Chinchilla is the small cute, fluffy coat animal. They can be long time companions with you, since under the proper care a chinchilla can have lifespan up to 120 years.
In the wild, they come from Chile and Peru and prefer to live in groups. The chinchilla is not a difficult pet to keep, but they also have some special requirements to tame in the enclosure habitat. Once you found the best chinchilla cage, the following step is giving them the proper cage set up.
#1 Best chinchilla cage setup
Chinchillas are nocturnal rodents; in the natural their environment is the relatively low temperature and humidity area. Since they are nocturnal, they also prefer to live in a quite place.
Due to this, in order to create the best cage chinchilla setup, you should mimic these natural conditions when housing them in the enclosure.
Chinchilla should be kept in the temperature between 55 and 70 F degrees. Any temperature above 82 degrees F could lead to heat stroke for your pets. If the temperature inside your house becomes too warm, turn on air condition.
The ideal humidity range of chinchilla is between 40-50%. Placing their cage in the dry place, not damp. Ensure that the cage is well ventilated.
The cage should be placed in a quiet area, where any noise from human activities do not bother and stress them. Do not place the cage in drafts, far away from direct sunlight, which will increase temperature.
#2 What are necessary for the chinchilla cage setup?
Bedding
Chinchilla should not live in a wire bottom cage. It is better to provide them with pine shavings, old fabrics, pellet, and shredded paper. Ensure that the bedding is completely safe and do not cause any health problem for chinchillas. It is better to choose to bedding absorbs liquids and odors well.
Water bottle
Water have to always available in the cage, so you should choose the bottle that can be attaches to the cage for the steady water supply. If you use plastic bottle, casing it or cover it with wire mesh will prevent your pets from chewing it. A hay rack and a heavy ceramic food bowl can be great ways to provide food for chinchillas.
Exercise Wheel
As you known, Chinchillas are very active. Providing an exercise wheel in the cage will help them never get bore. Choosing a durable and solid floor wheel to prevent foot injury. It is better to get a 15 inches wheel. Any smaller wheel will be too small for adult chinchillas.
Toy
Any blocks of wood and tree branches can be the toys for chinchillas that help them wear down their teeth. It is important to provide toys that do not have any part of plastic.