How Much Does a Chinchilla Cost?
Pet chinchillas vary in price with much of the cost determined by the chinchilla's color. The rarer or more difficult it is for a particular color, the more expensive the chinchilla will be. And while costs will also vary from breeder to breeder and from pet store to pet store, we've compiled a list that we think will give you a good idea of the potential price tag.
These prices are based on what breeders actually sell their chinchillas for.
Standards
Standard – $75
Black velvet – $125
Beiges
Hetero beige – $125
Homo beige – $150
Beige violet (hetero) – $195
Beige violet (homo) – $195
Brown Velvet – $175
Whites
Pink white (hetero beige) – $150
White (white mosaic, silver mosaic) – $125
Ebony whites – (see “EBONIES”)
Tan whites – (see “TANS”)
Ebonies
Light ebony or e.c. (hetero ebony) – $125
Medium ebony (hetero ebony) – $155
Dark ebony (hetero ebony) – $195
Extra dark ebony (homo ebony) – $245
Light ebony white – $150
Medium ebony white – $175
Dark ebony white – $195
Extra dark (homo.) ebony white – $215
Violets
Violet (homo violet) – $175
Solid Violet (wraparound, ebony violet) – $195
Tans
Light tan – $150
Medium tan – $175
Dark tan – $195
Light tan white – $150
Medium tan white – $150
Dark tan white – $175
Chocolates
Chocolate – $195
Chocolate white – $175
You might also want to take a look at our post on chinchilla colors.
Sources:
The Dust Bath (site no longer up)
AZ Chins
(14 votes, average: 3.36 out of 5)
Loading...
Is there someone who could tell me what official color morph my new chin is? I'm mostly just curious because he appears to have incredibly unique markings. :)
Looking for a good home for our pair of adorable chinchillas, Loki and Nikolai. One (Loki) is a pink white and the other (Nikolai) is a White/Grey mosaic. They come with a large deluxe multi level cage, toys, bath, hay, feed and supplies. They are about 5 years old. They are super soft and they will make you smile. Asking for $400 re homing fee to cover cost of all included supplies. Must adopt both chinchillas together, they have been together since birth. Located in MN (Twin Cities) See post on CL Minneapolis (April 2017)
I have 2 Chinchilla's, one is standard and one is albino, I live in Britain and have found that they are quite hard to come across in pet shops, however, both my chinchilla's were the same price. Is this because they don't know much about chinchilla's, or do albino's usually cost the same as standard??
Can you give me more information about albino chinchilla
My email le_anh@mymail.eku.edu
I lost my home in a fire. Staying here and there. Motels won't allow my chinchillas. I have two sweet loveable mother and daughter chinchillas. They love being held. I also have a cage for them. I want them to go to a loving family. Call me or text me at 530-643-2325. Asking $300 for everything.
Are you still looking for a home for them?
I have a chinchilla her name is Molly she's the best she jumps up on my shoulder and more. But not every chinchilla will do that so I would say to spend at least an hour with your chinchilla every day
I live in Dubai chinchillas here are very expensive I bought my standard grey chinchilla for 195$ and another beige chinchilla for 300$ and the cage costed me about 50$ and one pound of chinchilla food and vitamin drink and chinchilla dust bath for 30$
Hi. Could you please tell me where you bought your chinchilla. So hard to find in Dubai...many thanks.
Hi I am trying to find out in Dubai where to buy a chinchilla..
I am also in uae wanting to buy one and can't find anywhere, where can I adopt one? Heard I need to buy a cage that comes with one as you can't sell them apparently so you get one "free with cage"
I saw some at the sharjah pet market about 6 months ago....i would start either there or the new dubai pet market.
im thinking about getting a chinchilla and breed them and make money and im only 10 so i might be rich by the time i get older but r chinchillas good pets ?
Chinchillas are good pets but some do not like to be held and they are not lap pets. Remember if you plan to breed chinchillas the chinchillas cannot be related because a deformity could happen. I'm 13 and I love my chinchilla :)
Hey where can you get them for a fair price in Indiana
A good cheap site for cages and accesseriess is petmountain. Com. Btw cages the mnormally run 180 in a pet store run about 85 on the site
My fiance spent. $270 for the chinchilla and the cage and1 pound of food I spent 10 on a water bottle and a bowl for food. So we spent about 280
I am trying to find someone in Washington State that sells pet chinchillas! I have two children and would like to raise them as pets. I would love the help if anyone out there that may have name and numbers to anybody in Washington State that may sell these pets! Thank you!
