3 Best Chinchilla Playpens (Safe, Affordable & Exercise Friendly)

Chinchillas need time outside their cages.

Ideally, they get a bit of playtime every day, when they can get out of the cage and interact with you directly.

But there are a lot of dangers outside the cage. That is why you need a dedicated playpen.

They give you a safe space to interact with your pet. That means you want a playpen large enough to fit you inside it.

The best chinchilla playpens are also safe, secure, escape-proof, and they allow air to flow through.

I have tried more than 5 of these playpens myself for the sake of this website. I narrowed them down to the 3 best, including the one I use.

We’ll get started with a table comparing the 3 options, before diving into some reviews of each model and some additional info you need to know before buying a playpen for your chinchilla.

 

Best Playpens For Chinchillas Compared

11/11/2024 06:04 pm GMT

Now, we can move into the reviews of each chinchilla playpen and answer all the frequently asked questions that come with this purchase.

My favorite is the first one, but the third is also a great purchase. It is slightly better, but not worth the additional cost to me. Plus, the largest size is usually not available.

The second one is a bit smaller, but also cheaper. I prefer the larger sizes, but if you are fine with a smaller one, the ESK is a great option.

 

Best Chinchilla Playpens Reviewed And Tested

These are the three best playpens on the market. The first one is my favorite and the one I use, but if you prefer the look, features (or price) of one of the other two, they are both excellent choices as well.

 

JESPET Playpen 45 x 61 (Current Chinchilla Playpen I Use)

This is the playpen that I currently use for my chinchilla and that you may have seen a time or two in my videos.

This playpen is great for several reasons.

First, I want to point out a significant key factor and state that I’ve had mine for 3 years plus, and it’s still going strong without issues.

Both entries still work great, and the top still zips flawlessly.

I also love that this play tent for your chinchilla is fully breathable and has a comfortable amount of space for you and your chinchilla to interact inside if you choose to do so.

It’s also offered in a variety of colors:

• Pink
• Blue
• Brown

Lastly, if you prefer to offer your chinchilla treats or keep items out for playtime, you can take advantage of the nice side pockets inside of the playpen for storage.

I’d say overall, this option primarily due to size is the best overall option for creating a safe chinchilla playpen that can hold you, your chinchilla, and even an additional family member or two.

Myself, my wife, and my 3-year-old son have been using this with my chinchilla without issue, and I’m sure it would be great for you too.

It is simply a great tool to allow you and your family something that you can do with your chinchilla.

 

ESK Collection Chinchilla Playpen

The ESK Chinchilla playpen is nearly identical to the chinchilla playpen we just discussed except it’s a tad bit smaller.

All the other features are also offered with this playpen.

What I don’t like about this playpen is that you lose the space. On the other hand, you save some money with this one.

If you don’t plan to be inside of the playpen often with your chinchilla or it’s always going to be just you and your chinchilla, it’s certainly still worth considering this option.

 

Zampa Portable Foldable Chinchilla Playpen

The Zampa could be ranked higher on this list, but I often find that when checking the recent information that it’s tough to get the largest size. It’s usually not in stock.

Outside of this issue, it’s still a breathable, color customizable, and decent option for your chinchillas play area.

It’s available in 3 sizes, with the largest being the same as the largest size available for my top choice above. The difference is that this model is slightly higher quality, but it also costs more. On the whole, I prefer the first one, but they are very close.

 

Quick Video Breakdown Of My Chinchilla Playpen

I have also made a quick video showing you my chinchilla playpen and chinchilla play area.

I thought maybe this could help some of you get an idea of the size and the important things you need to look for when searching for the ideal chinchilla playpen.

Here is that video for you.

Don’t Use Wire Or Metal Playpens For Your Chinchilla

I see a lot of other blogs out their advertising playpens that may be the best for your chinchilla, and it honestly makes me laugh a bit.

Listen, fellow chinchilla owners, don’t purchase a wire or metal bar constructed playpen.

Unless it’s something like chicken wire (which I would NOT do) your chinchilla will be able to fit right between the bars on the playpen.

There’s a reason that these are typically made for animals such as dogs and cats.

I specifically chose the three best chinchilla playpens above because I know they work for specific reasons:

• They remain at ideal temperatures due to breathability
• They are tall enough and have the ability for the top to close preventing escape
• They can fit you, your chinchilla, and a family member or two for interaction
• They are easy to carry, set up, and they don’t break the budget.

Clearly, if you don’t want to use one of these playpen options, your next best bet is to proof a room for your chinchilla to interact and play inside of safely.

I wouldn’t really recommend many other avenues for a safe and enjoyable playtime for your chinchilla.

 

How To Make A Chinchilla Play Area

Making a chinchilla friendly play area is a walk in the park.

All that’s required is that you begin by ensuring that the area your chinchilla will be playing at is considered chinchilla proofed.

This means that all wires and potential hazards are covered or removed from the room.

Outside of this, you typically want to keep your chinchilla limited to one room in case your chinchilla gets skittish and decides that they want to hide from you or runoff.

This makes the search area much smaller.

Clearly, using one of the chinchilla playpens is going to be one of your best avenues for this.

Especially if you don’t have a good room where your chinchilla can currently interact with you in a safe manner.

The playpens will eliminate any potential danger from cords and other hazards and will also keep your chinchilla in a limited space, which makes keeping an eye on your chinchilla much easier.

Especially in the early phases of ownership when you aren’t 100% comfortable with handling and caring for your chinchilla yet.

Next, if you want to spice it up some for your chinchilla, considering looking at some of the best accessories you can elect to purchase for your chinchilla.

You can not only use them in the chinchilla’s cage, but you can also use them during playtime in your playpen or in your designated play area.

This can include fun bridges, ramps, or other toys they can interact with when they are outside of the cage.

Anything you can do to stimulate your chinchilla into some physical activity and let them have some fun out of the cage is going to be a good bond builder and overall a good daily activity for you and your chinchilla.

 

What To Place Inside A Chinchilla Playpen

This is what we just began discussing just a moment ago.

In theory, you don’t necessarily need to have anything inside of your chinchilla’s playpen to have fun.

Trust me, they will jump, climb, and interact with you with or without other accessories or toys.

However, their dust bath is always an excellent addition to allow them some time to roll around.

Additionally, consider purchasing some of the accessories I referenced previously in this post to spice up the chinchilla’s playpen even further.

 

Other Factors To Consider When Choosing The Best Playpen

Outside of the critical factors, we have already covered, I also wanted to hit on a few other quick tips.

One of the critical things I’d look for in a chinchilla playpen is something that’s easy to store away and something that’s easy to move around in general.

I have used my playpen in several different rooms of my home for my chinchilla for various reasons and choosing a compact playpen that you can have this ability with is a lifesaver.

 

Best Chinchilla Playpen: Final Thoughts

A chinchilla playpen is honestly a must-have item, whether you have a safe chinchilla area for your chinchilla to play or not.

They come in handy in other situations that make them 100% worth the small cost.

I use mine often during quick cage cleanings, to shoot some good photos and videos of my chinchilla or if it doesn’t seem ideal to have her out in the entire basement for the day.

Now, if you don’t have a safe area for your chinchilla to play, a chinchilla playpen is necessary and the best way to ensure your chinchilla is safe and that you are providing the best care possible.

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

Share Your Thoughts On Chinchilla Playpens and Chinchilla Play Areas

Do you have any other recommendations you can share with the readers or any other chinchilla playpens you believe should be at the top of the list?

Be sure to share those stories, thoughts, and concerns by dropping a comment below. As always, Chili and I appreciate you stopping by, and we will see you next time.