How Big A Chinchilla Cage Should Be (Habitat Requirements)

Chinchillas are part of the rodent family. They are native to the Andes Mountains in South America.

These small animals love to explore and need a big living area to stretch their legs.

What size cage for chinchilla is best?

In this article, we have listed the ideal cage dimensions and habitat requirements for your special pets. Keep scrolling to find them.

What is the best type of enclosure for a chinchilla and what should be in it?

To find out the answers to these questions and more, check out our extended chinchilla cage guide coming up next.

How Big Should a Chinchilla Cage Be?

Wahoo! You’re going to adopt a pet chinchilla for the first time and you want everything to be perfect for its arrival.

To start things off, you must have the right-sized cage so your chinchilla will feel comfortable.

How big should a chinchilla cage be?

The minimum size for a chinchilla cage is 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet (122 cm x 122 cm x 91 cm). But chinchillas are animals that love to explore, so if you have room for a bigger cage, by all means, get it.

Small cages such as those for hamsters are not suitable for chinchillas.

How Big Should a Cage Be for 2 Chinchillas?

Chinchillas are social animals and love to spend time with other chinchillas and with their owners. Bearing that in mind, it is always best to adopt more than one chinchilla.

Unless you want baby chinchillas springing up around the cage, make sure you house males and females separately (more about this in a mo).

How big of a cage do chinchillas need?

Your pet chinchillas will need a large cage to have enough room to explore and play. Put them in the largest cage you have room for.

If you cannot get hold of a very large cage, keep your chinchillas in a secure room.

What Is the Minimum Cage Size for a Group of Chinchillas?

Chinchillas love company and do well when they live in pairs and groups. Housing a small group of chinchillas together is a great idea.

Unless you want to breed chinchillas, keep males and females separate.

What is the best chinchilla cage size for a group?

When it comes to housing a group of these rodents, it is best to keep them in a secure room rather than in a cage. This is because most commercial cages will be too small for your pets.

What Cage Is Best for a Chinchilla?

You are just about to bring your pets home from the pet shop but before you do, you must get hold of a top-quality cage for them to live in. You want your chinchillas to settle in quickly and feel happy.

What is the ideal cage for your chinchilla?

Coming up next, we’re going to take a look at some of the most important requirements.

Tall Cage

Chinchillas are very active animals and need to live in a large, tall cage.

What size cage does a chinchilla need?

The cage must have a minimum height of 3 feet (91 cm). It must be 4 feet (122 cm) long and 4 feet (122 cm) wide.

If your chinchillas are slightly larger than average, you will need an even taller cage. If you have room for a larger cage, make sure you get it as chinchillas will love having the extra vertical space to explore.

Because chinchillas are large animals in the small animal category, you must not put them in a cage for other pets. A guinea pig or hamster cage will not be suitable for these pets.

Wire Cages

Chinchillas need to live in cages with enough ventilation.

What type of cage material is best for them and how big should a chinchilla enclosure be?

A wire cage is best for a chinchilla as it promotes good ventilation. Avoid cages with solid sides for these pets as they can become too hot in the summer.

The best wire cage will measure 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet or 122 cm x 122 cm x 91 cm.

Never place your chinchillas in small cages.

Cages with multiple levels provide lots of entertainment for these animals. You will find excellent options for cages with multiple levels at good pet stores.

Cage Placement

Chinchillas like the cold temperatures of the Andes Mountains in South America. They need housing in a place where they can keep cool.

What is the ideal location for a chinchilla cage?

Keep the cage out of direct sunlight. The cage must be in a temperature-controlled room as chinchillas can easily overheat and suffer from heat stroke in the summer.

These rodents have very sensitive hearing, so do not put them in a room where they will be exposed to loud noises. If your pet is in a noisy room, it will begin to display nervous behavior such as fur chewing.

The Best Pairs and Groups

In the wild, chinchillas live in small groups. In captivity, these furry animals like to have company too.

But what are the best pairs and group combinations?

Let’s find out!

Pairs

Can you house two chinchillas together?

Yes! Chinchillas love to live in pairs.

When housing chinchillas in pairs, ensure you house two males together or two females together, otherwise they will breed. Aside from same-gender pairs, it is possible to keep a castrated male and a female together.

These rodents would get along better if they were from the same litter.

If you want to introduce a new chinchilla to the cage it is best you do so gradually. Start by keeping the pets in the same room but in separate chinchilla cages.

After a week of housing the cages close to one another, allow the chinchillas to play together on neutral ground. Monitor them as they do so and separate them at any signs of bullying.

Once you feel comfortable that the chinchillas are getting along, put them together in the same cage.

Groups

Can you house chinchillas in small groups?

Yes! Chinchillas are happy to live in small groups.

When housing chinchillas in small groups, ensure they are all of the same sex or they will breed. If not, put a castrated male with one or two females.

Pet chinchillas that grew up together will get on better in groups. But if you introduce them to one another gradually, you will be able to house any chinchillas together.

Essentials for Chinchilla Cages

There are some things you must put inside your chinchilla’s cage in order for it to live a happy and healthy life. They are playful animals and need to feel comfortable in their new surroundings.

What are some of the essential chinchilla cage requirements?

Join us as we take you through them.

Cage Lining Material

What is the best chinchilla cage bedding?

Chinchillas have sensitive feet and can develop pressure sores if their cages are not lined with the right materials. To make your pet's cage comfortable, cover the floor space with fleece liners or aspen wood shavings.

Change your cage lining material at least once a week depending on how soiled it is and how many pets you have. Fleece lining is washable but aspen shavings will need replacing.

Food Bowl

What kind of food bowl does your pet need?

