Big thanks to Ridge for sending all these awesome wallets and the daily driver kit - and supporting the channel! Here’s the site if you want to check them out! > ridge.com/clint
I've watched most of your lizard video's and an Uromastyx has been the closest lizard to what I want if I were to choose a pet (but I wanted something calm that could sleep on me). HOWEVER, for years I've wanted to learn more about a Rock Hyrax. Information that I found of the internet isn't all that informative. I hope you are able to do a video on these amazing creatures. Any additional links where I could learn more would be awesome too. Thanks Clint.
please make a video about some of the dwarf Boas such as the Tarahumara Mountain Boa they are too underrated and I believe they deserve to be seen/loved by more people.
@@EDTHEWEATHERMANMy friend had one in a cage and I was trying to get him to be friendly but I approached these animals like their dogs he bit me in the nose and I still have a scar and it was painful
We had a chinchilla. Fantastic pet. Really friendly, and lived until he was 18. One thing to mention, if he didn’t like someone he was an expert at aiming a precise jet of pee at them. Ferret cages work great for them.
If he was an Olympic level projectile pee-er, then he was probably a she. :) The girls are the S Tier Defensive Sprayers in the wonderful world of chinchillas.
@@Leosloth2011 Make sure it's one with verticality. Chinchillas LOVE to climb and bounce up ramps. (also if the ramp is anything but metal they will chew through it.)
@@idigamstudios7463I wonder if an extra large flight cage would work? Like, one made for large parrots. It would need to be modded, but I wonder if it’d be viable at all.
I looked after my friend 6 while she was abroad studying, all rescues(uk), only one really liked handling as she was the only one that had been properly socialised at a young age. The others did get calmer but it took many months of patience and they still preferred scooting about, bouncing off the furniture and spraying their dust baths everywhere😅 I learnt a lot from the less sociable ones about patience and affection not necessarily meaning cuddles with fluffy mammals! (Learning curve for someone with many rats and clingy dogs 😁)
@@Leosloth2011 In Florida also, I see a LOT of them posted on Orlando Craigslist. It's not a rescue but you could be rescuing one that could be given instead to bad people who buy pets off there for ill purpose.
I've been keeping chinchillas for pushing 30 years. It's amazing how long they can live. I know ethical breeders with retired breeder chinchillas in their mid-20s. One of my remaining chinchillas is 18. The other two are in their mid teens. I bred them for several years and then focused on rescue. My 18 year old was one I sold. She was returned twice as people discovered chinchillas weren't for them, so she's been with me for over ten years now. I have a couple of pieces of advice: If anyone is thinking of buying from a pet store, don't. Do your research. There are several conditions that badly bred chinchillas can have. Some reduce life expectancy. They can be great pets, but you really need to be dedicated to understanding proper care like temperature and humidity requirements and ratios. Clint isn't quite right here. It's about more than just temperature. They need a cool and and dry environment. The higher the temp, the lower the humidity must be. Wheels should not only be metal but should be large (14"-16"). They run hard and long and can eventually develop curvature of the spine if the wheel is too small. Wheels should not have spokes. Spokes are a recipe for broken legs. Chinchillas like to throw themselves off the wheels and spokes can catch the back legs and break one. And, unfortunately some chinchillas are pretty much look but don't touch animals no matter what you do. Temperaments tend to run in lines. So don't enter info this lightly. They often live longer than cats. Best of luck to any future chinchilla owners!
Thank you for posting this. Often, personal experience is very useful information for new owners. It's one thing to be told their needs, but most people need to know details about how to actually meet those needs. I never realized that too much time on a small wheel could cause problems with the spine, but it makes sense. I feel like giving animals more room to explore in their enclosure, plus lots of time out of it, is essential.
I am also assuming a reputable breeder would spend time with a youngster to socialise them a little and to see how they are being handled before they left for their new home?
Thank you I feel like exotic pets are really great pets but they do require a lot of very specialized care. My friends had Chinchillas and they were wonderful critters. I had 6 ferrets at the time so no chinchilla for me but it's something I have though about when my kids are teenagers and I have a bit more time. We currently have guinea pigs and people also under estimate the amount of work and time that go into these furry potatoes.
The rapid domestication of chinchillas has been fascinating to watch. I still remember as a child when they first showed up as pets as a biproduct of the efforts to save them from extinction. They were so neurotic that if you got one, there was a risk it would die from fear before it was tame and if tame they only liked you and could still die from fear from new stimulation suddenly. By the time I was 20, sudden fear deaths were rare. Now I am almost 40 and they are nearly as tame as domesticated rabbits from birth! And OMG all the colors and fir types! At this point they seem to make better pets than rabbits for many people provided you have space and free roam. That said, rabbits are terrible pets for most people so keep that in mind, you need to build your home around them or you will have problems.
I'll be honest Clint, you seem to have one of the older kinds with you, like from when I was in my 20s. If you get the chance to meet one from the hard core selective breeding for temperament please do so, they are fantastic though I have only gotten to meet a couple so far they blew my mind. It's almost like a different species, much more dog like in weird ways. Hard to describe but they don't move the same anymore because they aren't concerned about predators, like at all. Gerbil like I guess I would say.
I got a pet rabbit when I was 10, I wished for one when I was sick in the hospital and got him for my birthday. I guess I was one of those people who a pet rabbit was just right for :) He was the best pet ever. (I know, we should have had two, but this is long ago and I didn't know.) He was like a little dog that came running when you called. He would sit in my lap or cuddle with my feet. In the summer he would get to be outside and we would cut our own hay for him. Sadly he didn't get very old... I miss him, he was the greatest, even though he chewed up some furniture and doors. Now I have a cat that I love dearly, but I still wish for a bunny sometimes.
What makes rabbits terrible pets for most people? I genuinely need to know….. And would you know where I might be able to purchase a chinchilla that was selectively bred for temperament, one of those dog/gerbil-like chinchillas that you got to meet?
Toaster is a fantastic name. My buddy had one and the only issue I saw was that they get their dust, that they roll in, everywhere. He actually had a whole room in his house dedicated to his chinchilla.
Yeah, that dust is getting spread far and wide. Consider putting something solid around the actual cage to catch the spray. The sand bath is also a great lure for getting them to go back into the cage when they've been out for exercise too.
@@davidwesley2525 I'm pretty sure he did. And whenever I'd smoke he would be at the edge of the cage with his nose between the bars sniffing wildly at the air. In retrospect it probably wasn't wise to let him eat any, but I was also a stupid 20 year old. Edit: I'm a stupid 38 year old now.
As a chinchilla owner, it takes a person who is willing to set aside their want to cuddle the chinchilla in order for it to be as happy as ever. Most aren't very cuddly but my God they are so funny to watch hop around the room.
