Okay – so here’s a question for all you chinchilla lovers and owners out there. What is your opinion on whether or not chinchillas should always be kept with others of their own company, or if they can be happily kept on their own?
The thing is, chinchillas in the wild would naturally live in herds. They’re social animals and like to interact a great deal. So, is it advisable (or even fair) to keep a solitary chinchilla, or should be or she always have a companion?
Picture by T vanDam and reproduced under attribution license courtesy of Creative Commons & Flickr.
Well, the answer to this isn’t as clear cut as it might sound. Yes – in an ideal world then an animal should always be kept with another of its own kind. After all, it’s only animals of the same species that can truly communicate with each other at every level.
But, and this isn’t something that we would advocate with the other animals we feature on our blogs – rabbits and guinea pigs – chinchillas are the one small pet that perhaps can be kept on their own without too much of a detrimental effect.
Now – I’m not necessarily saying that it’s an ideal situation to keep a chinchilla on its own, but it is possible. And something that many people do very successfully. So, if you do, or are considering, keeping a chinchilla on its own, what special steps should you put in place to make sure your chinnie remains as happy as possible?
Company
Company is the one thing that chinchillas kept on their own need. And this is company from you – their owner and care giver. You see, you’ll become your chinnies companion. Instead of having another of his (or her) own kind to interact with, your chinchilla will interact with you. This means that you’ll need to devote far more time to looking after your chinnie – playing with him, allowing him exercise time, teaching him tricks – anything that’ll keep him amused for as long per day, every day, as you can.
He’ll need plenty of time out of his cage. Chinchilla-proof a room and allow him some freedom. It’s great fun for both of you – for him to let off some steam and for you to watch him whilst he does so. Many people also use this time to start teaching their chinnie some tricks. And if you persevere you’ll be amazed at what you can both achieve.
And don’t forget that chinchillas are most active at dusk and dawn, and that they rest during the day. So you’ll need to interact with your furry friend at the times that suit him – not you.
So – I’ll sum up by saying that whilst it’s probably not ideal to keep a chinchilla on his or her own, it is possible. We’d love to hear what you’ve got to say – so why not post a comment below or email us if you’d prefer. Being as good chinchilla information is nowhere near as well documented as that of rabbits and guinea pigs, it’s great to spread the word as much as we all can.
Till next time – love those chinnies….
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