You also want to avoid any plastic inside the cage and that includes plastic shelving or ramps. I do not recommend wire shelves or ramps that have only horizontal bars no matter how close they are spaced. If you do use a ramp that is galvanized wire, you want it to be square mesh that is 1/2" x 1/2" spacing. Wooden ledges can easily be used for a chin to get from one level to another and they are safer and easier to clean than any ramp.
Brands of cages that we consider unsafe for chinchillas are: Super Pet, Ferret Playpen, Ferret Nation, Deluxe My First Home, Tubbies, Marshall, Marchioro and Prevue.
Since the cage is going to be your single biggest expense as far as supplies, spend wisely and get a cage that is safe for your chinchilla. After all, this will be his home and where he will spend a large part of his time.
Chinchillas like height. They like a cage that has shelves and ledges at different levels that they can jump onto. Always make sure that the distance between each landing surface is close enough that there is no danger of your chin missing his step and falling. They are great jumpers, but you just don't want too much distance between landing surfaces. You can have 1 or 2 wire shelves in the cage as long as you also have several solid surfaces for your chin to stand on if he chooses. I have seen many chins prefer to sit on a wire shelf even when there have been several solid surfaces for him to sit on.
Be careful where you decide to put your chin's cage. Do not have it up against a wall because a chin can fit their teeth through the wire and will chew your wall. Also, don't put the cage too close to curtains, yes I said curtains. Many chins have been able to get a hold of curtains that were hanging near their cage and pull them through the wire and chew them. They are very innovative little critters.
House - A wooden house or some form of a safe hide-away is essential for your chin's cage. He will feel more comfortable if he has a place he can hide and sleep in. Make sure you get something that will be large enough for him to stretch out. If you have multiple chins they will snuggle, but you still want them to have room should they want to stretch out. Keep in mind when buying or making a house that it must fit through the door of the cage. Most chin houses will be made of pine wood which is a safe wood for chins. That is what I make our chins' houses with. Chins will chew their houses and this is normal. That is why it is so important that it is a safe wood. Remember, no plastic housing of any kind. Do NOT use Ecotrition Snak Shaks as they are extremely unhealthy for your chin. Some chins will move their house around so if it is on an upper level you should attach it to the side of the cage. If the house you get does not come with hardware to attach it, you can use a screw and fender washer to attach it. Chins like to sit on top of their house, so it is nice if you can leave enough room between their house and whatever you have above it.
Water Bottle - A single chin usually only needs an 8oz. bottle. Two chins will need a 16oz bottle. Don't use a bowl for your chins water as most chins won't drink from one and it will always have hay, shavings and poops in it. There are many types of water bottles available. Many are plastic, but you can also get glass. There are also ball bearing and valve drinking tips. You should scrub your chin's water bottle with a bottle brush and hot soapy water once a week. That includes the drinking tip and rubber washer. Here are some guide lines about water bottles.
- bottles that have a ball bearing tip work using a vacuum seal. You have to fill these bottles all the way into the neck to the top of the neck rim for them to work properly. If you don't, your bottle will continually drip. If you put really cold water in the bottle, it will also drip for a little bit while the water adjust to room temperature.
- valve tip bottles have a small metal rod that the chin will lick moving it up which provide them with water. Since these do not operate by vacuum seal, they do not need to be filled to the rim and they will not drip. However, some chins will not drink from this type of bottle tip.
- plastic is the most common bottle you will find. Plastic can also be easily chewed, so make sure you always attach the bottle to the outside of the cage. A few chins will be mischievous and manage to fit their teeth through the cage wire and nibble the bottle. If this happens and you use a ball bearing type tip, then even the smallest puncture will cause the bottle to drain out all the water since it causes it to lose the vacuum seal. So check the water level on a regular basis.
- Super Pet makes a glass water bottle, but you have to be careful when using this brand because they have been known to not work properly. You have to tap the tip several times to make sure there is good water flow. Make sure when your chin drinks there is an air bubble which floats to the top and then you know it is working.
- Lixit makes an excellent glass water bottle. We have never had any problems with this brand of glass bottle.
