CHOOSING A CHINCHILLA

Chinchillas are normally quite a timid creature, some are however highly strung and its best to get to know a chin a little before you buy it.  It would be best to see them during their most active time.  Late afternoon or early evening and onwards is the best time to view your prospective chinchilla as they are nocturnal and a sleeping chinchilla isnt always a well one. 

Therefore, if purchasing from a pet shop (not recommended by myself) or breeder the aformention times would be the best time to view and buy.  Good chinchillas sources (breeders) can place you on a waiting list for certain colours if thats what you require, particularly the more rare colourisations such as violet and ebony - but if choosing for a pet any colour makes just as good a pet as the more rarer colours.  When choosing a pet or breeding animal its best to try and pick an animal with a good/reasonable temperament and also one that doesnt run and hide in fear when you approach the cage.  Chinchillas are very determinded and most things are done on their grounds only, so do not expect them to be like cats or dogs, chinchillas are very inquisitive but wary animals and they should always be left to come to you when out to play rather than vice versa.

I started with a pair of chinchillas from someone who could no longer look after them.  You may find that chinchillas in a pet shop that have been there for a while have bcome bad tempered with people coming and going and poking their fingers through the mesh all day.  I recommend buying from a chinchilla breeder or some other private source which comes recommended, or a member of a society as long as they can answer some simple question and you are fully satisfied that they are the honest caring breeders and are in it for the animals and not just to make a fast buck. 

When choosing a chinchilla, look for bright round glistening eyes and dense quailty fur and a bushy tail and ears that look alert.  If the animal is running around look for the hind legs being fully used, choose a chinchilla that responds to you being there if you can get up to the cage see how they act towards you as all chinchillas act differently and will respond differently to different people.  See if they come to you and you should be easy to handle them too.  When you are happy pick the one for you.  If you only want just one chinchilla you would be better getting a male as they can bond quicker to a human friend than a female but this all depends on the person handling them too.  If a chinchilla does not feel secure when handled it will squirm and try to wriggle free there is a section on this site on how to handle a chinchilla the correct way.  Most breeders handle their chinchillas by the base of the tail, this is not recommended to anyone that hasnt seen it done properly as it could cause serious injury to the chinchilla if not done correctly.