Chinnie Supply Checklist
Things needed for your chinchilla!

This is simply a list of all those things that are needed to care for a chinchilla.  Some things are absolutely essential and others are optional - I have included a strictly optional section.  I've written this up for all you new and prospective chinchilla owners out there so you can be sure that you are prepared to bring your new chinnies home!  If I have forgotten anything, you experienced chin owners out there must let me know.  Some of the items have links to AZ Chins product webpages.  www.chinstore.azchins.com is our online store, we also have other products and custom products available for chinchillas.  Email me if I don't have something you'd like listed and I can try to get it for you.

                        Food and other Consumables:

   Chinchilla Pellets - We use Mazuri, but other high quality, fresh pellets are ok provided that your chinchilla has been properly switched over to them.  I also have a high quality, lower protein pellet available.

   Timothy Hay - The fresher the Timothy hay, the better!   Good hay should have a grassy smell to it and be green.  Brown hay that does not smell isn't very fresh.  We carry timothy hay that is sold by 1 lb, 5 lb and 10 lb bags

   Alfalfa Hay Cubes - Fresh compressed alfalfa hay cubes are good just to leave in with your chins at all times.   We have Alfalfa cubes that we turn over monthly and are fresh from the mill.

   Pumice - This is an excellent tooth condition/toy.  We have smaller pieces that chins like to move around the cage.

   Pine Chew Blocks - Nothing makes a better toy than pine ffor chinchillas to satisfy their endless erge to chew (and destroy!).  Stay away from any toys made of Cedar!  I also have pecan wood that is very good for chins to chew on and lasts longer.

  Dust Bath - Chinchillas need to take dust baths to keep their fur nice and clean.  We carry three types of dust.

  Cage Litter/Bedding - Any type of pine litter is best.  Stay completely away from Cedar, it can cause long term respiratory problems.  We have bags of softwood shavings available for $7 a bag.

                        Treats and Supplements:

   Raisins - Just plain old, grocery store raisins are just fine.  (But, as with all treats, only feed one a day!)  It would be best if they are only fed once every one to two weeks.  These are very high in sugar, something that chins do not need.

   Almonds and other RAW Nuts - You can buy these at the grocery storee.  However, I always recommend Trader Joe's for good Almonds and Pecans.  (Only as an OCCASIONAL treat, maybe twice a week at the most!)  Stay away from peanuts.

   Shredded Wheat - Plain shredded wheat cereal (no sugary sweet side!) from the grocery.  The bite sized variety is the easiest to deal with.  This may be fed as a treat or as a way to help correct sticky droppings.

   Other Treats -  There are a great deal of different treats out there for chinchillas.  Only ONE TREAT A DAY!  You may feed small amounts of fresh fruits and veggies, but absolutely stay away from any lettuce or cabbage as it can cause gas and wreak havoc on a chinnie's digestive tract.   We have rosehips and papaya available for sale. 

   Vitamin C - We always give a weekly vitamin C supplements to help maintain good oral and overall health of our chinnies.  Chewable 500 mg tablets are the best thing, in my opinion, to feed.   I buy a 180 ct bottle from Walmart for $8.00 and it lasts for several weeks.   Just feed one tablet a week, the orange (or other fruit flavor) makes the chinnies think that it is a treat!

   Petromalt - This is cat hairball expectorant.  We use it weekly or monthly to prevent furballs. 

                        Cages and Cage Accessories:

   Cages - There are a lot of cages out there!  AZ Chins.  Stay away from the cages at Petsmart and Petco, they are overpriced and not made for chinchillas!  Cages can be pricey, but well worth it if you find a good quality cage.   I can custom make just about any type of wire cage that you would want.  I can put in wire or wood shelves with different features.  Just let me know what you want and I can make it for you.

   Waterbottle - I recommend a waterbottle that has a lever valve not a ball valve in the drinking tube.  It doesn't drip like regular bottles do and is very easy to refill from the top. 

   Food Dishes - One larger dish for food and one for treats/supplements may be a good idea.  Heavy ceramic dishes are best because they cannot get chewed to pieces like plastic and are a little more tip resistant.  

   Chinchilla Bath Houses - This is a must for anyone with chins!&  If you have another container you would rather use, that is fine, too.  But, the Bath House will cut down on the amount of dust that gets out into your house!  Any container that contains the dust is fine.   We have a larger chinchilla dusting pan that does a great job.

                        Optional Equipment:

   Chinchilla Houses - These are little wood boxes for chinchillas to sleep or hide.  I can custom make different sizes of houses in different shapes.  Email me with your idea and what you'd like, I can probably get it made up right away for you.

  Hay Holders - These can help with holding loose or cubed hay.  However, my chins just end up moving them around the cage and the hay never stays in them.  Some can be very dangerous because chinchillas may get caught up in them and break a limb.

  Leapin' and Sleepin' Ledges - These are exactly what their names impply!  They're made out of wood and can attach to the side of any cage.  They may be used instead of wire shelves and chinchillas LOVE them.  They are so much cheaper there.  We make our own version of the Leaping Ledge and sell them for about half the price.  Email me if you are interested in buying some!

  Chin Combs or Brushes - Some people like to brush out their chhinchillas to remove old fur and keep them well groomed. 

  Exercise Balls - This is a great option to have when letting the chins out of the cage to play!  They are just big plastic balls that you can put the chinchilla in to run around.  My chins try to run into the dogs when they run in their exercise balls.  Most chinchillas don't like these that much, it may or may not be something you will use only once or twice.  Some people say that they may be dangerous for chins.

  Exercise Wheels - I will never, never have another exercise wheel in any of my cages.  We've had chinchillas killed or injured in the past from the wheels and I will not recommend any of them.  Anything you put into your chin's cage must be safe, wheels move very fast and just aren't completely safe - no matter what everyone else may say!  If you absolutely have to get a wheel, only let your chins use it while you are supervising them.

  Other Toys - We have a lot of toys meant for chins and small animals.  Just use your common sense when purchasing toys.  They need to be safe and made out of acceptable materials.   Cedar is not acceptable!  Plastic will be destroyed!  And, anything made of straw, twigs or hay will be ripped apart and strewn all over the cage and surrounding areas.  Pecan wood makes great toys and chews, email me for more information.

  Chinchilla or Small Animal Vitamins - There are people that think that you should give your chinchilla vitamins in his or her water.  Sometimes this will work, but sometimes the chins will not drink their water because of the funny tasting vitamins.  I believe that if you supply your chinchilla with the proper food, hay and occaisional vitamin C supplement, you will not need the vitamins.  However, they are safe and you may use them if you so desire. 

Last Update:  2-22-06
Content Owned by:  susan_leonetti@yahoo.com