by Josh Komon

Created on: August 11, 2008   Last Updated: August 14, 2008

The three of us wanted a pet for our apartment. I'm not a big fan of dogs. Both my girlfriend and my roommate are allergic to cats. (I must admit I'm a tad allergic myself.) It was suggested to me that I get chinchillas, for chinchillas are the perfect pets. They are hypoallergenic, they are inexpensive to maintain, and they are easy to take care of.

I'd like to tackle that first misconception. THEY are hypoallergenic. However, they eat hay, and they bathe in dust. All three of us are allergic to one or both of those things. And who knows, maybe we're of that rare breed of humans who are actually allergic to chinchilla fur.

Secondly, chinchillas may not be as expensive to take care of as say a dog, or a peregrine falcon. That does not mean inexpensive. Food and toys for my cute little boys has cost me about fifteen dollars a month. Bedding and cage liners, about five bucks a month. That doesn't sound so bad, and that's all anyone will ever tell you about. Here are just a few of the hidden costs. Air Conditioning: Chinchillas need to have the temperature always at or below 75 degrees. (or so, it all depends on who you ask.) That means our A/C is on all day every day for the entire summer. Vacuums: These guys make quite a mess, and a regular vacuum won't cut it, and will likely break down when all the dust clogs its gears. Replacements: Chinchillas will chew on or through everything you own, including but not limited to wires. (see below) These things will need to be replaced, and only if you're lucky will that not be expensive.

Lastly, chinchillas are not easy to take care of. Yes, they only need 30 minutes a day of your attention, and even then, just letting them out of their cage counts as attention. However, when you let them out, you need to get them back in. Sometimes they are hard to find, and almost always, they are hard to catch. The cage needs to be cleaned weekly, and the area around the cage, daily. All of those household objects they destroy need to be protected or replaced. Allow me to regale you with a brief anecdote. Recently, my chins chewed through an audio wire connected to my television. While replacing it, I found out, the hard way, that they had also chewed part way through the power cord.

All of that being said, I still love my little guys, and wouldn't trade them for the world. I highly recommend them as pets to people who don't want cats or dogs. God made them cute so we humans would keep them alive.

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