Chinchillas

[Hellow]

I have no personal experience, but i am told they behave similarly to hampsters.

[Whisk_Luva]

Sorry must just tell you.. it is spelt Hamster



They are not similar to hamsters. Not really- apart from they live in a cage. Thats the only similar thing I can find about them to be honest--- chinchillas dont like being handled- hamsters do. Chinchillas cant live in warm temps etc.

[Hellow]

Well, thats what i was told. And, sorry about my spelling on Hamster

[Miss Z]

Chins are very dear to buy young (you can expect to pay in excess of £200 from a breeder!) so finding a rescue chin would be a good idea. I'm not entirely sure how commonly they appear in shelters for there has not yet been one in the shelter I work at ever since I started 5 months ago. I expect, though, that if you snoop around for a bit then you'll find one in need of a home.

I've never owned chins before but I had a neighbour that bred them. They are beautiful and generally friendly animals, but they are not a child's pet, so if you have any younger siblings then they will have difficulty in holding one. They can be a bit grumpy when woken up and take a while to become tame. Of course, they need a very large cage or pen to have enough space to enjoy themselves in, and sometimes chins need a helping hand with grooming in their elder years, which can be a bit of a painstaking task.

On the plus side, though, they generally don't smell, and if they do manage to escape then it's relatively easy to locate and catch them again.

[Whisk_Luva]

I am the youngest in my family.

Also we know at least two chinchilla rescue centers and we have seen them being sold for £20-£40.

[Hellow]

WOW, Thats Cheap in U.S. Money!

[Whisk_Luva]

It is about $40-$60 for all you Americans!