Chinchilla Myths Wanted

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

menagerie

Creative Genius
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
2,029
I need ideas. Wee Companions has been asked to have a booth at the California Veterinary Conference in November. I am busy putting together informational information to give to vets on chinchillas. Since this is our first year, we're concentrating on guinea pigs, rats and chins and we are working to have all our handouts uniform. One of the handouts will be 9 or 10 Myths about Chinchillas.

If you can put it in this format it would make my life a whole lot easier.

Myth: Chinchillas are quite comfortable at temperatures up to 80 degrees F.
Fact: Chinchillas come from the Andes mountains and succumb to heat stroke at elevated temperatures. Chinchillas are happiest when kept in temperatures between 60 and 72 degrees. In most climates air conditioning is required.
 
Last edited:
Myth: Chinchillas will die if they get wet.

Fact: No, they won't. They can be prone to fungus and upper respiratory tract infections if not properly dried afterwards, but getting a chin wet isn't a death sentence.

Myth: Chinchillas must have run time every single day or they will die.

Fact: Chinchillas have survived a very long time without leaving their cages. Having run time is great if you can do it, but they won't die without it.

Myth: Fungus is always caused by dirty, disgusting cages.

Fact: That is incorrect. It "can" be caused by a damp, wet environment, but trust me, not always. I've seen barns with chins standing in water and they never developed fungus. It's more likely that it occurs because of a compromised immune system.
 
I have been told before that chinchillas are silent and incapable of making any noises.

clearly a myth

If you get them wet their fur falls out.....

Same sex chinchillas can never live together in peace

chinchillas will not breed with realitives...

I have also heard one person say they were told a chinchilla will die without a cagemate
 
Myth: Chinchillas can have unsupervised out-of-cage time.

Fact: Without supervision, chinchillas can get into dangerous situations. They can and will chew anything they find, including electrical wires and toxic substances, and can fit into incredibly small spaces. When out of the cage, they must be supervised, preferably in a "chin-proofed" area.
 
Myth: If you grab a chinchilla by it's tail, it's tail will fall off.

Fact: Holding a chinchilla correctly by the tail is actually one of the safest ways to hold a chin. By grasping the tail gently yet firmly at the base (where tail meets body), you can have a strong hold on the chin and will decrease the risk of the chin jumping out of your arms. However, this myth may be "somewhat" true, as if you accidentally grab a chin by the very tip of the tail, it may be able to de-glove.
 
How about that chins require fresh fruits and vegetables as a reqular part of their diet.

I've seen that answer popping up a lot on Yahoo! Answers lately.
 
How about the myth so many people seem to have that breeding is a profitable business. In some cases I'm sure it is, but with hobby breeders I think not necessarily. We are always seeing new chin owners wanting to breed to make money, yet I don't really think that happens.
 
Myth: Chinchillas are cuddly animals like cats or dogs, and love to snuggle constantly.
Fact: Chinchillas hardly like to be held. Most are skittish and won't sit still for long.

Haha, sort of.. Hope that helps though!
 
Back
Top