How Much Do Chinchillas Cost? Price for a Pet Chinchilla in 2019
As a kid, I yearned for a chinchilla. My parents had no peace as not a single day would go by without mention of a chinchilla and endless tantrums. Heck! I did not even know what a chinchilla was, but I obsessed over those charming, furry little animals. Well, if you see your kids in me, we are here to tell you all about chinchillas.
So, what exactly is a chinchilla?
Before you rush to purchase a chinchilla as a pet for your child, it would be advisable to understand everything there is to the little animal. Chinchillas are furry, charming rodents adapted to high altitudes. They mainly inhabit the mountains of Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, living in burrows and rock crevices. They are now being kept in many US homes as pets as they are almost extinct from being hunted for their super thick coats. They can live up to fifteen years while others surpass this and live to 22 years. They are social animals that would bond very well with humans due to their affectionate nature. Just like a best friend, they like to be held close to the heart and cuddled!
A chinchilla will cost an arm and a leg you might think. Well, worry not! We are here to fill you in on how much exactly you need in your pocket before you decide to be a pet parent to a chinchilla. The price of a chinchilla will depend on various factors;
Color
Is your preference white or gray, or are you the few bold peeps that would go for a violet colored chinchilla? Their price will vary with your color preference, the rarest colors being more expensive. A gray chinchilla is the most affordable, going for 100-200 dollars while a sapphire one would go for up to 300 dollars. Expect to pay 500 dollars for a chocolate chin.
Fur quality
Are you looking for a particular mutation in your chinchilla? A chin with high-quality pedigree and denser fur would definitely demand a higher price. You will need to pay up to 600 dollars for one.
Gender
A female chin is more expensive than a male one. Females are quite rare to come across. While a male will go for 150 dollars, a female of the same kind will cost at least 50 more dollars.
Age
A young chinchilla will cost you more compared to buying a fully grown, mature chin. A baby chin can be purchased for 100-200 dollars, depending on the color, of course, a gray one is more affordable.
What about maintenance?
Once you have brought your furry buddy home, he will require a habitat. A chinchilla can stay in a cage, or you could find him his room.
Cage
Do not go cheap with your chins cage. Plastic cages are a no-no for your chinchilla. Like other rodents, your chin loves gnawing. You sure do not want him eating his home. Go for a metal cage made of strong, durable material that your pet cannot gnaw on. A standard cage will go for 50 dollars. However, a multilevel cage is more advisable as it gives your buddy space to exercise as he jumps up and down. There is no need to sacrifice quality over price! A quality multilevel cage with all parts goes for 240-400 dollars. Your cage should have a pull-out bottom to make cleaning easier as chinchillas poo up to two hundred times a day.
Room
Chinchillas are nocturnal animals. They will be inactive and asleep throughout the day then come out to play at night. So, if a room is what you have decided is ideal for your chin, choose one that is distant from others in the house. Can you imagine getting a pet that will not let you sleep through the night from all its noise? Choose a room that has no tv and one that will allow him to rest without interruption. Also, ensure that there is not much furniture your chin can gnaw on.
Toys
In as much as it may sound unnecessary, your chin needs toys. Their teeth grow throughout the year, and if not aligned, your pet could have, oral pain, difficulty eating or suffer from cuts in their tongue, lips, and cheeks. Your chin needs untreated tree backs to chew on, which are readily available in pet stores near you. One will cost not more than 15 dollars.
What does a chinchilla eat?
Chinchillas are herbivorous animals that live in the wild where they are used to cactus fruits and a large variety of grasses. Therefore, you need to set aside a monthly budget for good quality hay, nutritious pellets and fresh water. Choose high fiber hay to help in their digestion. A 40-ounce bag should be roughly 20 dollars while quality pellets should not cost more than 15 dollars for a three-ounce bag. Provide your chins with apples to gnaw on regularly.
How do you clean that furry, adorable chinchilla?
What you might not know is that chins cannot get wet. While humans grow only a single hair strand from one hair follicle, sixty hairs emerge from a hair follicle of a chin! So, to clean a chinchilla you will need to purchase special kind of ash that would ideally go for 15 dollars and a dust bath container that will cost 5-20 dollars depending on the type and size of the container.
So, where can you purchase a chinchilla?
Chinchillas could be bought from pet stores, breeders and rescue homes.
Pet stores
While it’s easier to locate a pet store, it is not advisable to buy a chinchilla from one as most do not adhere to the nutritional needs of these chins. It is likely that they also lack a wide variety of chinchillas to choose from.
Breeders
Breeders are more reliable when if you are looking to acquire a chin. However, you need to research the breeder and see the positive reviews before making the purchase. Breeders have a wide variety of types of chins and at slightly lower prices.
Rescue homes
These are chins that rescued from bad pet parents. Therefore, they are likely to be fearful or wild. Before deciding on a rescue home be sure you can handle such chinchillas.
Of all exotic pets, chinchillas are the most relatively affordable. They might be slightly expensive, but they are worth it in the end.
