# Rabbits and chinchillas



## Sarahlydear (Mar 13, 2011)

Hello all; so I have two chinchilla boys whom I plan on allowing a lot of time outside the cage, mainly in my living room/TV room. 

I also really want to get a rabbit, hooked as a child; not as bad as I am for chins but they're close. Right now I'm trying to decide what will be "safest" for my boys. I understand that a rabbit can severly hurt a chinchilla with a simple kick and I plan on Long, SLOW introduction with VERY CAREFUL supervision and only supervised combined play times. But I would still like to allow the boys and whom ever I get combined play time out of the cage; I don't like all day confinement and I know rabbits like to be near the people and not in a corner of the housesame as chins and it would be so much simplier and funner if they could get along. 

Thus I'm asking you experts for advice on a breed. I plan on close scrutiny of the animal before I bring ithomefor character and I'm going to be asking shelters for very mild, easy-going, relaxed, olderrabbits. I must say though that mydream rabbit is a Flemish Giant and when I get really established, as in my home untilI die, I plan on having a full zoo with a coupleof themin it. For right now I'm wondering if I should go for a laid back giant or if it would be a better idea to go for a smaller rabbit like the Netherland Dwarf or Dwarf Hotot (which I'm falling for too...)? :?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Either way the safety of my boys comes first and it will be a long process before I trust the rabbit around them, and if for some reason they don't work out I will NOT be getting rid of the rabbit. I'll just have to rearrange and figure something else out. 

Also the chins and rabbit would have seperate living areas andwould probably have seperate play times during their most active times. I'm talking about during the day when I happen to be about and wanting to just chill with my babies and not have to chose who I'm going to let out.


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## Kipcha (Mar 14, 2011)

In all honesty, I wouldn't even try to get them together. I have a chinchilla and when she is out to run around, I have to make sure she is blocked from the rabbits because for some reason, they seem to hate each other. The bunnies thump and try to bite her through the bars and the chinchilla is just as eager to bite them back.

Really, I just wouldn't risk it. But this is just based on my buns and chin alone. Even for just playtime, if they ever got together, I know one of them would end up getting hurt.

Have there been many success stories?

BTW, if you really are determined to try this, I would not say go for a dwarf... From my experience, they are a little more high strung (Although if you get it nuetered they tend to mellow out okay).


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## Sarahlydear (Mar 14, 2011)

I have heard a few, though they do suggest careful watching during interaction. I may just get a flemish then, I really want one and they are usually more mild. That way if it doesn't work out, or seem promising, I can still have a great rabbit.


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## Myia09 (Mar 14, 2011)

Hello Sarah. I have had two male chinchillas for years before I got my three rabbits.

Something very important to consider is the fact that rabbits can carry pasturella dormatly (as well as other things) that can kill a Chinchilla almost intantly? (In dormat mode)

I get my rabbits tested yearly to make sure, although it doesn't show if the rabbit is carrying it dormat. Chins and rabbits should never be in contact with each other. I have a very tall cage that ensures they never get in close contact with each other.

In fact, over a year ago (two?) I dealt with a case in which a owner brought in a rabbit that was carrying it dormatly (Not affected) and all FIVE of her chins caught it and FOUR died. (Now, she didn't exactly seek medical attention when she needed it either)but still the message is clear.

Other cases is when a rabbit has Snuffles. It can be airborne when the rabbit sneezes (up to six feet!) and again, can be fatal to the chinchilla way faster than the rabbit. A couple of hours for a chin compared to a couple of days for a rabbit.

Considering ALL OF THAT...

You should NEVER let them together. Never!

Chinchillas have some of the most delicate bones in the world. It wouldn't take much to break them. Most chinchillas have broken or fracutred ribs from people handling them too rough (and the chins hide the pain)

While Chinchillas are fiesty little creatures, it would just take one nip from a rabbit to sever a foot or break skin. Rabbits also have incredibly strong back feet; if they were to kick a chinchilla, the damage would be intense. You never know what is going to happen. Even if they "Get along" at first, all it takes is someone in somene else's territory or to make a wrong move.

Chinchillas are jsut huge tuffs of fur. They are incredibly small even compared to the smallest of rabbits. Thier size alone should deter you from having them "Play" together. 

I hope this helps! While you can have rabbits and chins, they need to be seperated 100% of the time. And be prepared to deal with any illnesses that may happen


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## RandomWiktor (Mar 14, 2011)

I agree with everyone else's sentiments on the matter. Even if you have a mellow rabbit who doesn't mind your chinchilla, you need to remember that they aren't the same species and thus lack the same social cues. You could introduce them and have them get along great, but it only takes one little interspecies miscommunication for a bite or kick to happen, and that could be enough for a crippling or life-ending injury on a chin.


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## Sweetie (Mar 14, 2011)

Also I like to add that chinchillas need to be kept cool. They cannot stand too much heat, they do best at 55 to 60 degrees. Rabbits need heat, they do best at about 70 degrees, they cannot handle the cold too much. Now some can but others cannot. Prince can stand the cold better than Sweetie can, because he was in the winter storm that we had in 2008 before I got him. Sweetie wasn't. My point is rabbits do best with heat that is about 70 degrees, chinchillas do best staying cool at temps 55 to 60 degrees.


