The Daily Chinchilla

dc-marvel-lovely asked: hi my chinchillas are very sweet but dont like to be held andi have had them for a while but they just dont want to be held its difficult to get them out of the cage just to clean it any suggestions?

Mine hates to be held too, so I understand your frustration!

I’m assuming you have a one level cage if you need to remove them to clean it. Probably the easiest (but most expensive) option is to invest in a Ferret Nation 182 cage, which can be found online or at a store like PetSmart. This way you can clean the top half while they are in the bottom half, and vice versa. You don’t have to take them out at all, so it’s a lot less stressful for everyone!

If that’s not an option (it’s a little pricey), you can try luring them into a small carrier. They sell chinchilla carriers, but dog and cat carriers work just fine. Sometimes this takes a while, but if you’re stocked up on their favorite toys and treats it’s not impossible! You can keep them in the carrier until you’re done cleaning, and then put them back into their nice clean house!

the-moon-over-the-sun asked: How long do chinchillas live?

Most places might tell you chinchillas live an average of 15 years and that 18-20 years is common, but that’s not true. It really depends on the genetics: even a good breeder will produce chins with bad genetics. Chins with bad genes live an average of 8-10 years, ones with good genes 10-14, and the lucky ones can lives into their 20s!