With the raging epidemic, many entertainment projects have been restricted. How can people who love life tolerate this? Why not raise a cute chinchilla to play with you? Chinchillas don’t need to go out for walks, which reduces the risk of going out. At the same time, as a pet, chinchillas are very independent. When you don’t have time to accompany them, they will quietly be themselves in the cage.

Yeah, be yourself, like me.

Seeing such a cute baby chinchilla, do you also want to raise one? Don’t worry, follow this public account full of useful information first!

Today, let’s talk about the things you need to pay attention to on the first day your chinchilla comes home, as well as the supplies you need to prepare before doing so. After receiving a chinchilla, it needs to rest first and get familiar with the environment after being tired from the journey. Before changing the cage, check to see if the bottom of the buttocks is clean, and whether there is soft stool or constipation. You can also check whether the stool in the cage is normal and whether the cage is in good spirits. If there are problems such as soft stools, contact the original owner immediately and find a way to treat it. If everything is OK, then observe it for a day and arrange everything you need to eat and use. Speaking of it, there are four aspects of "clothing, food, housing and transportation". Let's talk about them one by one:

01

"Clothes"

The most suitable temperature for chinchillas is 15~23 Around ℃, if the temperature exceeds 25℃, you will find that it is obviously unwilling to move, and many will stick to the glass of the cage or other cooler places. When the temperature is lower than 13°C, it will turn itself into a ball to better keep warm.

Chinchillas originally lived in South America, and it was only a hundred years ago that humans began to breed them on a large scale. Therefore, in such a short period of time, it was unable to fully adapt to the temperature differences in different regions around the world.

When the temperature is below 10℃, chinchillas will feel cold, so some measures to keep warm are needed. At the same time, the air flow in the home should not be too large. Chinchillas are more afraid of wind blowing (regardless of the temperature). You can put a wooden nest or a cushion. If the two things form a "Simmons", it will of course be more comfortable.

If the temperature is below 5℃, it is dangerous for chinchillas, so a cotton nest is needed. At the same time, it is recommended to control the indoor temperature above 8℃ to ensure the health of chinchillas.

If the temperature is between 20 and 26°C, you can use a ceramic nest. The higher the temperature, the longer you will find that they stay in the ceramic nest. If the indoor temperature is 26°C, chinchillas will basically grow in ceramic nests. In the nest.

If the temperature is higher than 26℃, it depends on individual differences. Some chinchillas can persist up to 30℃, but some will turn into angels. So if the temperature is 26°C, you need to turn on the air conditioner~

PS: If your chinchilla is just over two months old (over 2 months old), it will be more afraid of the cold and less sensitive to high temperatures.

02

"Food"

▎Food

Each owner can prepare the main food for chinchillas according to their own preferences. If the staple food you prepare is different from the original owner's, there are two ways to make the transition.

A: Let the original owner bring some staple food with the cat, and then mix the two kinds of food together to let the chinchilla slowly adapt to the new food. The younger the chinchilla, the longer it takes to adapt. Usually, you can mix new grain with old grain, gradually increase the proportion of new grain, and replace it in about three days. During this period, pay attention to observation. If your chinchilla has soft stool or constipation, you need to find the cause. Of course, chinchillas are still easy to raise. As long as they are healthy, they can basically adapt to new food in one day. But for newbies, reducing the possibility of problems is a top priority.

B: If the original owner does not provide staple food, feed grass for one day first, then feed grass in the morning and food in the evening.

Aibo and Mazurui are relatively old imported chinchilla food, and they are both very good. Belgium is usually eaten mixed with Aibo and Mazurui. It usually accounts for less than a quarter of the staple food. I feed it as a semi-snack. Muguang is a new chinchilla food in China. After using it for several months, the palatability of chinchilla food is pretty good. Of course, there are also some other brands now. For the brands that are not mentioned, it is difficult to give too many suggestions because they have not been used for a long time.

Aibo was the first one I used. My Neighbor Totoro liked it better. Since it was out of stock once or twice a year, I changed it to Mazurui. However, there were also outages in the future, so I now use the domestic one. Mu Guang. Generally speaking, imported grain is not very friendly to large farmers. It may be out of stock, and there is a risk of spoilage if there is too much stock. If you don’t have many, don’t worry about running out of stock. Generally speaking, I have the most affection for Aibo. After all, I have used it for 7 years. The price/performance ratio of Mazury is pretty good. Some cats in Belgium love to eat. I can’t say whether this is an advantage or a disadvantage. I am a bit afraid of addiction. Muguang is a new domestic brand, and it’s okay so far. Thinking about the time when I was short of food, it was also a magical experience to borrow food from all over the world. I would like to thank my friends who lent me food. As more and more people raise chinchillas, the consumption of staple food is also increasing day by day, so major brands are paying more attention to this market than before, and overall they are developing in a good direction.

