Chinchilla carriers: fit, ventilation and vet trips

What makes a good chinchilla carrier?

Hard, chew-resistant and airy. The MSD Veterinary Manual's travel advice for chinchillas asks for a hard, chew-resistant, well-ventilated carrier kept out of direct sun. PetMD's vet author Laurie Hess adds that a small animal carrier should be made for the species, escape-proof, lock securely and be easy to clean, and warns that small animals often chew through cardboard.

• Hard plastic or metal mesh walls, with a solid, easy-clean base
• Ventilation on at least three sides, as heat is the biggest travel risk
• A door that clips or locks, ideally opening from the top
• No gaps big enough for a nose or paw to push through and chew
• A firm handle and a flat base that won't tip
• Room to turn round and sit up

Chinchillas chew everything, so a plastic carrier will get gnawed at the edges over time. Check air slits and door catches before each trip. A metal mesh carrier on a plastic base resists chewing best, though it is colder in winter and needs a towel over part of it.

What size carrier does a chinchilla need?

Keeping a chinchilla cool while travelling

Heat is the biggest danger on any chinchilla journey. Their fur is so dense that they overheat quickly. Sources agree on the danger line and differ a little on the ideal:

We'd aim for the RSPCA's 10 to 18°C (50 to 64°F) in the car. PetMD suggests running the air conditioning in hot weather and putting a towel-wrapped ice pack in the bottom of the carrier. A frozen water bottle wrapped in a tea towel does the same job. Our chinchilla temperature guide lists the warning signs of overheating.

How to set up a chinchilla carrier for a vet trip

1. Get it out early. PetMD suggests leaving the carrier out at home with treats inside, and taking short practice car rides, so it isn't a frightening new box on the day.
2. Line it. A towel or fleece on the floor for grip, a handful of hay, and something that smells of home. PetMD suggests a familiar blanket, towel or a worn T-shirt.
3. Add a hide. A small cardboard box or a hay hide gives a prey animal somewhere to tuck in, as PetMD advises for small pets.
4. Keep food simple. Hay and a few usual pellets. PetMD advises against a big meal before travel, as many small animals get carsick. We'd skip fruit, which is too sugary for chinchillas.
5. Let it walk in. Put the open carrier in the cage or play area with a treat and let the chinchilla climb in. VCA warns chinchillas should never be grabbed by the skin or handled roughly.
6. Lock and check. Clip the door shut, tug it to be sure, and look at every air slit for chewed edges.
7. Secure it in the car. Seatbelt the carrier, or put it in the rear footwell where it can't roll or tip, as PetMD suggests. Keep it out of direct sun.

Handling and fur slip

Chinchillas can drop patches of fur when they are grabbed, stressed or fighting. VCA explains that this fur slip is a defence that evolved against predators: the predator is left holding fur while the chinchilla escapes. It usually causes no lasting harm, but the fur can take several months to grow back. Lift a chinchilla with one hand under its body and the other supporting its back end, close to your chest, and never by the fur or tail. Our guide to taming and handling a chinchilla shows how.

Longer journeys and moving house

For a long drive, the MSD manual's travel advice is to use a hard, chew-resistant, well-ventilated carrier, keep the car from getting too warm and bring plenty of water, food, hay, bedding and toys. We'd stop to offer water every couple of hours, and fit the travel bottle in the home cage for a week before you go, so it is familiar on the day.

For flights, MSD suggests booking early so the chinchilla can ride in the cabin under your seat, in an airline-approved carrier, and says any cargo area must be climate-controlled. Ask an exotics vet before any long trip. VCA recommends a vet experienced with chinchillas, partly because many antibiotics that are safe in other animals can be dangerous for chinchillas.

If you're going away, the RSPCA suggests asking someone you trust to care for your chinchillas in their familiar home, which spares them the journey entirely.

What to bring to the vet

• The chinchilla in a secure, cool carrier
• A small bag of its usual hay and pellets
• A note of what it eats each day and how much
• A photo of the cage and its bedding
• A note of any change in eating, droppings or behaviour, and when it started
• A towel to cover the carrier in the waiting room, away from dogs and cats

Our chinchilla health guide lists the signs that need a vet the same day. For housing, food and everything else, see our complete chinchilla care guide.

Chinchilla carriers for sale: a few to look at