Things to Consider When Adopting and Rescuing Chinchillas

Who wouldn’t love to have a cute, fuzzy chinchilla as a pet? These adorable little critters are unique in appearance, and fun to watch while they romp around their cage. Unfortunately, they can also be a bit difficult to care for and, if they have been abused and neglected, will require special care from the person that chooses to adopt them and give them a loving home.

Fred & Wilbur

Fred and Wilbur are amongst many chinchillas available for adoption at this time through petfinder.com.

Many people that get chinchillas get them as pets for their children. They quickly realize that not only do chins have special dietary and housing requirements, but they also can be extremely anti-social with humans, if their humans do not spend a lot of time with them. Chins are very, very shy as well, which can lead to a person loosing interest in them quickly if the chin is hesitant to interact with them.

Behavioral Issues Associated with Neglected and Abused Chinchillas

If a chinchilla is left alone, and not handled properly by its owner, it can become extremely introverted as well as aggressive.  Chinchillas are not really biters, but it can happen if they feel threatened enough, and they can become very stressed at the prospect of being picked up if they are not used to it.

Chins are naturally active animals. They like to run, climb, jump and play. In order for them to do this however, they need to be in a properly sized enclosure that can accommodate them. Often times, people will put chins in cages that are too small for them. This does not allow them to be as active as they should be, and can further lead to behavioral, as well as health issues.

Health Problems Associated with Neglected and Abused Chinchillas

Improper care of a chinchilla can lead to a number of health problems. These problems are something that should be considered carefully if you are thinking about adopting a rescue.

If the chin has not been fed a proper diet that is high in fiber and nutrients, it can have digestive issues that may require medical treatment. Improper diet can also lead to dental issues, and your adopted chinchilla may have teeth that have become too long, which can cause an inability to eat.

A chinchilla that has been kept in an unsanitary cage, without the access to chinchilla bathing dust, may have a number of coat issues such as fungal coat infections and parasites. When a chin becomes scared and stressed it will shed patches of fur so, if the creature has been abused and handled roughly, it may have patches of fur missing.

Chinchillas can make great pets if they are cared for and handled properly. Even chinchs that have been in abusive and neglectful situations can be rehabilitated and make excellent pets. It is important to keep in mind though, if you are planning on adopting an abused chin, that you will need to have extreme patience and dedication to rehabilitate the animal, and you must be able to meet its needs and requirements to keep it healthy.

“Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin”. ~ The Three Little Pigs.

Find lots of good resources at: http://www.chinformation.org/

Find a rescue organization:   http://www.chinformation.org/rescues.html