Do Chinchillas Poop A Lot? (Way More Than You Think)

There is one thing that surprises every new chinchilla owner.

Can you guess what it is?

If you’re a new owner, I’m certain you don’t have to guess. You already know.

It’s poop.

Specifically, it’s the amount of poop one of these tiny little animals can produce.

That sentence basically answers the main question.

But keep reading for a more exact answer, plus all the other important information you need to know about chinchilla poop.

 

Do Chinchillas Poop A Lot?

Yes, chinchillas poop a lot. They can poop up to 250 times per day. They usually poop most of the time that they are awake.

Yep, you read that correctly. Chinchillas can poop up to 250 time per day!

It may sound like a lot, but really, it’s not.

My chinchilla’s cage is never out of control dirty, and I’ve never had an issue with my chinchilla pooping non-stop.

I’ve also never had any issues with the poop causing my chinchilla cage to stink or impacting her overall hygiene.

Chinchilla poop does not have an odor and is a hard mouse like pellets that are easy to dispose of.

I wanted to take some time here today and explain what I mean when I say all that poop is nothing to make a big deal over.

 

More On Chinchilla Poop And Frequency

Like I stated before, chinchillas do poop extremely frequently. The fantastic news for all chinchilla owners, or those considering adopting a chinchilla, is the fact that the poop doesn’t smell.

Not even a little. In fact, chinchillas are odorless animals overall.

In addition to being odorless, the poop is also extremely easy to clean up.

What I am trying to say is simple.

Yes, chinchillas poop a lot, but it will not stress you in any fashion or cause much of a clean-up task on your end.

Provide them with a dust bath, and you have basically met all the hygiene needs for a chinchilla to remain clean and not putting off any odors around you or in your home.

Except for a cage cleaning of course, but I will touch on that more in just a few minutes.

 

Chinchilla Poop Is Easy To Clean Up

You can sweep it, vacuum it, grab it, or use whatever other method you choose to clean up and dispose of chinchilla feces.

Depending on where I allow my chinchilla out for playtime, I typically just sweep it up or vacuum it up.

It takes about 3 minutes, and you’re done. Chinchilla poop resembles mouse poop. It’s just tiny hard little pellets that carry no odor.

When you have your chinchilla out for playtime, it’s likely he or she will poop 15 to 20 times in the area where you are playing. That’s just in the small amount of time that they are out.

They have tiny little digestive systems, and when it’s time to let a pellet loose, they don’t have any fear of doing so, no matter who is around or who is watching.

It’s just the way it is.

Let your chinchilla out in a chinchilla proofed room and keep a dustpan nearby and you will not have anything to worry about.

 

Do Chinchillas Throw Poop (And Why)?

Yes, a chinchilla may throw their poop, but the reason they throw their poop is hard to pinpoint.

Most chinchilla owners state that their chinchilla will throw poop every now and then, when it is frustrated.

Yes, my friends, chinchillas have emotions. A chinchilla can even get bored.

So, if you’d like to avoid your pet throwing poop, be sure to spend time learning how to get it in and out of the cage for playtime. Learn to spend time and socialize with it.

Ultimately, this should help keep your chinchilla happy.

While there is no guarantee that this will prevent your chinchilla from ever throwing poop, it is about the only advice I can give on the topic, because I do not have a ton of experience with my chinchilla when it comes to throwing poop.

My chinchilla doesn’t throw her poop.

At least I haven’t seen her do it so if she is throwing her poop, it is either when I am not paying attention or when I am not in the room.

 

Will Poop Get Out Of The Chinchilla Cage?

Yes, this does happen but not because your chinchilla is throwing the poop. Most of the time at least.

Shavings, food pellets, poop pellets, and even a little hay can find its way out of the cage liner from time to time.

This is simply because of the position, or what your chinchilla happens to be doing during the time that they poop.

I have shelves for my chinchilla to jump on all over the cage. If a lot of poop is in the cage on shelves or even on fleece liners it is easy for the lightweight poop to get thrown around and thrown out of the cage.

