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"     I&amp;#039;ve heard that chinchillas make good pets, but also that they tend to get lonely. Should I consider buying two? C.L., Ormond Beach, Florida  Loneliness has never been a problem for Yoshi, my pet chinchilla. By and large, these supersoft creatures get along well without a companion \u2014 assuming you&amp;#039;re willing to serve as the animal&amp;#039;s family. When I bought Yoshi, the breeder said that if I wanted a pair, purchasing young chinchillas of the same sex (litter mates preferably) was ideal, as the chins would likely bond and reside peacefully in a single cage. Plus, there would be no chance of an unwanted pregnancy. Although I personally believe the little guys make terrific pets, especially for folks with animal allergies (they don&amp;#039;t produce dander), these rodents don&amp;#039;t appeal to everyone. They can be jumpy and too nimble for small hands to control. And while affectionate, these diminutive fur balls aren&amp;#039;t as cuddly as kittens or guinea pigs. Chins warrant a fair amount of extra maintenance, too. Because they have a lot of lanolin in their fur, the animals need to &amp;quot;bathe&amp;quot; every couple of days in a special dust that penetrates their coat down to the skin and absorbs oil and dirt. Such dust baths can prove messy since the pets roll around in the powder and throw it everywhere. Because these rodents have sensitive stomachs, they must also adhere to a strict diet of special grass hay and chinchilla pellets. Other than that, just remember they&amp;#039;re basically nocturnal and will require a large cage outfitted with chew toys to keep them entertained at night. Whether you buy a single animal or a pair, you should consider that chinchillas live much longer than most rodents and could be a part of your family for 10 to 15 years. Dr. Rob Sharp would love to answer your pet questions. Drop him a line at countryliving@hearst.com. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.countryliving.com/life/kids-pets/a3065/pet-chinchillas-1109/>