Chinchillas are pets that are known bond very closely with their owners and at times they become quite tame. Contradictory to same, at times they do not like being cuddled and held. These playful and active pets can be reared easily and can be kept either singly or in pair such that both are either females or males.

These absolutely nocturnal creatures are immensely active during the night. At times they are also called crepuscular. This means that their activity reaches the height during the times of dusk and dawn. During the rest of the day they remain quite and are mostly found resting. These pets remain happy if a timely and orderly routine is followed for their feeding purposes. If not done so they may feel stressed out. The cage in which Chinchillas are kept should be big enough to allow them to play and exercise. Warm temperatures are not suitable for pet Chinchillas and they fall sick in case they become over heated. The average age of Chinchillas is about 15 years. The body length is approximately 10 to 14 inches with tail of length 5 to 6 inches.

The major part of the Chinchillas diet must contain roughage. A good amount of roughage can be provided to Chinchillas by providing them quality grass hay that also contains some pellets that are specifically manufactured for Chinchillas. However, not more than a tea spoon of pellets should be given to Chinchillas. This is because they have a sensitive digestive system and the treat may sometimes get hazardous for them.

It is good to keep Chinchillas in multilevel cages that have ramps, platforms and perches. While keeping a Chinchilla as pet you must make sure that the pet is allowed to dust-bath and they should also be provided with a lot of toys that keeps them active and busy. It is also good to give enough of chewing material to your pet Chinchilla so that their incisor teeth remain in good condition. It is important to handle Chinchillas with a lot of consistent and gentle behavior. It will make it easy for the Chinchillas to trust you.