When you have a fluffy, adorable pet, you want to spend time with it.
You want to hold it and cuddle it and play with it.
Well, you can do those things with a chinchilla, but maybe not as much as you would like.
Most chinchillas will let you hold the and pet them sometimes. But not all that often.
How about playing. Are chinchillas playful?
When it comes to this, the news is better.
Keep reading to learn just how playful chinchillas are and how they show their playfulness. You want to make sure you know all about this, before you go out and get one. They can live over 20 years, so you want to know what you’re getting into.
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Are Chinchillas Playful?
Yes, chinchillas are generally playful and inquisitive little animals. They love to explore and investigate their environment, often playing with toys or other items that catch their attention. And watching them play brings us so much of fun and entertainment!
Chinchillas are naturally curious animals and they are known for their high energy levels. They love to climb, run, jump, and explore their surroundings. These character traits make them the perfect playful pet.
However, chinchillas are also crepuscular animals, which means they are most active at dusk and dawn. They are also more active at night than during the day.
This can sometimes make chinchillas appear less playful than they actually are. Keep that in mind and don’t worry if your chinchilla seems less energetic during the day. It’s not sick or sad. Most likely, it is just sleepy!
Playful Chinchilla
One of the most playful behaviors of chinchillas is their love of jumping. Chinchillas can leap up to six feet in the air, which is impressive considering their small size. And let’s not even mention popcorning, which is basically what it sounds like. Learn all about popcorning here.
Chinchillas also love to climb, so you’ll want to provide them with plenty of climbing toys and platforms to climb on. Not only can this keep them entertained for hours, it’s also a great way to get your pet some exercise.
Another playful behavior of chinchillas is their love of digging. Chinchillas are natural burrowers, and they enjoy digging in their bedding or in boxes filled with shredded paper. Providing them with a dust bath of chinchilla dust is also a great way to keep them entertained. Not to mention clean.
Finally, chinchillas love all kinds of toys. Let’s take a look at some different types of toys to get for your pet.
Toys To Buy Your Chinchilla
Toys are a great way to play with a chinchilla. They enjoy playing with toys, especially those they can chewed. Chinchillas have teeth that never stop growing, so they need to chew on things to keep their teeth healthy.
You can buy chew toys designed specifically for chinchillas made from wood, hay, and other natural materials. You can pick these up from a local pet store and they are guaranteed to keep your chinchilla entertained for hours. This article goes over some great toys chinchillas love to play with.
One of the best toys you can purchase for your chinchilla is a running wheel. Chinchillas in the wild love to run, jump, and explore their environment and a running wheel in the cage is a great way to simulate this behavior.
Look for wheels made with non-toxic materials and sturdy construction, to ensure they won’t break or harm your chinchilla. This article goes over the best running wheels for chinchillas.
Chinchillas are fascinated with the way small bouncing balls move and jump around. They love to chase and pounce on them, and it’s a great way to keep them entertained for hours. Look for balls made of safe materials, like hard plastic, that won’t break easily or pose a choking hazard.
Social Interaction
One of the best ways to keep your chinchilla playful is to give it plenty of social interaction. Chinchillas are social animals and enjoy playing with their owners and other chinchillas. Paying attention to your chinchilla and spending time with itevery day can help build a relationship and keep your pet stimulated.
If you are unable to spend some playtime with your chinchilla every day, it may become stressed. If this is the case, it might be a good idea to look into getting another chinchilla to keep your pet playful and happy.
They can become lonely and bored quickly without a proper source of social interaction. When you add another chinchilla to the mix, they can play and groom each other, which makes chinchillas happy and fulfilled. It creates a sense of companionship and reduces isolation and stress.
Are Chinchillas Cuddly?
Chinchillas are social animals that thrive on the company of others, including their owners. However, they are not the typical “lap pets” that you can snuggle up with for hours on end. They prefer to explore and do their own thing most of the time. In other words, chinchillas can be cuddly at times, but not most of the time.
Chinchillas Are Playful: Final Thoughts
Chinchillas are playful little rodents. They are very inquisitive and love exploring, climbing, jumping, and playing with whatever they find. They are also very social and either need a companion, or an hour a day of playtime outside the cage.
If you are not able to spend some time playing with your chinchilla every day (missing a day here or there is fine, and you don’t have to give it your full attention, so you can multitask), then you should definitely get a second chinchilla to keep your first one company.
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