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The 10 Best Chinchilla Toys
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Chins are so breathtakingly adorable that the majority of chinchilla owners fell in love at first sight. The nocturnal chinchilla is endemic to the Andes Mountains in South America, where it lives as a rodent.
As a result, chins spend the majority of their time in their native habitat hunting and excavating tunnels to avoid predators. Consequently, these rodents have adapted to a high-energy existence, and the only time a chinchilla can remain quiet for lengthy periods is when it is unwell.
As a chinchilla parent, it is your obligation to give mental and physical stimulation in order to maintain their health and comfort. Here, chinchilla toys come into play.
Following are BestForPets (bestforpets.org)'s evaluations of the best chinchilla toys currently available on the market. Find the best one for your pet below.
Reviews
Emours Soft Suspended Chinchilla Dwelling
As prey animals, chins have evolved to stay vigilant at all times. This is why they excavate tunnels for resting and sleeping, as burrows help them feel less exposed.
Even if there are no predators in your house, your chinchilla is nonetheless hardwired to seek out secure places to sleep. This is why it is crucial to provide them with a hiding place.
The Soft Hanging Chinchilla House by Emours resembles a loaf of bread and is a pleasant hideaway. It measures 10 inches in length, 8 inches in width, and 8 inches in height and is constructed of plush flannelette fabric.
Your chinchilla will enjoy lounging and napping in this comfortable cage. However, due to the frequency with which these animals defecate, the bedding is likely to become odorous very quickly, necessitating frequent laundering.
This item is our top recommendation owing to the comfort it provides for your chinchilla; any other form of toy is useless if your pet is not comfortable, to begin with.
Pros
- Permits your chin to “disappear”
- Made from a silky fabric
- Removable bedding to facilitate cleaning
Cons
- Frequent washing and drying required
The Grind of Pawliss Teeth on Lava Blocks
Similar to other rodents, chinchillas’ front incisors continue to develop throughout their whole lives. Therefore, chins must continually nibble on something to trim their incisors. Without anything to munch on, dental problems will inevitably arise, causing your pet a tremendous deal of suffering.
The Grinding Lava Blocks from Pawliss are among the greatest toys for gnawing. In addition to helping them maintain healthy, well-trimmed teeth, they prevent them from grinding their teeth against the cage wall or other cage components.
Each lava block is a 2-inch cube, and a pack contains six of them, which should be plenty for an extended duration.
Even if your pet consumes a pack every week, which is highly improbable, you should not notice a hole in your budget due to their low cost. This makes them a chinchilla chewing toy that is extremely inexpensive.
However, caution must be used when removing them from their packaging, since excessive force might cause the blocks to disintegrate.
Pros
- Excellent item for chewing
- Prevents scraping of animal chins against cage walls
- Affordable
Cons
- Can crumble when firmly held
Tech N Treat Living World Toy
You may have discovered by now that your pet is a very curious creature. Curiosity-endowed beings require a tremendous lot of stimuli to satisfy their curious nature. If you fail to give appropriate stimulation, you run the danger of having a depressed chinchilla on your hands.
The Teach N Treat by Living World is a novel, interactive, and educational toy that will provide your pet with plenty of cerebral stimulation. Additionally, it affords you the opportunity to spend quality time with them.
Using a system that rewards your pet anytime it solves a puzzle, this toy allows you to exercise your pet’s observation, listening, and learning abilities. This guarantees that your chin’s thinking remains active and vigilant while sharpening it.
Additionally, it has three sets of setups with varying degrees of complexity, allowing you to continue to challenge them.
Even while some may perceive this toy to be fairly costly, it will go a long way toward helping you properly activate your pet’s senses.
Pros
- Excellent source of cognitive stimulation
- Makes your chin more intelligent
- Facilitates progressive learning
- Offers a platform for pleasure and connection for both you and the chin
Cons
- A little costly
Stone of Kaytee Chinchilla Chiller
As previously stated, chinchillas are native to the Andes Mountains, which have an average temperature of 64°F. Therefore, in warmer habitats, these creatures are susceptible to overheating.
As a result, if you reside in a region with a warmer environment, it might be prudent to provide a cool surface in their cage where they may relax when they become overheated, as this will help them feel more at ease. Additionally, temperature variations might also stimulate the chins.
The Kaytee Chinchilla Chiller stone is composed of granite, a material that maintains its coolness even when ambient temperatures rise.
Simply set it wherever within your pet’s enclosure to use. Despite the fact that it may take some time to adjust, once your chin checks it out, it will likely become their new favorite hanging location.
Some people suggest placing the stone in the freezer for 10 minutes before to placing it in the cage, as this will allow it to remain colder for longer.
However, this stone is subject to shattering if dropped.
Pros
- Maintains the health of your animal by controlling their body temperature
- Easy to maintain
- Compact size
- Offers a good place to chill out
Cons
- Breaks if dropped
Kaytee Silent Spinner Wheel
Utilize a spinner wheel to guarantee that your chin receives sufficient workouts. It will exhaust them so that they do not develop tension due to idleness.
The Silent Spinner Wheel by Kaytee is fantastic since its design prevents it from making noise when in use. In addition, it readily connects to a wire cage or may stand alone.
When searching for a spinning wheel for your chin, this type of solid floor wheel is typically the finest option. This is because solid floor wheels prevent your chin’s feet from being caught or jammed in the wheel’s openings.
Furthermore, the fact that it can be attached to a wire cage makes it superior, as chinchillas are incredibly powerful and may quickly topple free-standing wheels.
However, some purchasers claim that the wheel might be stiff.
