I know lots of random animal facts, I just didn't know about Chinchillas in particular. Glad to know you know a lot so the animals don't get neglected or abused by their new owners.

I have refused sale of animals to people before, they've gone and complained to my manager and then my manager gave a sticker and a juice box for being awesome. :3
People just want animals without wanting to take care of them, and I can't let that happen. Goldfish don't belong in a bowl, Chinchillas need cool air, dogs need to go outside, snakes need big cages, etc.

So when do you refuse sale? I wish our pet stores were like that here, but they all seem to just be interested in selling and profits, rather than the pets' welfare. I knew of one store in Auckland that didn't even have hay in its cages for the rabbits and guinea (or however you spell it, because Google Chrome is not helping) pigs.

It is pretty mean to shove a goldfish in a bowl. I always either had a large tank or a large pond for them to live in.

I had someone come in and wanted to buy a Electric Blue Cichlid (large aggressive fish) and wanted to put it in a tiny bowl only suitable for bettas. I flat out told him "No. I will not sell you this fish for that size bowl, or any bowl. I will not sell you any fish today."
We also refuse to sell the rats as feeder animals. Since ours are not feed stock bred rats, they're fancy pet rats.

Rats to feed to snakes? That's f***ed up. Who goes to a pet store to buy pet rats only to feed to snakes? Wouldn't rats that are raised to be fed to snakes be cheaper anyway?

Much cheaper. And guaranteed to be illness free when you buy them from a reputable source. They're a different type of rat, not different species per say, but different in size and fed a special diet so they can provide the snake with the best nutrition.

So why buy pet rats... That is so bad ;A;

Pet rats are cute and cuddly and love playing games and giving affection! \o/ they're just little fluffs of love with strange tails and silly ears.
People just assume that because we sell snakes that we sell live food too. But we sell frozen mice and rats for food, they store better, don't have illness or disease, and can't fight back.

Well, you can't get snakes here, so we don't have that problem :P

I used to want a pet rat, before my mum pointed out that my cats catch and eat rats...

Omg...I LOVE chickens. I had a pet rooster as a kid, I loved him. If I could I'd totally get another chicken for a pet. Though maybe a hen this time so the neighbors won't complain about the crowing.

I had two pet mice too...both are laboratory white rodents, one the small kind and one the large kind. So adorable, both of them.

Pet rats are... interesting to have...

Rodents are so cuddly. o wo <33

I have a list of ones I'd love to have at some point: More cats, a dog, hermit crab, a fox, some pigeons, barn swallows, a donkey, a goat, some chickens, and a raccoon or a deer, perhaps.

Seems like if we could all have all the animals we ever wanted, we'd all have mini-zoos in the house.

I never listed the animals I really really want! XD
One of these guys. (and then a couple of corgis to be it's friends)

And a heard of these.

Is that a huskey corgie mix?

Nope! It's a Sweedish Vallhund. Tiny viking dog. Still a spitz and a herding dog, though.

Come be my neighbor... I wanna pet it if you get one XD

OMG those ducks look so fancy!

Hahaha awesome ducks!! I wonder if it took a while to get those clothes on them...

Corgies are adorable. So cute with their stubby little legs...

I have my dream pets already. My 6 male chinchillas.

Scruffy:

Morris:

Leo:

Wiggles:

Ramble:

Nibbler:

If you ever need to know anything about their care: (sorry it's a wall of bullet-ed text)

*Life span: 10 to 20 years - this is a long term commitment!
*Adult weight: 14 to 28 oz (400 to 800 g); females are usually larger than males
*Very delicate bone structure; not an ideal pet for small children

**ROOM TEMPERATURE NEEDS TO BE LESS THAN 73F or they could DIE of heatstroke. Heat & humidity are DEADLY! Use AC (air conditioning) because they CANNOT SWEAT or cool down by themselves! A fan will not work. They should NEVER BE IN A DRAFTY area.


**DO NOT keep male & females together unless you want babies. Do NOT breed chinchillas from a pet store or any chin without a BREEDING history!

Behavior:
Primarily active at night, dawn, and early evening
Fast, agile, active; good at climbing and jumping
Rarely bite; enjoy being petted, but may resist cuddling
They chew everything; the chinchilla’s environment must be “chinchilla proof” to prevent injuries and escape

Diet:
Must be high in fiber, low in carbohydrate, and low in sugar to prevent dental disease and digestive problems

**No breads, no cereals, no nuts, no seeds, no sugar!
**No fruits, veggies, or dairy.

Nuts, seeds and dairy are high in fat. Chinchilla digestive systems are not made to digest fat and it will cause fatty liver disease. All fruits and veggies are bad, drying them does not remove the sugar and sugar can cause bloat and other digestive issues. Rose hips or dried rose petals can be given as treats.
*Feed free-choice quality grass hay, such as timothy
*Feed 2-3 tablespoons of commercial chinchilla pellets daily
*Feed small amounts of alfalfa hay; feed treats sparingly to prevent obesity

WATER: Reverse osmosis water is best. Or distilled. Tap water can cause them to get parasites. I had a chinchilla on it for a short time and he ended up with soft, smelly poop and he had to get treatment for Giardia. If you must use tap water, use a PUR filter each time!

