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[Russbiker]

This site has been really informative, I wish all owners would research and use a bit of common sense before buying chins. It looks to me like there are so many owners who buy chins without any understanding of the type of animal they are or their special requirements to take care of them. No idea on the type of cage they should have or even the food they should eat. They seem second only to the poor hamster for neglectful stupid owners! Its nice to find somewhere like this with a community of actual responsible animal lovers

[GrayRodent]

I am afraid that lack of research on the part of the owner actually hurts the industry. I think the potential is great for people to have a bad experience because they aren't properly caring for their pets, and they just blame it on the chinchilla, and word of mouth spreads that chinchillas aren't good pets when the problem is likely improper breeding or care that could have easily been prevented.

On the other hand I purchased a chinchilla just last year second hand. It wasn't properly cared for, had malocclusion and was dying (had it euthanized when I discovered that), and had some serious behavioral issues. Apart from that I was the only one interested in acquiring it and got a big discount to take it off his hands. He told me that there were two or three other potential buyers who turned him down when they learned chinchillas had a lifespan of 15 years. So, perhaps, a chin that lives 2 or 3 years (like mine would have) is good enough for some.

As far as stupidity goes I try to make the distinction between stupidity and ignorance, although sometimes it can be difficult. I had a major advantage growing up in a an agricultural environment where we farmed a wide variety animals and were very involved in the care of ours and our neighbors' animals when they got injured or sick. It was a lot of work but it was a great learning experience. Those who do not have that kind of experience and knowledge are at a disadvantage and I don't blame them for that. And I'm talking about the basics of handling and caring for animals which quite often gets neglected because there is so little understanding of it. I am grateful there are places like this board that offer information that is valuable to pet owners with a variety of backgrounds and experience.

[Russbiker]

Its crazy, how many people having never owned a chinchilla and knowing nothing about them decide to purchase a male and female from the same litter and breed them? How are they ever going to be healthy little animals when thats common practice? Then other people purchasing from different places and shoving them in the same cage with no contingency plan as to if they dont get on, no second cage ready or proper slow introduction to each other. Its also shocking how many videos there are on you tube of owners letting them run free in their house only to then wonder "hang on how do I get them back in their cage" chasing them around grabbing at them laughing and thinking its funny... just shocking, so many people shouldnt be blessed with the gift of being able to own a pet!
Before we re-homed these two chins my girlfriend was actually cautious for the very reason you pointed out. She knew someone that had a chin who was very aggressive. When I asked here about the history of the chin and the scenario it turned out they had a single chinchilla in a small cage and it was never ever handled or let out for play, it it a suprise that it ended up being aggressive? It turns out we have been very lucky to have such tame and friendly chins which must be pretty rare in rescue/re-homing situations as they are probably more prone to have been neglected. My girlfriend absolutely adores them.
It seems like maybe the chin community should adapt the popular dog phrase "NO SUCH THING AS A BAD CHIN, ONLY BAD OWNERS"

[Snickerdoodlesmom]

Exactly. I agree completely.

[Beanacre0]

Mine wasn't the best start. In September, I impulse bought my chinchilla, Eddie, from a local pet shop because I felt so sorry for him. He was on his own and the shop didn't seem great with it's mammals (the reptile's were fine but there were three big rabbits in a plastic based hutch thing pet shops sell for one or two rabbits). I got him along with a cage, food, dust, a food dish and a water bottle.
I must admit, I knew NOTHING about Chinchillas, but he was so calm when I held him in the shop and I fell in love. I did my research that night though and went out to buy chews, a dust bath and a nest box the next day. I personally have no problem with the 15 years of having a pet. I look forward to it and I hope he lives a long life. I already owned a Bearded Dragon (who sadly passed away after five wonderful years last week due to tumour that I didn't know about and the vet said I had no way of knowing about) so the length of his lifespan didn't bother me, and I adore him.
I agree that those that mistreat their chinchillas are awful, but not every story that starts out with someone buying a pet they don't know anything about ends badly. I mean, does this guy look like he's mistreated?