Food Bowl - I use a couple of different type of food bowls for our chins. Stainless steel bowls that fit into a ring that attaches to the side of the cage are good if you happen to have a chin that likes to tip his food bowl. Ceramic bowls/crocks are another option which we use.
Hay Container - Where should I place the hay? Believe it or not, that is a big question for chin parents. You can put the hay in a large heavy crock, leave it loose and set it on a marble or ceramic tile, place it on a shelf or in a hay rack. You can also use a small ceramic flower pot (the ones that are flat on one side). We use a couple of these and they work well.
Here lies the problem. Some chins will pee on hay
if it is in a bowl, yet many will not. If you put it
in a bowl, some chins will just pull it all out as
soon as you give it to them. If you choose to use
a hay bin, it needs to be one that you attach to
the outside of the cage. This works better if you
have wire spacing that is 1" x 1" so the chin can get to the hay easier. If you do use an outside hay bin, you must overstuff it and push through as much hay as you can as a starter for the chin to be able to get to it. Do not use a wire hay manger or hay spinner as chins have gotten their legs/feet caught in them. You also do not want to use a plastic hay holder. Chins will chew these and they can't really get to the hay. Most chins would never think of peeing on their hay or wasting any of it, but the bottom line is you won't know until you see his behavior for a few days.
These ceramic chinchillas baths are very cute and
great for stuffing with hay. I also put a pile on an
upper half wire shelf. We have very little waste
because if any hay falls through it goes onto another
shelf where the chins can still eat it. I have also
found that they don't pee on it when we do this. A
large complaint among new chin parents is the mess
of the hay getting outside the cage. This is all part
of living with a chin. There is no way of keeping every bit of hay inside the cage. So be aware of that before you consider getting a chinchilla. Even putting it in a bowl does not guarantee that all the hay will stay in the cage.
You can find a couple of people that make wooden hay bins that are very nice and do the job of holding the hay, but since they are made of wood they will also be chewed by the chin. That is fine since they are usually made of pine wood, but how long it lasts depends on how much of a chewer your chin is.
Treat Bowl - You should have a small separate bowl to give your chin treats. Never put treats in your chin's food bowl. They will quickly learn to dig through their pellets looking for treats thus dumping and wasting their pellets. This will also create a picky eater.
The worst sin toward our
fellow creatures is not to hate them,
but to be indifferent to them;
that's the essence of inhumanity.
George Bernard Shaw
Ledges - These are usually made of pine, but you can get some made of other chin safe materials. They come in various sizes that you can attach to the side of the cage. You can't lose by having 2-3 ledges in the cage. Chins love them and they can be placed anywhere to serve as a step or seating area. They are great for placing between shelves to get from one level to another or just an empty area you want to fill as a fun spot for your chin to hang out.
Bathing Dust - Blue Cloud is the best chinchilla dust you can use. Chinchillas need to take dry dust baths to keep their fur clean and looking beautiful. You do not give a chinchilla a regular soap and water bath (unless in an extreme emergency, which is rare). Their natural habitat in the Andes Mountains is very cool with low humidity and the chins roll around in the natural volcanic ash and sand to keep their fur healthy. Their fur is very dense (60 to 80 hairs per follicle) and the fine bath dust can penetrate all the way to the skin. This also prevents excess oil build up on the fur which will give your chin a greasy look and the fur starts to separate and clump, rather than having the beautiful smooth satin and fluffy texture it should have.
When a chin takes a bath you will have a fine powdery cloud in the air, which will coat everything that is around. Keep this in mind if this would be your first chin because if you are a neat freak and would not want to have any mess ever, a chin is not for you. Also, many people have allergies to chinchillas which often has a lot to do with the dust they must use.
You should give your chin a dust bath 2-3 times a week. When I give our chins a bath, I put the bowl on the bottom level in the cage for 10-15 minutes. Then I remove the bath house. Any chin is done taking a bath in that amount of time. You do not want to leave the dust bath in the cage all the time. Leaving the bath in the cage results in many chins sitting in it at length and their feet can dry out from the dust and actually develop cracks in them.