Chinchillas Northwest and Viking Chinchilla both are Washington breeders. Just picked up a paired sister set from Sue at Viking's. A just weaned baby girl and her 8 month older sister. My Savannah Sampson thinks they are great fun. He likes to play spank the chinchilla. lol
i got my chinchilla for $150, shes gray, i guess shes the standard, but i dont know the different colors of chinchillas
we got everything for 180.00
so does it really matter if you get your chinchilla from a petstore like petsmart or petco? is it cheaper to get a chinchilla from a petstore or is it more expensive ??? does it cost alot to get the food and cage and other stuff from petco or petsmart ?
and if you got a chinchilla from petco or petsmart would it like being cuddled or not ? could you get all the things you need to care for a chinchilla from walmart ???
well i hope somebody can answer these questions for me thanks pplz !!!
~mi mi~
If the petstore is a national chain like PetSmart (my favorite of the big ones), they get their chinchillas shipped from a large breeding ranch. They are just sent chins. They do not know about the genetic makeup and health of the chinchillas the way a breeder who you go and meet would.
At the store in Everett, MA - I have held and seen several GORGEOUS beige chinchillas that are so cuddly - the employees almost thought they were ill. They weren't they were just awesome and friendly! The level of energy and the mellowness (or lack) is partly hereditary.
So given my experience, I wouldn't bad-mouth PetSmart chins. They are $149 so the price is reasonable too.
I would avoid "backyard breeders" of chinchillas because they give the illusion of knowing what they are doing - but may very well understand less about chinchilla health and breeding than that un-named large breeding facility which supplies PetSmart.
Also, if you qualify to adopt from an animal shelter...selecting a rescue chinchilla for your pet is the best idea because the animal has been given special attention by the rescuer and may be more mellow as an adult rather than a younger chin. Chins are naturally high strung prey animals so mellow is a good thing to find.
thanks for answering my questions i plan on going to petsmart to get a chinchilla your answers helped me alot thanks again !!!!!!! :)
Chinchillas I found from pet stores are not socialized and are scared that is why they probably just sat in ur arms. Poor things are not given the one on one time a breeder gives the babies. Nor the space of a cage they need while they are there. Plus a lot of times i find they have 3 to 4 in a tank. Which is not healthy for the chinchillas.that alone causes fighting and sickness. As for the comment of back yard breeders giving the illusion of taking care of the chinchillas and knowing about them.your lumping anyone who breeds chinchillas in to one category. And that is not right. Im sorry but I take mine to a vet 2 times a year for check ups. They have their own play room and i fully know and i am educated on chinchillas. Yes there are some people who do just breed them for the money and thats it. But there are people like myself. Who do it for healthy beautiful strong good blood lines. I do not have tons of chinchillas like some people do. I only have 2 which I breed. And only once a year. My chinchillas are show quality and healthy socialized. But chinchillas are not the cuddly pet. 90 percent of the time you do not get the relaxed just lay on ur lap chinchilla. They are full of energy and want to explore and chew. Its like having a pet with adhd. They are always going. One min in this another in something else. Lol I find so many people get them thinking look how cute and cuddly I want one. They get one and soon realize they arent what they thought. Nor do they know bc they didnt do their homework that they can life up to 20 years. So the chinchilla ends up in a rescue bc of this. Its sad. Chinchillas are not for young children. They are fragile and young kids just dont mix well with chinchillas. Im being 100 percent honest. They dont like to be grabbed like a child would do nor the loudness of a child. They are not cheap of a pet to have either. My cage for 2 chinchillas cost 350.00. Alot of times I see people with their chinchilla in a tiny cage. That is not healthy for the chinchilla. Ive also seen where people didnt know they need things to wear their teeth down bc they are always growing. They again didnt do their homework and dont know whats wrong when the chin stops eating. A trip to the vet is a special visit for u need to find a vet who will see them. They are exotic pet so its more expensive. Food I pay 13.99 per 2 pounds of food. I do not feed my chinchillas cheap food. They need the right about of vitamins and minerals. Also I wouldnt give ur chinchilla tap water. Due to the fact at different times of the year the water company puts stuff in our water to make it safe for us to drink. But their stomachs and body cant handle it. Which leads to loose stools and dehydration. Even death. So I give mine bottle water. Bedding I dont use anything but fleece liners I make for my cage. Its better for the chinchillas and cleaner. I use litter pans where my chinchillas pee but they will poop everywhere. People just do ur homework on chinchillas before u get one. Just the set up cage two chinchillas food ect. I spent around 700.00. Dont buy one without knowing as much as u can by reading then go and talk to people who own them. Hang out with their chinchillas before u go and just buy one. Make sure a chinchilla is the right pet for u. Dont just get one bc they are cute. I wouldnt want another chinchilla dumped at a rescue. They love to chew so be prepared to chinchilla proof ur home or room u are going to allow them to run. Bc they will chew wood work wires furniture walls shoes ect. They do not know the difference between what to chew what not to. Just make sure 100 percent ur ready to own a chinchilla and not mind having ur stuff chewed on. And that u will keep a eye on them like u would a toddler while u have them out. Second u dont just throw two chinchillas together and hope for the best. I could go back generations and tell u things a pet store couldnt answer. I also have my babies vet checked before they are placed in their new home. Not everyone who breeds chinchillas dont care or know about them. Not everyone is in it for the money. Bc to be truthful by the time the babies go to their new homes I payed out more then I charge to adopt one from me. So before u lump everyone in one category and speak negatively of anyone who breeds chinchillas I think u should have done ur homework as well. Not all breeders are the same.
