Chinchilla Prices in 2023: Purchase Cost, Supplies, Food, and More!

These cuddly, fluffy, adorable little critters in gray shades, known as chinchillas, make for amazing pets! But you’ll need to ensure you’re ready to bring one home, with all the proper equipment on hand. You’ll also want to study up on chinchilla costs to make sure you’re financially capable of caring for these cuddly critters.

Let’s take a look at everything from medical expenses, setup costs, the needs of the animals, and more. Find all the basics of chinchilla costs below.

How Much Does a Chinchilla Cost?

Generally speaking, you’ll find a chinchilla to bring home for anything between $75 and $200. Some places may have them for free (shelters) and exotic coloration in chinchillas may cost significantly more.

Chinchilla Costs by Coloration – Lowest to Highest

Chinchillas are more expensive based on the color of their coats.

Where to Buy a Chinchilla

You’ll find a few options for where you can find chinchillas for sale.

Chinchilla Costs at Exotic Pet Stores and Expositions: $150 to $2,000

Both exotic pet stores and expositions may have chinchillas on offer. They typically start at about $150 and range up to $2,000 or more for specific coloration.

Chinchilla Costs at Breeder: $80 to $300

Breeders may charge anywhere from $80 to $300, depending on the coloration, care provided, and other factors.

Chinchilla Costs at a Pet Rescue or Shelter: $0 to $100

Depending on where you live and which shelter(s) take in chinchillas, you could find bringing one home from a shelter inexpensive. Each shelter guards these sweet animals carefully to ensure the right owner comes along, preventing abuse and neglect. So, depending on what their needs are, your costs will vary.

Some shelters will offer the critters free to a good home, while others charge a re-homing fee up to about $100.

Availability in Your State

Chinchillas are not permitted as pets in every state, so be sure to check this information before proceeding. If they are permitted, you’ll discover that availability in your state will determine the price. For states where many are available, they will be much less expensive. In other states, you’ll be looking at as much as the top cost for a chinchilla. This is particularly true if you’re picky about the coloration.

What to Look Out for When Buying a Chinchilla

When you’re ready to bring home a cuddly chinchilla pal, look out for these signs before you choose. They could be indicators of poor health which could wind up with costly repercussions.

• Skin problems
• Foot sores
• Signs of shedding
• Nervous behaviors
• Shaking

Any of these could be signs of severe illness, poor treatment, or high stress.

Adult Chinchilla Costs Versus Baby Chinchilla Costs

Breeders rarely sell adult chinchillas. Instead, they sell babies because they are much easier for humans to bond with than adults. The adult chinchilla has already bonded with the caregiver at the breeder, which means a new owner has difficulty earning the chinchilla’s trust.

Generally, baby chinchillas are still less expensive than adults, anyway. The exceptions may be specific breeds which are going to be higher than others.

Do I Need One or Two Chinchillas?

Chinchillas do best in pairs or groups. They’re naturally social animals that live in larger groups. Having a solo chinchilla may cause stress or anxiety for your pet after a time. Some folks opt for a single chinchilla to begin with, to get accustomed to their care. If you go this route, be sure to bring the second one home as soon as possible to prevent the first from dominating the second when it joins the family.

Chinchilla Medical Care Costs

Chinchillas generally resist diseases and illnesses. Occasionally, though, it can still happen, especially if your pet has a disorder or is exposed to illnesses by other animals.

Generally speaking, though, you’ll have up-front costs for your chinchilla, with the annual check-up each year.

• Spay/neuter: $120 to $160
• Annual Vet visits: $40 to $60
• Vitamin shots: $15 — if your chinchilla isn’t eating well
• Parasite treatments or emergency vet visits: $200-plus
• Insurance: $150 to $250 annual (optional)

Overall, it’s best to create a savings account dedicated to pet care just in case those emergencies arise.

Basic Supply List for Chinchilla

• Shelter and cage
• Food
• Transport carrier
• Dust bath and bowl
• Treats
• Bedding
• Food and water containers
• Bed or hammock
• Exercise wheel
• Timothy hay
• Granite stone
• Toys

Chinchilla Costs: Cage and Shelter

Chinchillas do best with a decent sized cage, around 30 inches by 30 inches by 15 inches in dimension. This simple cage allows them enough room to play, sleep, and climb, as needed, and houses all their equipment. They typically run between $50 for a simple rat cage and $140.

These critters also need a shelter or hiding place within the cage. They are nocturnal, so need something to help block out daylight. These can typically be purchased for around $18.