There are generally two ways to feed chinchillas, one is to feed grass in the morning and feed food in the evening. Because chinchillas are more active at night and need more nutrients, feeding them at night can ensure nutritional supplements. During the day, chinchillas sleep most of the time, and eating good grass can help them wriggle in their stomachs and digest.

If you have tight schedules for going to school or going to work in the morning, you can choose to feed them after get off work, one day of grass and one day of food.

Chinchillas eat 60 to 80 grains of food a day (about 35 to 50 grams). Feed this much at first and slowly adjust to ensure that there is still some uneaten food at the next feeding time. Make sure the chinchilla doesn't get hungry. Chinchillas will not starve to death, so you can feed them with confidence.

▎Grass

Whether the original owner feeds timothy grass or alfalfa, the chinchilla should be allowed to slowly adapt to timothy grass, which will help the health of the chinchilla's teeth. Chinchillas should continue to reduce the amount of alfalfa they feed from the full moon. They may not feed them when they reach adulthood, or they may only feed alfalfa as snacks occasionally. Other functional grasses are used as auxiliary grass for Timothy grass and cannot be used as the main pasture. Because Timothy can effectively inhibit the diseases caused by the overlong back teeth of chinchillas, thereby making chinchillas healthier and live longer. You read that right: longevity requires good teeth, good appetite, good food, and good health.

Chinchillas eat a handful of grass at a time (10~25 Root, about 20-30 grams), depending on the individual.

▎Snacks

Except for grain and grass, they are all snacks. It is recommended not to feed them too much, just twice a week is enough.

▎Kettle

There are two common kettles on the market, one is the ball type and the other is the striker type.

If the kettle you buy is different from the one your chinchilla used before, you need to pay special attention. Some chinchillas need a process to adapt to the new kettle. Pay attention to observe whether the chinchilla drinks water every day. You can judge by drawing a line on the kettle that is equal to the water level in the kettle. Don't think that your eyesight is very good. It is very troublesome to be unsure whether the chinchilla has drank water.

Whether it is the ball type or the striker type, touch the faucet with your hand to ensure that the faucet can be used normally and at the same time keep the faucet moist. It is best to have water droplets hanging on it so that the chinchilla can know which one is used. Come to drink water.

We recommend "Wo Fu" for ball bearings and there are many for firing pins. You can find the ones with good reviews on T-Bao.

I have used the "Hebao" for five or six years, and I am very fond of it. At that time, there were not many pet supplies, and having a kettle of this quality made me feel at ease. Personally, I feel that it is the most cost-effective among roller-ball kettles, and it is generally recommended to replace it after three years. The advantage is that the water is stable and smooth, and it is not easy to leak. However, chinchillas make sounds when drinking water, and are relatively difficult to clean than firing pins. It is recommended to buy the 220cc one. The larger tube is too long and the plastic part will be chewed by chinchillas. Also, you need to unscrew the bottle to add water, which will take more time if you keep a lot.

The main thing for a striker kettle is to see if the needle is sensitive. Since chinchillas are not rabbits, their mouths are not very strong, so they need a more sensitive spout. Try not to use plastic for the bottle body, as glass can be used for a long time. Plastic ages easily. There are many manufacturers and individuals making striker kettles now, you can check out more.

Here we take a 300 ml kettle as an example

Chinchillas drink more water in the summer. It is recommended to fill 1/2~1/3 of the kettle. In winter, the weather is cold and metabolism slows down. It is relatively slow, it is recommended to pour 1/3~1/4 of the kettle. This can ensure that there is water in the Totoro kettle and prevent water from being left in the kettle for a long time and causing pollution.

03

"Live"

▎Cage

Some people say that a house per square meter costs tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands to raise animals. Pets are such a luxury. In fact, My Neighbor Totoro is relatively economical about this. Generally, the cage area for adult chinchillas is no less than 0.25㎡. The usual dimensions are (50~60cm wide, 45~55cm deep). Cages that are too deep are difficult to clean and inconvenient to interact with chinchillas. The height should not be less than 0.25㎡. 50cm (if there is a ground net, it needs to be increased by 5cm).

There are many kinds of cages on the market. Here we recommend the "cabinet cage". First of all, it is clean and easy to clean. Secondly, it has a rich variety and many choices, and it also has a certain degree of "DIY" capability. The basic type of cabinet cage is enough, usually around 400 yuan. It is best to choose the ecological board, which is very light and can be moved by a girl. Particle board is too heavy and can easily damage if water gets in. It is recommended that the height of the cage be within one meter. If it is too high, it may cause pain when falling.