Chinchillas need to eat grass-based food pellets every day. Your chinchilla’s cage must contain a food bowl that it can eat from when it feels hungry.

Pet owners must provide their chinchillas with several food bowls if there are multiple chinchillas in the cage.

Give each chinchilla 1 to 2 tablespoons of commercial food pellets each day. You will find good chinchilla pellets at pet stores.

Ceramic food bowls are best as your pets will not be able to chew through them. Always avoid plastic bowls.

Water Bottle

What kind of water bottle is best for your pet?

Your chinchilla will drink about 55 ml of water every day. It must have a constant supply of water to drink whenever it feels thirsty.

If you have more than one pet chinchilla, you must have multiple water bottles, one for each pet.

You must put fresh water in the water bottles every day and fix them securely to the side of the wire mesh cage.

Hay Feeders

What is the best way to supply your pet with hay?

Your chinchilla needs constant access to hay so it can snack throughout the day whenever it feels hungry. The perfect cage will contain hay feeders that make it easy for your pet to eat hay at its convenience.

Always make sure your small pets have enough fresh hay to nibble on.

Chinchilla Cage Accessories

Chinchillas are high-energy animals which is why they need lots of things inside their enclosures that will keep them occupied throughout the day.

What do chinchillas need in their cage?

Coming up next, you will see a list of accessories and cage furniture that are awesome at keeping your rodent happy in its enclosure. Take a look at them and make sure your pet has everything it needs.

Dust Bath

What is one of the most important accessories for your chinchilla?

Your chinchilla’s cage must contain a dust bath. Chinchillas must keep their fur soft, clean, and healthy by rolling in a dust bath 2 to 4 times a week.

Put a container in your chinchilla’s cage that is big enough for your pet to roll around in. Make sure the container is stable and that it will not tip over when the chinchilla rolls in it.

Place 1/4 inch of chinchilla dust in the container.

Allow your chinchilla to play in it for 3 to 5 minutes. This limited time will prevent your pet from soiling and overexposure to the dust.

The best dust baths are made from 100% pumice and will do the following:

• Encourage natural grooming behavior.
• Promote good mental and physical well-being.
• Use natural materials to clean your pet chinchilla by safely penetrating the dense fur, collecting excess dirt, oil, and moisture, and naturally pulling it away from the animal.

Chew Toys

What do you put in a chinchilla cage?

Your chinchilla’s cage must have chew toys in it. Chinchillas must have things to chew on to prevent boredom and trim their teeth.

Put chewable wooden blocks and hanging toys in their cages that will keep them occupied. Replace the toys once your chinchillas have chewed them all up.

The best chew toy is:

• Effective at encouraging healthy chewing activity.
• Made of a natural chewable material like wood and volcanic pumice rock and apple wood sticks.
• Colored with natural dye that is safe for your pet chinchilla to chew on.
• Put together with a hook that makes it easy for you to hang from different parts of the cage.
• Made of hard and soft texture blocks to tend to your chinchilla’s varying needs.

Hide Boxes

What accessory makes the best chinchilla cage?

Your chinchilla's cage must contain small boxes for it to hide inside. Chinchillas love to take cover and spend time hiding so hide boxes are essential.

If you have two chinchillas, you will need a hide box for each one. These can be small boxes nestled inside the cage in different locations.

Most good pet shops sell great hide boxes. Here are some of the features that make awesome hide-huts:

• They are made of all-natural materials. Natural pine wood makes a great hideout that is sturdy but chewable.
• They encourage natural chewing instincts.
• They encourage natural nesting instincts.
• They slide together to assembly. They do not contain nails or glue that would be dangerous for your chinchilla to chew on.

If you want to save money on your hide box, make one out of a cardboard box.

FAQs About Cages and Pet Chinchillas

Are you considering getting a pet chinchilla but have a couple of questions about how to house it?

Then check out the following FAQs section where we will answer the most asked questions about cage sizes and chinchillas.

Can a Chinchilla Cage Be Too Big?

How big is a chinchilla cage?

The minimum cage size for a chinchilla is 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet. But if your chinchilla’s cage is much larger than this, you might wonder if it might be too big.

There is no maximum length or width for the cage, put it in the biggest space you have room for. Your chinchilla will love the extra space for exploring and playing in.

There is no maximum height for the cage either, but if your cage has levels, these must always be secure. Your chinchilla could harm itself very badly if it were to fall from height.

The larger the enclosure, the better it will be for your chinchilla. Large enclosures will keep it entertained and encourage it to move around and explore as it would in the wild.

How Long Should a Chinchilla Be Out of Its Cage for?

If your chinchilla cage contains toys, hide boxes, levels, and enough food and water, your pet should have enough to keep it entertained while in its enclosure. But it must spend at least a part of the day outside of its cage.

How much out-of-cage time do chinchillas need?

They need at least 2 to 4 hours outside of their cages per day. Since these animals are nocturnal and most active during the evening and night, you must let them run free for a few hours in the evening before you go to bed.

Always ensure you keep an eye on your pets as they run free. They must be in a safe environment without dangers from other pets.

The Ideal Cage for Chinchilla Happiness

Chinchillas are prey animals in the wild and need extra special love and care when you take them in as pets. Chinchillas are not the most common pets which is why it is tricky to find out exactly how to take care of them.

Thanks to this article, we have seen that a small chinchilla cage is not suitable for this animal. If you have just one chinchilla, your cage size must be at least 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet.

If you have a second chinchilla, it must be larger. For small groups, keep the chinchillas in a room.

Did you find this article interesting?

At Oddly Cute Pets, we always strive to provide you with the best articles about chinchillas, hamsters, and other rodents. For more guides on what to feed your small pets and how to look after them, check out our website.

Thanks for reading!