@@laurieb3703 Not even that, some won't let you touch them at all. I've had mine for a few weeks now and he's JUST now comfortable to the point where he''ll let me pick him up, but he still HATES being held. He'll eventually come around but it's just gonna be a very slow process.
Mine will jump on my lap and likes to snuggle there, or in the crook of my arm, but he hates HATES being picked up and held. Basically he can be cuddly but it has to be on his own terms.
My sister got one when I was a kid... GREAT pet. He was skittish but I volunteered to spend lots of time getting him used to people. After a week, I'd open his cage, he'd run up my arm and sit/ride on my shoulder. When I bent down or walked fast, I'd feel his little hand holding onto my ear. 🥰
I’ve only held a chinchilla once a few years back, but that animal is something I still remember as being the softest, most adorable animal I’ve held to this day
You mentioned how chinchillas don't dry out very well so you should avoid getting them wet, but I think it could use more emphasis. This can cause skin infections and other bad stuff. Really, REALLY don't get them wet if you can help it.
Dear God I love my dang chinchilla! She's been such an amazing companion for me and a rewarding, loving pet. I would not say, based on my experience, they are all great for little kids, mine would definitely not be, but as a companion for an adult, unparalleled! It took awhile for her to trust me, but with time, gentle handling, and trust, she now sleeps with me, cuddles, and perhaps the most epic affection is her grooming me! It's just precious!
Oh! They are super smart too! Took me like 4 days to litter box train mine, 3 days to train her to come when called, and maybe a week to train her to jump from the floor to my hands.
@Lexcoaster So I had the whole bottom of the cage full of bedding at first. Then a added a small litter box with just a very thin layer of bedding in it and just kept taking spots of the soiled bedding from the cage floor and put it in the litter box. I then each day removed some bedding and put it into the litter box until the whole bottom had no bedding and only the litter box did! Worked so fast! Now I have them out around the house for when she's out playing!
So glad you cover mammals from a reptile expert and biologist's point of view. Quite refreshing and is really far more realistic than what most people show, since mammals are truly one of the most demanding pets available. Plus people are drawn in by how cute mammals like chinchillas are, not realizing they require very specific needs.
When I went to a school for animal related education (I don't know what to best call it in English) the teachers and keeper employees told us that they'd appreciate if we helped socialize the chinchillas and after that I spent every lunch break sitting and reading a book or doing homework inside the chinchilla cage which was the size of a walk in closet. The chinchillas would eventually sit on my head and legs and explore whatever clothing I had on and it was hands down my best memory of school. I have such a soft spot for them ever since. ^^
My mom used to breed chinchillas when I was little. Babies are born with their eyes fully open and look like miniatures of their parents. Chinchilla fur is the softest thing you will ever touch and some chinchillas, when socialized a lot, will want to spend all their time with you.
My sister & I had 2 baby raccoons as kids & they were sooo cute & awesome until they got big & then they got more aggressive. They were a rescue & we were just fostering them at the time. Their mom wasn't alive anymore 💔so they had to be bottle fed 🍼& such but once they were big enough & rehabilitated they were released & would still come back & visit from time to time😊
I had chinchillas in my teens and early twenties. I broke so many vacuums between the poop and the dust 😂 but it was worth it because they were so wonderful. This video made me want to get back into them…
I expected Chinchillas to score higher, but the score is correct. Their personality ranges so much among individuals. We had one when I was a child because she was too aggressive with their kids, She was the sweetest little thing for us but hated her own kind. She was one of our easiest pets. It's weird how for some people a terrible animal is a great pet for others,
I love watching Clint interact with Toaster, very representative of what ACTUAL interactions are like. Too many people see chinchillas on Instagram and get the wrong idea of what it's like to be friends with one.
I'd love to see a video on what may be objectively the best pet - the pet rock. They're pretty handle-able (depending on weight), quite hardy, super available, easy to care for, and dirt cheap!
I remember I was like 6 or 7 and went to a birthday party where a guy brought a few different animals, including a chinchilla. The feel of that chinchilla's fur is something I will never forget. I have not seen or touched one since, unfortunately.
Of all the pets I’ve had, I think rabbits and chinchillas have been my favorites. The only negative part of having a chinchilla is how fragile they are and that I constantly have to worry about the temperature.
I too love rabbits SO much. Their health is very fragile but the trust of a rabbit is the most beautiful thing to experience! And they have so much personality and kindness! I am glad you have experienced chinchillas too :)
I had a chinchilla when I was younger. The family we got him from needed to rehome him due to him getting ringworm from their cat. He was very tame like Toaster. He loved his neck scratched. He eventually got old and passed away. He was one of the best pets I’ve ever had.
I'm so happy you finally did a chinchilla! My chinchilla Teddy is my best animal friend. I've had him since he was a baby and every morning when we hang out together he follows me around the room like a duckling. 😊🩷
Ive got three rescue chinchillas and they are adorable, although they are basically equivalent to having an aquarium pet that you let out to run around (if you have cats anyway 🐱❤)
The nature center I volunteered for as a teenager had a couple surrendered chinchillas. Volunteers and visitors weren't allowed to handle them, only staff, but volunteers did get to watch the chinchillas take their dust bath. I've never been so delighted to see a critter roll in dust, I wish camera phones had been more available at the time, I would have treasured that video forever. My family did rescue a rex rabbit a few years ago and my goodness, she was about as close to chinchilla softness I've ever felt.
Chinchilla are adorable, BUT they don’t really enjoy being handled. They will play around you, but they won’t play with you. And if they get the idea that you’re trying to catch them, they’ll make it a challenge. Our had a little baby. We didn’t even know she was pregnant. They are like Guinea pigs, the babies are like miniature adults. Eyes open, mobile, quick. Oh so cute! If you want a pet to hold, don’t get one.
Thankfully I still have one rescue chinchilla left and I love his companionship. He is absolutely adorable. He must’ve about 12 or older and everyone who visits me adores him. Thank you for sharing ! ❤blessings
we got two rescues about a year and a half ago because we're working with our local animal welfare association and they told us they found 35 in need of new homes. ours aren't huge fans of being handled, one sometimes puts her front legs on my hand or let's me lightly pet her head but otherwise they stay away from direct contact. but just watching them and caring for them is so fun. additionally, a chinchilla that just woke up from a good sleep is about the most adorable thing i've ever seen!
