Download - Chinchilla - Burgess Pet Care · the Burgess Chinchilla Feeding plan and alongside any of the Burgess Feeding Hay range. We recommend that you feed the nuggets in small amounts in

BRITISH FAMILYCOMPANY

ChinchillaCare GuideAn easy-to-use reference guide to looking after your chinchillas.

The British Familypet experts

A British family companyOur strong family values and traditions are core to the Burgess story. For generations we have produced the finest quality foods for people, pets and animals.

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Experts in animal nutritionThe health and happiness of pets is our number one goal and our expert knowledge in animal nutrition helps us achieve this. Of course as pet lovers ourselves, we’re also passionate about making great quality, tasty foods.

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MVB MRCVS

Total Burgess Mill Staff 1930’s

Burgess Pet Care Guides | Chinchillas

Welcome to the Burgess Care Guide for Chinchillas. Please read through this guide and keep it handy for reference.

www.burgesspetcare.com

Burgess ExcelCare Guide for Chinchillas

Contents:

Introduction to Chinchillas 4

Why Chinchillas Make Good Pets 5

A General Guide to Chinchilla Nutrition 6

Balanced Nutrition 7

Burgess Excel Nuggets 8

Housing & Exersise 10

Behaviour and Companionship 12

Health 14


Chinchilla

LIFE EXPECTANCY: 10-15 years

CHINCHILLA Male – Boar NAMES: Female – Sow Young – Kit

WEIGHT: 400-800g (females tend to be larger and heavier than males)

ANIMAL FAMILY: The Rodent Family

BEHAVIOUR: Most active at dawn and dusk. Often snoozing for most of the day. They are very sociable and live in herds in the wild.

DIET: High Fibre, hay based

HOBBIES: Chewing, getting into small spaces and escape artistry!

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Introductionto Chinchillas

Why Chinchillasmake great pets

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Did you know?


More and more people have been choosing chinchillas as pets and we think we know why...

• GreatCompanions Whenhandledproperlyfromayoungage

chinchillascanbecomeclosecompanionsforownersforonaverage10-15years.

• Clean! Unlikemanypetschinchillasareusuallyclean,quiet

andodourless,makingthemidealhousepets.

As chinchillas are prey species they need handling with care and consideration. They are quite shy and are therefore more suited to adult owners. Chinchillas also need owners who can offer them plenty of space to exercise in a safe environment.

Chinchillas are adapted to living in mountainous habitats and have long back legs that allow them to jump up to 6ft!

General Nutrition

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Chinchillas are herbivores and designed to eat a high fibre, low energy diet. The main part of their diet should be made up of good quality, dust extracted, tasty feeding hay which should always be available.

BurgessExcelChinchillaNuggets is a great complementary feed that can be fed as part of the Burgess Chinchilla Feeding plan and alongside any of the BurgessFeedingHay range. We recommend that you feed the nuggets in small amounts in line with the feeding guide on pack in a heavy bottomed ceramic dish (or one attached to the cage so it can’t be tipped over) alongside clean,freshwater from a sipping bottle which is checked twice daily. BurgessExcelMountainMeadowHerbsandCountryGardenHerbs can also be sprinkled through feeding hay to add interest and encourage foraging.

Somedark,driedleafygreens can be fed to chinchillas, however it is important to be very cautious about introducing these as many chinchillas don’t tolerate them. If you do introduce them do so in only very small amounts. Please seek advice from your vet before introducing any fresh greens into your chinchillas’ diets.

The Feeding Plan

Balanced Nutrition

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Nature SnacksHelp encourage natural foraging behaviours.

