You need to provide plenty of room for your chinchilla to eat, sleep and run around. Chinchillas are social creatures and should be kept in single-sex pairs or groups.

Chinchillas need to be kept indoors. The temperature in the room should be constant, away from direct sunlight and draughts, and out of reach of any other pets.

Chinchillas need good, secure, roomy housing. They should be kept in a large cage constructed from wire that includes a climbing area, a sleeping box and a daily fresh sand bath. Buy the largest enclosure you can afford because they will spend a great deal of their long lives in this cage. But ensure the cage is not too tall, as falls can lead to injuries.

You need to put your cage in a room where there is a constant temperature, which must NOT reach more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius) as they become stressed and could even die. In the UK, Chinchillas should never be housed outside because of the fluctuations in climate.

Never keep Chinchillas in a plastic cage, as they can gnaw their way out and if plastic is ingested it can be very dangerous. Don't forget they will need somewhere to use their Bathing Sand every day as well.

Cages should be cleaned out on a regular basis. This is especially important in warmer weather in order to prevent flies being attracted to the cage.

Every day: Remove any soiled bedding

Once a week: Remove all bedding. Thoroughly sweep out all the soiled bedding. Rinse with warm water and mild detergent and wait until dry. Spray inside of cage with a safe cleaning product and wait until dry. Replace with clean bedding (check for signs of mould etc. on bedding and discard if necessary).