Cage for chinchilla: how to choose a suitable model?

Breeding chinchillas is a profitable industry. Animals are bred on an industrial scale for the sake of valuable fur, and also kept as pets, because they are beautiful and friendly.

If you adhere to the basic rules and norms of breeding, the animals quickly multiply, grow healthy and beautiful. One of the most important aspects of the successful cultivation of chinchillas is the proper organization of their cells. How to do this, we consider in detail in this article.

Brief description of the article

In order for chinchilla breeding to be profitable for the farmer and as comfortable as possible for the animal, it is necessary to properly equip the dwelling for this beautiful rodent.

It is impossible to approach the choice of a cell superficially, on how well you make it will depend largely on the well-being of the animal, its activity, appetite and readiness for mating. The organization of housing for chinchillas, which are bred at home, and for animals, whose livestock is increasing on an industrial scale, has its own characteristics.What exactly we will analyze in this publication.

Cage for chinchilla

In order to choose the right cell you need to understand how and why you keep chinchillas.

At home, the animals are bred in a pairwise way. One male covers one female, and she brings offspring 2 times a year from one to six chinchillas. In this case, it is worth buying spacious cages (at least 1 m high and at least 0.5 cm square), designed for one or two animals. The floor of the cell must be netted.

Cells should be with:

• galvanized rods;
• pallet (well if it is iron and it can be easily removed and cleaned);
• wooden multilevel shelves;
• a house (or houses) with several entrances;
• metal feeder, drip drinker and sand bathing.

For one animal, enough cage 100cmХ50cmХ50cm,] It is equipped with a running wheel with a diameter of not less than 10 cm and game tunnels.

If you are interested in polygamous breeding for an industrial increase in livestock, then it is best to acquire a large cage for a family of 1 male and 5-8 females. It consists of 5-6 smaller cells located along a twenty-centimeter corridor. Thus, the male is given access to each female, which are isolated from each other.The package includes a plastic collar that does not allow the female to leave the cage.

All cells should be dry and clean, well lit, warm and without drafts.

Drinking bowl

When organizing the drinker, it is important to remember that the animal drinks readily, into the water and does not like to be wet, therefore ball models of drinkers are ideal for them. If their capacity is made of thin plastic, then the animal bites them easily, and they begin to leak. For this reason, acquire glass drinkers.

Priority is given to vacuum models with sturdy mounts that can be filled without removing the cell from the wall. In them, water remains fresh for a long time.

Manger

First of all, it must be stable, because a playful mobile animal quickly throws light models. Preferences give sustainable ceramic or metal feeders, with a secure fit. You should not buy plastic models, animals destroy them (gnaw).

Place to sleep

house

In the cage there must be a house, necessarily wooden, fastened either with nails or with special glue. During the day they sleep in it, and at night they hide in case of need.Most often houses are made of plywood. They serve for about 5 months, because the owners periodically bite it. In the cage there should be as many houses as there are animals in it.

hammock

Hammocks are also used for sleeping now. They are sewn from fleece fabric, you can make a hammock from denim. As a rule, these are two-layer structures with well-worked, strong seams. Hammocks last longer than wooden houses.

Fluffies love to sleep in hammocks, often they are preferable to houses.

Materials

Chinchillas are kept in spacious bright and well-ventilated areas, in which there are no drafts. They feel comfortable at room temperature and normal humidity. The litter for animals is sawdust; they also feel well on the metal floor. The animals tolerate heat more easily than cold, so keeping them for a long time at temperatures below 0 is very dangerous.

For the maintenance of chinchillas, you must use wooden, metal, ceramic or glass fixtures. It is not recommended to use plastic, especially soft. Animals are not whimsical in care and do not require special feed.

Experts note that in order for the content of salts and minerals in the pet's food to be optimal, salt rollers are often hung in the cage, they are also suitable for grinding teeth.

Cuttlefish shell is an important natural source of calcium for chinchillas.

In the cells are placed a variety of toys for fun pets.

Kupalka

Chinchillas do not bathe in water, in nature they are cleaned in volcanic ash, and in captivity in special sand, which is obtained by crushing the zeolite mineral. The sand is pre-calcined, a little (10%) of wood ash or talc is added to it (to remove excess moisture between the fibers), and 2% of medical sulfur (it protects wool from parasites). Sand helps fluffies to get rid of excess fluff. Apply river sand, is contraindicated, it spoils the beautiful fur of pets.

"Washing" the mixture is poured into special containers, most often they are made of stainless steel. This is an original box, the design of which resembles a canister cut 5l, it is placed horizontally and cut a hole on the upper side. The “washing” mixture (5-10 mm) is filled in there, the animal gets inside and is cleaned through the hole.Thus, the sand is not scattered in all directions.

Kupalka make more and in the form of the original house, which is attached to the metal rods or cage door. They are very expensive so craftsmen make their own from empty and clean large cans. It is important that the "sauna" house was stable, so it is equipped with legs, special fixings and supports.

The bathing set is installed in the cage for 30 minutes, not longer, otherwise the fluffs in it go to the toilet and then the sand needs to be changed or properly roasted.

Place for turning teeth, games and running

When the content of rodents be sure to use items for turning teeth. In this case, a special stone is put in the cage so that it can be nibbled, it can be a very hard pumice timber. The stores offered such stones that enrich with minerals and vitamins.

For keeping playful mobile animals in a cage, a running wheel is attached. It may have a solid (metal) or non-solid (tarpaulin) design. Metal wheels begin to creak over time, and since animals are active at night, this can be a problem for owners.

If the wheel cover is not solid, then the small legs of the "runners" can get stuck between the rods. If there are several animals in a cage, then the wheel is not recommended, because it is the cause of fights, because everyone wants to take the first place in it or ride on top.

For walking outside the cage use a special walking ball.

In the cage they arrange wooden shelves, on which animals sit, mate sometimes and sleep. Chinchillas love suspended and stationary tunnels, steep ladders and winding mazes.