Money Saving Tips- Sunshine Chinchillas

Money Saving Chinchilla Care Tips

Far too often we receive inquiries about surrendering due to financial concerns or lack of time to care for the animal(s). This is unfortunate as there are already many pet store chinchillas that are purchased on a whim and then surrendered within a year or two. This is usually caused by lack of information prior to adopting, price of pet store supplies, impulse buys, and conflicting opinions on the internet. Below are some tips we suggest considering if you are having trouble with the cost of supplies and/or don't have a lot of time to spend with your chinchilla.

Feel free to save these photos to your camera roll, these are great to refer to when buying supplies. Check out Let's Love Chinchilla's website here for a new owner checklist: https://letslovechinchillas.weebly.com/new-owner-check-list.html

Please note: the above prices are subject to change based on availability, suppliers, stores, and inflation. Always check out your options to fit your budget.

Pet Store vs. Feed Store Supplies

Pet stores are known for their high prices, as well as a lack of proper education on what supplies are best for most pets. Chinchillas do not need treats, supplements, vitamins, or salt licks. If a healthy pellet and hay are freely fed to your chinchilla, this is the proper amount of nutrients they will need. Most feed stores have a few different options of chinchilla safe foods that can be purchased in bulk. A 25-50lb bag of pellets will last a lot longer than a small bag purchased at the pet store.

Food Options

Small World Rabbit Feed: This can be found at most Walmarts or purchased online for around $13-$15 for 25lbs. This is the same food as Manna Pro, just rebranded and sold at Walmart. Be sure to check the sell-by date to ensure freshness.
Mazuri Chinchilla Diet: This can be found at most Tractor Supply Stores for about $25 for 25lbs.
Manna Pro and Manna Pro Sho: Both of these feeds are from the same brand with Sho having a bit more ingredients. Either of these can be purchased for around $25 for a 50lb bag at Tractor Supply.
Purina Show Rabbit Feed: Similar to Manna Pro, this feed can be purchased at Tractor Supply for around $25 for 50lbs.
Blue Seal Show Hutch Deluxe: This food can be harder to locate, some Tractor Supply stores do not carry it. It goes for around $23-$25 for a 50lb bag, this is what we usually feed our herd.

Compare to More Expensive Options:

Oxbow Chinchilla (red bag): This is typically what we recommend to adopters as it is easy to find and a great food. However, when buying small bags it doesn't last very long and is considerably more expensive than other foods. This feed costs anywhere from $10-$13 for a 3lb bag at the pet store, or upwards to $46 for a 25lb on Chewy.com.
Supreme Science Selective Chinchilla: This food is another good pet store option, but it is still comparable to Oxbow in price. This food goes for about $17-$23 for only a 4.4lb bag.
Oxbow Garden Select (green bag), Sun Seed Vita Prima, Kaytee Food from the Wild, Kaytee Timothy Complete, Kaytee Field and Forest, Higgins Sunburst, and Brown's Tropical Carnival: These foods should be AVOIDED at all costs as they are expensive and lack proper nutrition with some being filled with unhealthy "treats".

What if I don't use up a large bag of food?

For pet owners with only a few chinchillas, 50lb bags of food will last you several months if not a year. Although this saves money, pellets do tend to lose nutritional value after about six months. In this case, consider buying a large bag and splitting it with another pet owner you know. Or, you may be able to find someone in your area from a reputable chinchilla group willing to split a bag. If you're not comfortable with this, opt for a brand that sells it's feed in 25lb bags and see how much you have left behind after six months. In doing so, you can then gauge how much food you use in this period of time.

For hay, as long as you allow it to be in fresh air or let it have ventilation, this can last a long time. We suggest storing your hay or hay cubes in a dry cardboard box with air holes poked in the sides. This allows your hay to "breathe" and stay fresh longer. Always keep an eye out for any bugs, mold, or wetness in your food/hay.