@@lunarcod7187 cuz its not very exciting or difficult to take care of and they're not as cool as any reptile. Its a pet you can get anywhere unlike my alligator snapping turtle or my komodo dragons
@@blakeg4166 So? Crested geckos are just as accessible as hamsters, yet I don't see anyone saying crested geckos are uninteresting and they're only for kids
We had one growing up and he was the fluffiest and cutest thing. Never got as tame as Toaster in the video tho, he would accept headscratchers, especially the chin. He also chewed up my moms curtains because they hung a tad too close to his cage lol
I had the fortune to pet a chinchilla when I was a kid, and it was just one so I can’t tell you for sure whether it was a less soft example, but what I can tell you is that a few years after that, I got an incredibly soft scottish fold who was actually softer. I don’t know what it was about her fur, but she was the softest darn living thing I’ve ever touched.
It's possible it was a less soft example. I have bred chinchilla's and some of them (related) had less soft fur than the others. Think it's something genetic. The real soft ones feel as if you are petting a cloud.
Peruvian here, there are wild chinchillas and vizcachas too. They inhabit regions of the Andes around Arequipa,Puno, Cusco and northern Chile and Andean bolivia.
That's right where I lived! If you have verified evidence of them currently in Peru, please share it with the scientific community. Peru and Bolivia are both within their ancestral range, but there haven't been any verified sightings in those countries for a long time.
I have helped out our local Chinchilla rescue on a few occasions, once I fostered a sweet girl who had a handprint shaped bald spot from someone grabbing her too abruptly. They’re a ton of fun for the right person.
What a cutie (the chinchilla) 😂. Maybe a Guniea pig and skinny pig video? Could include other cavy. (Like capybaras) I love you all at Clint's reptiles, you guys are amazing.
Loved this! Since you're working with hairy reptiles (yes, I watched your video on how mammals can be included in the reptile clade) I'd love to hear your thoughts on horses, one of my favorite pet reptiles with hair.
I'll add that the exercise wheel should be a saucer-type wheel firmly mounted to the cage. Chinchillas love to run and they are fast.. very fast. The upright wheels cause them to arch their back when they run which isn't good for them in the long run and it doesn't enable them to run at full sprint.
I lived in Peru in the early 1960s. I lived there for 4 years. Chinchills look like a fun animal to have. We did see them in the mountains. The People in Peru would cook these animals for their meals and along with me and my family we would also join in the meals.
If they get wet, just dry them off real well with a towel. Blow dry them a little with the HEAT OFF on your hair dryer. Then let them roll around in their dust bath. Keep an eye on the previously wet area for a few days to make sure it gets all the way dry.
@@sherrygorse9568Wouldn't a dust bath with wet fur just give you a muddy clay coated chinchilla? I wonder if hanging out in a bin full of shredded paper towels and newspaper would help pull out moisture?
@wildflower1397 toweling them off and even blow drying (on cool mode) will just leave the fur damp, not sopping wet. The dust is very finely ground pumice and it will help soak the moisture up further. It's pretty absorbent. Even if there is any stuck on their fur, it will fall off later. This has just been my plan the few times my fuzz faces have gotten wet.
Each and ever of Clint's mammal videos has left me more grateful for the fact cats exist. Like chinchillas seem great in their own right, I think especially their lifespan makes them an awesome choice as far as rodents go. But at the end of the day it's really tough to beat the small, sturdy, independent, long lived, easy to feed, potty trained by default, personable and overall super cheap pet mammal that is a cat.
Wow that is a LOT of work. Are you okay? Please tell me you get paid well and have amazing benefits. And you're welcome to visit my dog if you need some mammal-interaction! But reptiles are pretty cool too, my leopard gecko agrees!
I was a first time Chinchilla owner in 2008. Chin-Chan was the sweetest, friendliest, most playful and fun little guy. Best roden I’ve ever owned hands down. They love to parkour off of walls, it’s fun to watch!!!! Mine lived in a giant enclosure and I let him run around the house too! I got him as a baby, so that’s why he was social and cuddly I’m sure. Either way, I loved him. Can’t wait to have another!
Suddenly I wanna see Clint do a video or two on Pokemon. I'v ealways wanted to see a zoologist's perspective on the best pokemon for pets and their care 🤣🤣
Presumably you are mentioning this because the Pikachu pokemon is a chinchilla. I think that as gene splicing technology advances, we should try to use parts of the electric eel genome to give chinchillas the appropriate powers.
omg Toaster!!!! He's so precious 😍 I helped take care of my room mate's chinchilla, Gizmo, way back in the day and she was just the best thing ever! Every one of these "...best pet..." get closer and closer to guinea pigs! I neeeeeed to see you interact with these wonderful creatures 😀I grew up with 2 guinea pigs and now, as an adult, I've had no less than two (and up to 7 for a short while!) for the past 5 years or so. I love them so much but it's a little unnerving how little the general public knows about how to take care of them. I love what you're doing with these videos. They're informative if you are looking for a pet whatever but they're also fun if you just want to see them up close.
Thanks for this video! I've been thinking about getting a pet and a chinchilla was one I was considering. This host has a great personality, I'm going to watch more videos on this channel for 50% information, 50% seeing more of this guy.
Chinchillas are all over the map with handleabilty, and sometimes in weird manners. Mine doesn’t mine being held but hates being picked up (he will scream bark at me if I try), his fave is perching on…let’s call them “racks.” He will allow loads of petting in his cage, he sits completely still like the best boy for eye cleanings, and adores getting kissed.
When my chinchilla was pregnant she liked to suck on my fingers. That took a lot of trust to let her put my finger behind those teeth. But we had a special bond after she was injured one time.
I SWEAR I clicked the sub button!! I guess I may have forgotten, but it's fixed now!! Thank you for these videos. ♥I've known chinchillas aren't a pet for me, but they are undeniably EXTREMELY adorable. Maybe I'll get lucky and have a client with a chinchilla that needs sitting. (I am a pet sitter.) I rely on my clients to get my kitty interaction fix! My husband is VERY allergic to cats, unfortunately.
Chinchilla's really are amazing creatures. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after fifteen years they can still surprise you at a pinch. ― J.R.R. Tolkien (Sort of) Seriously though I'd recommend further research before getting one.
The mighty grey potatoes. My bf suggested looking into a chinchilla for a pet to keep me company. They are fairly uncommon in my city, but a year of research later, we got one, a rescue. And i kid you not, this lil man has changed my entire life. In a way i got lucky, he loves to come up and cuddle against my face and and curl up in my arms (just dont carry him with hands haha). Gives me a death stare if i am not on time for playtime, and if i dont join him immediately for playtime he will act out bc he wants mommys attention lmao. He makes my entire day brighter. I just couldnt imagine my life now without him. I agree they are not a pet for everyone. I love most animals, decided to take a chance on a rodent lol. And boom. Honestly it was the best choice i ever made. Anyway! Really great video! You covered all the information, and didnt undermind just how destructive they are. But its part of their charm. I enjoy that you said they aren't for everyone, they are very lovely pets for those that want to have a small occasional company, and they dont take much to look after either! But prob not for someone that wants a pet to curl up on the couch with haha. Cheers.
chinchillas are great, but they sure don't like being held my mom got big into them for a while in the early 00s; they were comfortable _around_ us, but getting them back into their enclosure after exercise-time was always a mild struggle
Have you done an episode on the “Little Sea Pig” (better known as the Guinea Pig or the Cavy) yet? They are very similar need wise to a chinchilla. Also having been bitten by a rodent (Guinea pig) more than once (little horror hated claws being clipped), I can confirm it is painful and goes deep.
