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 Health Norms
Respiratory
Rate: 107 beats per
minute
Normal body temperature:
100.5 - 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit
Rectal Temperature:
102 - 103 degrees Fahrenheit
The normal heart rate/pulse rate:
159 - 300 beats per minute
Maximum life span: 20 years with the average at 12-15
years.
Teeth: The chinchilla has 20 teeth, 4 incisors, and 16 molars. They
grow continuously throughout their life.
Chinchilla
Profile
 Name:
Long-tailed chinchilla.
Origin: South
America.
Habitat:
Mountains (Andes) up to elevations of about 3 miles. Natural cavities and
clefts in rocks in barren areas with low humidity and sharp
variations between daytime and nighttime temperatures.
Original Form:
Light to dark gray coat, underside of body lighter ranging all the way to
white.
Body Length:
10 - 14 inches (25 - 35cm) usually but can vary greatly.
Tail Length:
6 - 8 inches (15 - 20cm)
Weight:
adult male 400 - 600g adult female 400 - 800g
Birth Weight:
40 - 60g
Weaning age:
6 to 8 weeks
Life Expectancy:
wild 10 - 15 years domesticated 18 to 22 years
Sexual Maturity:
At 4 to 8 months of age
Gestation Period:
105 - 115 days (average 111 days)
Number of young per
litter: 1 to 4
(average 2) and in very rare cases up to 6
Number of litters per
year: Up to three
Breeding Life:
8 - 10 years
Treats 
Treats should be the size of a sugar cube and given in small amounts! One treat
per day.
Stay with a High Fiber and Low Fat diet.
Do not give them any "Pitted Fruit."
Limit wet fruits because this may cause diarrhea.
Nuts are very high in fat so I recommend giving nuts in very small quantities or
not at all.
 Carrots
Rolled Oats - This helps underweight chins gain weight and it keeps chins
regular
and gives them extra fiber and nutrition. Use only the
plain kind.
Banana Chips
Dried Papaya helps prevent hairballs.
Dried Pineapple also helps prevent hairballs.
Dried Apples
Dried Pears
Dried Cranberries
Dried Whole Wheat Toast or Bread - This helps with diarrhea.
Cereal Shredded Wheat (unfrosted), Cheerios, Bran (with no sugar added.)
Raisins - This help loosen stools so give extra raisins to constipated
chins.
Alfalfa Hay Cubes but they are high in fat so give with caution!
Supplements & Vitamins
Vitamin C
Be sure to get sugar
free and the dosage should be 50mg daily or you can give your chin
children's chewable C. Giving fruits high in vitamin C like Kiwi dried
fruit. There is proof that giving vitamin C to chins show less gum and tooth
abscesses. The antioxidant factor of Vitamin C will increase your chin's
health and help increase fur density.
Nutri-Cal/Nutri-Stat
Nutrical or Nutri-Stat is a
"high calorie palatable dietary supplement in a low volume form."
Nutri-Cal can be used for pregnant females, kits and when a chin is
ill. You can put a small glob on the end of a spoon and a chin will lick it
off or you can even feed a chin directly from the tube. Nutri-Cal is very
useful to help prevent weight loss and weakening referred to as "failure to
thrive." Nutri-Cal can be given to smaller "runt" kits or "runt adults"
to help them catch up with their larger siblings.
When you are using Nutrical
I would be very careful on the amount you give. Make sure you only give them
what is directed which is 1/4 or 1/8 every day or every other day. I would
start at 1/8 twice a week just to start off because more then that may
cause diarrhea. This has happen to me so I'm telling you from a bad
experience. Also when you give your chin Nutrical think of this as giving
them a treat. It has a high sugar content so when I use Nutrical they
don't get a treat that day. I only give my chins Nutrical once a week.
Lacto Bacillus or Petramalt
for Cats or Ferrets
This is
should be given weekly. The hairballs can accumulate in the
gastrointestinal tract and this can interfere with normal digestion. This
helps breakdown the intestinal flora as it forms. Petromalt helps prevent serious impactions of the
digestive tract caused by hairball formations which can sometimes result
from a chin's self-grooming. Petromalt works by easing any developing
hairballs through the chinchilla's digestive system.
Fruit Vinegar
Adding this to the water helps stimulates the appetite for small and under
weight chin's. Give 1/2 teaspoon per cup 1/4 of water. Be sure that
they still drink the water. Anything new added to the food or water should
be watched to be sure they are drinking and eating the same amount.
Clean Ears
Monthly
cleaning with Mineral Oil on a dry rag and rub in Chin’s ears. This
will get rid of extra dust particles that stay in their ear from their sand
baths.
Avitron & Animax
This
provides extra vitamins and is mostly used on pregnant moms, nursing moms,
adults with
white teeth, stressed animals and sick chins. Avitron is a
liquid vitamin that can be given directly to a chin or can be added to
a chin's drinking water. The recommended dosage is two or three drops
in an eight ounce water bottle.
Note: If you're using Avitron in a chin's
drinking water, it is important to change the water daily. Bacteria can
build up quicker when adding any substance to the water.
