Best chinchilla toys and cage accessories

What are good enrichment toys for chinchillas?

Toys that let a chinchilla do what it would do in the wild: chew, jump, hide, forage and roll in dust. The RSPCA lists wooden, rope, cardboard and pumice toys, and says to avoid plastic. Woodgreen suggests twigs, stumps and branches from apple, pear or willow trees, plus ceramic or hard card tunnels. PDSA says to rotate toys regularly so they don't get bored.

The RSPCA also says rope toys are fine, but Woodgreen warns against hanging ropes and swings because legs get caught. We would follow Woodgreen here: if you use rope, keep it short, natural fibre and lying on a shelf, not hanging in loops. For more ideas, see our guide to chinchilla enrichment.

How to choose safe chinchilla toys

• Made of untreated wood, willow, hay, pumice, lava stone or ceramic.
• No plastic, soft rubber or foam that can be chewed and swallowed.
• No paint, varnish or glue you can see; natural colours only where you can.
• Every piece too big to swallow, as VCA advises.
• No gaps, loops or rings that a foot, leg or head could get stuck in.
• No bells, chains or small metal clips.
• Card and fabric only if your chinchillas don't eat them, since Woodgreen warns they can block the gut.

The best chinchilla toys and accessories to look at

Best chinchilla wheels

The best chinchilla wheel is at least 38 cm (15 in) across, with a solid, smooth track and a chew-proof metal body. VCA, PetMD and the MSD Veterinary Manual all give the 15-inch size, and the MSD Veterinary Manual warns against wheels with holes or rough surfaces. Most wheels sold for small pets are smaller: zooplus's wooden wheels, for example, run from 21 to 33 cm (8 to 13 in), too small for an adult chinchilla. Our chinchilla wheel guide covers sizing and safety in full.

Chinchilla playpens: are they worth it?

Only with a lid. The RSPCA says chinchillas can jump over 1.8 m (6 ft), and most small-animal playpens are far lower. Small-animal runs and pens at zooplus range from 35 cm (14 in) to 85 cm (33 in) high, and MidWest says its Critterville exercise pen is for "non-jumping small animals", which rules out chinchillas. Others are made of galvanised wire with bars 3.5 cm (1.4 in) apart, which fails both VCA's advice on galvanised wire and PetMD's 2.5 cm (1 in) bar limit.

For daily time out, the MSD Veterinary Manual suggests about two hours of supervised play in a safe, chinchilla-proofed room. A small room such as a bathroom or spare room, with cables lifted, gaps blocked and nothing chewable at floor level, is the best playpen there is. If you do use a pen, make sure it has:

• A secure mesh top, or walls too high to jump.
• Bars 2.5 cm (1 in) apart or less, powder-coated, not galvanised.
• A wipeable floor or mat underneath.
• A hide, a chew and some hay inside.
• You in the room the whole time.

Chew-proof chinchilla cages

Chinchillas chew whatever they can reach, so a cage is only as chew-proof as its weakest part. All-metal frames and mesh, metal or untreated wooden shelves, and no plastic in reach are what to look for. Many popular cages come with plastic shelves and trays, which is why we suggest swapping shelves for wood. Our guide to the best chinchilla cages goes through what to check on each one.

Why is my chinchilla chewing its fur?

Fur chewing is a warning sign, not a toy problem. The RSPCA lists chewing their own or another chinchilla's fur as a sign of stress or fear, and VCA lists fur chewing among the skin and fur problems that need a vet. Possible causes include boredom, a cage that is too small, a hot or noisy room, bullying by a cage mate and health problems. What to do:

1. See a vet. Rule out pain, skin problems and dental trouble first, as VCA advises for any fur problem.
2. Check the room. Make sure it is cool, quiet and dark in the day; the RSPCA says chinchillas need long, undisturbed daytime sleep.
3. Check the company. Watch for one chinchilla chewing the other's fur, and make sure there are enough houses for each to get away.
4. Add things to do. More chews, hay to forage in, new shelves and toys swapped in each week, plus daily time out.

Our chinchilla health guide covers other signs to watch, and our page on the best chinchilla hides helps if a pair needs more places to get apart.

Why does my chinchilla sound like a squeaky toy?

Because chinchillas talk in squeaks. Soft squeaks and chirps while playing, grooming or greeting a cage mate are everyday chinchilla chatter. Louder, repeated calls can be an alarm, and a cry when you touch one spot can mean pain. Our guide to chinchilla behaviour explains what each sound and posture usually means. For everything else your chinchillas need, see our complete chinchilla care guide.