The design idea of ​​my DIY cabinet cage in 2009 came from Burberry Pink Perfume

If it is a transition, you can use a "standard cage". In fact, this kind of cage was very popular a long time ago. Yes, because Totoro has a better view inside. However, because chinchillas make relatively loud noises when jumping in the cage and are prone to "flying poop" (when the chinchilla jumps, the poop in the cage flies out of the cage), it has gradually become less popular. If used, the springboard inside needs to be replaced. It would be better to use a wooden one, otherwise it may get stuck on the chinchilla's feet.

Chinchillas that have recently become pregnant can choose a large hamster cage for transition. Because the gaps in the standard cage are relatively large, chinchillas that are too small may "escape". If you use the cabinet cage directly, you don't need this transition.

It is not recommended to use plastic cages for adult chinchillas. Some chinchillas like to chew plastic. If they eat plastic for a long time, they may die.

▎Molar stone

For rodents, this is a must. It is recommended that the size be around 5cm interest. If you don't grind your teeth for a long time, it will certainly be harmful. I once bought a batch of 9cm ones, and three generations of grandparents have not finished eating them. It feels a bit like Foolish Old Man moving mountains.

Molar stones of both materials are acceptable. Apple branches can only be used as aids or snacks.

▎Bath

The rice bucket is the most cost-effective bathtub. The one weighing 10 to 15 kilograms is enough. There are many T treasures. If the air humidity is high (over 65) or it is raining, you can give the chinchilla a bath (use special bath sand/bath sand) and then put it in the cage. Usually, wash it two to three times a week.

▎Bath Sand

I used "Fontaine" before, and the price/performance ratio was pretty good. In the past few months, the price has increased in disguise, and the so-called 2+1 formula has been added, adding sand. The effect is not as good as before, but overall the price/performance ratio is still acceptable. The best bath sand is volcanic ash, which has good adsorption properties and can effectively remove the oil and smell on chinchillas. The picture below shows the three types of bath sand I use now.

Bitian has good adsorption properties. Even though ordinary bath sand is fine, it does not have adsorption properties and cannot be washed clean. Fontaine is a compromise. In order to save money on milk powder, I mixed the three types. The boss who was not short of money recommended Bitian. The amount used each time is to cover the bottom surface with a thickness of about 0.5cm, so that an adult chinchilla can be washed 6 to 8 times. Since chinchillas will be dusty when bathing, it is recommended to wear a mask and cover the rice bucket lid, so you can rest assured that the chinchillas will not suffocate to death.

From left to right: Bitian, Fontaine, and other bath sands

▎Sawdust

Some are expensive and some are cheap. If you have enough budget, If you are sensitive to dust, you can use "paper cotton". There are many sawdust T-boxes, just look for the ones with high sales volume.

▎Diapers

If it is a tray-type cage, you must choose pet diapers of appropriate size, which cost just a few cents a piece.

▎Food Bowl

Chinchillas sometimes urinate in the food bowl, usually to express that they don’t like to eat, or they are in heat or out of interest. Therefore, food bowls with small mouths or eaves can reduce the occurrence of this kind of thing.

Some strong men like to push the food bowl back and forth in the cage when they have nothing to do. For this kind of person, they can only use a rainbow bowl weighing one and a half kilograms.

04

“OK”

Chinchillas do not need to be taken out for walks, and it is highly not recommended to take chinchillas out. Someone once took a chinchilla to a park for an outing, but the chinchilla ran away. A group of enthusiastic citizens who didn't know the truth thought they were chasing a big mouse, and joined in the arrest. In that scene, a big mouse was followed by a group of people, and finally the enthusiastic citizens With the help of the doctor, the big mouse finally lay down.

It is best to place the chinchilla cage in a high place, which means there is a cabinet or stool under the cage. In this way, the chinchilla knows that it is higher below and will not run out. If the cage is placed directly on the ground, you can grab it directly when interacting, or squat and let the chinchilla jump onto your lap. Never let your chinchilla run directly on the ground. Some chinchillas are lively by nature. Once they get used to it, they will have to fight with cats and mice every day.

There are actually many questions about Totoro. I have made a map. These are just common questions and will be added in the future. The picture is a bit big and you can’t see it clearly. It doesn’t matter. I’ll talk about it later. This article only talks about it in general, and all the content will be explained in detail in the future. For example, how many types of chinchilla genes are there and what are the differences. Which cage is best and what are the pros and cons of each. If you have anything you want to know, you can tell me in the message area, and remember to follow and forward it~