When is a chin considered old?

[Chinchilla63]

Just curious. I know they can live up to 20 years, but I have a 9 year old who was sadly neglected by her previous owner and it started me thinking. I guess just like people, it depends partly on their genetics and partly on environment? When do you start thinking about things like making sure they can get around the cage without needing to jump too much, finding stuff they can easily gnaw on, etc?

 

[tunes]

Their ability to chew shouldn't change no matter what age they are unless they are having tooth issues. They are still going to need to chew on things to keep their teeth healthy.

As far as getting around the cage, I would just watch her and see how she does. If she seems to be having difficulty jumping up, put in a few more shelves. If she seems to be sticking closer to the bottom of the cage, more shelves, more hammocks. I don't think there's a real set age for this kind of thing. It's just going to depend on your chin and how she grows older.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I have an 18 year old that still jumps like crazy and he very active

 

[channeltool]

Is that the norm for healthy chins or does it depend on their breeding line? My vet told me 10-15 years. Also, this is going off subject but how much hay on average does a chin consume in a day. My chins do not seem to eat that much hay.

 

[AZChins]

Barb I have an 18 year old boy that is the same way! He's got lots of attitude.

Some chins seem old at 10, some never seem old. I think that 10 to 15 is a fair estimation of lifespan in chinchillas.

 

[Chinchilla63]

It's nice to hear that some chins are still going strong as they get older! Do you think diet or exercise or breeding play a major role?

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

yes - all of the above

 

[Riven]

A chins condition and "age" does depend on their care. Like people you can be an old 30 or a young 30...

 

[Instinct]

Unlike dogs or cats, I don't believe chinchillas have an average age when they're considered senior. I think it honestly depends on the chin as each are different and what their previous health record was/is like.

 

[Spoof]

I agree with all of the above though I see a lot more old animals (15+) at ranches than I do in pet homes. Perhaps because they get passed around and there is no way to age them, or perhaps because the environment at a ranch is consistent as is the feed.

I think chins could live a lot longer than the current pet population does. They seem to average about 6 years in pet homes.