Cost for Food

Chinchillas aren’t huge eaters, thankfully! They require about 2 pounds of pellets each month, which run about $1 to $2.50 per pound. They also do well with supplementation of things like alfafa balls or cubes, which cost between $2 and $4 each. Total, you’re looking at between $4 and $6.50 monthly in chinchilla food costs.

Chinchilla Costs: Transport Carrier

Your fuzzy pal won’t use it often, but chinchillas do need a basic transport carrier for vet visits and the like. These usually run between $10 and $25 for a smaller carrier.

Dust and Sand Bath Costs

Your chinchilla requires dust or sand baths twice weekly. You’ll need the tub for the sand, which you can purchase cheaply for about $2 to $5 and then the sand or dust materials. These run about $5 to $6 per month.

Additional Cost: Air Conditioning

Because chinchillas are particularly sensitive to the heat, you’ll have to maintain the space where the critter lives. Below 75-degrees Fahrenheit is the recommended temperature for these fluffy pals. The granite slab in their cage helps, but cool air is required. You’ll likely notice a mild to moderate cooling increase in summer especially.

Treats Cost

Chinchillas do best with treats as part of their regular diets. These provide rewards for good behavior as well as just a happy treat. They also add more nutrition to their diet, so be careful to choose healthy options that function as supplements, not junk food.

Most chinchilla treats run between $2.50 and $10 per bag, and you’ll likely use up about one-third to a half of the bag each month.

Bedding Cost

You’ll need high quality bedding for your chinchilla’s cage, unless you’re lining the cage with a nice fleece. Bedding absorbs the odors and provides a soft resting surface for them, which they’ll need for a healthy, happy life.

Generally, you’ll start out purchasing about $10 of bedding when you bring home your chinchilla. Then, as the months pass, you’ll change it out about once a month.

Chinchilla Costs: Food and Water Containers

Chinchillas require water bottles, about $8 to $15, bowls for pellets, about $5 to $10, and hay feeders, $12 to $27. You need to ensure the containers are solid, not plastic, and readily available to them. Ideally, use metal for all three.

Bed or Hammock Cost

Chinchillas love their sleep! So, that means they need a comfortable bed that helps them rest securely. They like beds or hammocks, whichever you prefer to provide, though hammocks are top picks for most. If you can find a covered hammock, even better. Some folks choose a few options, but you need to invest in at least one solid sleeping option for them.

Generally, you won’t need to replace the bed and will only invest about $20 once.

Chinchilla Costs: Exercise Wheel

Like other Rodentia and small mammals, chinchillas need some good exercise to help keep them healthy and happy. Providing them with an exercise wheel will do the trick in most cases. So, be sure to find one that’s large enough and chew-proof before purchasing one. They should run you about $100 but you’ll likely never have to replace it.

Timothy Hay

Chinchillas require some hay for their habitats and Timothy hay is an affordable, popular option. You’ll spend about $5 a month on this stuff, maybe less if you buy in bulk.

Granite Stone Cost

Before you bring home your chinchilla, purchase a granite stone to their cage. These help chinchillas keep cool, which is one of their biggest challenges. These fluffy critters overheat easily, so granite, which remains cooler than room temperature, helps them regulate. You’ll probably spend about $10 on one initially and, thankfully, never need to replace it.

Chinchilla Costs: Toys

Chinchillas, like many other critters, love to chew on things in their environment. This means they need some toys specifically intended for this activity. Purchase wood chewing sticks, lava rock chews, or other animal-safe chew toys to keep them happy. Generally speaking, you’ll pick up enough toys initially for about $30 to last a year. Expect to replace them for about the same price, over the year, annually.

Total Costs of Bringing Home a Chinchilla

• Chinchilla — $0 to $245
• Medical costs — $665 to $710
• Cage and shelter — $68 to $158
• Food — $4 to $6.50
• Carrier — $10 to $25
• Dust bath and container — $5 to 6
• Treats — $2.50 to $10
• Bedding — $10
• Water bottle, bowl, and hay feeder — $25 to $52
• Bed or hammock — $20
• Exercise wheel — $100
• Timothy Hay — $5
• Granite stone — $10
• Toys — $30
• Dust bath — $7 to $9

Total, to bring home at chinchilla, with all medical costs included, you’re looking at anywhere from $962 to $1,392. If you bring home an adopted chinchilla or re-homed animal, though, likely, many of the initial medical expenses will be covered already, so you could see your new pet for as little as $290.

Monthly Chinchilla Costs

• Insurance — $10 to $25
• Food — $4 to $6.50
• Dust bath — $5 to $6
• Treats — $2.50 to $10
• Bedding — $8 to 10
• Toys — $2.5
• Timothy Hay — $5

Total upkeep expenses average out to $37 to $66 per month to keep a chinchilla as a pet.