Can chinchillas get wet? (+How to avoid it and what to do) (2023)

FAQs

Can chinchillas get wet? (+How to avoid it and what to do)? ›

What Should You Do If Your Chinchilla Gets Wet? If your chinchilla accidentally gets wet, gently towel dry it as best you can. Place your chinchilla on towels in front of a fan set on low or a hair dryer that has a cool setting to provide constant, cool airflow.

Additionally, chinchillas use dirt/volcanic ash to roll in to cleanse their fur and help keep oils at necessary levels. Overall, chinchillas simply stay dry by living in natural habitats that significantly limit their chances of getting wet due to dry weather conditions.

As a chinchilla's fur coat is so dense, it absorbs water easily, but is difficult to get dry. As such, getting a chinchilla wet means it can stay wet/damp for a long time.

Chinchillas shouldn't be bathed in water to avoid fungal infections and other health issues. Luckily, they're generally self-cleaning machines and don't need too much help to stay fresh and soft. Just provide the dust in a safe bath hut for 10 minutes or so a few times a week.

If your chinchilla accidentally gets wet, gently towel dry it as best you can. Place your chinchilla on towels in front of a fan set on low or a hair dryer that has a cool setting to provide constant, cool airflow. This may take a long time depending on how wet your chinchilla was.

Over-bathing can cause chinchillas' skin, feet, and ears to dry out, so it is important to limit bath-time to 2 – 4 times a week based on each individual chinchillas' needs. In very hot, humid weather or climates, chinchillas often need access to their dust baths closer to 4 times per week.

With their dense fur coats, chinchillas do not tolerate high temperature or humidity well. Ideally, their cage should be placed in a cool, dry area with adequate ventilation. The ideal temperature should be kept between 60°F and 75°F, and humidity should be kept at less than 60% relative.

Chinchillas are fine in normal household temperatures and should not be kept outside. They should be kept as constant as possible, so away from radiators and any draughts. They bear the cold well due to their thick fur coats, but be careful that the room does not exceed 28ºC as they may start to overheat.

Chinchillas are clean, quiet and attractive rodents that don't smell. They can live for 10-20 years, and they've been bred and farmed for their soft, dense fur. They're quite shy and are more appropriate as pets for adults and older children.

Because their fur is so thick, it's hard for them to dry out if they encounter more than a few drops of water. Because of this, a chinchilla water bowl isn't the best idea—instead, you'll find a selection of small glass water bottles in Petco's Chinchilla Shop.

Can you give chinchillas tap water? ›

Chemicals and parasites that are present in tap water can be at levels low enough to be acceptable for human consumption while still causing problems for chinchillas. For this reason, chinchillas should never be given tap water. Instead, filtered water should be used for them.

Yes, chinchillas can eat apples, but be sure to keep the serving size small and infrequent. The high amounts of calcium and acidity in apples can lead to digestive issues in chinchillas.

Signs of bladder sludge can include blood in the urine, frequent urination, painful urination, or visible crystals in the urine. Any of these signs, again, warrant a trip to your trusted veterinarian.

In order to treat heat stress the chinchilla's body must be cooled off slowly by giving it cold water baths; cold water enemas may also be administered by your veterinarian.

Chinchillas can choke on bedding, food, and water. Each has an esophagus and a windpipe like other mammals, so if its windpipe is blocked, the chinchilla can't breathe.

Chinchillas are active and need toys to play with and chew upon, as well as plenty of out-of-cage time (minimum 2-4 daily hours) to hop around and explore their environments (which need to be “chinchilla proofed, see below).

In a nutshell, if you use a chinchilla pet-sitter, you can leave for as long as you feel comfortable. But if your chinchilla will be completely alone, I would never go past 24 to 72 hours maximum.

They are messy. Unlike rabbits, they are not easily litter trained and will poop everywhere. They also require regular dust bathing, which in itself is a messy activity. They are a long term commitment.

Bowls of ice cubes are also fine. A fan or air conditioner in the chinchilla's room is a great way to bring down the temperature.

Toys - chinchillas like gnawing and chewing, so give them wooden, rope, cardboard and pumice toys to chew. Avoid plastic toys.

Do chinchillas like cuddles? ›

While chinchillas prefer not to cuddle, they are still very affectionate with their pet parents. They are naturally curious and enjoy being out of their chinchilla cages whenever possible—supervised by their pet parent, of course!

Chinchillas have very delicate bones, and squeezing or dropping can cause fractures and breaks very easily. More often than not, Chinchillas do not prefer to be handled. By nature they are prey animals, and have the urge to flee when caught and held. This can result in fur slip if handled roughly.

Music therapy plays a major role in relieving stress not just for chinchillas but a lot of animals, even humans. You can play music for your chinchilla to help it sleep, or even while it is playing outside of its cage to help it feel comfortable in its surroundings.