"Little Sea Pig" is a delightful name for this animal! Are you from Germany or Russia by any chance? In Russian they're literally called sea piggies, and IIRC it's something similar in German.
I’ve had my ridge wallet for about 3 years now. Started with a titanium one. Very nice with a cash strap. Ended up getting a 2nd one. Forged carbon fiber with red flakes. It’s now my daily wallet since getting it. My titanium I keep for certain events the weight of it assures me it’s in my pocket. The carbon fiber I sometimes can’t feel
I'm sad Clint only showed a short clip of the Chinchilla in the dustbath- that was my favorite thing to watch when I had a chinchilla. One thing Clint didn't mention is chinchillas bark.
The tend to only bark when they are alerting or if they are annoyed. Those are the only two times my chinchilla barks, they will make other noises though.
I want to add that chinchillas, like rabbits, are still considered exotic pets, so their vet bills are at least twice as expensive as the average pet’s. I would know since my rabbit’s first few vets burned my wallet
@ems4884 Yeah, it sucks. I understand though, considering that exotic animals have very different needs from dogs and cats. Often times, vets who take exotic animals need to learn in a completely separate class before being verified to treat them.
My wife and I got 2 chinchies back at the end of October, they were still maybe a couple months old, but they are warming up to us well. But this video was informative, thanks Clint
Big thanks to Ridge for sending all these awesome wallets and the daily driver kit - and supporting the channel! Here’s the site if you want to check them out! > ridge.com/clint
I've watched most of your lizard video's and an Uromastyx has been the closest lizard to what I want if I were to choose a pet (but I wanted something calm that could sleep on me). HOWEVER, for years I've wanted to learn more about a Rock Hyrax. Information that I found of the internet isn't all that informative. I hope you are able to do a video on these amazing creatures. Any additional links where I could learn more would be awesome too. Thanks Clint.
please make a video about some of the dwarf Boas such as the Tarahumara Mountain Boa they are too underrated and I believe they deserve to be seen/loved by more people.
Could you consider doing a video on degus clint been seeing more and more and considering getting some but there so little info on them
I bought two chinchillas for 20 bucks oh baby their amazing
@@EDTHEWEATHERMANMy friend had one in a cage and I was trying to get him to be friendly but I approached these animals like their dogs he bit me in the nose and I still have a scar and it was painful
We had a chinchilla. Fantastic pet. Really friendly, and lived until he was 18. One thing to mention, if he didn’t like someone he was an expert at aiming a precise jet of pee at them.
Ferret cages work great for them.
I’ll be buying 3 ferret cages then 2 for 4 ferrets 2 in each and one for a chinchilla
😂
If he was an Olympic level projectile pee-er, then he was probably a she. :) The girls are the S Tier Defensive Sprayers in the wonderful world of chinchillas.
@@Leosloth2011 Make sure it's one with verticality. Chinchillas LOVE to climb and bounce up ramps. (also if the ramp is anything but metal they will chew through it.)
@@idigamstudios7463I wonder if an extra large flight cage would work? Like, one made for large parrots. It would need to be modded, but I wonder if it’d be viable at all.
Another note regarding getting a Chinchilla (*Atleast in the UK!*) We actually have a fair few rescues for them here so consider rescuing!
I looked after my friend 6 while she was abroad studying, all rescues(uk), only one really liked handling as she was the only one that had been properly socialised at a young age. The others did get calmer but it took many months of patience and they still preferred scooting about, bouncing off the furniture and spraying their dust baths everywhere😅
I learnt a lot from the less sociable ones about patience and affection not necessarily meaning cuddles with fluffy mammals! (Learning curve for someone with many rats and clingy dogs 😁)
Up! Poland has a rescue foundation for chinchins too!!
Here in Florida the rescues are run by families no companies and literally care for their pets like crazy
@@Leosloth2011 In Florida also, I see a LOT of them posted on Orlando Craigslist. It's not a rescue but you could be rescuing one that could be given instead to bad people who buy pets off there for ill purpose.
@@xBloodxFangx I never buy from Craigslist due to the pain of seeing horrible enclosures
I've been keeping chinchillas for pushing 30 years. It's amazing how long they can live. I know ethical breeders with retired breeder chinchillas in their mid-20s. One of my remaining chinchillas is 18. The other two are in their mid teens. I bred them for several years and then focused on rescue. My 18 year old was one I sold. She was returned twice as people discovered chinchillas weren't for them, so she's been with me for over ten years now.
I have a couple of pieces of advice:
If anyone is thinking of buying from a pet store, don't. Do your research. There are several conditions that badly bred chinchillas can have. Some reduce life expectancy.
They can be great pets, but you really need to be dedicated to understanding proper care like temperature and humidity requirements and ratios. Clint isn't quite right here. It's about more than just temperature. They need a cool and and dry environment. The higher the temp, the lower the humidity must be.
Wheels should not only be metal but should be large (14"-16"). They run hard and long and can eventually develop curvature of the spine if the wheel is too small. Wheels should not have spokes. Spokes are a recipe for broken legs. Chinchillas like to throw themselves off the wheels and spokes can catch the back legs and break one.
And, unfortunately some chinchillas are pretty much look but don't touch animals no matter what you do. Temperaments tend to run in lines.
So don't enter info this lightly. They often live longer than cats.
Best of luck to any future chinchilla owners!
Great comments from loads of experience. Thank you!
Thank you for posting this. Often, personal experience is very useful information for new owners. It's one thing to be told their needs, but most people need to know details about how to actually meet those needs.
I never realized that too much time on a small wheel could cause problems with the spine, but it makes sense. I feel like giving animals more room to explore in their enclosure, plus lots of time out of it, is essential.
I am also assuming a reputable breeder would spend time with a youngster to socialise them a little and to see how they are being handled before they left for their new home?
wow that is crazy. didnt think they could live that long. that is incredible for such a small mammal
Thank you I feel like exotic pets are really great pets but they do require a lot of very specialized care. My friends had Chinchillas and they were wonderful critters. I had 6 ferrets at the time so no chinchilla for me but it's something I have though about when my kids are teenagers and I have a bit more time. We currently have guinea pigs and people also under estimate the amount of work and time that go into these furry potatoes.
