Before you buy here are some things to consider:

•  Will you have enough time to put in the care a chinchilla requires? While chinchillas are a great pet, they are an exotic pet and do have special requirements. Also they live for a very long time and are big responsibility to take on. I suggest spending some time on the site and learning what it really means to be a chinchilla owner.

•  Can you afford a vet? “If you can't afford the vet, don't get the pet!” While chinchillas do not require shots, throughout the course of their life chinchillas can run up vet bills. At any time one visit could cost more than $300 easily, and is often times much more than that.

•  Do you have the proper cage? Chinchilla cages should provide both room to run, but also vertical height so they can jump. Also there are many things sold at petstores that claim to be chinchilla safe but are not, so make sure that your cage is safe for your new pet. You should also have your cage set up before you bring your new chin home.

•  If this pet is intended for a child, are you as the parent prepared to put a lot of effort into? Chinchillas require a lot of care, and the chances that a child would be able to maintain a chin alone are slim to none. If you buy this for your child, expect to spend at least 30-45 minutes a day doing various cleaning and providing playtime, which are both essential to a chinchillas vitality.