Getting a cage is one of the first and most important things to do when getting a pet chinchilla. Chinchillas are kept in a cage, so a nice and comfy cage is crucial for a healthy pet.
These small animals are quite sensitive when it comes to the environment. Chinchillas need a minimum of 4′ x 4′ x 3′ cage size. They also need a certain sense of comfort and entertainment.
It’s kind of hard to figure out what kind of a cage you should get for your chinchilla, especially if you are a first-time chinchilla owner.
That’s why I’m making a list of the 5 best cages for chinchillas. I’ll make sure to offer something for everybody. Read the buying guide at the end to find out more about chinchilla cages.
Best Cage For Chinchilla Comparison Table
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Best Overall
MidWest Deluxe Critter Nation
Highlighted Features
- Two-Story
- Full-Width Double Doors
- Adjustable Shelves
- Three Ramps With Covers
- Locking Casters
The absolute best small animals cage, Midwest Deluxe Critter Nation. I’ve gone through three cages before I found this. Believe me, it’s a huge improvement over a big majority of the cages out there. High-quality construction and safety guaranteed.
A two-story chinchilla cage, available as a single story as well. Consists of two add-ons. Each story has a pan and an adjustable shelf. There are three swing-up locking ramps. The ramps have covers, happy feet ramp covers that make sure the pet doesn’t slip or get injured.
Safety comes first, that’s why I like this so much. The spacing between the horizontal wires is only 1/2 inches, there’s no way your pet is getting stuck while climbing. The doors are sturdy and secure.
Easy to use for the pet owner as well. The full-width double doors are locked with dual-locking latches but easy to open with one hand. Once opened, there’s plenty of space so you can effortlessly clean the cage.
Durable and sturdy critter-proof construction all around. Chinchillas are pretty big for a rodent so they can be quite strong. A chinchilla cage needs to be durable and sturdy. The materials used should be safe for the chinchilla as well. The wheels have locking casters.
Overall, my favorite small animal cage so far. Sturdy, spacious, easy to clean, comfortable, and fun for the pet. The only disadvantage is its price, high-quality but expensive.
Pros
- Spacious and adjustable.
- Protective design, safe for the pet.
- Durable and sturdy.
Cons
- Expensive.
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Best Budget
PawHut Small Animal Cage
Highlighted Features
- Four Platforms
- Removable Tray
- Heavy-Duty Construction
- Hammock
- Three Ramps
Now, something more affordable, a PawHut model. Another manufacturer that makes excellent small animal cages. This is one of their models with a reasonable price. All around excellent design, safe and comfortable for chinchillas and other small pets.
Not exactly a cage with levels. It has 4 platforms the pet can sit on. At the bottom, there is the removable litter tray. Then, there are three platforms each with a hole and a ramp. At the top, there is a comfy hammock for the pet to rest at.
Impressive construction. Durable and sturdy. The body is made with sturdy alloy steel, high-quality wires with latches as well. There are 4 wheels that provide easy transport. Two brakes for sturdiness.
Easy to set up and clean. The cage has multiple entries which allow you to easily clean all of the ramps and the platforms. The bottom tray is easily removable without opening the cage. You won’t have trouble cleaning this cage.
Plenty of space and entertainment for your pets. Suitable for most small pets like chinchillas, pet minks, small cats, and guinea pigs.
If you are looking for something with a reasonable, cost-effective price, this is the cage you should take a look at. It’s hard to find a cheap cage, especially a spacious one. This comes highly recommended to pet owners on a budget.
Pros
- Spacious and comfortable.
- Four platforms with three ramps.
- Sturdy and durable alloy steel.
- Easy to clean.
Cons
- No cover on the ramps.
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Best Runner-Up
Prevue Pet Products Deluxe Critter Cage
Highlighted Features
- Heavy-Duty Metal Construction
- Five Shelves
- Three Ramps & A Hammock
- Two Large Doors
- Rust-Resistant
The only strong competitor to the best overall is the Prevue Pet Products Deluxe Critter Cage. The most durable construction. This would still be my second-best recommendation. If you are looking for top-range cages, this is something to take a look at.
A two-story chinchilla cage. It consists of 4 platforms. Each story has a base and a shelf. There are three ramps for easy access to all platforms. A comfy, resting spot is available as well, the hammock on top. Below the cage, there is a shelf for storing bedding and food.
The construction of this cage is just superior. Heavy-duty metal body. Super sturdy, what’s better is that it’s rust-resistant. The wires are sturdy and safe as well, there are no gaps or pinch points.