The rapid domestication of chinchillas has been fascinating to watch. I still remember as a child when they first showed up as pets as a biproduct of the efforts to save them from extinction. They were so neurotic that if you got one, there was a risk it would die from fear before it was tame and if tame they only liked you and could still die from fear from new stimulation suddenly. By the time I was 20, sudden fear deaths were rare. Now I am almost 40 and they are nearly as tame as domesticated rabbits from birth! And OMG all the colors and fir types! At this point they seem to make better pets than rabbits for many people provided you have space and free roam. That said, rabbits are terrible pets for most people so keep that in mind, you need to build your home around them or you will have problems.
I'll be honest Clint, you seem to have one of the older kinds with you, like from when I was in my 20s. If you get the chance to meet one from the hard core selective breeding for temperament please do so, they are fantastic though I have only gotten to meet a couple so far they blew my mind. It's almost like a different species, much more dog like in weird ways. Hard to describe but they don't move the same anymore because they aren't concerned about predators, like at all. Gerbil like I guess I would say.
I have pet rabbits and chinchillas and rabbits are NOT terrible pets.
@@GreymanWalking*FOR MOST PEOPLE*
God damn it
I got a pet rabbit when I was 10, I wished for one when I was sick in the hospital and got him for my birthday. I guess I was one of those people who a pet rabbit was just right for :) He was the best pet ever. (I know, we should have had two, but this is long ago and I didn't know.) He was like a little dog that came running when you called. He would sit in my lap or cuddle with my feet. In the summer he would get to be outside and we would cut our own hay for him. Sadly he didn't get very old... I miss him, he was the greatest, even though he chewed up some furniture and doors. Now I have a cat that I love dearly, but I still wish for a bunny sometimes.
What makes rabbits terrible pets for most people? I genuinely need to know….. And would you know where I might be able to purchase a chinchilla that was selectively bred for temperament, one of those dog/gerbil-like chinchillas that you got to meet?
Clint + Chinchilla = most educationally adorable video ever!
Right??? ❤️❤️
Clint + Chinchilla = Clinchilla.
@@kyleward3914 I think Clintchilla sounds better but you do you.
@@jacobesterson Clinchitla lol
Toaster is a fantastic name. My buddy had one and the only issue I saw was that they get their dust, that they roll in, everywhere. He actually had a whole room in his house dedicated to his chinchilla.
Yeah, that dust is getting spread far and wide. Consider putting something solid around the actual cage to catch the spray.
The sand bath is also a great lure for getting them to go back into the cage when they've been out for exercise too.
My first chinchilla was named Pikachu. He loved eating weed.
@@sublimehypocrisy That's an Excellent name for a Chinchilla , They Look Like Pikachu. Did Pikachu ever Get STONED eating Weed ?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@davidwesley2525 I'm pretty sure he did. And whenever I'd smoke he would be at the edge of the cage with his nose between the bars sniffing wildly at the air.
In retrospect it probably wasn't wise to let him eat any, but I was also a stupid 20 year old.
Edit: I'm a stupid 38 year old now.
Good for him. These critters deserve lots of space. My rabbits have their own room too.
I was not expecting Clint to be so charmed by this little endotherm. Adorable.
Every time I read an unfamiliar biology term, I hear it in my head with Clinton's voice. 😂
As a chinchilla owner, it takes a person who is willing to set aside their want to cuddle the chinchilla in order for it to be as happy as ever. Most aren't very cuddly but my God they are so funny to watch hop around the room.
My chinchillas loves cuddling and she even comes to me !!
Kind of like a ferret? You just get a quick pet in as they zoom by lol
@@laurieb3703 Not even that, some won't let you touch them at all. I've had mine for a few weeks now and he's JUST now comfortable to the point where he''ll let me pick him up, but he still HATES being held. He'll eventually come around but it's just gonna be a very slow process.
@@zalbert19 so exactly what the person you're replying to said.
Mine will jump on my lap and likes to snuggle there, or in the crook of my arm, but he hates HATES being picked up and held. Basically he can be cuddly but it has to be on his own terms.
My sister got one when I was a kid... GREAT pet. He was skittish but I volunteered to spend lots of time getting him used to people. After a week, I'd open his cage, he'd run up my arm and sit/ride on my shoulder. When I bent down or walked fast, I'd feel his little hand holding onto my ear. 🥰
That's ADORABLE and my new goal because I'm adopting a HERD of chinchillas this week XD
I’ve only held a chinchilla once a few years back, but that animal is something I still remember as being the softest, most adorable animal I’ve held to this day
You mentioned how chinchillas don't dry out very well so you should avoid getting them wet, but I think it could use more emphasis. This can cause skin infections and other bad stuff. Really, REALLY don't get them wet if you can help it.
And don't feed them after midnight
So, don't use them for mopping up spills?!
@@kingcosworth2643 Ha that made me laugh.
Walking...Cloud. I MUST PET ONE OF THESE ONE DAY *gently*
It's truly an unreal feeling! I have had mine for 8 months and my brain still can't comprehend the feeling when I touch her!
I hope your name isn't Lenny
Dear God I love my dang chinchilla! She's been such an amazing companion for me and a rewarding, loving pet. I would not say, based on my experience, they are all great for little kids, mine would definitely not be, but as a companion for an adult, unparalleled! It took awhile for her to trust me, but with time, gentle handling, and trust, she now sleeps with me, cuddles, and perhaps the most epic affection is her grooming me! It's just precious!
Oh! They are super smart too! Took me like 4 days to litter box train mine, 3 days to train her to come when called, and maybe a week to train her to jump from the floor to my hands.
@@trabash505 How did you litter box train her? :)
@Lexcoaster So I had the whole bottom of the cage full of bedding at first. Then a added a small litter box with just a very thin layer of bedding in it and just kept taking spots of the soiled bedding from the cage floor and put it in the litter box. I then each day removed some bedding and put it into the litter box until the whole bottom had no bedding and only the litter box did! Worked so fast! Now I have them out around the house for when she's out playing!
@@trabash505 awesome! Thanks for sharing!!!
@@trabash505 Nice! But make sure they don't bite holes through your walls. ;)
So glad you cover mammals from a reptile expert and biologist's point of view. Quite refreshing and is really far more realistic than what most people show, since mammals are truly one of the most demanding pets available. Plus people are drawn in by how cute mammals like chinchillas are, not realizing they require very specific needs.
I figured they were victims of their cuteness.