Hay Options

Standlee Loose Timothy or Alfalfa Orchard Grass: Both of these can be purchase at Tractor supply for $25-$28 a 50lb bale. These are great quality, clean hays that last a long time with proper storage.
Standlee Alfalfa Timothy Cubes: If you have hay allergies or do not like the mess that loose hay creates, cubes can be a great substitute. These provide almost the same amount of fiber and roughage as loose hay does. Although a bit more expensive, these will still last a long time compared to small bags of hay. You can find these at Tractor Supply for $21-$24 per 40lb bag. If you are only feeding cubes with no added loose timothy hay, we recommend opting for a timothy/alfalfa cube blend.
Fresh Horse Hay: If you live somewhere where you can find fresh horse hay, this is a great affordable option. Horse hay is best as it tends to be more selective in quality for a horse's sensitive digestive system. Always watch out for mold, wetness, or bugs when purchasing fresh bales of hay.

Compare to More Expensive Options:

Oxbow Chinchilla Hay: Although this is a great hay, it can be very expensive. A 90oz bag will cost around $21, this is quite pricey considering how much hay chinchillas like to go through.
Kaytee Hay (no treats): Kaytee does not provide the best or freshest of hay. This can be used, but at $14-$18 for a 60oz bag, it is just not worth buying if you're looking to save money.
Small Pet Select: This brand has great hay, however it can be pricey for those looking to save money. A 2lb box will run you about $17 whereas a 40lb box is $90, NOT including shipping costs as this is an online only store.
Hay's with added treats (dried veggies, fruits, or biscuits): These should be AVOIDED, these are usually only sold at big box pet stores, are expensive, and are the equivalent to added junk food to your chinchillas diet.

Chinchilla Treats

Treats are NOT a required part of your chinchilla's diet. Most treats, biscuits, cookies, and vitamin/supplements found at your regular pet store are unsafe and should be AVOIDED. Purchasing these is a waste of money and potentially dangerous for your chinchillas.

If you want to give your chinchilla a treat, there are much safer options out there that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Hay and/or hay cubes: Chinchillas love digging through hay and tearing hay cubes apart, these provide entertainment while also giving them the roughage their digestive system and teeth need.
Applewood Sticks (or other safe woods): Chinchillas absolutely love apple wood sticks. These are scrubbed, boiled, and baked for safety; they are fine to ingest and perfectly okay to chew on. These can be a bit pricey, but chinchillas love them and they are a much better option than unhealthy pet store treats.
Dried Rosehips: Although there are some other dried treats out there that are safe, staying simple is always better when sticking to a budget. Dried rosehips are great as a "once in a while" treat.
Plain Cheerios, Rolled Oats: These should be given very infrequently (1-2 times a week), but can be the cheapest "treat" options. Only give PLAIN Cheerios and/or rolled oats (NOT instant oats).

Pandemonium Pets on Etsy has some great supplies, as well as apple wood sticks and rosehips for purchase:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PandamoniumPets?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=623191346

Below is a list of things that are to avoid that are unnecessary:

Oxbow Rewards (dried fruit, biscuits, baked treats): Most of these have unsafe, unnecessary ingredients. These bags will cost you $3-$7 for just 3oz.
Oxbow Natural Science (supplements/vitamins/digestive treats): These are marketed as supplements or digestive aids to your chinchilla's diet, claiming to add necessary vitamins or nutrients. This is just a marketing ploy to make more money. Chinchillas get all the nutrients they need from a complete pellet; the recommended ones above provide adequate vitamins, minerals, and nutrients chinchillas need to survive. Adding supplements to your chin's diet is just costing more money and not benefitting them in any way a healthy pellet can't.
Hay Biscuits/Treats: Although hay treats/toys can be okay to give your chinchilla, the cost of buying these as treats or to provide entertainment adds up. Chinchillas love foraging and digging through their hay, giving them a handful of loose hay or cubes provides them with just as much enjoyment but at a lower cost.
Kaytee treats, Higgins Sunburst treats, Brown's Tropical Carnival treats, Sun Seed treats, Salt Licks, Vitakraft Sticks: These are all unsafe and should be AVOIDED at all costs, save your money.

Chinchilla Bedding

For shavings, we only recommend pine or aspen bedding. These can be found in bulk for much cheaper than at the pet store; remember, shavings don't go bad unless they get wet/moldy.