Not to be handled too much - chinchillas can learn to enjoy being with familiar people and being petted, but tend not to enjoy being handled and often struggle when picked up. They're curious creatures, using their mouths to explore and chew items around them.

Chinchillas live 8-10 years on average in the wild, while some well cared for pet chinchillas live as long as 20 years. For example, the oldest living chinchilla was named Radar, and he lived to be nearly 30 years of age!

The oldest chinchilla ever recorded was named Radar. He was 29 years and 229 days old when he passed away in 2014 at his home in Acton, California, according to Guinness World Records. That means he was born all the way back in 1985!

Bowls of ice cubes are also fine. A fan or air conditioner in the chinchilla's room is a great way to bring down the temperature.

Daily cleaning - Every day, replace your chinchilla's water so that it's so fresh and so clean. Give new hay and pellets and make sure they have plenty of nice goodies to chomp on. Weekly cleaning - Every week, do a more thorough cleaning of your chinchilla's cage.

Drinking water - your chinchillas will also need constant access to clean drinking water from a drinking bottle, which you should check twice a day. Avoid nuts and seeds as these are high in fat.

How do I know if my chinchilla is dehydrated? ›

Dry animal droppings, dark urine, and skin tenting are signs of dehydration. Consult your veterinarian about how to replace the fluids in your dehydrated animal.

Chinchillas will take dust baths a couple times per week. A dust bath can take around 5-10 minutes and is usually best in the evening when they are most active. Dust baths should be available to your chinchilla at least twice a week, but it shouldn't be available in their habitat during all hours of the day.

As a supplement to their own diet of berries and seeds, they also will eat small bird eggs as well as insects.

Chinchillas can eat small amounts of fruit such as: Apples. Blueberries. Grapes. Raisins.

What do pet chinchillas eat? Chinchillas require a high-fiber diet and should be offered low-calcium grass hay, such as Timothy hay, orchard grass, botanical hay, oat hay, or meadow hay. Hay should be offered free choice 24 hours a day and should be the main component of your chinchilla's diet.

Their long, strong hind legs propel them across the rocky terrain in search of food – and away from predators! Their large eyes and ears are well suited for nighttime vision and hearing. Chinchillas are social rodents that live in colonies of up to 100 animals.

The chinchilla is home to the Andes mountain range in south America. The area is extremely dry and gets very little rainfall. Water is hard to come by, so the chinchilla often has to go without for extended periods in the wild. They have adapted and do not need much water at all to survive.

They live in colonies called "herds" at high elevations up to 4,270 m (14,000 ft). Historically, chinchillas lived in an area that included parts of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, but today, colonies in the wild are known only in Chile. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae.

Because chinchillas are from very dry arid habitats, they do not drink much water. In the wild, their water consumption is done mostly by drinking morning dew that has condensed on rocks. They also keep their coats clean by rolling in sand and dust (much like they do in captivity).

Signs that your chinchillas may be suffering from stress or fear can include: Making noises, such as barking or whistling. Hiding. Chewing fur - either their own or another chinchilla's.

What foods can chinchillas not eat? ›

Cool, clean water will go a long way towards helping your little buddy beat the heat. You may want to provide extra water bottles. On really hot days, keep a bottle of water in the freezer at all times. Your fuzzy friend will always have cool water as the ice melts.

With their dense fur coats, chinchillas do not tolerate high temperature or humidity well. Ideally, their cage should be placed in a cool, dry area with adequate ventilation. The ideal temperature should be kept between 60°F and 75°F, and humidity should be kept at less than 60% relative.

If you keep your chinchilla alone, you'll need to give them companionship by interacting with them every day. Chinchillas who've been well handled by people from a young age can see humans as friends and companions, so get them used to this by handling them every day from an early age.

Nest boxes and hiding places - give your chinchillas constant access to hay-filled nest boxes to rest and sleep in. Provide hiding places so they can get some time to themselves or escape if they're feeling scared.

Ideally, they should be kept indoors in a large enclosure rather than a cage, or even their own room in your house. Their enclosure should be kept in a draught-free environment away from direct sunlight. Chinchillas cannot sweat, so exposure to direct sunlight can cause dangerous sunstroke.

Mice and rats love homes in and around Chinchilla. Rodents carry disease, spoil food and can damage belongings and infrastructure.

Because their fur is so thick, it's hard for them to dry out if they encounter more than a few drops of water. Because of this, a chinchilla water bowl isn't the best idea—instead, you'll find a selection of small glass water bottles in Petco's Chinchilla Shop.

Chemicals and parasites that are present in tap water can be at levels low enough to be acceptable for human consumption while still causing problems for chinchillas. For this reason, chinchillas should never be given tap water. Instead, filtered water should be used for them.