Love- Chins need love. The more you love your chin, the more he/she will love you in return. They love to be talked to. When you talk to your chin, talk softly and sweetly. The time you spend with them is very important. You two will bond in a very special way.
Cage- You will need a cage for you chins to live in. A chin can not run free through your home. They need their own home. The cage you get for them needs to be at least 18"x24"x30". It would be best to have more than one level. Chins love to run around and jump from one level to the other. You can have an all wire cage or a wire/wood cage. The wire on the cage you get for them should be 1" x 1/2" or smaller for the sides and top and 1/2" x 1/2" or smaller for the balconies, ramps and floors. You don't want you little chinnie to get his/her foot or leg caught in the wire. That could cause their legs or foot to break. We don't want that.
Food - Chinchillas need special food. You can not feed chins rabbit or ferrit food. It has to be a special food made for chinchillas. I prefer "Mazuri" brand food made by purinia. You can only find "Mazuri" food at stores that sell purina products. However, most pet stores sell other brands of chinchilla food. You can go to www.mazuri.com and find a store that carries "Mazuri" food near you.
Chins eat two tablespoons of pellets a day.
Hay Timothy and Alfalfa, blocks or loose.
Water Bottle Needs to be decent sized. I use glass, some use plastic. I prefer glass. Chins love to chew on things and they may chew on a plastic water bottle. The water needs to be bottles water or filtered water. You should change out the water everyday or at least everyother day. I change out the water daily. Bacteria can grow in the water and that is dangerous for your chinnies.
Food bowl ceramic (you want to use a bowl that they can not easily tip over. My chins sit on the edge of their bowls)
Treats Chinchillas LOVE raisins, dried bananas, apples and craisins. You only want to give your chin a treat once a day or less, depending on the amount of sugar in it. Chins do not need too much sugar. I recommend making your own treat. The treat mixes in the pet stores are not all that great for your chin.
Sleeping Box Chins need somewhere to hide and sleep and a sleeping box will give them security. I have a wooden box that is on the top level of the cage. You can make your own or purchase one.
Bedding I use pine shavings with my chins. The pine needs to be 100% pure. No odor control. Also, the pine can not be treated. Some people use Aspen or newspaper.
Toys hanging chew toys, wooden blocks, etc. So far my chins favorite toy is a toilet paper roll(not the toilet paper, just the cardboard roll). They go to town with it.