Bedding Options

Pine Shavings from Tractor Supply: Fine or flake shavings from Tractor Supply is ideal if you prefer this for bedding. For about $7, you can get a 22lb bag; this will last you several cage cleanings compared to a small pet store bag.
Aspen Shavings from Tractor Supply: If you prefer the smell and feel of aspen, Tractor supply also offers a 22lb for $16; still cheaper than the pet store.
Fleece Liners (anti-pill fleece only): Although these cost a lot to purchase at first, these are reusable and you can wash them each cage-cleaning day. The initial cost is high, but once you have a few you can rotate, you will only be spending money on water/laundry soap you use to wash them each time. If you are good at sewing, you can even purchase supplies to make your own liners.

Compare to More Expensive Options:

So Presh Natural Aspen: This bedding is safe to use, but for 56.6 L you will be spending $23 a bag.
Small Pet Select Aspen: Again, safe to use but this will cost you $20 for 41 L (not including shipping).
Kaytee Pine Bedding: These Shavings start at $13 for 52.4 L; a cheaper option, but still not as affordable as Tractor Supply bedding.
Carefresh/Paper bedding, Corncob, Clay, Carboard, Towels, Laminate Tiles: These are all unsafe and should be AVOIDED. Chinchillas can ingest these and cause a buildup/impaction as they cannot digest these materials. This will lead to emergency vet visits and/or death.

Chinchilla Supplies

Below are some tips we have about purchasing supplies, the initial cost may be higher but you will save money in the long term by following these guidelines:

Water (boiled, purified, reverse osmosis): You do not have to purchase bottled water for your chinchilla. You can boil your own tap to kill contaminants, purchase purified gallons of water at the store, and/or utilize reverse osmosis fill stations to refill any water jugs you have.
Glass Water Bottle: Opting for a glass water bottle is much better long-term as your chinchilla cannot chew through it. Plastic bottles are harder to clean, can be easily chewed, and do pose a health risk for impactions.
Glass/Ceramic/Metal Food Dish: The same goes for food dishes, avoid plastic as chinchillas will chew that and ruin it leading to purchasing another. Glass, ceramic, and metal dishes are easier to clean and safer for chins.
Only Dust 1-2 Times a Week (1 tbsp of dust per chin): Chinchillas love dusting, but they will be okay with dusting only 1-2 times per week, about 1tbsp of dust per chin is fine. This saves money on purchasing dust as well as prevents drying out their skin. You can also reuse dust as long as it is not soiled; give your chin a good 10-15 minutes to dust, then remove it to save for next time (be sure to sift out any debri).
Dust House/Pan: Chinchillas don't need a fancy dust house, you can use a metal or glass baking dish. This is much cheaper than purchasing a plastic dust house from the pet store, and you don't have to worry about them chewing on it.
Make Your Own Shelves, Houses, Toys, Accessories: If you are handy, you can purchase kiln dried pine wood from any hardware store and make your own shelves/wooden toys. You can also purchase thicker wooden shelves online so they last longer, and you can purchase precut materials on etsy to make your own toys if you are not comfortable cutting your own wood. Dried loofah, natural pumice stone, pine wood, apple wood, poplar wood, and hay cubes are great starters for making your own toys. Anti-pill fleece is the only safe fabric to use if you want to make hammocks, hay bags, or liners. These are not necessary, but if you want your chinchilla to have them it is much cheaper to make your own or buy second hand.
Chinchillas Do Not Need Running Wheels: Contrary to popular belief, most chinchillas do not enjoy running around. They will hop and bounce, but running is not something that is necessary for them. Most spend their time in a favorite part of their cage. Chinchilla wheels can be very pricey, they need to be 14"-16" minimum to be safe. Plastic and wire wheels should be avoided, only solid metal is safe to use. To save money, it is best to avoid purchasing a wheel or find a solid metal one that is secondhand.
Chinchilla Cages: Chinchilla cages can be costly when purchased new, however, you may be able to find something more affordable secondhand on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Hoobly, etc. If purchasing a new cage is the only option, there are some affordable ones that are okay to use such as the Prevue Pet Products cage which is suitable for 1-3 chinchillas: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/prevue-hendryx-earthtone-dusted-rose-rat-and-chinchilla-cage.

Secondhand Cages/Supplies

When purchasing used supplies, be sure to always sanitize the items before allowing your chinchilla(s) to use them. Cages, glass water bottles, glass/ceramic/metal food dishes, solid metal shelves, solid metal wheels, and fleece items are fairly easy to clean. When it comes to wooden items, its best to opt for new rather than used as it can be difficult to fully sanitize these. Buying secondhand items will save you a considerable amount of money for first-time chin owners.