My recommendation is to consider adding scatter guards to the cage:

This will eliminate a lot of the poop and other items that find a way to fall out of the cage. You’ll want a guard for each level. You can select the levels on the product page.

I’ve noticed when she’s on the higher shelves or in a playful mood, and she poops, that sometimes these make it through the grate of the cage because of her motion or the way she has her butt positioned near the cage wall when she decided to let loose.

Again, we aren’t talking about wet stinky poop here like diarrhea. It is a tiny little nugget. Grab a broom or vacuum, and the problem is solved is in less than 10 seconds.

Trust me, I’ve cleaned a chinchilla cage and more chinchilla poop than I can count, and it has never been a daunting task. It has always taken me roughly 5 to 10 minutes to complete a full cage cleaning.

Problem solved.

You should also take a moment to read my post about how to keep chinchilla poop in the cage.

 

Can You Potty Train A Chinchilla?

Yes, you can potty train a chinchilla. However, you can only potty train a chinchilla to urinate in a litter pan. Getting your chinchilla to poop in a certain spot will not happen.

Refer to my post about how to potty train a chinchilla here for more information on this topic.

They can recognize their name and their owners and be great loving, friendly pets, but you probably won’t be teaching your chinchilla to poop in one spot of the cage any time soon.

 

Is It Normal for Chinchillas To Poop A lot?

Yes, it is normal for chinchillas to poop a lot.

In fact, I’d say if your chinchilla is not pooping, that’s when it’s time to see a vet. It indicates that something may be wrong with your chinchilla.

Chinchillas should frequently be pooping if they are awake.

If you notice some time go by where the cage doesn’t have any poop in the liner or on the shelves, or your chinchilla isn’t pooping at all while out for playtime, there is something wrong.

You may have an issue and need to consult with a vet as soon as possible. Chinchillas can get sick and usually when they do, it advances rapidly.

So being aware of small changes In your chinchilla’s behavior, even if it’s something as simple as pooping, is essential.

It ensures you are caring for your chinchilla correctly and making sure you stop illness before it has time to become something more serious.

 

Are Chinchillas Smelly?

No chinchillas are not smelly at all. I’d argue they are perhaps one of the cleanest, easiest to care for, and non-odor producing pets you can adopt.

I have an entire blog post dedicated to discussing if chinchillas smell. It will give you a full break down of what to expect as far as the odors that a chinchilla can produce.

Overall, I think current chinchilla owners would all agree that they are clean, odor free-animals. That’s always a big positive in my book!

 

Do Chinchillas Eat Their Poop?

Yes, it is possible that your chinchilla eats its own poop. The actual act of eating poop is called coprophagy.

In most circumstances, a chinchilla will not eat its poop. But in rare cases, when the poop contains undigested nutrients and vitamins, a chinchilla may eat this poop to get the nutrients it needs.

The good news is that they don’t do this in a manner that you can physically see. If the poop hits the floor, they will not eat it.

A chinchilla knows the poop that needs to be re-digested to gain the nutrients and will eat this poop directly from the anus.

If you ever notice your little chinchilla in a bent-over position and coming back up for air chewing or holding something, you have just witnessed your chinchilla eating poop.

 

Chinchillas Poop A Lot: Final Thoughts

Well, that’s how it goes folks. Chinchillas poop a lot. It’s just the way of the world, but I do assure you that it’s not hard to clean up and it doesn’t have an odor.

The fact that a chinchilla poops often should not dissuade you from considering adopting one. They are one of the easiest, friendly, loving pets you can adopt.

In fact, you can see my post here. It details nine fantastic reasons why chinchillas make the ultimate pet for any family.

Once you get used to the small things, like how often chinchillas poop and what these scenarios look like, you will never look back and regret the decision of adopting a chinchilla.

At least that’s been the story for me.

Chili and I wish you the best of luck with your new chinchillas and the journey you have ahead of you.

What’s your experience with chinchillas and their poop?

Do you have any stories you can share about your chinchilla and their pooping habits?

Be sure to share those thoughts, stories, and concerns by dropping a comment below.

As always, Chili and I appreciate you stopping by and reading today and we will see you again next time.