Like any domestic animal put in a cage or any other enclosure, chinchillas have a natural tendency to run in and around the cage freely. They don’t like to remain static and idle. Hence, the bigger the cage the better it is from the point of view of your pet’s comfort.

To elaborate, the minimum floor space occupied by the cage should be about 24 x 24 inches. Again, tall cages are preferable. Ideally, get tall chinchilla cages with ladders and shelves that let the animal climb.

Common mistakes made by new chinchilla owners

Now, let’s look at some of the common mistakes that inexperienced and new chinchilla owners tend to make, and which need to be avoided when arranging chinchilla cages. They are as follows:
1. Wire is thought to be the best cage material. However, making use of a wire mesh bottom cage is not always a very wise idea because the small feet of chinchillas may then slip through the mesh. Their fragile feet can get irritated or cut by the hard metal, causing foot sores.
2. For chinchillas, a solid floor cage with soft bedding is advisable.
3. Wrong placement of chinchilla cages is another obvious mistake to be avoided. Place them in a corner of your home where the pets would feel most comfortable and also can be easily supervised.
4. Avoid plastic chinchilla cages or other accessories because the animals may end up chewing and destroying plastic, or even harming themselves.