Outside of Cage Time

Although it may seem unfair, chinchillas are much safer staying inside their cage. Playtime outside of the cage is not required, it may seem mean to leave them in the cage all the time but consider this. Chinchillas are a den animal, in the wild they spend most of their time in between rocks sleeping. A lot of domestic chinchillas are the same way, most find a favorite spot to sit in and relax all day. They may bounce around a few times a day, or stop to chew their hay and grab a drink; this is the life of a chinchilla regardless of playtime or cage size.

You don't need to let them out, buy a playpen, or have a super large cage to make them happy. Any of the cages we recommend are plenty of space for bouncing/hopping, sleeping, playing, and other normal chinchilla behaviors. Letting them outside of the cage can give a sense of fight or flight in some chinchillas, meaning they feel stressed and want to run away or hide. Overheating, hypo/hyperglycemia, and injury become much more possible when letting your chinchilla outside of their cage. You must also consider that you cannot leave them unsupervised, even in a playpen. Chinchillas are masters of chewing things they shouldn't, even if you think you picked everything up they may still find something that can make them sick if ingested.

The best way to interact with your chinchilla is within their cage. You can talk to them, pet them, feed them, hold them, or just watch as they go on about their day. If you feel you do not have time to dedicate to them because you are not letting them out of the cage, don't feel bad. You are not a bad pet owner for leaving them in the cage; chinchillas do not become depressed or angry from this, if they are used to coming out they will eventually readjust to the new routine and will be fine. If you still feel you must let them out, always supervise and make sure there is nothing unsafe they can get into or ingest; its best to let them roam only a small area (closet, bathroom, etc.).

Keeping your chinchilla within their cage is much kinder than surrendering them to a rescue or rehoming due to not having time to let them out.

Interacting with Your Chinchilla

If you are feeling bad that you are not spending enough time with your chinchilla, don't fret. They are not going to be depressed or mad at you. Chinchillas are very independent, most are not cuddly and prefer to keep to themselves. This is not to say they don't like their humans or never interact with them, in fact some do enjoy being held or petted.

But, if you cannot spend more than 10-15 minutes a day with them, you are not denying them affection they need. If you are providing a safe environment, fresh food/water/hay, cool temperatures, clean bedding, toys, shelves, and the occasional treat, this is a good life for a chinchilla. Even if you cannot constantly talk to, hold, or pet them, this is still a life they are used to and are safe.

Keeping your chinchilla even if you feel you don't interact with them enough is kinder than surrendering them to a rescue or rehoming them.

Adopting a Friend for Your Chinchilla

A common concern for pet owner's is their chinchillas becoming lonely. Although chinchillas are social, adopting another to bond with your current one doesn't guarantee they will get along. It is always best to have a second cage on hand in cases where they do not bond or unbond in the future. Two story Critter/Ferret Nation cages are great for homes with multiple chins. Each half can house 1-3 chinchillas; if one decides to start fighting or unbond with their friend(s), the top and bottom sections of these cages can be blocked off so chins can live separately in each section.

Its always good to remember that chinchillas don't experience emotions the same way we do. This means that most are perfectly fine living alone and don't become depressed. If your chinchilla is acting sad, depressed, or is lethargic, this is not loneliness. This could indicate underlying illness and an emergency vet visit may be required.

We always encourage adopting another chinchilla if that is what the owner wants, rather than adopting out of feeling bad for a chinchilla living alone. Proper steps need to be taken to avoid injury, fighting, or death during the bonding process. Bringing another chin home does not guarantee they will be fast friends, it can take time or may never happen.

Exhausting All Options

For homes that truly cannot afford to care for their chinchilla, have lost interest, or just cannot cope with not being able to dedicate time to them, surrendering to a reputable breeder/rescue or rehoming is an option.

Before making this tough decision, always weigh your options. Is this what you really want? Can you purchase supplies in bulk to cut costs? Have a family member or friend that can help care for them? Can you block out 10 minutes a day to feed/water/give hay and interact with them?

If you just cannot make it work, take your time to find a reputable breeder/rescue or vet out a new home for them.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!