Chinchillas and kids: Are they safe? How do you potty train them?

Question

Im thinking about getting a Chinchilla but I have a pretty large family (5 kids, me and my husband). The youngest is about a year old, and the oldest is 12 years old. Would it be ok to let the Chinchilla around all my kids? Also, how do you potty train a Chinchilla?

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

Chinchillas can be entertaining pets but if they are not handled when young they can be flighty/jumpy and difficult to catch, so keep that in mind, in particular with children of younger age (also, some young children may injure a chinchilla by grabbing roughly). Because of this, younger children should always be monitored closely around a small pet like this. Some chinchillas can be potty trained if started at a young age, but usually only for urine, not for bowel movements. Most chinchillas will choose a corner of their cage to use the bathroom and you can place a litterpan in this area along with some soiled litter to encourage use of the litterbox.

Chinchillas and kids: Are they safe? How do you potty train them?

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