How Much Does It Cost to Board a Chinchilla Per Day?

Finding a place to board a chinchilla can be somewhat challenging, and prices typically range from a few tens of dollars per day.

While chinchilla boarding options might be limited, it's still possible to find suitable places. The cost for boarding a chinchilla might be around tens of dollars per day. However, it's generally advisable to avoid home-based boarding facilities, as the environment might not be well-managed or standardized, which could potentially lead to issues. It's recommended to bring your chinchilla's usual supplies and clearly explain their needs and habits to the boarding facility. It's also worth noting that some facilities might offer discounts if you board cats or dogs along with your chinchilla.

Ideal Chinchilla Boarding Environment

A suitable boarding facility should offer a dedicated space for chinchillas. During the summer, the room should have 24-hour air conditioning to maintain a constant temperature, along with a dehumidifier running 24/7 for optimal air circulation and good ventilation. In the winter, the room temperature should be kept between 10-15°C, with a humidity level of around 55%.

Chinchilla Diet and Feeding

Chinchillas need a consistent feeding schedule, typically with hay in the morning and feed at night, and free-choice hay available 24/7. A mix of timothy hay and alfalfa is ideal. For feed, suitable options include brands like Oxbow, Mazuri, Supreme, Burgess Excel, and Versele-Laga, with the quantity adjusted based on the chinchilla's usual eating habits. If your chinchilla is on a different diet, it's crucial to inform the boarding facility.

Treat Options

Appropriate treats for chinchillas include dried apple slices, hazelnut sticks, dried mulberry leaves, mint leaves, dandelion toast, chamomile, and chicory. You can provide these treats as per the owner's instructions.

Bathing and Hygiene

Chinchillas require regular dust baths about three times a week, using white volcanic dust or blue cloud dust . In the rainy season, anti-fungal powder can be added to prevent fungal infections.

Cage and Bedding

Wood shavings should be used as bedding in the cage, with daily spot cleaning and a full cleaning every three days. If your chinchilla uses a litter box, please indicate that when booking. Wood shavings should come from reputable brands, such as Kaytee or Living World.

Exercise and Playtime

A safe area should be provided for chinchillas to play. For long-term boarding, the chinchilla can have supervised playtime with the owner's consent.

Hydration

It is recommended that owners bring their own water bottles for their chinchillas. Spring water or bottled water should be used as drinking water, which should be changed and disinfected every three days.

Monitoring and Updates

The boarding facility should provide 24-hour video monitoring, as well as regular photos and videos for the owners.

Medications and Supplements

The facility should be able to administer medications such as probiotics, hairball pastes, and nutritional pastes, as well as supplements like pineapple enzymes and probiotics as needed.Explore more:Pet Knowledge