if you want a chinchilla, go adopt them at the animal shelter, its usually cheaper and you get to help them. Be nice and help animals in need! why would you spend like 100 bucks more to get a cute chinchilla from a breeder who doesnt give a fk about pet and only want to make money? think about it, would you like to be breeded so ppl can sell you?? if no, then please stop encouraging breeders by buying pets from them! Breeders have rare chinchilla so a lot of idiots will spend money to buy them, be the nice one and help those that are abandoned and neglected by adopting them. (yes they do have normal chinchilla! not all of them are blind or disabled, and they are not ugly either..)
I agree with you that rehoming chinchillas should be the first option if you are looking for a new pet chin.
However, a lot of chinchilla breeders are not "backyard breeders" and do give a fu*k about their pets. They do not all breed with profit as the first motive. They breed because they love the chinchilla species and want to improve and introduce new colors and traits the everyone can enjoy.
Chins cannot survive in the US climate outside of our homes. Therefore, chinchillas need to be bred if you do not want them to become extinct. In their wild habitat of the Andes Mountains, fur trappers are leading rapidly to their extinction. Someday, the only Chin may be the bred chin. So don't be so quick to bash educated and responsible chinchilla breeders the way people bash dog breeders (who are responsible for tremendous overpopulation of that species).
I agree with you I live in Hartford, ct and I got my chinchilla's from a registered breeder. She spacialises on the colors ebony and violet. 90% of all her chins are show chins I got 2 for $100 plus she gave me a starter kit gor $20 a whole garbage bsd of hay, 2 large zipplot bags of food and her spacial chin oatmeal. My girls are a standard grey and a ec violet they are wonderful. But some breeders do care tho she really does she also has her own site. I think tge ones that say oh I selling some chinchilla's because I didn't know I had a boy and a girl those you should worry sbout. They might say that but we don't know if they intentionaly breed them.
Wow I loved your reply up to the dog breeders bit. You just lumped all the puppy mills, backyard breeders and dog show breeders together. You won't find a dog from a show person in a shelter but sitting beside me now are three designer dogs from puppy mills and backyard breeders. I've raised and shown dogs my whole life and was fighting puppy mills and back yard breeders long before most of you were born:). Yes chain stores get their chins from huge ranches that are the same thing as a puppy mill. If you can't adopt (I have 3 adoptable chins currently) then buy one from someone who shows them and cares about the health and genetics.Remember Dr. Pets? They were in all of the malls selling all sorts of mill animals. Always check out the person you are getting them from!
how much does it cost to raise a chinchilla on a yearly basis?
Well it costs about 400-500 dollars a year but if you really want one then treat yourself !!!!!
I want a ChinChilla and my mom is thinking about getting one for me.
I just found out that a Chinchilla could probably die and doesn't go well with traveling.But, what if the travel is about 1-2hr to get to my destination?? Will the ChinChilla then be okay?? Also,I wanted to know: How much,altogether,will a Chinchilla and the things that it needs,a year, will cost?
Thank you and I hope the travel doesn't get in the way of things...
Hi, I read your post about traveling with chinchilla. Yesterday, I drove almost 3 hours one way trip to get 2 chinchilla, and drove another 3 hours back home. I stopped by halfway to check them out. They are fine and enjoy their new home afterward. Just take easy with driving with turns so they wont bounce around inside box or carriage, I guess.
nope i have 1 and it is not expensive it last about 7-10 years and it is a veary clean animal and if u go away on a trip be shur to leav the heater up to 73 dagrees or it may get sick and leave alot of food and water!
