There is plenty of mixed information out there. Some pet stores will tell you that chincillas make very bad house pets, while others will tell you to chin chin away. The reality is that chinchillas can make nice pets under the right circumstances, but in the wrong situation they can be a bad pet choice.

On the plus side, chinchillas are adorably cute and very soft. They are exceptionally playful, and you can spend hours watching them climb and jump in their cage. It’s essential to give them a large enough cage to play in. They are also easy to care for. They eat mostly hay or hay-based pellets, and they clean themselves by taking dust baths. Don’t let your kids see that, or you’ll never get them to take showers.

Speaking of kids, that is the major weakness of chinchillas as pets. Although a gradual, treat-based approach can eventually train a chinchilla to be handled, they are naturally skittish animals, and have been known to bite when scared or handled incorrectly. And since chinchillas are much larger than most small mammals (often a foot long), a bite from one is a bigger deal than a nip from, say, a hamster.

So if you have kids, a hamster, rat or guinea pig might be a better choice. But if your kids are older, or you have none, then a chinchilla could be a great indoor pet for you. But remember, they are nocturnal, so you will have to stay up late to see all that fun playing.








We’ve tried to find the best sources we can for the information above, but you should always consult a veterinarian, professional trainer or other expert.