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## Myia09 (Mar 14, 2011)

*Sweetie wrote: *


> Also I like to add that chinchillas need to be kept cool. They cannot stand too much heat, they do best at 55 to 60 degrees. Rabbits need heat, they do best at about 70 degrees, they cannot handle the cold too much. Now some can but others cannot. Prince can stand the cold better than Sweetie can, because he was in the winter storm that we had in 2008 before I got him. Sweetie wasn't. My point is rabbits do best with heat that is about 70 degrees, chinchillas do best staying cool at temps 55 to 60 degrees.



I thought it was the otehr way around? Most rabbits do well in the cold not the heat. I think that is the majority census. 

I live in Arizona. Our chins are kept at 75-77 degress. Anything above 80 will kill them. 79 is pushing it. Their ears will turn pink. I also include a ceiling fan, marble tiles, frozen items, and such.

I keep all my mammals at 75-77. In the winter I don't even turn on the heat, so it gets as low as 58 in my house.


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## Sarahlydear (Mar 15, 2011)

We always had to watch out for over heating with our rabbits. My dad lived 2years with no electricity in Kansas and the six (seven maybe?) rabbits we had did fine. They had a nest box and lived in the basement and were as active and cheerful in the winter as the summer and spring, if not a tad more. They seemed to appreciate the cool weather. 
77 for a chin...hmmm I usually try to keep it a bit lower than that 75 maybe no higher...though we don't go below 58. 

I understand how delicate chinchillas are, I've had mine for quite a while now and researched more than my head can remember. 
I also understand that they don't break from a touch and they aren't so delicate that they can't be firmly(but gently) grasped. 
My first boy has jumped almost 6 feet down and as soon as he hit the ground he ran to the room because he knew he was in trouble. He is also one to soup an injury for all he can because he gets sympathy treats while mom checks him over. The time he lept he didn't even bother trying that he just ran around the room trying to get me to chase him(one of his favorite games the bugger ). 
Thank you for your information and I'll definitly reconsider it before adding a rabbit. I would also I like to say all animals brought into our home (minus the dogs) are to be quarinited for a good month at least and given multiple tests and check ups to make sure they are healthy and safe. So it's not like every stray is brought in and offered to my chins. I'm a very protective mom. Also I may not be a complete expert on chinchillas but I deffinitly am well informed on them and what is needed and how they behave. I was asking on here because I had heard of success stories and wanted to check it out on a open forum before I tried anything.


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## MiniLopHop (Mar 15, 2011)

A bit off topic, but in the pet store I have seen "chin chillers" they are pads to keep a chinchilla cool. Anyone use them? Would it be good for bunnies too?


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## CiaraPatricia (Mar 16, 2011)

*Sweetie wrote: *


> Also I like to add that chinchillas need to be kept cool. They cannot stand too much heat, they do best at 55 to 60 degrees. Rabbits need heat, they do best at about 70 degrees, they cannot handle the cold too much. Now some can but others cannot. Prince can stand the cold better than Sweetie can, because he was in the winter storm that we had in 2008 before I got him. Sweetie wasn't. My point is rabbits do best with heat that is about 70 degrees, chinchillas do best staying cool at temps 55 to 60 degrees.


My rabbits don't mind the cold, they love the sun but get too hot in themiddle of summer (and this is Ireland, it's never very warm at all). I was always sure rabbits dealt with the cold better :?


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## Nela (Mar 16, 2011)

Sarahly,

Like you, I had heard of chinchillas and rabbits together and I often wondered about the merit. See the thing is, many people go around putting rabbits and guinea pigs together as well. In fact, I did it myself because I didn't know better at the time and they were the best of friends. Nothing happened whilst I had them together, but I also know that something could have happened in the longrun. I think in the end, it's just too much of a risk. It's most likely the same with chinchillas for reasons already mentionned. Still, no reason why you couldn't have both Just need to adjust things a bit and rotate the playtimes so they aren't together. 

I'm sure you know a lot and I think it is very respectable that you asked more people for their opinion on the matter and see if anyone had any direct experience with it. You sound like a great pet owner and I am sure you will all do very well. If you do stillget a bunny, I look forward to hearing about it. :biggrin:

___________

Sweetie,

Rabbits can definitely handle the cold much more easily than the heat. Don't forget that rabbits have a much thicker coat in the winter to protect them from the cold. You should see Maybelle's feet. :expressionlessLol. The heat can easilybe deadly to a rabbit. I think it's important to mention it to you Sweetie so you know to keep an eye on it for your bun. We don't want to correct you as much as we want foryour bunny to be safe. 

___________


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## Sarahlydear (Mar 16, 2011)

MiniLopHop: I have some "chin-chillers" and if it's the same thing (a grey rectangle) it's a marble slabe in a smaller porportion than you buy at a depot store, nothing special. My boy Herby loves them and I can't see how they'd hurt a rabbit. Just like putting a cool rock in there for them to cool down on. Do be warned though if you put them in a freezer you need to put a towel or peice of fleece over at least half of it before you give it to the mammal. Mainly just so you don't freeze their feet off; which I'm sure you already knew I just like to state the obvious :nod . Herby likes to rub his face all over the uncoverd part but he's weird.


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