All chinchillas die eventually...the travel should not kill a chinchilla unless it freezes, gets overheated (above 80 degrees) and dehydrated, or leaves home too young. NEVER leave a chinchilla in the sun or a car which can overheat quickly. Even a young chinchilla (8-12 weeks old) should be able to leave home in a car for a few hours. You just have to make sure it has food and water in its new cage and that you leave it along for a week or so in a quiet place (don't carry it around with you or hold it a lot until it has had a chance to resume eating and relax). It's good that you are so thoughtful about the chinchilla and its transportation. Some breeders will not let a chinchilla leave until it is 12 or 14 weeks old so it has gained enough weight to survive in a new surrounding on its own.
Not all cinchillas are the same. If they are raised without being held then they will not like to be held when theyre an adult. my chinchilla is 2 months old and he very tame and loved to be held and cuddled but his parents were next held and they were wild and would bite. there is no gender better than the other. either will do, the attitude is all based on how they were raised. i bought mine from a private breeder for an extremely low price and i plan to get a female next spring to breed them. my chinchilla is worth $150.
Whoa Everyone ! Smiles, do I sound like I am from Texas or what :) I do not know who will read this message, and please understand I am not an authority.... However..... I Feed Mazuri Feed, Timothy Hay, I use "Lixit Water Bottles"(As they do not leak), Very few treats, a bit of shredded wheat from time to time.
I found the initial cost for owning a chin(s) was the major financial factor. After that, the cost is not very high. If you want a "Cuddle Pet" forget it, If you want an intriguing Pet, Chinchillas are facinating ! You would want the largest cage you can afford (FN142 or please check out the Quality Cage Company) Quality Cage also has the BEST wheels (Believe me, if I were affiliatied with them, I would expect a bonus - However, they do not know me, except that I ordered a wheel :)
I do know of a Reputable Chinchilla Rescue - So for those of you interested, I can put you in touch with someone (Rick NOLA Chin Rescue) who really knows Chins very well, and can answer any and all questions. If interested, Please contact me at TGRACEMITCHELL@att.net and will be happy to give you his contact info. Very Best, Tamara
No way! Im getting a chinchilla soon and i read in abook that they LOVE to be cuddled. Go to youtube.com and search chinchillas getting petted. They love to get petted. Also, they requirt the SAME stuff that a guine pig and hamster would require to live, so ya. Thanx for the info.
Celsea
a male chinchilla is best but females would do okay. they can get up to $225. the cheapest is a normal gray chinchilla worth $75 each. males are cheaper than females. i no this because i have both a male and female chinchilla [gray]
Okay, I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much chinchilla's cost on a monthly basis?
Thanks
I spent 150 for my chinchilla, 200 for his cage
and 20-25 dollars a month for his food, hay and wood to chew on.
you will also need to buy toys monthly on top of this.
If you have to make a trip to the vet it can range from 100 to several hundred dollars.
Thank you so much for your help ! =) I know how costly vest were but was unsure about food and hay and stuff. I wanted to know if I could afford it before getting one. Again Thanks so much!
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING A CHIN INTO MY HOME AS A PET FOR MY TWELVE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE ANIMAL, BUT I AM SURPRISED THAT THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE HELD AND CUDDLED...ALMOST DISAPPOINTED. ANY MORE PET PEEVES WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? ALSO, WE HAVE A CAT...AN OLD, INACTIVE, DECLAWED, TEMPERMENTAL CAT. WILL IT BE THE CAT'S INSTINCT TO CHASE/EAT MY CHIN!? UNTIL I KNOW, I PLAN TO KEEP THEM SEPERATE.
BIANCA RUSSELL
chinchills loooooove to be held and cuddled and they looooooove attention and there so soft almost irresistable to hold and play with
Actually, Russell is right. It is rare that a chinchilla will liked to be held or cuddled for more than a minute or two. They are much happier bouncing off the walls and running around. However, after you build up enough trust with your chinchilla they do enjoy being rubbed under the chin.
It depends on your cat if he will want to chase your chinchilla. I've had cats that love to play with mine, and others who would like nothing better than to have it for lunch. I'd introduce them slowly and see what happens.
i want to get a chinchilla, but i dont know which one to get.
and which gender would be best?
and is there any website that you could buy one from, thats not expensive?
like around $90-$180.
if you could help my out,
my email is butterfly_logan@yahoo.com.
thank you
Jackie,
Chinchillas live a long time -- 10+ years. They require much more of a commitment than hamsters or guinea pigs.
Anyway i can get one a little cheaper? And dio they live longer then hamsters? ( i thought they do, But i need to know.)
