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?enutrof?
Hey /an/, I plan to buy a chinchilla within a few months. Is there anything I should know about them, that would make me not want one?
>> Anonymous
>Is there anything I should know about them, that would make me not want one?

They are very expensive.

And they often get stolen by someone wanting to make a nice coat.
>> Anonymous
Yes:

Chinchillas do not do well in loud, boisterous enviornments. If you have a lot of friends/visitors over, children in the house, or there's a lot going on (loud music, active pets running around, etc.) then they will get stressed out and suffer health problems because of it. Chinchillas are best kept in a quiet, calm enviornment.

Other than that they are fabulous pets!
>> Anonymous
>>256596

Failtroll is Fail.

Chinchillas can be expensive, but that's only if you want a rare color, or if you shop at a ripoff pet store. A standard chinchilla can be found for less than $100 without much difficulty, and there's always the option of adopting one from a pet rescue. That's not as cheap as some pets, but it's far from what people pay for purebred dogs/cats or exotic fish, reptiles, etc. They are among the least expensive exotic pets.

And nobody is going to steal your chinchilla to make a coat. It's a lot cheaper for fur companies to farm them or buy them from farms than it is to run around looking for chinchillas to steal, most of which wouldn't be "fur grade" anyway.
>> ?enutrof?
>>256596
i lol'd
>>256598
Great advice, thanks. Gonna have to use my heaphones I guess when listening to shit.
>>256604
Yea, I petco around my house sells them for about $100
>> Anonymous
Be sure to keep the environment at a stable temperature. They overheat easily and will die if they get too hot.
>> Anonymous
>>256591
my childhood friends had two i believe, may have been one anyway, they pissed or marked there scent up the walls,there house never smelt the same. i dont know if this is normal behavior or limited to one of the sexes
>> Anonymous
I thought I'd seen them for 50 bucks when I was a kid. I used to imagine my parents would buy me one. Do they get along with cats? >.>
>> Anonymous
>>256616

That's odd. I have owned a male chinchilla for 16 years and he never scent-marked anything in the house. In fact, his urine (in the bottom of the cage) hardly smelled at all.

The situation you described sounds very unusual. I have only heard of chinchillas spraying urine when they are frightened--and even then it shouldn't smell. My guess is that something is amiss with that story. Perhaps they had another animal that peed everywhere? If it was a chinchilla then it probably had a health problem (or improper food) for their urine to smell like that. One of the cheif advantages of a chinchilla as a pet is that they are very nearly odorless.

>>256619

That depends on the cat. A chinchilla is pretty close to the size of a rabbit or a very big squirrel. Would your cat get along with those animals? Some cats will leave the chinchilla alone. Others might think it was food. Chances are your cat probably wouldn't catch the chinchilla (they are fast, and their thick soft fur makes them incredibly slippery), but it is entirely possible that your cat could catch and hurt (or even kill) the chinchilla, so you'd have to know how your cat behaves around small furry animals.
>> Anonymous
Chinchillas have very light sensitive eyes and hate bright lights; not unlike mogwai. Your chinchilla should under NO circumstance be exposed to direct sunlight. It'll make him/her ill if it's prolonged for more than a minute.

They also have very sensitive stomachs and require a carefully monitored diet. Raisins are excellent treats for your chinchilla, but should be limited to 1-2 a day (never in the same feeding) or it will get diarrhea.

Also, Chinchilla's are social animals, but nocturnal. It's no understatement when I say your chinchilla will NEVER want to do anything during the day. That is, of course, unless it's becoming a victim of neglect throughout the nights, and is forced to beg for your attention during the day. If you can't dedicate 3-6 hours a day after 8pm to be in the company of your chinchilla (not necessarily playing with it, but preferably near its cage, engaging it when it wants to play or even talking softly to it a few times every hour) then I would recommend getting him/her a companion (2 females is your best bet). I truly recommend that all chinchilla's be kept with a playmate because they are so social, yet active at such deviant hours.

Make sure you get them a decent sized cage as well. Chinchilla's are quite agile and enjoy the space (putting them in a hamster-cage like most petstores are forced into doing is cruel!)

Chinchilla's are great pets imo, but they require a lot of planning and a flexible schedule . As far as rodents go, they're very high maintainance (if you buy them in a pair you'll want to bathe and clean their cage every couple days), but it's extremely rewarding if you can fit them into your life.
>> Danielle
>>257558
Hi - avid chinchilla enthusiast and long time owner here. First off I'd like to correct a few things that someone said.

No... chinchilla will not become ill if exposed to the sunlight for a minute or so. They are not vampires, I assure you. It is best to have them in a room where they are away from direct sunlight though. My chinchillas enjoy being outside on cool spring days where I can monitor them, or have them on a harness. (This is not advised to the newbies!) Each chinchilla varies with their sleeping patterns, but yes, they are nocturnal. My boy likes to stay up till about 2pm, then sleeps off and on till about 7pm every day. If you have his\her cage in your room, expect noises at night while you sleep.. unless you are a vampire. Then the both of you will sleep peacefully during the daylight hours.

Some things you might not enjoy.

Vet bills can be higher than your standard cat or dog visit.

Your chin might end up being extremely anti-social, so you might luck out on spending too much quality time with your new addition.

Chins can live up to 20 years, so hopefully your happy and stable enough to be able to take care of your chin like you would a rotten child.

They are terrific animals to have, but you need lots of attention and patience with them. :)

ENJOY!
>> Fawkes
some chinchillas will scent mark...but I never heard of them going bat shit crazy with marking things. normally just one particular spot. anyhow...just make sure you're really gentle with them...cause chinchillas bite...HARD....when they're scared. so if you have small kids or other hyper animals maybe not a good idea.
>> Anonymous
They need a sandbath a couple of times a week to keep their fur from getting greasy, this can be a bit messy because they get sand everywhere but just keep a hoover handy
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Jolly good show, /an/
>> Anonymous
It's a fuzzy rat-bunny. I heard they die if you get water on them, is this true?
>> Anonymous
They are adorable when they sand bathe.
>> Anonymous
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>>258673
Nah, just rarely necessary to get em wet. If they do, the biggest danger is the shock and the cold - keep em warm and dry em well and they'll be fine.

Good pets. As far as rodents go, they're about mid-range for affection (males less so than females - males just want to run around while females will often sit still to be petted), quite gentle (only been bitten once in 3 years with my 2 males, and it was an accident when he was going for a treat I was offering), and the only odor will be from urine if you don't clean the cage often enough. They do want attention but if you keep em with a buddy they do well as long as you can give em some time every day.

Biggest downside is the dust, it gets EVERYWHERE. Also they need a really big cage (mine share a 36"x24"x48"high).