Your chin will poop in his dust bath and some will urinate also. Try to clean out any poops, but if there is a couple in there it's not the end of the world. Urine however needs to be removed as bacteria can form. If you can spot clean do so, as urine clumps in the dust. If you can't spot clean, then the entire bath must be changed. Do not be surprised if your chin eats some of the bathing dust. I'm not sure if it is the taste, texture or some natural instinct why they do this. Not all chins do it and we have never had any chin become sick from taking a slight nibble, so don't worry. You will add a small amount of dust to keep it at a level for the chin to take a good bath, about 1/2" - 1".
Other brands of bathing dust are Blue Sparkle which I have never used before, but hear it is a good dust and leaves your chin with a slight shimmered look. Personally, I don't think a chin should shimmer. I had used Kaytee years ago and thought our chins looked good (not as great as Blue Cloud). I still think Kaytee is a decent brand and is available at most pet supply stores, but it is pricey. There are several other brands at pet stores that I do not recommend or feel are worth your time or money. You can tell the difference in your chin's fur with the Blue Cloud versus any other brand. I believe it is worth using over all other brands.
DO NOT use scented chinchilla bath dust! This product is a gimmick and not realistic or healthy for your chinchilla. There should be no added scent to the bath dust you use because it is not only unnecessary, but can cause respiratory problems for your chin. Chinchillas do not have a bad odor unless you have them living in unsanitary conditions, which of course I hope you would not allow. I contacted the company who makes these scented dusts a while back because the ingredients listed were so vague. There is nothing natural about their product and in my opinion it should be taken off the market.
Super Pet also makes chinchilla bath sand. This is not recommended because it can be rough on your chin's fur and is not fine enough to do a really good job.
Dusting Bowl - When it comes to giving your chin a dust bath, there are many different things you can use to put the dust in. Make sure that it is large enough for your chin to be able to roll around freely. You can use a glass or metal baking pan. A glass fish bowl (barrel type) can also be used. One of our favorite bowls to use is a 5 quart stainless steel dog food bowl. Keep in mind that any time you use an open bowl more dust will be in the air. You can buy the plastic bath houses that many stores have. These are ok to use as long as you only have a single chin and make sure your chin does not chew it. A chin will roll around to take his bath and if he starts to nibble the plastic bath house, you know he is done and you need to take the bath out of the cage. There is also a chinchilla bath that is ceramic and in the shape of a chinchilla. These are very cute, BUT are way too small for a chinchilla to take a dust bath in. If you really want to get one of these for your chin, use it for his hay (as shown above) or just leave it empty because many chins like to just hang out in them. No matter what you decide to use for a dusting bowl, make sure it will fit in the door of the cage. You do not want to leave it in the cage all the time. Only put it in the cage when your chin will be bathing.
Some chins will not use a bath house, but want an open bowl for their bath. If you have more than one chin who will be bathing at the same time, a long baking pan would be your best bet so the chins will have plenty of room. No one wants to wait to take their bath and two chins will not fit comfortably in a bath house. A 9" x 13" baking pan is perfect for two or more chins to take a bath and even the 5qt stainless bowl works well for two.
Bedding/Litter - Whether you use a cage with a drop-in pan or a pull-out tray you will need to use some form of bedding. This will provide a substance to absorb urine. It is very important that you use chinchilla safe bedding.
Safe Beddings you can use are: Kiln Dried Pine shavings, Aspen or Carefresh.
Unsafe Beddings to avoid are: Cedar, mixed wood shavings, scented bedding, synthetic beddings, corn cob or cat litters.
I use KD (kiln dried) pine shavings for most of our cages. I have a couple of chins that are allergic to pine (it makes them sneeze) so we use aspen for them. I have also used Carefresh and feel it is a very good product, but it is costly. You can purchase pine shavings from feed stores by the bale, which is a large paper bag (about 30 lbs) which range in price from $4.50 - $6.75 depending on the time of year. It tends to cost more in the winter since it is used as bedding for farm animals and it is in high demand and there can be shortages. You can also purchase it from pet stores, but make sure it is kiln dried pine and there is no added scent. Kiln dried is when wood is dried by putting it in a kiln in which high heat dries it and kills any insects, eggs, mold and properly dries out sap. Wood that is air dried is just that, left to dry naturally, thus not properly making the wood safe for your chin who will chew on it. You can always tell when pine is kiln dried because the shavings should smell like fresh cut dried wood and not like pine scented.