Dried Papaya Cubes
The Papaya
enzymes in the papaya cubes aid in digestion and help in preventing intestinal hairballs.
Rose hips
 Rose hips
are a natural treat for chins! Rose hips are
extremely high in vitamin C and they are also a good source of
vitamin E, K and the B vitamins, riboflavin and foliate. Most chinchillas
love dried rose hips and they are a much healthier treat than raisins. Of
course I still give my chinnies raisins!
Dried Apple
Dried apples is another healthy treat. There is only one
ingredient: dehydrated apples that have been diced into small treat-sized
bits. Apple Treats are high in fiber and they provide essential minerals and
vitamins.
ChinWorld.com "Health & Care."
http://www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CW&Category_Code=CW07
Oxbrow Pet Products
http://www.oxbowhay.com/products.htm
Chinnie Food
The food I prefer to
use is Mazuri Chinchilla. The Fiber is low but this can be
compensated with extra hay. I find most breeders use Mazuri Chinchilla food.
Food must have the ingredients of 16% to 20 % Protein and/or Fiber, 3% Fat
and a very low ingredient of Whey. Pelted feed should have Compressed
Alfalfa Meal and Milled Grains (Oats, Corn) added Molasses (important),
Soybean Oil, Vitamins and Minerals. Stay away from ingredients containing
Ash, Corn Meal, Animal Fats, BHT, BHA, Propel, Citric Acid, and Ethoxquin.
Food needs to be fresh to
prevent molds and bacteria from growing. Chins are very sensitive to
this and can get very sick if they eat food with molds or bacteria. Never
buy food within six weeks of it's expiration date. I buy my food in
bulk and keep if for 2 months, after that I pitch what's left. It may
seem like a waste but it's far better throwing out old food then what can
happen if they ingest mold and bacteria. (More on this subject in the
"diseases" section)
Some say it's okay to give
chins bunny food, guinea pig food, ect. I don't agree. They all
need different vitamins and supplements in there food. Rabbit food is
made for Rabbits so why give a chin different food that is not specifically
made for them?
Hay
 The
hay should be locally grown. If hay has not been "sweetened" properly
due to rain and other bad weather and is more then
14% moisture content, mold can be a big problem. To test the hay for proper
moisture content take a handful of hay and twist it into a rope. If the
twist falls apart or breaks into peaces it is to dry. If it stays tightly
twisted it is to wet. If the twist slightly opens but still keeps it's shape
then the moisture content is good. Hay should be used quickly over 90 days
or less. After that it will grow mold.
All hay must be free of:
Molds
Poisonous Weeds
Rodent Contamination
Insects
Pesticides
A lot of hays are dangerous
to give to chins. To keep it safe I stick to Timothy because I find it
to be the safest in all area's. If you are not sure about the hay in your
area I would give your chins "alfalfa hay cubes". If you would like more detailed
information about hays just email me and I will give you all the information
I have to help you out.
My Hay Racks
I invented a hay rack that works great.
Here are a couple pictures of what I made.
Woods
 Before giving the
suitable pieces of wood, clean them with a brush and give it a light soaping
then soak the wood in boiling water. This will kill any parasites/mites that
are hiding in the bark. Another good idea is to soak in salted water for a
few hours.
All woods must be Kiln-dried Pine, Pesticide Free, and Non Toxic branches of
Apple or Pine.
Branches from fruit trees that have "pitted fruit" are not
recommended. Also Cedar and Redwood is not recommended.
Bedding
I use kiln dried untreated pine shavings (if clear of Phenol Oils). I find
it to be the safest way to go and there is no confusion with what to buy.
Temperature Awareness
A good idea would be to keep
a thermometer near the chins cage so you can always check the temperature.
Keep you chin out of direct sunlight.
If your room temperature is
over 75 Degrees, you should take precautions to protect your chin. If it
is even hotter, 80+ Degrees, this is definitely not safe and your chins are
at a high risk from heat stroke.
You
should turn up the air conditioner if you have one. If you get the
temperature down to the 70 Degrees they will be fine. You can also move
your chins into the coolest room in your house.
You
can give them a large cooking pot filled with ice cubes. They will
probably snuggle up to it to cool down. You can put this at the bottom of
the cage if you think they will knock it over. You can also use ice packs.
Please do everything and
anything you can to cool down your house and chins down. It is vital!
Note that if you are thinking of getting a chin and your house is humid and
very hot in the summer I would advise not to get a chin. Death may be the
result and in my opinion it is not worth taking that risk.
In an Emergency Situation where the chins got to hot and look limp and
lifeless, get a cup and fill the cup with WARM water, never cold as this
could chill a chin. Place the chin in the warm water with the head always
above the water and dry off very well. This will help them cool off and
hopefully help this situation.
Also chins can get colds and
phenomena so keep them away from direct fans or drafts. In the winter make
sure the room is not freezing. A good temperature in the winter in 65
Degrees. If you chin is in a room with no heat I would recommend investing
in a small heater. You can also put a blanket over the cage to keep the warm
air in the cage.
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