Pros
- Stimulates physical activity
- Quiet whirling
- Can be attached to a wire cage or stand-alone
- Attractive design
Cons
- The wheel may be rigid.
Small Animal Kaytee Apple Orchard Chew Sticks
These all-natural chew sticks from Kaytee provide your pet with physical and mental stimulation. In addition, they give your pet suitable chewing material to keep their teeth in good condition.
For more stimulation, just insert a stick inside the cage or attach it to a “kabob” toy. A pack of these sticks typically contains 10 pieces, but larger packs are available if desired.
As previously stated, chinchillas must continually trim their teeth to prevent them from overgrowing. However, having only one sort of chewing material might rapidly become monotonous for your pet. Using a variety of alternatives can therefore keep your animal active and prevent it from becoming overly selective.
Pros
- Beneficial for wearing down teeth
- Natural apple tree branches
- Offer cognitive and physical stimulation
Cons
- Certain animals exhibit little interest in these sticks.
Manufacturing Industry Hay Ball
This chew-proof wire toy is a Ware Manufacturing Hay Ball. It is meant to give mental and physical stimulation while simultaneously feeding your chinchilla.
Simply attach it to the enclosure’s ceiling, fill it with new hay, and then watch as your chins jump at it to obtain the food within. This toy also includes a little bell connected to its base that chimes when your pet touches it.
Because the chins must leap to get the hay, the hay ball also gives excellent exercise. Some purchasers report that their chins like nibbling from the hay ball so much that they no longer consume the hay from their feeder. A further advantage of employing the hay ball is that feeding is less untidy.
However, some chins appear to have little interest in hay balls.
Pros
- Chins may exercise while feeding.
- Offers stimulation.
- Does not produce a great deal of mess
Cons
- Some animals may not find them appealing.
Kaytee Lava Ledge
The Lava Ledge is yet another fantastic product from Kaytee, serving not only as a chewing surface but also as an exerciser.
Lava ledges are composed of pumice rock and are covered with “pet-safe” food coloring so that your chinchilla may use them to maintain healthy teeth and nails. In addition, they include fasteners that let you can connect them to various spots on the cage so that they may serve as ledges for your chins to jump on, allowing them to exercise.
A pack includes many ledges that may be placed at various heights on the cage walls to encourage your chinchilla to hop, resulting in a stronger and healthier animal.
Pros
- Promotes normal leaping behavior
- Provides gnawing substance
- Simple to install
- Small in size
Cons
- They may need to be replaced often.
The OxGord Playpen
While the OxGord Playpen is not a “toy” in the conventional sense, it does provide an engaging environment for your chin to relax in when you want to present them with a change of scenery from its typical confinement.
With a circumference of 45 inches and a height of 24 inches, this playpen is extraordinarily spacious, ensuring that your pet has plenty of space for play. In addition, it includes storage sections for additional toys. As such, it is the ideal bag for transporting your chin if it will accompany you on your travels.
In addition, swapping your chin frequently between its container and this playpen will minimize boredom.
However, it has a strong odor that your chin may not appreciate. Thankfully, this odor disappears after a few washing.
Pros
- Offers a unique setting for your chill to relax in
- Simple to construct
- Simple to clean
- Permeable wire mesh screen
- Two-door entry
- Collapsible for storing convenience
Cons
- Powerful first odor
Buyer's Guide
Obtaining the appropriate toy for your chinchilla is more difficult than it sounds because of the abundance of possibilities. It is extremely challenging for first-time chinchilla parents to choose the best decision. Consider the following guidelines while searching for the greatest toys for your chinchillas, as they will assist you in making the appropriate choice.
Avoid inexpensive items
When we refer to a toy as “cheap,” we are referring to more than just its price; we are also referring to its manufacturing.
Some chinchilla toy producers use an automated technique to make as many toys as possible within a specific time frame, which has a negative impact on the product’s overall quality.
Since chins can chew on nearly everything, you must ensure that any toy you give them cannot be harmful to their health. As a general guideline, you should avoid purchasing inexpensive chinchilla toys, as it is quite probable that they were created inexpensively.
Nonetheless, this does not indicate that all expensive toys are of high quality. Therefore, it is essential to research a product before purchasing to see whether it is safe for your pet.
Objective: Chewing vs Playing
The sort of chin toy you should choose is heavily influenced by the reason you wish to acquire one.
If you currently have toys that help your pet maintain healthy teeth but are concerned about their physical condition, you should seek a toy that will get them exercising, such as a spinner wheel.
Safety
Due to their sensitive nature, chins can be particularly prone to injury. Therefore, the toy you get should provide a low danger of damage. If possible, steer clear of spinner wheels with horizontal spokes. Choose instead ones with a flat, uniform surface. This protects your animal’s legs from being caught in the spokes.
Conclusion
The clever and curious temperament of your adorable chinchilla needs a tremendous lot of mental and physical stimulation. Given that the typical lifespan of a chinchilla is between 15 and 20 years, failing to provide appropriate stimulation will result in a miserable lifestyle.
Fortunately, chinchillas can play with a variety of toys. However, the challenge is locating the best one.
The Soft Hanging Chinchilla House by Emours is the best chinchilla toys since it simulates a chin’s natural environment by giving a place for them to hide and relax.
BestForPets (bestforpets.org) suggestion for the best value is Pawliss’ Teeth Grinding Lava Blocks, which are constructed of safe, high-quality materials that your chin may use to grind its teeth against, and are relatively reasonable.
However, when it comes to chin toys, it is essential to have diversity. In addition to these two items, you may get a toy that encourages your pet to exercise so that it remains in excellent condition. There is no incorrect choice among the products reviewed in this article.
Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.
Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher
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