Beneficial FibreHelps to maintain healthy digestion

PrebioticsFood with prebiotics in will help to support your chinchillas’ digestion

Fresh WaterFresh, clean water is essential to your chinchillas’ health

Fibre from feeding hayFeeding hay is essential to maintain your chinchillas’ dental health

Prevent selective feeding, with added mint for extra taste

TASTY NUGGETS

Contains natural prebiotics to help support healthy digestion

PREBIOTICS

Contains natural antioxidants help support a healthy immune system

NATURAL ANTIOXIDANT

High in fibre to help maintain healthy digestion

BENEFICIAL FIBRE

No added sugar

NO ADDED

Burgess Excel Chinchilla Nuggets area complementary, nutritionally balanced food for chinchillas with:

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A Complementary Food for Chinchillas

Composition: Wheat • Lucerne • Soyabean Hulls* • Oatfeed • Hipro Soya* • Peas • Wheat Feed • Brewers Yeast • Soya Oil* • Mint (1.25%) • Arbocel • Dicalcium Phosphate • Salt • Limestone • Monocalcium Phosphate • Short Chain Fructooligosaccharides (0.2%).Analytical Constituents: Beneficial Fibre 31% • Crude Protein 17% • Crude Oils and Fats 4% • Crude Fibre 16% • Crude Ash 6.5%.Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A (retinyl acetate) (E672) 30,000 iu/kg • Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) (E671) 3,500 iu/kg • Vitamin E (dl Alpha tocopherol acetate) (3a700) 140 mg/kg • Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid monophosphate) (E300) 825 mg/kg • Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate (E4) 30 mg/kg • Iodine (Calcium lodate anhydrous) (E2) 1.17 mg/kg • Sodium Selenite (E8) 0.67 mg/kg • Ferrous Sulphate Monohydrate (E1) 200 mg/kg • Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate (E5) 187.5 mg/kg • Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate (E6) 257.1 mg/kg • DL- Methionine 1,240 mg/kg.Technological Additives: Tocopherol Rich Extracts of Natural Origin 100 mg/kg.

Burgess Excel Chinchilla Nuggets


Prevent selective feeding, with added mint for extra taste

TASTY NUGGETS

Contains natural prebiotics to help support healthy digestion

PREBIOTICS

Contains natural antioxidants help support a healthy immune system

NATURAL ANTIOXIDANT

High in fibre to help maintain healthy digestion

BENEFICIAL FIBRE

No added sugar

NO ADDED

Burgess Excel Chinchilla Nuggets area complementary, nutritionally balanced food for chinchillas with:

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Housing & Exercise

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How big should my chinchillas’ housing be?Your chinchillas’ housing should be as big as possible, but as an absolute minimum it should be at least one metre high, two metres wide and two metres deep.

What goes in my chinchillas’ housing?Your chinchillas’ housing should contain lots of levels and platforms, however, there should be no drops higher than 24 inches as chinchillas can often fall off platforms due to their poor eyesight and clumsiness at times. Nesting boxes or fleece cubes should be provided for each chinchilla, and a larger enclosed space to allow them to rest together. The housing floor should be covered in dust extracted material or shredded paper.

Chinchillas are easily bored so their housing should contain lots of stimulating toys and safe items to chew. Any ledges, shelves and toys should be made from untreated, safe woods and plastic should be avoided completely.

When should I let my chinchillas out?Chinchillas should be allowed daily access to ample space outside their housing to exercise, however it is important to make sure the area is safe and secure, and that the chinchillas are kept away from any other pets. It’s also important you remove any wiring etc. from the space or they will chew through it.

How often should I clean my chinchillas’ housing?Housing should be spot-cleaned daily, including removing any wet or dirty areas and cleaning food and water containers. The housing should also be cleaned more thoroughly weekly with soapy water and dried thoroughly, it should be scrubbed and disinfected monthly. Any fleece bedding or flooring should also be washed weekly.

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Where should I house my chinchillas?Chinchillas should be housed indoors, but it’s really important temperature in their housing is regulated to between 10-18 degrees: at 21 degrees your chinchillas will become distressed and overheated, and a temperature of 30 degrees could be fatal to them. The housing should also be kept away from draughts and direct sunlight and in a quiet area away from loud noises.

The housing should be made from non-toxic wire mesh as chinchillas will chew through wood and plastic. Mesh flooring is acceptable, as long as your chinchillas have somewhere to rest their feet. You should also put a couple of locks or clips on the housing or your chinchillas may break out!

