How to care for chinchillas? In what conditions are they comfortable? What is the optimal cage size for chinchilla?
Chinchillas
Chinchillas are animals that are listed in the Red Book! On many farms they are bred in order to later obtain valuable fur. These animals appeared on the territory of South America. They live in dry and rocky areas. Some of them can live up to twenty years.
Chinchillas feed mainly on plant foods and various insects. The highest activity of animals at night. They were grown for valuable fur at the beginning of the 19th century. These animals can be kept both at home, as a pet, and on farms - to get valuable fur.
The body of chinchillas reaches from 20 to 38 centimeters in length.
Chinchilla pregnancy lasts 120 days, and then from one to six small animals can be born.
All these features need to be considered when choosing housing for pets.
You can get in the apartment no more than two chinchillas, but this will require a cage to live there. Knowing the size of the cage for the chinchilla, you can easily make it yourself! If your plans have an idea to get some animals, then you will need a special aviary. This raises the question of what size cage for chinchilla is the minimum, optimal and ideal for farming.
Breeding chinchillas for fur
It will not be possible to breed chinchillas for fur in a simple city apartment, because a whole family of rodents will not fit in one cage. They will need a specially equipped aviary. On the farms for these animals they put such enclosures that do not block the access of males to females, because if they do not meet, the offspring will not appear. The size of the farm cages should be no less than 163 cm by 43 cm by 200 cm. To prevent the females from leaving their cages to the males, a special device is attached to their neck.
These cute creatures will be comfortable living in places with a temperature of about 20 degrees. Animals are very sensitive to heat and less sensitive to cold. Make sure that the air temperature does not fall below zero!
Chinchillas will not live on metal gratings, so lay hay or sawdust at the bottom of the cage.
Breeding Chinchillas as Pets
As mentioned above, you can get chinchillas in an apartment or in a house. But it is worth remembering that it will not work to get more than two individuals. You will definitely need to purchase a cage for your unusual pets, which will be comfortable and of a suitable size. 14-20 degrees Celsius for living this type of rodent will be the most suitable temperature. Remember the most important thing: they absolutely do not tolerate drafts or the sun's rays that fall directly on them.
Chinchillas, which are bred at home, very quickly get used to people and become completely tame. They will not be afraid of people. They will be very nice, kind and friendly. But forget about the fact that they can be released to walk around the apartment. Rodents naturally gnaw at something, so keep them better in the cage. The size of the cage for the chinchilla must be selected correctly to provide comfort to the pet.
Choosing a Cage for Chinchillas
The size of the cage for the chinchilla should be such that the animal fits easily there and can live comfortably.
Many experts say that this type of animals is best suited for cells. But for rodents to feel comfortable there, you need to know what size a cage for a chinchilla should be. Understanding this is not so difficult. So what is the optimal cage size for chinchillas?
You choose a house for the animal. And you need to choose the size of the cage for chinchillas for the animal, and not according to your taste, because the main thing is that it feels cozy and comfortable in it. The animals spend most of their lives there, so do not save!
In addition to the question of what is the size of the cage for the chinchilla, you need to wonder about what should be inside it.
First, come to the store and choose a spacious, hygienic design. The passage to the cell must be simple. Do not leave chinchillas in places where it is constantly noisy or in dull rooms. The animals will not be able to relax, which means that they will not be able to relax either. All this will not lead to good.
Since the animals do not tolerate sunlight, it is impossible to put them to the window. Remember: if you want to sleep at night, do not put a cage with chinchillas in the bedroom, because they have the greatest peak of activity at night.
Among the cells, the most popular are the options with a retractable tray, since it is quite easy to care for them.
So, the size of the cage for the chinchilla, the smallest, is 50 cm by 70 cm by 50 cm. But this is still not enough. The optimal cage size for chinchillas is 84 cm by 50 cm by 40 cm.
Having bought housing for animals, do not rush to put them there. First add special shelves to the cage so that the animals can run somewhere. Place a food bowl and place a drinker. Some owners of chinchillas make cages in the cages. If you have such a desire, then buy it, it will not hurt.
Choosing the cage for chinchillas in the farm
If you will breed animals in order to receive valuable skin from them then the size of a standard farm cage for chinchillas should be much larger than usual. Special tunnels should be made there, through which the male can run to the females.
Shelves should also be made in the cage, which will be used by the beast for movement. A drinker and a bowl for food must be present. You can also put houses, but they in no case should not have a bottom!
The bottom of the cage can be covered with sawdust or straw, so the animal will be much more comfortable.
DIY chinchilla cage at home
If you do not want to buy a cage for a chinchilla, then you can make it yourself! It remains only to find out the dimensions of the structure and build it yourself. It will not be difficult to make a cage, the main thing is to want and try. As an example, you can use the photo given in the article.
Instructions for making a cage for a chinchilla at home do it yourself
So, before you start making cells, you need to decide on the material. Plastic, chipboard or DVD will not work. Also, dirty wood infected with fungi will not work. Artificial materials are also unsuitable for the manufacture of cages for animals such as chinchillas. When making the cage, pay attention to various small objects, such as bolts, nuts, and so on. They must be firmly fixed. They are small in size, which means that animals can easily swallow them, which is very bad.
So, the cell itself, more precisely, its frame, is made of aluminum. The side walls are made of metal mesh, and the pallet is made of steel sheets. Other materials are used for decoration inside the cage.
Once the design is ready, you can fill up the bottom with sawdust or straw for the convenience of the chinchilla. They will have to be changed daily, but in parts, and every week - completely.
General rules for keeping chinchillas
You should know that chinchillas practically do not fade, and if they fade, then only from fear or any excitement. It is not necessary to wash the wool with water. It was envisaged by nature that chinchillas clean their coat with volcanic dust. At home, of course, there is no such dust, but it can be replaced with sand. It can easily be placed in a cage.
The advantage of chinchillas is that fleas and ticks do not like their thick and dense fur, which means that they will not bother any animals or you.
Chinchillas do not smell, while many other rodents require a constant change of litter so that the smell does not intensify.
Do not take chinchillas from random breeders, so no one will guarantee that the animal is healthy. The best option is to take the animal in the nursery.