www.roanoke.com

Paws & Claws

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.

Recent columns

• Bacteria can cause ear infections in cats
• Chiari is a malformation of the back for some spaniels
• Your plant smells like a great spot to ...
• Sting salve: meat tenderizer

Do chinchillas make good pets? You did not think ferrets in an apartment were a good idea for my daughter. I read about chinchillas in a magazine at the dentist and wondered if that would be a good solution to our quest for a pet.

Chinchillas are rodents and, like the Guinea pig, come from the Andes in South America. They nearly became extinct in the 1800s when they were hunted for their fur, which is soft and luxurious. Chinchillas have a gentle nature and can be very loving and entertaining. However, they can live to be 20 years old -- although 10 years is probably a more common life span.

So having one as a pet does mean a long-term commitment. They are also expensive. In spite of chinchillas being gentle toward people, they are not friendly toward their own species and need to be kept in individual cages. In breeding establishments the animals are housed in cages with an opening and run along the back of the cages. The females, which are larger than the males, wear Elizabethan collars during the breeding season so the male can visit a receptive female and escape before she has a chance to beat him up.

It is important that chinchillas are fed only special chinchilla pellets (not rabbit or rodent food), and they will eat approximately one tablespoonful of pellets daily, plus a small amount of alfalfa or grass hay.

They also require fresh water, preferably in a feeding bottle so they do not spill it. Chinchillas like treats such as fresh fruit, vegetables and bread, but these should be given in moderation. It is possible to train them to use one corner of the cage as a latrine. The cage should be in a quiet room and protected from drafts and away from any other pets because chinchillas are nocturnal and need undisturbed sleep during the day. This can be a deterrent as far as being a companionable pet, although they become very lively after dark.

They need a partially enclosed sleeping area at the back of the cage, lined with soft material such as an old towel. The cage should be metal or glass so it can be easily cleaned. Being a rodent, the chinchilla will chew on a wooden cage. Wood chips should not be used as bedding because they can be toxic. The cage can be lined with newspaper that is changed regularly.

Chinchillas need to take dust baths to clean the oils from their fur. These dust baths keep the fur from clumping and falling out. A covered cat litter box works well to keep the dust mess contained. Special dust can be purchased from a pet store. Frequent dust baths not only keep the coat clean but also deter fleas. Regular pet flea sprays should not be used because they are toxic.

Chinchillas are very active and need plenty of supervised exercise in order to prevent them from becoming constipated. They are also good jumpers, clearing four and a half feet with ease. Chinchillas will also chew leather, wires, books, shoes, etc., so never leave them unsupervised when out of the cage. They are also great escape artists and can squeeze through incredibly small holes.

Compared with other rodents, chinchillas are not prolific breeders. They do not breed until they are between 8 and 18 months old, with a breeding season between November and May. After a pregnancy of approximately four months, they have one or two young that are born with their eyes open, covered in fur and able to walk, unlike most other rodents. Chinchillas make good pets as long as you are aware of the amount of care they will require over their long lifetime.

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas and has taught at Texas A&M University. She lives with her veterinarian husband and two cats in Blacksburg. If you have a question, please write to her in care of The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, VA 24068, or send an e-mail to bowen508@verizon.net.