How to care for your pet chinchilla?

Chinchillas are adorable furry rodents native to Chile and kept as popular pets in the United States. They are gentle sweet creatures and develop special bonds with their owners. Their fur is extremely soft and wonderful to touch. Like all exotic animals, chinchillas do not adapt easily to their new environmental conditionsso special care must be taken to make them comfortable.

Accommodation

There are a lot of important considerations when purchasing a cage for your chinchilla. As for any rodent, the floor must not be wired as they may injure their legs and feet. Similarly, there must not be any dangerous ends or bits of wire on the walls to hurt them. The floor should be solid and the cage big enough for it to roam around freely with multiple levels for jumping and climbing. Make sure the gaps between the bars are small so that it cannot escape. The cage must be washed thoroughly without the aid of any chemicals because those could poison your chinchilla.

Bedding

The wood shavings must not contain any dangerous chemicals in case your chinchilla decides to gnaw on them. Use natural ones recommended by specialists to prevent respiratory diseases, etc. You must provide fresh bedding daily otherwise the unsanitary conditions will make your pet ill.

Diet

To keep your chinchilla properly fed, opt for fresh hay and recommended food pellets but steer clear of artificial treats high in fat and sugar. If you are giving it any sort of treat then it must not be given too often as that could cause obesity.

Water

Chinchillas must be given fresh water daily from filters or bottled water as there are bacteria, which can cause severe gastric illnesses that may even prove to be fatal infections. Proper washing of the water bottle must be done frequently to avoid algal growth.

Chewing habit

As chinchillas are rodents, they must be given safe materials like safe wood or pumice stones to chew on in order to maintain their dental health.

Dust baths

As chinchillas do not naturally use water to clean themselves, they must be given dust baths to soak up any residual oils on their skin and keep their fur shiny and clean. A dust bath every other day is a good habit with thorough cleaning to get to all the areas.

Exercise

These active animals must allowed to burn off their carbohydrates daily in  a healthy manner by providing them solid exercise wheels but avoid wire ones.

Environmental conditions

Chinchillas cannot withstand high temperatures and high levels of humidity so make sure you keep their cage in a cool dry area, where sunlight dies not filter through.

What are the types of hamsters?

The beloved hamster is one of the most popular pet rodents in the United States and lives in the wild with over 20 different species. Domesticated hamsters come in only four types on the other hand and sometimes interbred to eliminate hereditary diseases. They are cute and furry with a variety of coats, colors, sizes and hair length. Their docile behavior towards humans and gentle nature makes them good pets for children. They have a life span ranging from 1 ½ to 3 years. However, not every species is appropriate for young children as you will learn in this article.

Syrian

Syrian hamsters are the largest in size having a length of 6-7 inches and are available in shorter and long hair kinds. These are the best option for children owing to their larger size which allows them to be held and petted easily like children love to treat their pets. They must be housed alone because they are extremely territorial. They love to climb over things so wire cages are a good idea. Females have been found to be active sometimes during the day but males are quite lazy. Their cage size must be considered according to how large they will grow to be once fully mature. Similarly, the exercise wheel that comes with most cages will be too small for them and give them back problems so purchase a separate one for your Syrian hamster when you bring it home. A number of rodent supplies can be found at good prices at US pet stores and online websites that sell quality pet supplies like www.lovemypets.com. 

Campbell’s

The rest of the hamster species like the Campbell’s hamster are dwarves in comparison to the Syrian breed. They grow from 3 -5 inches in length. These may be housed in duos or trios but only if they have the same gender otherwise you will have daily vicious territorial battles to deal with. Some lines of the Campbell hamster have known to carry hereditary diabetes. They have been known to be relatively aggressive or slightly anti-social when it comes to humans even resorting to biting. These are often gray with a white underbelly and short hair but other colors can also be found.

Winter White

The Winter White hamsters seem similar to Campbell’s but they have darker coloration and have a different attitude altogether. They are much more social towards humans than the Campbell’s and they are up to 4 inches long. They can easily be kept in same sex groups and are not as territorial as the Campbell’s. The diet and accommodation requirements of both species are similar however.

Roborovski

These are the smallest dwarves growing under 4 inches in length which are native to Mongolia and also famous for being the fastest of the lot. Their small size and speed makes them unsuitable for young children because they will be unable to catch them or hold them or pet them. These are very fun loving and entertaining because they enjoy going through obstacle courses and need lots of toys to keep them happy. Their cage size must be selected according to how much they love to roam not their small size.

Chinese

This variety can be quite social and grow from 4-5 inches in length in between the Syrian and dwarves. They are not very common because of their origin which is China. Therefore, they are illegal in some US states. They have the longest tail amongst the domestic hamster species and are also known as rat-tailed hamster. Chinese hamsters love to hid behind objects so they can be provided such toys with lots of places to hid in.