I have chinchilla's now that are over 20 years old. In loving, feeding, treats and good toys they are a great pet. I live in Maryland
I'm looking to adopt a Chinchilla but before i make the leap, i'd really like to know what it will cost monthly. I have so much love in me that caring for anything is never a problem. i just want to make sure i can do it monetarily. Of course i will get a book on how to care for the chinchilla and read it prior to getting one, but i'd like to know this as well so i'm prepped!
alright, please feel free to get back to me soon with your answers. :)
thank you so much!
Karin,
If your concern is what to do with your chinchilla while you're on vacation, consider a pet sitter. With a large enough cage, wheel, food, and water, a pet sitter wouldn't have to visit too often.
A family friend left a chinchilla at our house to care for him, while she moved to Wyoming, not wanting to bring him with her. We love the chinchilla dearly, but we often take vacations and feel that we can no longer care for him properly. What should I do?
Carly,
A fan won't cool your chinchillas. They don't sweat so a fan will basically just blow hot air around them with no cooling effect. Better to bring them inside or you could end up killing them.
My class has two chinchillas and i get to take them home with me this weekened. I am going to leave them out in the garrage (they will be in a cage and our garrage is huge) and it sometimes gets hot in there. Should i place a fan near the cage to keep them cool?
Redwall,
Your concerns are valid. Heat and chinchillas don't mix. It sounds like you shouldn't get a chinchilla.
I have been wanting a chinchilla since I was seven years old. My mother say she wants one but we have a cat. I said I would keep it somewhere away from the cat but the cat is everywhere. Even when i close the doors. the only place we can put the chinchilla (that is if we get one) is the bathroom. But the bathroom is hot and really small. And I have read that chinchillas need somewhere that is not hot. And if i put it in my room the cat will surely get it. and my bother's room is the same way. Everybody in the family wants one. But we aren't sure if we should get one. help me!
Don't feed your chinchilla lettuce. It doesn't have the nutrients your chinchilla needs and is mostly water. It would be much better if fed the proper chinchilla pellets and hay.
My mom bought me a chinchilla because I held one and she simply fell in love with the thing. I counted it as a present because i was going into sixth grade. Anyway, my dad I were thinking that she could eat some lettuce but we didn't know if it was safe.
Kacy,
Sorry, but you're on your own for this one. We can answer specific questions, but if someone doesn't like the look of a chinchilla there is little we can do.
However, we do think chinchillas can make great pets. They do require quite a bit of work and space. More than smaller pets like gerbils. And one very important thing to remember is that they live 10-15+ years. That's a long time and you need to be prepared for that kind of commitment.
It's 16 days till my birthday and I really want a chinchilla. My mom says they are too much like rats though (which i don't think they are). What can I tell her about chinchillas that will make her think that they're not like rats?
I can't convince my mom to get me a chinchilla for my birthday because she says they're too much work and have too many problems. Even though I take care of the family dog and my hamster just fine. How can I convince her to let me get a chinchilla?
Chinchillalover,
We recommend keeping travel to a minimum and only in dire circumstances. Unlike a cat or a dog, chinchillas are nocturnal so they sleep during the day and, without sweat glands, they must be kept within a safe temperature range. So, travelling can be hard (and sometimes deadly) for a chin. Plus, they tend to scare easily which can be hard on them emotionally.
Brittany,
Chinchillas don't smell any more than any other pet. Of course their cage will if you don't clean it regularly.
As for diseases, a healthy chinchilla will remain disease-free. You just need to buy it from a reputable breeder. Even traditional disease-carrying rodents such as rats would be fine if you buy them healthy and keep them in a healthy environment away from other animals.
My mom won't let me get a chinchilla or anything in the rodent family because she says they carry diseases and they smell. I cant change her mind. How can I tell her that she is wrong about them?
Birthdaygirl,
Chinchillas can make wonderful pets, but they do require a lot of work. They're bigger than many pets such as gerbils, guinea pigs, and mice. As such, they require more cleaning, a larger cage, and a couple of hours a day to run around outside of their cage.
Also, chinchillas can live for a long time: 10, 15, and even 20 years. If you are close to going to college, your mom will need to take care of your chinchilla while you're away which is probably not a good idea.
Please take a look at our article about why not to have a pet chinchilla and be sure that you are ready for the commitment they require.
This Wednesday is my birthday and I have been wanting a chinchilla for 2 years, but mom says I won't be able to take care of it because of school. My mom says that they're not worth the price but I beg to differ. How can I talk her into it within 2 days?