Chinchilla question

[swub]

This message has been posted on the message board at my work:

'I have a 10 week old male chinchilla who is in desperate need of a new home this weekend as he can no longer be housed with his parents. He will cost £35 and needs minimal looking after- he just needs lots of attention!!'

Well I've never had chinchillas but I know they don't need minimal looking after!

Why can't he be kept with his parents? I'm sure that's not right either, is it? The message has appeared a few times and basically she's just saying he can't stay with them past 10 weeks. There's no fighting or anything mentioned.

[Marybelle]

I'm not as "expert" with chins as with rats, but that doesn't seem to make a ton of sense to me, either.  Maybe you could try posting this over at Chins 'n Quills, there are a lot of really knowledgable people over there. 

[Nan]

Chinchillas are simpler to keep in terms of their food.  They need a good chinchilla pellet, lots of timothy hay and fresh water.  Treats must be limited to a raisin or craisin every day or every other day.  They need nice big cages like ratties, out of cage time and socialization.  They also need dust baths which are fairly easy and fun to watch.  They don't have much smell at all but can be messy with the hay.  They need to be kept at cool temperatures and are very suseptible to becoming overheated which can be fatal.  I have three chins.  They aren't as affectionate as ratties, but they are a neat pet.  I think chins-n-quills is an excellent source of information.  Good luck and keep us posted on what you do.  Warning...they are as addictive as ratties.
Diana

[Lmbswimmer]

The chin baby can't be kept with the parents because he could get his mom pregnant, and his dad will fight him for that right.  Chins have been known, and will fight to the death for the right to mate with a female.

[swub]

Thanks for clarifying. I knew somebody would have the answer 

Oh, and I'm not going to be getting him. I was just curious.