Who do you get your breeding stock from?
We get all of our breeding stock from the Ryerson's chinchilla ranch, which is about 3 hours from here. They are some of the best breeders in Ohio, and have won just about every award offered to a chinchilla breeder.
What type of food do you feed?
We currently feed Provico, but it's ok if you don't have the same feed, we include a little bit of feed and supplement with each of our chinchillas so you can easily wean them off of our feed onto yours if it's different.
Is it okay to have a chinchilla around little kids?
Chinchillas make great pets for families because they have a super temperament for everyone. Very very very rarely will you ever hear of a chinchilla biting someone. In fact, in all the years we've been in the chinchilla business, we've only had one incident where a chinchilla bit us. Additionally, chinchillas are very easily tamed and will quickly be very calm around you and your family, which is why they have become such a popular pet.
How long do chinchillas live?
This question varies from place to place....I've heard many different answers, but the most common answer I hear is that they live anywhere from 12-25 years of age. Of course all that depends on how well they are maintained and the quality of chinchilla that you have.
What can I feed my chinchilla?
You should read our section about Pet Care because it gives you most of the general chinchilla care information that you need to keep your chin in tip top shape, and feeling good. Just in case you missed it though, we recommend that you not feed your chinchilla little treats such as fruits and vegetables because they tend to be very hard on your chinchilla's digestive system and can often times cause diarrhea or other diseases. Feeding raisins is something that a lot of people do, and the chinchillas seem to like them a lot. You just have to be careful not to feed them more than one or two a day or else they could get sick.
What kind of exercise does my chin need?
Exercising your chinchilla is very important to the longevity, and the happiness of you chin. We suggest that you get a wheel for him to run on, that way he can get enough exercise if you don't always have time to take him out of the cage and let him run around a little bit. In most cases, chinchillas love wheels and will run around on them until they fall off :) If you have time, we suggest that you get your chinchilla out for a total of about an hour a day. However, you have to realize that chinchillas are mainly nocturnal animals, so they sleep through most of the afternoon and then are awake during the evenings. Although they will go along with it, we don't suggest waking them up too often during the day unless you do it at a regular time so that your chinchilla has time to get accustomed to your time schedule.
Do you sell full grown chinchillas, and or proven females
Well first off, I want to say that we sell quality chinchillas that we guarantee will have babies or we will gladly take them back. We've found that it's easier on the animal to ship them while they are young, and in about 3 months your chinchilla is ready to breed. All the chinchillas we sell are somewhere around the age of 2 1/2 months old. Sending full grown chinchillas can be very hard on them, instead we send younger chinchillas because it's not nearly as traumatic
Do chinchillas get along well with other household pets?
Mainly chinchillas will get along with other animals, but I mean you're going to have to use some common sense on this issue! If you have a huge dog that catches rabbits and eats them whole, then I wouldn't suggest you mix them. Also a lot of people ask me if they get along well with cats, and this also depends on your two animals. Personally, I would set the cage out where your pet will be able to look into the cage, and just see how the two react to each other. If your cat is biting and scratching at the cage, then you should make sure you keep them away from each other. You will just have to experiment a little bit and see what kind of reaction you get from the two animals. Please be advised though, you must use extreme caution when trying to mix the two because we can't be held accountable for replacing a chinchilla that gets eaten by your dog.
Do you ship internationally?
As of right now, that's a no. We've found that shipping animals out of the country is not only expensive, but it also requires a lot of extra work to get medical papers and all that other junk just to send a cute, innocent chinchilla to another country. Until we find a better way to ship them, we will have to say no to international sales. Sorry
Are chinchillas ok to bring to the fair for a 4-h project?
More and more often people are asking if it is ok to bring their chinchillas out to social events such as fairs. This is a perfectly ok idea; however, there are some cautions that need to be taken if you intend to take your chinchilla to the fair atmosphere. First of all, be wary of the humidity in the environment. Chinchillas don't deal well with humidity. Remember, chinchillas are originally a desert animal. Secondly, be sure that your chinchilla doesn't get to hot and has plenty of food and water available to him. Otherwise, be sure to have fun with him!
Do males make better pets than females, or vice versa?
From my experiences, the gender of the chinchilla makes no difference in the quality of the pet or their temperament. Every case is different. In some cases the male chinchillas are friendlier, and in other cases the female chinchillas are friendlier.
I have an older chinchilla, can I put another chinchilla in with him?
A male chinchilla will always be interested in a female chinchilla, regardless of his age. However, putting two males together, or females together, takes a bit of patience, patience, and more patience. To try something of this nature, place the two chinchillas side by side in separate cages for about two weeks. Then, let them be around each other, but only outside of their cage. At first put them together in the same cage only when you're around, and be sure to have another container in the cage for the newly introduced chinchilla to hide in from the older, bossier, chinchilla. After you are sure that they are getting along, you can then finally allow them to be in the cage together all night.
I don't live within driving distance, what would the cost of shipping the animal via airmail?
The cost of shipping an animal via airmail can be very expensive. However, if you are interested in purchasing multiple chinchillas, then this option becomes much more cost effective. The basic fees are as follows: air fare-$170 + $20health certificate + $20 Carrier + Chinchilla(s) purchased. The basic shipping cost adds up to be $210, however, this is the basic shipping fee for up to 50lbs. Meaning, if you purchase 10 chinchillas, the shipping cost is still $210. If you buy 20 chinchillas, the shipping is still $210. If you buy 1 chinchilla, the cost is $210. These fees are subject to change, so if you are serious about wanting to having some chinchillas airmailed then please contact us via email for the exact amount