You will find aspen shavings and shredded aspen in bags. I prefer to use the shredded aspen because it is finer and softer and we think the chins prefer it. I use Nepco Pure Shredded Aspen Bedding (blue label).
Carefresh is a recycled paper product. We recommend using only the original which is a grayish color. I don't like the white Carefresh because it has been bleached and the colored Carefresh is dyed. Colors are for the amusement of people not the chin. Your chin will eat and nibble on his bedding, especially when you've just cleaned. This is normal and ok.
Chew Toys - you should have safe chew toys for your chin to prevent boredom and help to keep his teeth worn down to a healthy length You want all wood and toys to be organic and untreated. This means no pesticides, commercial glues, painted, stained or chemicals. There should be no sap oozing from the wood which would mean it was not properly dried. All wood/vines MUST be properly cleaned and dried before they can be given to your chinchilla. Do not ever give your chin fresh cut wood! Colored toys should be food-grade coloring only. Do not use fabrics or rope which consists of thread fibers such as cotton that can break apart and become entangled in the intestinal tract and cause a blockage or death. Cotton strings can also tangle around a chins leg or paw and cause severe injury. Sisal is a safe and good choice. A reputable source will have untreated products.
It is also very important that only safe metals are used for the toys and that includes the links or rings to hang the toy. There are several sources on the internet where you can purchase toys and toy parts so you can make your own or purchase toys already made. One of my favorite places to get safe wood toy parts is from Pet Products by Nature. Since they also sell bird products, not all the products sold on their site are safe for chins. I make our own toys by using 16 gauge galvanized wire that I purchase at any Lowe's or Home Depot. I then add several different chin-safe chew toys to give variety and different textures for the chins to chew. I don't like to use a chain to make toys with. There is always the possibility that a chin can get their front teeth stuck in a link.
As far as wood/vines that are safe and woods that are toxic to your chin I'd like to say the list is long, but in all honesty most people only have easy access to a chosen few. Therefore, I have listed those that I believe you would encounter most often. If you ever have a doubt about a toy, don't give it to your chin.
SAFE Toys/Wood for your chinchilla:
| Apple sticks | Manzanita |
| Balsa | Mulberry |
| Cholla (dried cactus wood) | Ocotillo Cactus |
| Cottonwood | Pear |
| Critter Cave | Pecan |
| Critter crunchies | Pumice Stone |
| Grapevine | Pine - Kiln Dried |
| Grassball | Red Willow |
| Hawthorn | Shredders (palm) |
| Hay Cakes | Sisal rope |
| Hazelnut | Straw/Seagrass/Coconut |
| Willow vine peeled or unpeeled |
SAFE Metals for your chinchilla:
- Aluminum
- Galvanized
- Gold or Silver Plated
- Nickel Plated
- Stainless Steel
Toys/Wood that you should NOT give your chinchilla:
| Almond | Peach |
| Apricot | Plastic toys, including igloos |
| Cherry | Plum |
| Commercial cardboard | Plywood |
| (paper towel/toilet paper rolls) | Pressure Treated Wood |
| Cotton or synthetic ropes | Rawhide/Leather |
| Cypress | Redwoods |
| Elderberry | Run-about Balls (Super Pet) |
| Eucalyptus | Salt/Mineral spools |
| Hemlock | Sandalwood |
| Mahogany | Spruce, Yew |
| Maple | Teak |
| Oak | Walnut |
| Particle Board |
Toxic Metals NOT to use for chinchillas:
- Brass
- Copper
- Zinc
Fleece Hammock - Fleece hammocks are very popular with chins. They are adorable when they are lounging around in one. There are many people who sell them or you can make your own. Just make sure you always use fleece fabric only. Other fabrics such as cotton or flannel will break down into string fibers and if a chin should chew it he could choke on them or get a limb tangled. I make all the hammocks for our chins and I like to use Anti-pill Fleece. It holds up very well and washes and dries beautifully. You can use Blizzard Fleece also. I keep it simple and make my hammocks square and the chins love them. For a single or two small chins I cut the fleece 16" x 16" and sew it with the good sides together with a 1/4" seam. I leave about 3" open on the last side to reverse the fabric. I then fold in the rest of the 1/4" seam and close it up using extremely small tight stitches making sure to cut any thread right to the fleece. For two or three chins I cut the fleece 19" x 19". Always hang the hammock near a shelf or ledge, preferably on both sides of it, so he can easily climb in and out of it. Having two hammocks available is nice so when you are washing one, your chin will still have one in his cage. You should use nickel plated grommets and hooks to hang the hammock.
