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What To Do When Your Child Wants A Chinchilla For A Pet



Let’s say your child wants a pet. Ok, you think, “I can deal with a small
puppy or a kitten”. Hmm……so you think. What if your child told you they
wanted a chinchilla for a pet? A chinchilla? Yes, your child says again,
a chinchilla. You think, they probably don’t know how to spell it, let
alone pronounce the word.



It looks like you’ll have to do some research on chinchillas. First,
you’ll have taken into account the age of your child. Find out why they
would want a chinchilla. Maybe they saw someone else with one and couldn’t
resist. Children like to compete against each other. Are they old enough
to take care of a pet such as this? If so, will they need assistance? If
it’s an exotic animal like this one, more than likely they will need your
assistance. They would probably need your assistance anyway because most
children have a short attention span.



When they find out the child’s explanation for wanting this exotic animal,
they have to think about if they really want it in the house or not. Will
they be good company for your child? Will the animal and your child have a
human to animal relationship? Are they going to be responsible? You’ll
have to make your child understand that caring for an exotic animal such as
a chinchilla is very different than taking care of a puppy. A chinchilla
requires more maintenance.



Once the decision is made to get the chinchilla, there are other factors to
take into consideration. You must recognize and be ready for changes in
your home. Their sleeping habits are different. Chinchillas are
basically night owls, so if you or your child is not sensitive to noise in
the wee hours of the morning, more power to you. Chinchillas are known for
making noise early in the morning, before the roosters do their cackling.
You will need to set aside a room for the chinchilla. Chinchillas like to
roam free, so they need plenty of space. Or you can purchase a cage for
them. The cage has to be big enough so they can roam around. You must
also provide the animal with wheels and chew toys to play with inside the
cage. The wheels are moreso for exercise than playing. They cannot be
still and must be able to have a few outlets. They are allowed to get out
of the cage each day for at least 30 minutes. /When they’re out of the
cage, they must have supervision so they won’t trip over anything or get
their legs caught up in wires, etc. Their legs and feet are very delicate.




Then there’s the task of keeping them clean. You must use a dust bath to
keep their fur fresh and clean. This must be done at least once a week.
Keeping them from excessive heat and humidity is another issue. The
chinchilla must be kept at a comfortable temperature at all times. Not too
hot and not too cold. The moderate temperature must be constant. They can
consume dried fruits, such as raisins, but only in moderation. Their body
cannot digest fried fruit every day.



After finding out all of this and you still want your child to have this
exotic pet, by all means, give it a try.







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