Quality Food pellet brands: Oxbow (chinchilla only), Tradition (chinchilla), and Mazuri (chinchilla) are the best brands. They can be found online and in certain stores or even farm type stores.

*Change food over SLOW. 1/4 new food & 3/4 old for a week. Then 1/2 & 1/2 for a week. Then 3/4 and 1/4 for a week.

*All chinchillas need to bathe in a special dust at least a few times a week to keep their coats clean. Brands: Blue Cloud. Blue Sparkle. DO NOT USE DUST WITH SCENTS! It is harmful to their respiratory system!

**Chins who won't eat or poop need to see a vet ASAP!

Environment:
Provide a large, multi-level cage with shelves for perching, plenty of room for running, and a cage floor of welded mesh wire with smooth areas for resting the feet
*Place the cage in a quiet location
** Maintain a humidity level of 40% or lower and a temperature of 50°F to 75°F (10°C to 24°C); temperatures higher than 80°F can be fatal
Provide a nest box/hiding place (one for each chinchilla) for sleeping and for shelter from aggressive cage mates
Provide wooden cage furniture, chew sticks, and pumice stones for chewing to help keep teeth healthy
Provide an exercise wheel with a smooth running surface to prevent injuries to legs/feet

Preventive Care:
A complete physical examination is required every 6 to 12 months
Examine males monthly for penile hair rings
Allow a 10- to 15-minute dust bath at least twice weekly

Common Medical Disorders:
Dental disease, including malocclusion, teeth spurs/points
Drooling
Problems eating
Eye irritation/Conjunctivitis
Fur/skin disorders: ringworm (fungus), fur chewing, loss of fur
Gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea, bloat, stasis)
Hair ring accumulation in males (a constricting injury to the penis)
Heat stress
Respiratory infection
Trauma

Safe treats include:
Quaker Slow-Cook Oats (not the instant kind). These make a great treat in pinch-sized servings.
Rose Hips are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which your chins need anyway.
Plain Cheerios (one or two per day)
Unsweetened shredded wheat squares (cereal) - broken in half
Wood twigs (scrubbed, boiled and baked)
Rose hips or dried rose petals

** Whenever you get another chinchilla, it must be kept in a separate cage, in a separate room, away from your first or other chins for at least 30 days to prevent diseases from spreading.

SAFE WOODS FOR THEM TO CHEW:
• Cottonwood
• Apple
• Willow (But stick with goat, weeping, or pussy willow)
• Pear
• Mulberry
• Crab-Apple
• Hazelnut
• Elm
• Arancariaceae
• Roseace
• Dogwood Rose
• Chinese Dogwood
• Horse Apple
• Kiwi
• Pine (Kiln Dried ONLY)
• Pine cones that have been opened, free of seeds, washed, baked, and dried.
• Alderberry
• Bamboo
• Grape
• Manzanita
• Hawthorn
• Magnolia
• Pecan

NOT SAFE WOODS:
• Woods that’s produce fruits with pits (example: cherry, plum, etc.)
• Cashew
• Birch
• Cedar
• Cherry
• All Citrus woods
• Elderberry Bushes
• Box Elder
• Chestnut
• Ebony
• Sandalwood
• Hydrangea
• Eucalptus
• Spruce
• Fir
• Aralia Spinosa
• Juniper
• Green Heart
• Fresh Cut Pine or Pinecones
• Beech
• Yew
• Oak (bark is safe & is used in remedies & as a treat)
• Teak
• Walnut
• Ironwood
• Rosewood
• Black Locust (bean shell is safe)
• Ginko
• Maple
• Blackwood
• Almond
• Myrtle
• Mahogany
• Wenge
• Chinese Snake Tree
• Cypress
• Tallow
• Lime Tree
• Sycamore

Oh, that's informative, thanks!

I'm not sure if chinchillas are available here...and it's probably not a good idea to get them here either anyway, considering how hot it gets here... I've never seen them sold at local pet stores.

You're welcome. =) I gather it from chinchilla rescues, breeders and chinchilla forums. *nod* Sorry for the wall of text.

Oh, I see. Yeah, they don't like it hot at all. Poor little guys.

Wow, they do seem like high maintenance pets! :o

I want one of these guys



They are sooo cute T.T