I like to make fleece shelf pads also. I make them in various sizes and they are great to give your chin something soft to lie on in their house or to cover a wire shelf if you want.
Exercise Wheel - If it's in your budget, we highly suggest you get a running wheel for your chin. The best running wheels are the Chin Spin (15" only) by Quality Cage Co. and the Ed Wheel by Chin World. There is also the Leo Braun wheel which is a safe wheel, but is priced high and the enamel coating can be chewed off around the edge of the wheel if a chin wants to. Safe running wheels should be at least 14" in diameter and have a solid running surface that is 3" wide. It should be completely open on one side because chins jump on and off when the wheel is turning. There should be no cross bar. You should never use a wheel that has horizontal or spoke type bars as the running surface. Do not use a plastic wheel. The ones sold in pet stores are not large enough and your chin can chew it. Make sure a wheel will fit inside the door of the cage. If you get a Martin's cage, put the wheel in the cage first before you attach the front panel of the cage. You will want to have a shelf above the wheel because they will try to stand on it which of course could cause injury.
The Flying Saucer (galvanized only) is also very popular with many chinchillas, but they are pricey. Do not use the unsafe plastic ones sold in pet stores. The original flying saucer is safe for your chin, but some chins just don't take to them as fast as they do a wheel. I have one chin that has a flying saucer that the previous caretaker donated and he is crazy about it. They are a good option for you to purchase.
Safety Notice - Super Pet Silent Spinner is a very unsafe wheel. There have been many reports of the wheels coming off the bearing. These are very poor quality overall and a safety risk to your chin and a waste of your money. Other unsafe running wheels are: Comfort Wheel by Super Pet and Run-A Rounds Exericse Wheel which should never be given to your chin.
Safety Notice - Run-about Ball (by Super Pet) Do not use this product ever! I call it the 'Torture Ball', but many in the chinchilla community call it the 'Death Ball'. Get the picture? These balls do not allow air flow (despite the slits) and your chin can easily overheat. They are very unsafe for your chin. Your chin also poops and pees in them which means that is getting tossed around as he is moving around. The chin also has no control when in one of these and can bang into furniture or fall down stairs. For those of you who have one of these and think your chin likes it, well -- he doesn't, he is trying to escape from it. Throw it away and find a better and safer way for your chin to get exercise. This is another product that should be taken off the market.
Ceramic or Marble Tiles - You can use a ceramic or marble tile in the cage to give your chin a place to sit or to place hay on. These are available at any home improvement store. Chin Chillers are available at pet stores and online and these are a piece of marble tile cut in half. These tiles stay cool so they serve the purpose of keeping your chin cool should he become warm. If you place marble in the refrigerator and then place it in your chin's cage it will stay cool for a long time. This is good to have if you should lose power in the summer as it gives your chin a place to cool off.
Wooden Shelves - I always have two wooden shelves in our cages and that is in addition to the ledges. We use pine and they run from front to back and are 10" wide. I put one on each side of the cage. This gives the chins a solid place to play on and sit. They also chew the edges of the shelf of course. You attach the shelf with fender washers and wood screws (as shown). As long as you have a way to cut the wood to size, you can easily make your own shelves. You can pick up kiln dried pine at any Lowe's or Home Depot.
