Chinchillas are nocturnal aminals. They do a lot of playing during the wee hours of the morning. They have no odor. Chinchillas can live up to 20 years+ if properly cared for.
However if you do not properly care for your chinchilla it can cost both you and your chinnie. Chinchillas require a specialized vet if health complications are present.
If your are wanting to buy a pet for a young child. I would not advise you to buy a chinchilla. They are a fragile furballs. Also if you a light sleeper and the chinchilla will be in your bedroom. I would adivse agianst a chinchilla. They are nocturnal and do like to play at night. This is just one of many factors to consider if a chinchilla is the right pet for you.
Housing
Chinchillas require a good amount of space to stay healthy and happy. Their are many different types of cages to choose from. The cage should be no smaller then 2x2x3. Some cages have wire flooring which is not a bad way to go, but I have heard of chins getting the lil feet caught in the wiring and breaking their foot. So at THLC(Three Lil' Chins) we use wood shevles. The chins enjoy being able to hop form legde to legde, and seem prefer them to wire bottoms. They also enjoy chewing on them. Their are also different type of bedding pans. Change bedding at least once a week. We recommend a slide out pan for your cage. It will save you a time and effort when cleaning. There are also to sizes of wire. 1x1 which is great for pet chinchillas. It is also easy to view your chinchilla though the 1x1 wire. However if you are planning to breed chinchillas the 1/2x1 is the way you should go. Any lager wire the the baby chins might be able to get out and that can only lead to problems. You will also need something to dust bath your chinchilla. We use a 20 gallon fish tank.
Food
Chinchillas need a diet of good-quality chinchilla pellets and fresh hay. Their a few types of feed. We use Mazuri pellets, and Rivendall's chin supplement. We also feed fresh timothy hay which should be changed out everyday(if they haven't eaten all). We also use an alfalfa hay cube. If you buy food from pet store make sure its not expired. Pet store chinchilla food offens contains far more fats and treats. Which can be bad for your chinchillas health. The common idea is the a chin will eat 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons a day. Chins can be given treats, but it should not be done on a daily basis. You can buy different chin safe treats from the breeders on our links page. Our chins all enjoy the lil apple treats.
Care
Chinchillas do require daily care. They should have fresh water and hay everyday. The cage should be cleaned at least once a week. Chinchillas do not take bath like other animals. They take what it called a dust bath. Which should be done at least once a week and not more than 3 times because it can lead to dry skin. You should take this in to account when buying a chinchilla, you will need a pet sitter if you are going to go on vacations lasting more then a day or two.
They should not be left in the dust for more then 30 mins at a time. A female who is pregnant should not be given a dust bath 3 to 4 days before and 10 to 14 days after giving birth. Chinchillas also like time out of the cage. This should always be supervised. We try to give all of our chins at least 30 mins day outside if their cages. A bathroom is a good spot to play with you chin, but make sure the toliet lid it down. Also make sure their are no wires the chin can chew. Chins love to chew. Chins can get hurt so you will need to find a vet that knows his/her way around chinchillas. Provides great piece of mind.