When I went to a school for animal related education (I don't know what to best call it in English) the teachers and keeper employees told us that they'd appreciate if we helped socialize the chinchillas and after that I spent every lunch break sitting and reading a book or doing homework inside the chinchilla cage which was the size of a walk in closet. The chinchillas would eventually sit on my head and legs and explore whatever clothing I had on and it was hands down my best memory of school. I have such a soft spot for them ever since. ^^
My mom used to breed chinchillas when I was little. Babies are born with their eyes fully open and look like miniatures of their parents. Chinchilla fur is the softest thing you will ever touch and some chinchillas, when socialized a lot, will want to spend all their time with you.
pet a rex rabbit, then you'll find you've touched the softest fur.
I just want to say that like rabbits there are a bunch of chinchillas in need of a good home in shelters!
Don't mind me. I'm just here to feed the algorithm and boost this comment ❤
Really? I’m very interested in one
Toaster running about like Jack Skellington in Christmas Town 😂 So cute.
I really want to see you do a video about "are raccoons the best pet mammal?" Mostly because i want to see you interact with a tame raccoon
They absolutely aren't good pets, though 😅
This!!!! ❤
@@miquelescribanoivars5049that didn’t stop me from watching his cobra videos. lol
My sister & I had 2 baby raccoons as kids & they were sooo cute & awesome until they got big & then they got more aggressive. They were a rescue & we were just fostering them at the time. Their mom wasn't alive anymore 💔so they had to be bottle fed 🍼& such but once they were big enough & rehabilitated they were released & would still come back & visit from time to time😊
@@miquelescribanoivars5049 I'd want to see a video pointing out that NO they are terrible pets and kinda unethical too.
I had chinchillas in my teens and early twenties. I broke so many vacuums between the poop and the dust 😂 but it was worth it because they were so wonderful. This video made me want to get back into them…
I expected Chinchillas to score higher, but the score is correct. Their personality ranges so much among individuals. We had one when I was a child because she was too aggressive with their kids, She was the sweetest little thing for us but hated her own kind. She was one of our easiest pets. It's weird how for some people a terrible animal is a great pet for others,
I love watching Clint interact with Toaster, very representative of what ACTUAL interactions are like. Too many people see chinchillas on Instagram and get the wrong idea of what it's like to be friends with one.
I've been waiting for the Chinchilla episode! They're always so incredibly soft and adorable.
I'd love to see a video on what may be objectively the best pet - the pet rock. They're pretty handle-able (depending on weight), quite hardy, super available, easy to care for, and dirt cheap!
While they take more care, I nominate chia pets. Watching their hair grow never gets old. 😂😂
@@wildflower1397 haha oo yeah good alternative. I had a Scooby Doo one growing up, just rub the seed slime on and you're good to go!
They should do this on April 1st
I remember I was like 6 or 7 and went to a birthday party where a guy brought a few different animals, including a chinchilla. The feel of that chinchilla's fur is something I will never forget. I have not seen or touched one since, unfortunately.
grew up with these guys, they're an absolute joy if you're willing to put in the work
Of all the pets I’ve had, I think rabbits and chinchillas have been my favorites. The only negative part of having a chinchilla is how fragile they are and that I constantly have to worry about the temperature.
I too love rabbits SO much. Their health is very fragile but the trust of a rabbit is the most beautiful thing to experience! And they have so much personality and kindness! I am glad you have experienced chinchillas too :)
That Chinchilla Thumbnail looks like its going to make me an offer that i cant refuse
I had a chinchilla when I was younger. The family we got him from needed to rehome him due to him getting ringworm from their cat. He was very tame like Toaster. He loved his neck scratched. He eventually got old and passed away. He was one of the best pets I’ve ever had.
I'm so happy you finally did a chinchilla! My chinchilla Teddy is my best animal friend. I've had him since he was a baby and every morning when we hang out together he follows me around the room like a duckling. 😊🩷
Ive got three rescue chinchillas and they are adorable, although they are basically equivalent to having an aquarium pet that you let out to run around (if you have cats anyway 🐱❤)
The nature center I volunteered for as a teenager had a couple surrendered chinchillas. Volunteers and visitors weren't allowed to handle them, only staff, but volunteers did get to watch the chinchillas take their dust bath. I've never been so delighted to see a critter roll in dust, I wish camera phones had been more available at the time, I would have treasured that video forever.
My family did rescue a rex rabbit a few years ago and my goodness, she was about as close to chinchilla softness I've ever felt.
Chinchilla are adorable, BUT they don’t really enjoy being handled. They will play around you, but they won’t play with you. And if they get the idea that you’re trying to catch them, they’ll make it a challenge. Our had a little baby. We didn’t even know she was pregnant. They are like Guinea pigs, the babies are like miniature adults. Eyes open, mobile, quick. Oh so cute! If you want a pet to hold, don’t get one.
Thankfully I still have one rescue chinchilla left and I love his companionship.
He is absolutely adorable.
He must’ve about 12 or older and everyone who visits me adores him.
Thank you for sharing !
❤blessings
we got two rescues about a year and a half ago because we're working with our local animal welfare association and they told us they found 35 in need of new homes. ours aren't huge fans of being handled, one sometimes puts her front legs on my hand or let's me lightly pet her head but otherwise they stay away from direct contact. but just watching them and caring for them is so fun. additionally, a chinchilla that just woke up from a good sleep is about the most adorable thing i've ever seen!
0:35 how can one not love that, look at its lil face, it's so precious
I am absolutely so happy that you made a video on chinchillas chinchillas don’t get enough love in the animal community 😂
That is the cutest thing bouncing around on the table while you're talking. He looks SO soft too!
Since you’re moving into fluffy pets, could you do hamsters? A lot of people keep hamsters wrong and don’t even know what all they need to be healthy.
NO THAT'S FOR CHILDREN
What the hell are you talking about
@blakeg4166 who says? Why do only children get to own a hamster
@@lunarcod7187 cuz its not very exciting or difficult to take care of and they're not as cool as any reptile. Its a pet you can get anywhere unlike my alligator snapping turtle or my komodo dragons
@@blakeg4166 So? Crested geckos are just as accessible as hamsters, yet I don't see anyone saying crested geckos are uninteresting and they're only for kids
We had one growing up and he was the fluffiest and cutest thing. Never got as tame as Toaster in the video tho, he would accept headscratchers, especially the chin. He also chewed up my moms curtains because they hung a tad too close to his cage lol
I had the fortune to pet a chinchilla when I was a kid, and it was just one so I can’t tell you for sure whether it was a less soft example, but what I can tell you is that a few years after that, I got an incredibly soft scottish fold who was actually softer. I don’t know what it was about her fur, but she was the softest darn living thing I’ve ever touched.
The lack of collagen likely. It makes their skin and joints have more give. It is what makes their ears floppy.
