Where Can I Buy A Chinchilla? (Options, Cost & More)

So you finally decided on a chinchilla.

First off, congratulations!

They are wonderful pets.

But they’re not as easy to find as dogs or cats.

Adopting or buying a chinchilla is a bit more difficult. But only a bit.

Once you know where you can buy a chinchilla, it becomes even easier than getting a cat or dog.

Keep reading to learn where to buy a chinchilla, how much you can expect to pay, and everything else you need to know about the process.

 

Where Can I Buy A Chinchilla?

In most areas, you can buy a chinchilla at a local PetSmart, Petco, or other pet store. You can also adopt a chinchilla from a local breeder, from a chinchilla rescue, or the classified ads.

All of these are viable options, if you are looking to buy a chinchilla soon.

While none of these options are bad by any means, they all do have pros and cons that we need to discuss in more depth.

That is what the rest of this post will break down for you.

When you finally reach the stage where you are ready to buy your chinchilla, you will have several options. Which options you have depends on where you live and what you have available in your area.

 

Chinchilla Breeders

The preferred choice is a chinchilla breeder that is within a driving distance. You don’t want to have to travel for too long, because it places stress on your chinchilla.

The primary reason to choose a breeder over a local PetSmart or Petco is the knowledge base they can provide you at the time of the adoption.

A chinchilla breeder is going to have a plethora of information they can relay to you, a strong knowledge of the chinchilla you are adopting, and they can help answer a bunch of questions.

When I adopted my chinchilla, I was at the breeder for hours.

Some of this time was spent interacting with the chinchilla I was adopting at the time and learning how to handle her properly. The rest of the time was chatting about best practices.

This is a nice luxury to have if you are ready to purchase a chinchilla. Check for a local breeder first and take advantage of what they can offer.

Ask questions such as the following:

• Is my chinchilla bonded with any other chinchillas?
• Is it a sociable chinchilla?
• What is the current diet you have been providing?
• Is my chinchilla used to being handled?

These are going to give you a significant advantage when you buy a chinchilla.

The next option you can use to buy a chinchilla is your local pet store.

 

Buying a Chinchilla From A Local Pet Store

Buying a chinchilla from your local PetSmart or Petco is another option you can use. It is a decent option to consider, but it does have a few drawbacks.

The first drawback of going in this direction is the knowledge you will get from a local pet store employee.

Chinchillas are a relatively rare and exotic pet. Although it is said that 80,000 or more households currently own a chinchilla, many people still know nothing about them.

Unfortunately, this includes many pet store employees.

Another issue with choosing to buy a chinchilla from a pet store is the lack of ability to learn about your specific chinchilla.

• Have they been around other chinchillas or been handled frequently in the past?
• What kind of personality do they have?

While you can certainly ask these questions, the chances of the employee at the pet store having much information to provide you are slim to none.

Nonetheless, I do not see any issue with someone buying a chinchilla from a pet store.

Many of them will have chinchillas available, but it is best to call in advance to double-check.

Going this direction will likely run you about $150 for the chinchilla, and then you will have the cost of all your accessories. Additionally, you will have the chinchilla cage to purchase.

 

Local Chinchilla Rescues And Classified Ads

Now, I want to move on to a third option, which is a local rescue or the classified ads. This option is usually the most difficult.

That is simply because the chances of someone giving up a chinchilla for adoption at the same time that you are looking to purchase one are relatively slim.

And even if there is someone, you would also need to find this situation in an area near you.

However, chinchillas are offered on classified ads every so often, and chinchilla rescues certainly do offer the chance to adopt.

If you do not have a local breeder and prefer to go this route, there is nothing wrong with doing so.

The only disclaimer is that a chinchilla from a rescue, or one being sold through a classified ad, may be more prone to prior neglect.

This means you may have more work ahead of you to build a strong bond and trust with them, if you decide this is the way you are going to adopt your chinchilla,

Nonetheless, it is a perfectly viable option, and one of several ways you can buy a chinchilla.

 

How To Buy A Chinchilla Like A Pro

Before sending you on your way, I want to point out one more thing to make the process of buying a chinchilla as easy as possible.

Preparation is key. In all honesty, I could have done better at this myself.

Whether you are choosing to adopt from a chinchilla breeder, the pet store, or a local rescue, do some planning in advance.

Figure out which climate-controlled room you will be keeping your chinchilla in. Learn as much as you can about chinchillas using helpful resources such as this website.

Purchase one of the best chinchilla cages you can afford and have all the best toys already set up inside of the cage.

The more you do before you buy your chinchilla, the easier those first few weeks will ultimately be.

 

Where To Buy A Chinchilla: Final Thoughts

You have plenty of options for places from which to buy and adopt a chinchilla. And again, all these options are perfectly viable, but they do have their pros and cons.

I am a chinchilla owner myself and fully advocate for you adopting a chinchilla of your own. Whichever option is available to you in your area, take it and have a blast with the journey.

Chili and I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming chinchilla purchase and adoption.

Share your thoughts.

Do you know of any other ways you can purchase or adopt a chinchilla?

Do you have any other advice you can share with the community to make purchasing a chinchilla even easier?

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.