Chinchilla Cage Accessories (Best Ledges, Tunnels & More)

What’s the best part about owning a chinchilla?

I guess that depends.

But one of my favorite things is sprucing up the cage with the best possible chinchilla accessories.

And then watching my chinchilla enjoy them to its heart’s content.

But you have to know which accessories will be fun for them.

And, more importantly, which ones are safe.

Keep reading for a rundown of the best chinchilla cage accessories you can buy.

 

Best Chinchilla Cage Accessories Compared

11/11/2024 05:49 pm GMT

The table above will allow you to navigate to each chinchilla accessory to learn more about each item. Simply click on the “check price” buttons to see the item on Amazon.

 

Why Toys And Accessories Are Necessary For Chinchillas

Some of you may be on a budget or may be curious why a chinchilla might need so many toys and accessories.

Here’s the deal.

Some of the items in this post aren’t 100% necessary. Others, I highly recommend purchasing.

Each item typically serves a purpose, which I will discuss as we go.

Chinchillas spend in most households, over 23 hours a day inside of their cage. Naturally, it doesn’t seem too crazy to realize that they need accessories to play with.

They need items that make them more comfortable. They simply need love, care, and affection like any other family pet.

America spends money and purchases accessories and toys for their pets every day. Owning a chinchilla is no different.

Luckily for you, chinchillas are significantly cheaper than owning other various pets. However, before purchasing any of the best chinchilla toys, it all begins with the cage.

 

The Chinchilla Cage Always Comes First

Everything starts with the chinchilla cage.

Always.

Chinchillas need this to be proper and adequate, before you load the cage up with all the best and cutest accessories.

Chinchillas need the ability to climb freely from ledge to ledge throughout their cage before a bunch of different items will make them more comfortable.

If you need help accomplishing this correctly, start by reading my blog post about the proper chinchilla cage sizing here.

I personally recommend the Critter Nation 2 Dual Level Cage (Link to Amazon).

In my opinion, it’s currently the most suitable, well-constructed, and physically appealing cage available for the price.

You can read a full review of the Critter Nation 2 Dual Level Cage here.

Overall, it’s fantastic, but if you need other options, I linked to my top chinchilla cage recommendations near the intro paragraph of this post.

Once you have the correct and proper chinchilla cage, you’re all set to begin customizing and placing your own style and accessories inside of the chinchilla cages.

Let’s dive into those details now and go through each of the best chinchilla cage accessories you can purchase on a budget to make your chinchilla happy, healthy, and well entertained.

 

Chinchilla Cage Accessories Reviewed

The following are the best types of chinchilla accessories to get for your pet. For each type, we features the best model currently on the market.

 

Best Chinchilla Ledges And Shelves: Alfie Pet Percy Wood Platform With Chew Toy

Chinchilla ledges are critical for a few reasons. First, they provide another nesting spot for your chinchilla inside of the cage.

Not to mention the fact that it encourages your chinchilla to jump around and remain active inside of the cage.

Assuming you took my advice and used a proper size chinchilla cage, you will likely need to 3 to 5 of these shelves. The more, the merrier.

I always like to say that you should place as many ledges, tunnels, and bridges inside of the cage as possible without it becoming overly cluttered.

The more they can interact with, the better.

Another thing to remember is that chinchilla ledges can be offered in either metal or wood. If the wood is a safe kind of wood, either one of these material options works just fine.

Metal chinchilla ledges do present one unique benefit that wood shelves don’t offer.

They typically offer an excellent spot for a chinchilla to sit and “cool down.” If you prefer metal shelves, you can see the metal version of the Alfie Pet shelf here on Amazon.

 

Best Tunnel: Ecotrition Snak Shak Edible Hideaway

Tunnels are another great addition to any chinchilla cage. It’s another activity they can enjoy.

Not to mention, it’s another item in the cage that can make a chinchilla feel safe, if they prefer to hide out for a bit.

This specific hideaway is excellent because it’s safe for a chinchilla to chew, which promotes a safe outlet for your chinchilla to grind its teeth.

I also love that this tunnel has exits on both ends in addition to the top. It keeps things interesting for your chinchilla.

Any of you who have a nesting box for your chinchilla, you know how they like to pop out of each side or the top depending on which kind of mood they are in.

Overall, for the low price, it’s a great option you can include to spice up your chinchilla’s environment.

 

Best Hanging Toy: S-Mechanic Natural Apple Wood Hanging Chew Toys

That’s right, my friends. You also need some fun accessories hanging from the cage. You want to keep these soft little guys entertained in many ways.

Not to mention, promoting chewing in several ways is always recommended. I prefer this 8 pack mainly for diversity. And the price is great.

It includes 1 round apple wooden chewing string, 1 semicircle apple wooden chewing string, 3 apple tree wooden slices, 3 sepak takraws. Overall, it’s the best bang for your buck.

