Do Chinchillas Need A Wheel? (What You Need To Know)

Chinchillas are fairly low maintenance.

They do not need a ton of toys and accessories to keep them happy and healthy.

But they do need a few things.

Does that include an exercise wheel?

Do chinchillas need a wheel in their cage or is it just a nice thing to have?

Keep reading to learn if you absolutely must buy your chinchilla an exercise wheel, if it is strongly recommended, or if it is just a nice diversion, but not vital. We will also cover what to look out for when choosing a wheel.

 

Do Chinchillas Need A Wheel?

Chinchillas do not need a wheel, but it is something you should provide your pet in its cage. It is important for your chinchilla to be able to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Wheels are not necessary, if you give your chinchilla plenty of other exercise opportunities. But we strongly recommend having a wheel in the cage.

Wheels are one of the best ways to get your pet some heavy exercise and they are tons of fun to boot. They are an important part of a well-equipped chinchilla cage and make for fun playtime for your chinchilla.

 

A Well-Equipped Cage

Chinchillas are athletic creatures and in their natural habitat in the Andes mountains, they love to run around and jump over and onto lots of rocks.

Making sure your chinchilla has a nutritious diet and a well-equipped cage ensures a healthy and active lifestyle. It also gives your pet an additional entertainment option in its cage. You don’t want you adorable little rodent to get bored, do you?

The minimum requirement for your chinchilla’s cage is 24 cubic inches. We strongly recommended a larger cage with multiple levels. This article lists our favorite cages. Number on on the list is the Critter Nation 2 cage. It is the one I use myself.

If your chinchilla’s cage is smaller, you really need to make sure you let your pet out every day, so that it can run around, have some fun, and get some exercise. You should do this regardless, but it is even more important, if the cage is small.

With a small cage and no wheel, aim for at least two hours of playtime outside the cage per day. With a larger cage and a wheel, your pet can get a lot of its exercise inside the cage.

There are also plenty of other fun things you can buy for your chinchilla’s cage, so that it can have lots of fun and get lots of exercise. An exercise wheel is my favorite, though. And my pet’s favorite, too.

You can clip the wheel onto the side of the cage, to allow more space in the cage, if you like. Or you can place it on a platform. I actually started with something a bit different from a a wheel. I’ll show you a bad photo of it below.

Point is: it’s good to have a wheel, or something like it, in the cage. For a chinchilla, running on a wheel is the same as a human running on a treadmill. It allows your chinchilla to get as much exercise as it wants, help it relieve stress, and keep it fit and healthy.

You can also buy other toys for your chinchillas to keep them entertained. You can usually find a number of fun toys at your local pet store or online from Amazon or other stores.

You can find toys that bounce or roll, like balls. You can get shelves, ramps and platforms for your chinchilla to jump from ledge to ledge. You can even buy chew toys or tunnels to keep your chinchilla entertained.

I recommend having ramps, shelves and ledges in the cage at all times, along wit a wheel. Then also add another toy or two. You can keep switching these additional toys every few days, so that your chinchilla won’t become bored.

 

What Type of Wheel Is Best?

We have an article reviewing the best chinchilla wheels here. That will help. To start with, you should make sure the wheel is chew-proof. Chinchillas love to chew anything and everything.

If you get a wheel your pet can chew, it won’t be a wheel for very long. Along the same lines, you want to make sure the wheel is made from non-toxic materials.

In general, the best wheel type of wheel to get for a chinchilla is a metal one. Metal wheels are durable, so your chinchilla won’t easily wear them down. And metal is most definitely chew-proof.

You should also make sure to get a wheel that is at least 6 inches in width, so that your chinchilla can comfortably run in it. Of course, make sure the wheel is also tall enough for your chinchilla, so it won’t hit its head or have to bend its back to much when running.

 

Why Do Chinchillas Like To Run On Wheels?

A big reason chinchillas love running on a wheel is that it is a great stress reliever. Similar to humans, when a chinchilla goes for a run, it can burn off some stress, produce some endorphins, and feel much more relaxed afterwards.

It also helps them when they are nervous and don’t want to be picked up. It can allow them to feel like they are able to run away. Of course, this does not mean that you have been a bad owner. Don’t we all like to feel we would like to run away when stressed or nervous?

 

Can Chinchillas Run In A Ball?

Exercise balls are designed for smaller animals, such as hamsters or mice. For that reason, I do not recommend to putting your chinchilla into one of these balls.

Not only may it be a little tight for your chinchilla in the ball, but chinchillas overheat easily. They have thick fur, because they are used to a cool climate. Being inside an enclosed ball and running around can easily lead to overheating and that can quickly deteriorate into heat stroke and death.

That said, there is one way you could use an exercise ball. The first wheel I gave my chin was actually an exercise ball that I had cut up to remove the sides. That way, it is no longer enclosed and overheating is not a problem. Here is a photo of that.

 

Should Chinchillas Have A Wheel: Final Thoughts

Chinchillas do not need a wheel, butt hey should have one. Putting an exercise wheel in your chinchilla’s cage is a strong recommendation. Not only does it allow your pet to exercise, but it also gives it a way to have fun and release stress.

When you buy a wheel, make sure it is not something that your pet can chew up, and not toxic so that when your chinchilla inevitably tries to chew on it, it will not suffer any harm.

You also want to make sure the wheel is large enough for a chinchilla, which means you should not get a standard wheel made for a hamster or other smaller rodents. There is quite a difference in size between a hamster vs chinchilla.