That's great. Welcome to our board. Research is very important. The big things you have to look out for is room temperature (below 75F), food quality, avoiding pelleted diets with mixtures in them, nuts, fruits, vegetables, or treats, providing constant access to loose hay, and not feeding treats unless you know what you are doing. Chinchillas require dry things to eat.
Their cages should be made of metal only, have no plastic toys or parts, and be fitted with wooden shelving, preferably shelves that you can easily make yourself with simple tools. Chinchilla wheels should be a minimum of 14" in diameter.
Your pet should be weighed at least once a week to monitor its health for weight loss. You should have a veterinarian that sees chinchillas specifically closeby and be able to afford a vet visit at any time.
The initial change in environment for chinchillas is stressful when you relocate them and the room should be fairly quiet and free of pets such as dogs and cats.
Chinchillas should never be let out of their cage to roam in any area that is not safe for them. One of the biggest hazards is electrical cords. They are attracted to them like magnets and can chew through them instantly. Drowning and poisoning are not unheard of.
They should be dusted no more often than every other day for no longer than 15 minutes at a time. Chinchillas are active mostly at night although socialized chinchillas will interact well during the day.
