Tips for Taking Care of Old or Senior Chinchillas

The chinchilla is the longest-living rodent, with an average lifespan of 12 to 20 years. The age of the chinchilla is usually related to its environment and diet, but like humans, chinchillas will gradually age.

Symptoms of old age will begin to appear, such as decreased immune system function, weakened vision or cataract, dental problems, loss of coat color, frequent shedding, loosened skin, slower walking, less exercise, and the gradual appearance of diseases caused by old age. At this time, chinchillas need the care of their owners to relieve their symptoms from old age as much as possible.

When your chinchillas have aged, you can try providing dried grass to them. For example, Timothy grass is an important food that may promote the appetite of older chinchillas, or alfalfa containing calcium which may be added to alleviate the chinchilla's aging bones. It is suggested that a veterinarian should be consulted according to your chinchilla’s physical conditions to effectively improve their problems.

Due to ageing, the teeth of older chinchillas may become fractured, brittle or decayed. As a result, they should no longer eat dry, hard foods and their diet should be adjusted accordingly.

In addition to the daily chinchilla food, you can start feeding it soft food. Soak the synthetic chinchilla food in water and then feed it to them. Please consult your veterinarian for the appropriate soft food for each chinchilla's physical condition and offer it in appropriate amounts.

Older chinchillas’ lifestyle should be simplified. It is recommended to live in a single-storey chinchilla cage and to reduce the number of toys that require climbing. However, the running wheel should be kept to provide a certain amount of exercise and movement space, and the running wheel should be properly lowered to make it easier for the chinchilla to get on and off.

As the chinchilla’s odor will become heavier and the resistance will decrease, it is necessary to clean the cage much more frequently than before. Replace the sawdust or wood shavings regularly, clean the leftover hay and food, clean the food bowl and water bottle, and if there is a tray at the bottom of the cage, clean it to prevent bacterial infection.

In addition, we regularly check our friend's teeth, weight change, excretion and other physical conditions to take care of and protect their health in a timely manner and to extend and continue their happy life.