 

Best Food Bowl: Ethical Stoneware Animal Dish

Chinchillas do need a food bowl, my friends. You can’t just sprinkle the food around throughout the cage.

They need two separate items in all reality.  hay feeder/holder and a glass food bowl.

This is because you need to be feeding your chinchilla pellets in addition to timothy hay as their primary diet.

For the food bowl, you want to go with one that has a solid construction, like the Ethical Stoneware Animal Dish.

You will have to replace several items inside of your chinchilla’s cage on a regular basis. The food bowl doesn’t need to be one of them.

It won’t be chewed or damaged and gets the job done for super cheap. Review my post about the best chinchilla food bowls here.

 

Best Hay Feeder: Kaytee Food Dispenser

Most of you know that I love anything by Kaytee. A hay feeder is another item needed for a chinchilla cage that is not optional.

I personally use two hay feeders in my cage.

This hay feeder is attached to the inside of the cage. I also use a hay feeder that attaches to the outside of the cage.

The reason I prefer the inside of the cage is that less hay falls to the floor around the cage. Either way, you go, a hay feeder MUST be one of your initial purchases.

Review my post about the best chinchilla hay feeders here.

 

Best Water Bottle: Lixit Glass Tube Water Bottle

Yes, a chinchilla does need a water bottle. You can’t use a water bowl for a chinchilla.

Chinchilla poop and other debris will make its way into the bowl. It could also cause issues in the event your chinchilla gets wet.

I always recommend a higher-end water bottle. I also attach two water bottles to my cage. The glass water bottles are simply more durable, and I’ve never needed to replace them.

You can see my post about the best chinchilla water bottles here.

 

Best Wheel: Quality Cage Crafters 15 Inch Chin Spin

Chinchilla wheels can be an excellent addition to a chinchilla cage, but you must be very careful.

Never get open bar construction and go for the largest wheel possible. This is not an accessory on which to skimp.

I personally use the Qualify Cage Crafters wheel due to the solid steel construction, the fact it remains open and cool, and that it’s quiet while in use.

Overall, this is the best option, but you can see my post about all the best chinchilla wheels here, if you’d like some other options.

 

Best Hammock: Niteangel Luxury Double Bunkbed Hammock

Hammocks are a great way to provide your chinchilla with another option to take a nice nap or simply relax inside.

This is another accessory to ensure you get right. Don’t go with a cheap or flimsy option. You need solid attachments and breathability.

I prefer The Niteangel. It’s what I use, and my chinchilla loves it. It attaches using 4 durable clips and has plenty of space inside of for your chinchilla to enjoy.

You can check out other options by reading my post about the best chinchilla hammocks here.

 

Best Ramp: Pulse Brands Wood Bridge

Ramps are a great way to allow your chinchilla to get to various levels inside of the cage. I use 3 ramps in my chinchilla cage, which is the Critter Nation we mentioned previously.

I use the metal constructed ramps that come with the cage, along with fleece covers over the bars.

You can see the covers here. However, this is more specifically designed for the Critter Nation cage.

If you use a different cage, you can use these ramps made of wood to keep your chinchilla safe from slipping their toes between bars or chewing plastic. This specific ramp gets the job done for cheap.

 

Best Litter Pan: Aimee Square Litter Pan

A litter pan is only necessary if you are attempting to potty train your chinchilla to pee inside of the litter box. I have a post dedicated to potty training that you can see here.

Overall, Aimee is one of many options, but it’s the best. It’s budget-friendly and has a separator where you can place the chinchilla litter.

You can read more about other options for chinchilla litter pans here.

 

Best Bedding: Piggy Bed Spread Fleece Liners

This is such a huge upgrade to any chinchilla cage. I rave about fleece liners in a good majority of my posts.

They are safe, decorative, and much more comfortable for your chinchilla. They simply slip over your tray liners and absorb the urine.

Not to mention, they eliminate the need ever to purchase other bedding in the future. Ultimately, this saves you a great deal of money in the long run.

If you are not a fan of the fleece, you can read more about the best chinchilla bedding options you have here.

 

Best Chinchilla Accessories: Final Thoughts

Purchasing cheap chinchilla accessories is half the fun owning a chinchilla. It’s awesome finding out which items they love to interact with inside of their cage.

The items on this list should have you off to a great start and have you off in the right direction to have one happy chinchilla.

Never neglect to spend time with your chinchilla due to them being social and friendly pets. However, the accessories in this post will help keep them busy when you can’t get them out to play.

Chili and I certainly wish you the best of luck with your new chinchilla and hope they love any of the accessories you pick out for them.

Chime in and share other great chinchilla accessories.

Do you have any chinchilla cage accessories, not on this list that you recommend?

Do you have any other safety precautions or recommendations?

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

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