How to Catch a Chinchilla

Being relatively large, chinchillas might not be able to disappear under furniture or into walls in the manner of a hamster, but catching an escaped one can still be problematic. Chinchillas are fast and agile. Because they are prey animals, their instinctive response is to bolt for shelter. Being in a strange environment and being chased are liable to scare a chinchilla enough to make it rather difficult to catch.

Things You'll Need

  • Pet carrier
  • Dried fruit
  • Pool or other large net
  • Live traps
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Instructions

    • 1

      Close all doors leading to the room in which the chinchilla has taken refuge.

    • 2

      Place its cage in the room, if possible. Remove any other chinchillas and place them in a pet carrier. Open the door to the cage and leave the room. It is possible the chinchilla will calm down and return to the cage on its own accord.

    • 3

      Sit in the room and offer your chinchilla a piece of dried fruit or another treat to coax it back into the cage. Hold the treat firmly until the chinchilla is back in the cage.

    • 4

      Contact your neighbors if your chinchilla has the left the building. Ask your neighbors to take their dogs inside and to contact you immediately if they see the animal. Inform your neighbors once you have caught the chinchilla.

    • 5

      Approach the chinchilla slowly once you see it. Place the net down quickly over the animal. Using both hands, hold the chinchilla firmly through the net and transfer it to the pet carrier. At this point the chinchilla is likely to be very scared and will probably struggle. Hold the chinchilla by the base of the tail to control it, if necessary.

    • 6

      Ask a friend or family member to help if the chinchilla is still loose. Two people can effectively corner a chinchilla by working from opposite sides. Keep your movements fairly slow. Guide the animal into a corner or against a wall to give you a chance to drop the net over it. In the open, chinchillas have every chance of escape. Don't let the animal run toward shrubbery, if possible.

    • 7

      Set live traps baited with your pet's favorite foods. Position the traps against hedges or in other sites that offer some shelter. Live traps for skunks, raccoons or similar-sized animals are suitable. Check the traps every couple of hours.

    • 8

      Transfer your pet to its cage and leave the animal to settle for several hours as your chinchilla is likely to be stressed. Do not handle your pet for a couple of days. Talk quietly and stroke it, if it lets you.