It's possible it was a less soft example. I have bred chinchilla's and some of them (related) had less soft fur than the others. Think it's something genetic. The real soft ones feel as if you are petting a cloud.
Peruvian here, there are wild chinchillas and vizcachas too. They inhabit regions of the Andes around Arequipa,Puno, Cusco and northern Chile and Andean bolivia.
That's right where I lived! If you have verified evidence of them currently in Peru, please share it with the scientific community. Peru and Bolivia are both within their ancestral range, but there haven't been any verified sightings in those countries for a long time.
@@ClintsReptiles yup, I'm quite sure they do not overlap with a similar species, the vizcacha,, which is a slightly larger relative with longer ears.
You’ve seen actual wild chinchillas?
no, but i moved to the city xD@@Solomon0424
I absolutely NEED a video on gerbils and degus after this! Loved to hear so many new things about chinchillas.
Degus are awesome.
Degu vs Tegu, that's a video I want!
the come up of him at 0:39 I CANT!! 🤣🤣🤣
pls tell me im not the only one!!
Could you make a phylogeny on our Rodent relatives? Yes, humans are surprisingly related to Rodents!
I'd like that!
Seconding! My husband and I have been enjoying your phylogeny videos together recently!
Yes please, that would be super fun!
Just coming to also say I want one of these!
At first its surprising but you look at a monkey and a rat and i can see it
I have helped out our local Chinchilla rescue on a few occasions, once I fostered a sweet girl who had a handprint shaped bald spot from someone grabbing her too abruptly. They’re a ton of fun for the right person.
I had to give my chinchilla to a friend due to developing asthma. I couldn't handle the dust they required. The best pet ever.
I had a chinchilla, and I loved him so much. He's been gone for years and I still miss him.
I would love it if you could do gerbils sometime! They are such wonderful little creatures
What a cutie (the chinchilla) 😂.
Maybe a Guniea pig and skinny pig video? Could include other cavy. (Like capybaras)
I love you all at Clint's reptiles, you guys are amazing.
I had a Chinchilla in high school. They are amazing. Especially the trust building part. At first he was scared but with time we were unseparable :)
My boyfriend lives in Bolivia and sees viscachas from time to time. Theyre so cute♡
Loved this! Since you're working with hairy reptiles (yes, I watched your video on how mammals can be included in the reptile clade) I'd love to hear your thoughts on horses, one of my favorite pet reptiles with hair.
"When it comes to upfront costs, horses get a zero"
@@dapeach06 That sounds about right!
Your intro is the most wholesome thing ever! 🥹
I'll add that the exercise wheel should be a saucer-type wheel firmly mounted to the cage. Chinchillas love to run and they are fast.. very fast. The upright wheels cause them to arch their back when they run which isn't good for them in the long run and it doesn't enable them to run at full sprint.
saucer wheels are not necessary, however the wheel should be at least 16" in diameter.
Most people get wheels that are too small. A large enough wheel works fine
I lived in Peru in the early 1960s. I lived there for 4 years. Chinchills look like a fun animal to have. We did see them in the mountains. The People in Peru would cook these animals for their meals and along with me and my family we would also join in the meals.
Cool video. One mammal I've seen become more and more popular as exotic pets are foxes. Would you ever consider doing a video on them?
That’s such a happy/ well-adjusted chinchilla ❤
I'm not sure if he said this in the video, but you should never get them wet. They could die of hypothermia or get mold in their fur
Or feed them after midnight 👍
they are literally mogwai
If they get wet, just dry them off real well with a towel. Blow dry them a little with the HEAT OFF on your hair dryer. Then let them roll around in their dust bath. Keep an eye on the previously wet area for a few days to make sure it gets all the way dry.
@@sherrygorse9568Wouldn't a dust bath with wet fur just give you a muddy clay coated chinchilla? I wonder if hanging out in a bin full of shredded paper towels and newspaper would help pull out moisture?
@wildflower1397 toweling them off and even blow drying (on cool mode) will just leave the fur damp, not sopping wet. The dust is very finely ground pumice and it will help soak the moisture up further. It's pretty absorbent. Even if there is any stuck on their fur, it will fall off later. This has just been my plan the few times my fuzz faces have gotten wet.
My sister had one. He was pretty awesome. I loved watching him do his dust bath.
Each and ever of Clint's mammal videos has left me more grateful for the fact cats exist. Like chinchillas seem great in their own right, I think especially their lifespan makes them an awesome choice as far as rodents go. But at the end of the day it's really tough to beat the small, sturdy, independent, long lived, easy to feed, potty trained by default, personable and overall super cheap pet mammal that is a cat.
Look at him??😂😂 he loves you!! So adorable!!
This episode was absolutely heartwarming. I wish I didn't work 80 hours a week and could have/take care of mammals
Wow that is a LOT of work. Are you okay? Please tell me you get paid well and have amazing benefits. And you're welcome to visit my dog if you need some mammal-interaction! But reptiles are pretty cool too, my leopard gecko agrees!
80 hours??? I've been struggling to have a life with a 40 hour week! I hope it pays well and/or is something you enjoy!
80 hours a week is nuts. I hope you love it, and are thriving. If not, please consider alternatives that give you time to stop and enjoy life. :)
80 hour week is insane even with amazing compensation, can't imagine anyone doing that without obliterating their mental (and likely physical) health.
I thought my 60 was rough, damn man
I have a chinchilla and I was so excited to see you made a video about them! They are the BEST pets ever. 💜
I think you should absolutely do a prairie dog. They’re super neat and make an awesome awooo sound.
Always worried about having them contract diseases like distemper from other pets and returning to nature.
"POPPY!!!!!"
WAHOOOO
@@TheEarlofManwhich Exactly!
I was a first time Chinchilla owner in 2008. Chin-Chan was the sweetest, friendliest, most playful and fun little guy. Best roden I’ve ever owned hands down. They love to parkour off of walls, it’s fun to watch!!!!
Mine lived in a giant enclosure and I let him run around the house too!
I got him as a baby, so that’s why he was social and cuddly I’m sure. Either way, I loved him. Can’t wait to have another!
Suddenly I wanna see Clint do a video or two on Pokemon. I'v ealways wanted to see a zoologist's perspective on the best pokemon for pets and their care 🤣🤣
This would be great
Would be a fun April fools day video
@@rosalie.e.morgan pretty much none of them. with the possible exception of furret or zigzagoon
All is good til the Squirtle Gang shows up 😂
Presumably you are mentioning this because the Pikachu pokemon is a chinchilla. I think that as gene splicing technology advances, we should try to use parts of the electric eel genome to give chinchillas the appropriate powers.
omg Toaster!!!! He's so precious 😍 I helped take care of my room mate's chinchilla, Gizmo, way back in the day and she was just the best thing ever!
