Buying the Right Chinchilla

By Sandra Kwok

The first and most important thing to bear in mind before deciding on a chin as a pet is that it has a life span of 8 to 10 years, much longer than the average rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters. So ask yourself: "Will I be tired of it after a couple of years?"

Always buy your chin from a breeder, who can give advice on chin care as well as providing the necessary equipment to house your chin and food. Pet shops sell other animals and thus will not be able to offer expert advice.

Next, decide on the colour that appeals to you. The numerous colours that are available are attractive to most new owners. The rarer the colour, the more expensive is the chin. Take the time to get to know your chin. Gently extend your hand, it can take a while to sniff or nibble you, especially if it has had bad experiences with people before you.

The next step is to get the basic necessity for your chin's house. Essential items are cage, water bottle and wood shavings as bedding. The cage must be made of wire mesh with size of 24 by 24 by 18 inches. Get those with raised wire floors if possible, to allow droppings, urine and partially eaten food to fall through. In addition, your chin needs a dust bath at least once a week, so bath dust and a dust pan or container is a must.

Last word of advice before you head back home with that incredibly soft ball of fur, take along about 2 weeks' supply of whatever feed the chin has been eating. A chin's diet must be adjusted gradually.

Be kind, gentle and offer it lots of hugs, and the chin will reward you with an unconditional friendship for life!

Sandra Kwok is the author of "By the Fur of my Chinny Chin Chin" Ezines. Her love for Chinchillas has led her to create a website exclusively for Chin owners. Subscribe to her FREE Ezines and get expert tips on everything you need to know about chins:

http://www.chin-r-us-com

Sandra's love for Chinchillas has resulted in her quest for all chinchilla information. Through her extensive research and talking to vets, chinchilla breeders and owners, she has become an expert in her own rights. This inspired her to start writing articles and ezines and the eventual set up of her website: "By the Fur of my Chinny Chin Chin"