Cardboard Tubes - Large cardboard tubes called Chewbular Play Tube or Chub tubes which are 10" x 6" can be used in your chin's cage. I like to drill 2 small holes equally and attach it to the top of the cage using a wire, making sure the wire is pressed firmly to the inside of the tube leaving no gap. Our chins love to run through it and tear at it and some just hang out and sleep in it. The cardboard is made with non toxic glue and food grade coloring is used on the outside of the tube. They are safe for the chin to tear and chew. You can also just set it on the bottom of the cage. Never give your chin commercial cardboard tubes such as those from carpet rolls, sonatubes, paper towel or toilet paper rolls.
Urine Guards - With some chins, using urine guards will save your walls. Chins very often like to pee in a corner or two of their cages. This is very often a back corner. They will back up and think they are peeing in the cage, but the urine will go outside the cage, hitting the wall or floor behind the cage. Urine guards will prevent any accidents from happening. We have many chins that never pee outside their cage and some that do. You can buy urine guards at some pet stores or through internet resources.
If you choose not to use urine guards and you want to protect your wall in case of an accident, you can put a piece of plexiglass against your wall or use a clear shower curtain. Just make sure the cage is not close enough for the chin to be able to get to these things.
Travel Carrier - I feel a travel carrier should be just as important an essential item for your chinchilla as anything else. If you ever have to bring your chin to the vet or any reason to have to transport him, you need to do so in a safe, chinchilla proof carrier. Fabric carriers and cardboard boxes are not suitable for a chinchilla. Carriers that are very small with just enough room for him to fit in are not appropriate. A hard plastic carrier with a grate door is a good choice. There are also other safe carriers for you to choose from. I like to put a small blanket of fleece on the bottom of the carrier for the chin to snuggle with. I also put in a small handful of hay for him to munch on. For a short trip to the vet you do not need to attach a water bottle to the carrier. A ball bearing type water bottle will just constantly drip with any movement anyway, which you don't want the blanket to be wet for your chin. Plan on purchasing a carrier as part of all the other essentials you will need.
Cleaning - I try to use a non toxic way to clean our cages and the best and most simple way to do this is with white vinegar and water. Buy yourself an empty spray bottle and fill it with 50% white vinegar and 50% water. You can clean wood shelves or any part of the cage with it. The best way to remove urine from wire is to spray it with undiluted white vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. You can use a nylon or brass brush and even a scrubbing pad to remove it. You should clean the cage at least once a week. More often if you use a drop in pan style cage depending on how many chins you have. Remove all the litter and spray the tray with the vinegar/water mixture, wipe clean and add clean litter.
Temperature - The perfect temperature for chinchillas is between 55°-65° with low humidity around 55%. However the highest temperature you should ever allow in the area where your chin will live is 70°. Having air conditioning is mandatory if you want to live with a chinchilla. Whether it is central or a window air conditioner the room temperature where your chin will be living must be kept very cool for the health of your chin. Many people think that when their chin lives in a finished basement that temperature will not be a problem, but this is not true. Unless you have air conditioning in your basement, you must use a dehumidifier. Humidity is just as important to keep track of as temperature. You should keep a thermometer in the general area of where your chin's cage is and then there will be no doubt. Chinchillas do not sweat so they can not release the heat in their bodies so easily. Using a fan does not keep your chinchilla cool. All you are doing is circulating the warm air in the room. Do not direct an air conditioner or fan directly on your chin. He should not be in a draft or in direct sun light.
Lighting - Just because chins are nocturnal does not mean they should be in a dark room during the day. Follow the natural cycle of day light which would be the natural cycle a chin would have in the wild. They will have no problem sleeping and will be up playing in the evening. We use lighting that is energy efficient so it does not add any heat to the rescue. I have several nightlights throughout the rescue to represent moon light when it's time to say good night.
So after you get all the supplies and have the cage set up, you're ready for the big day! It's time to bring home your new chinchilla companion.