Every one of these "...best pet..." get closer and closer to guinea pigs! I neeeeeed to see you interact with these wonderful creatures 😀I grew up with 2 guinea pigs and now, as an adult, I've had no less than two (and up to 7 for a short while!) for the past 5 years or so. I love them so much but it's a little unnerving how little the general public knows about how to take care of them.
I love what you're doing with these videos. They're informative if you are looking for a pet whatever but they're also fun if you just want to see them up close.
I want to see Clint do a video on the kinkajou (honey bear). Itd be be cuteness overload.
i waited so long for this video! Thank you for covering Chinchillas!
I owned two as a young adult, and they are so soft, so cute, and poo like a machine gun! XD
Thanks for this video! I've been thinking about getting a pet and a chinchilla was one I was considering. This host has a great personality, I'm going to watch more videos on this channel for 50% information, 50% seeing more of this guy.
I have never been this early to anything -
Love your work !
Thank you so much!
Wait... Did he just miss the opportunity to say "this cooling stone is a way for them to chinchilla out for a second?"
I cannot stop smiling while looking at Toaster
That's so awesome! I was literally thinking about chinchillas last night and thought "Clint's Reptiles should do them next!"
I've owned most small mammals, but not chinchillas or guinea pigs! I'd love if you could do a review on the latter sometime!
Chinchillas are all over the map with handleabilty, and sometimes in weird manners. Mine doesn’t mine being held but hates being picked up (he will scream bark at me if I try), his fave is perching on…let’s call them “racks.” He will allow loads of petting in his cage, he sits completely still like the best boy for eye cleanings, and adores getting kissed.
Hooray! Haven't watched yet, but very excited. :) i know they can be jerks, but i love my chinchillas.
Your chinchillas are jerks? Well my chinchilla doesn’t like being touched sometimes which I don’t know why but beats me.
When my chinchilla was pregnant she liked to suck on my fingers. That took a lot of trust to let her put my finger behind those teeth. But we had a special bond after she was injured one time.
I SWEAR I clicked the sub button!! I guess I may have forgotten, but it's fixed now!!
Thank you for these videos. ♥I've known chinchillas aren't a pet for me, but they are undeniably EXTREMELY adorable. Maybe I'll get lucky and have a client with a chinchilla that needs sitting. (I am a pet sitter.) I rely on my clients to get my kitty interaction fix! My husband is VERY allergic to cats, unfortunately.
Chinchilla's really are amazing creatures. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after fifteen years they can still surprise you at a pinch. ― J.R.R. Tolkien (Sort of) Seriously though I'd recommend further research before getting one.
The mighty grey potatoes. My bf suggested looking into a chinchilla for a pet to keep me company. They are fairly uncommon in my city, but a year of research later, we got one, a rescue.
And i kid you not, this lil man has changed my entire life. In a way i got lucky, he loves to come up and cuddle against my face and and curl up in my arms (just dont carry him with hands haha). Gives me a death stare if i am not on time for playtime, and if i dont join him immediately for playtime he will act out bc he wants mommys attention lmao. He makes my entire day brighter. I just couldnt imagine my life now without him. I agree they are not a pet for everyone. I love most animals, decided to take a chance on a rodent lol. And boom. Honestly it was the best choice i ever made.
Anyway! Really great video! You covered all the information, and didnt undermind just how destructive they are. But its part of their charm. I enjoy that you said they aren't for everyone, they are very lovely pets for those that want to have a small occasional company, and they dont take much to look after either! But prob not for someone that wants a pet to curl up on the couch with haha. Cheers.
They’re like gremlins/mogwai you don’t get them wet.
YES! I named mine Gizmo for this exact reason! ❤
It's also important to get an exercise wheel that's large enough, as too small of a wheel causes back problems for all wheel-using animals.
Please do a video on guinea pigs! Lots of people think of them as "starter pets", but they're way more work than cats and many other animals.
Yes, I watched a lot of guinea pig videos and was surprised at the level of care required. Definitely more than people tend to think.
YESSSS ive been waiting for this! thanks so much clint!!
chinchillas are great, but they sure don't like being held
my mom got big into them for a while in the early 00s; they were comfortable _around_ us, but getting them back into their enclosure after exercise-time was always a mild struggle
as some who has both rabbits and chinchillas, i own a loooot of hay haha. i love these videos!
I was looking for a video on guinea pigs, but I don't think you did one. I would be interested in seeing a score for guinea pigs.
This channel brought back my love for zoology lost in high school
Have you done an episode on the “Little Sea Pig” (better known as the Guinea Pig or the Cavy) yet? They are very similar need wise to a chinchilla.
Also having been bitten by a rodent (Guinea pig) more than once (little horror hated claws being clipped), I can confirm it is painful and goes deep.
He has not, but as someone who had a guinea pig as a child i've been waiting patiently because i know it has to come at some point
"Little Sea Pig" is a delightful name for this animal! Are you from Germany or Russia by any chance? In Russian they're literally called sea piggies, and IIRC it's something similar in German.
I had a guinea pig as a child, I don't think the care is comparable
@@The420033 no I learnt German and Spanish in School.
I’ve had my ridge wallet for about 3 years now. Started with a titanium one. Very nice with a cash strap. Ended up getting a 2nd one. Forged carbon fiber with red flakes. It’s now my daily wallet since getting it. My titanium I keep for certain events the weight of it assures me it’s in my pocket. The carbon fiber I sometimes can’t feel
I'm sad Clint only showed a short clip of the Chinchilla in the dustbath- that was my favorite thing to watch when I had a chinchilla. One thing Clint didn't mention is chinchillas bark.
The tend to only bark when they are alerting or if they are annoyed. Those are the only two times my chinchilla barks, they will make other noises though.
I never thought I would enjoy watching Clint interact with an animal more than when he held the Dwarf Caiman, but this right here takes the cake.
I want to add that chinchillas, like rabbits, are still considered exotic pets, so their vet bills are at least twice as expensive as the average pet’s. I would know since my rabbit’s first few vets burned my wallet
The biggest downside to a rabbit. They are still my favorite pet :)
Oh. Well, that's a pretty big downside. I'm a little surprised vets do that.
@ems4884
Yeah, it sucks. I understand though, considering that exotic animals have very different needs from dogs and cats. Often times, vets who take exotic animals need to learn in a completely separate class before being verified to treat them.
Our chinchilla Shadow lived to 22 years old. Chinchillas can easily live 20 years with proper care.
My wife and I got 2 chinchies back at the end of October, they were still maybe a couple months old, but they are warming up to us well. But this video was informative, thanks Clint
Any chance for a vid about Guinea pigs? completing the reviews about the popular pet rodents.