What toys should I give my chinchillas?Wooden boxes are great for chinchillas to play in, however as they will get chewed, cardboard boxes and finished toilet rolls are great budget options. It’s important to change toys regularly as chinchillas can become bored very easily, though do make sure toilet rolls are cut lengthways to avoid your chinchillas getting trapped.

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Behaviour & Companionship

How many chinchillas should I keep? Chinchillas are social animals so ideally should not be kept on their own. However, it is important to be careful when bonding chinchillas and to do it gradually. Where possible it is best to bond them from infancy, with same sex siblings being ideal. Ideally chinchillas should be kept in single sex groups, however if sexes are mixed it is important to only have one male and to ward against unwanted litter by neutering the male.

Can I keep chinchillas with other pets?It is inadvisable to keep chinchillas with, or to let them socialise with, other animals as they are a prey species and can become severely stressed by other animals.

Can chinchillas be aggressive?Chinchillas rarely bite and if they do so it is likely to be because they are ill or in pain. They are more likely to hide and become stressed if they are scared.


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How should I handle my chinchilla?Chinchillas do not tend to enjoy being picked up, it is better to interact by stroking them and interacting with them through feeding treats. Chinchillas are very inquisitive and once they feel comfortable may climb on owners.

If you do need to pick a chinchilla up then you should handle them gently, but confidently as they move quickly and will attempt to escape if given the opportunity. Their fur is very loose and will come off if handled roughly. You should hold a chinchilla around its shoulders with one hand and support their back end with the other hand.


Health &Wellbeing

How often should I take my chinchillas to the vet? Chinchillas should receive annual veterinary check-ups, and you should check them daily for any signs of ill health. Chinchillas are a prey animal so will hide signs of ill-health or pain, which makes the annual vet visit really important in order to avoid illness. Ideally you should seek a vet with experience in chinchillas as they require specialist care.

What should I do if one of my chinchillas is acting differently?If your chinchilla shows a change in behaviour or in their eating or drinking patterns you should seek the advice of a vet as soon as possible. One of the first warning signs to watch out for is a change in their droppings.

Should I vaccinate my chinchillas?You do not need to vaccinate chinchillas but should take them to the vet for an annual health check.

Should I neuter my chinchillas?If keeping mixed sex groups of chinchillas the male should be neutered. It is uncommon for a female to be neutered as a spay is a highly invasive surgery and is difficult for the chinchilla to recover from.

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Should I wash my chinchillas?Chinchillas need access to a dust bath at least two-three times a week up to daily. If your chinchillas are washing daily only allow them access for 10-15 minutes and watch out for dry skin around their ears - a sign that they are bathing too much. It’s important you make sure the sand is very fine and suitable for chinchillas and that you don’t put a lid on the dust bath as this will stop the air flow. Do not bathe your chinchillas in water as this can damage their fur.


What are the common illnesses to look out for?DentalDiseaseChinchillas’ teeth grow throughout their lives, and they need a high fibre diet to help wear them down. Without the correct level of fibre, teeth will become overgrown and sharp spikes can develop on the sides of the teeth causing painful sores on the tongue and cheeks. The best way to avoid this illness is by providing your chinchillas with a constant supply of fresh, good quality feeding hay.

GutStasisWithout sufficient fibre in the diet to keep the gut moving, chinchillas can suffer from gut stasis. This is where the gut slows down and stops moving and can be fatal.

BloatBloat is caused by a chinchilla being fed an incorrect diet, common examples of this are too many wet foods and foods with too much sugar content. This kind of incorrect diet causes too much gas which a chinchilla can’t pass effectively. Not only is this bloat excruciatingly painful for the chinchilla but it is also very hard to treat and can often be fatal.

RingwormChinchillas can suffer from ringworm, this can cause crusted lesions on the skin and result in fur loss. You should seek advice from your vet immediately and take care when handling as it is contagious to both other animals and humans.

AgeRelatedIllnessesAs your chinchillas age you should keep an eye out for potential age related illnesses including heart problems, respiratory conditions, arthritis and deteriorating eyesight.

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