The design is oriented at the pet owners too. There are two large doors that are locked with a durable mechanism that’s easy to use. Plenty of space for you to clean the cage. The litter tray is removable from the outside also.
It can be used and it’s safe for most small animals. It’s big enough even for the larger ones. The dimensions are 37 inches in length, 23.14 in width, and 63.37 in height. With a wire spacing of 0.4 inches.
There you go, this is a classic chinchilla cage that is focused on durability, space, and sturdiness. I like it in its simplicity and efficiency. It’s far above my price range though, really expensive.
Pros
- The best high-quality construction.
- Easy to access and clean.
- Plenty of space and entertainment.
Cons
- Expensive.
- No cover on the ramps.
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Best Chinchilla Cage For Two
PawHut 6 Levels Small Animal Cage
Highlighted Features
- 6 Levels
- Large Living Space
- Heavy-Duty Construction
- Multiple Doors
- 5 Ramps
Here’s something big and extra. The tallest small animal cage you can find, another PawHut product. This time, I’m listing a model suitable for sibling chinchillas. If you are looking for something that’s really spacious, consider this. It has a reasonable price as well, for all that it offers.
Again, a chinchilla that doesn’t really have stories. It has 6 platforms the pet can stay at. There is a base platform that has a grid for cleaning the feet of the animals. Then, there are 5 more platforms each, with a ramp for up and down. As you can see, really spacious and entertaining for the pet.
Made out of durable and sturdy steel alloy. Heavy-duty construction all around. Safe for the pets, there won’t be any respiratory health problems. The cage contains no toxic materials, powder-coated finish.
Although it’s quite tall, it’s really easy to access and clean. There are three wide doors. Each of the doors allows you to clean two platforms. The litter tray at the bottom is removable from the outside. The grid on the base minimizes litter tracking, it’s removable as well.
That was the most spacious and the tallest small animal cage. I know that there are readers that were looking for a product like this, so I delivered. It comes highly recommended, a high-quality durable, spacious cage for a reasonable price.
Pros
- Very spacious, 6 levels.
- Sturdy construction.
- Multiple ways to access for cleaning.
Cons
- No cover on the ramps.
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Best Single Story Chinchilla Cage
Yaheetech Single Story Small Animal Cage
Highlighted Features
- Customizable
- Removable Fabric Ramp
- Fabric Shelf
- Full-Width Door
- Storage Shelf
Lastly, a single-story chinchilla cage, a Yaheteech. It’s hard to find a single-story cage that is big enough for chinchillas. This is originally a two-story cage but they sell the add-ons separately. This is great, they wanted to provide an option for pet owners that are looking for a single-story unit.
As already mentioned, a cage with no levels. There is a ramp and a shelf though but these are customizable. You can decide whether you want the platform and the ramp to be there. These are removable. Below the cage, there is a shelf for food and bedding storage.
Customers like this product so much because it’s really easy to assemble. It requires no additional tools or expertise. Everything that you need to assemble the cage is included in the package, from hardware to instructions.
Safety comes first with Yaheetech. Both the ramp and the shelf are covered with fabric. This prevents any injury or slipping during the daily exercise. You can be sure the chinchilla won’t hurt its feet.
Durable iron construction as well. Sturdy metal cage with 4 universal wheels. The wheels have two brakes. Easy to clean as well, a wide door for easy access. The litter tray is removable.
Here we can end the list. I think it’s on a good note, this is an excellent chinchilla cage, especially if you are looking for a single-story unit. Remember, a two-story model is available, in case you liked it but you need more space.
Pros
- Customizable space.
- Fabric anti-injury ramp.
- Easy to access and clean.
Cons
- Not enough entertainment.
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Best Chinchilla Cage – Buying Guide
If you haven’t seen a small animal cage before, some of the features we talked about may have confused you. Do your research before buying a cage. Here are the basics you need to know about chinchilla cages.
Space
The first and most important thing to consider is space. Chinchillas need a minimum enclosure of 4′ x 4′ x 3′. This is the smallest amount of space a chinchilla can live in. That doesn’t mean that it’s exactly comfortable, it’s tolerable.
Look for something spacious. A cage that your chinchilla will have space to rest, play, and exercise. Remember, the space has nothing to do with the number of levels in the cage. Whether it’s a single-story or a multiple-story cage, make sure it’s a spacious one.
Levels And Platforms
Now, multiple levels in a chinchilla cage are not necessary but it’s preferable. The thing is, the more platforms the cage has, the more it’s entertaining for the chinchilla. Small pets like to explore and exercise. Going up and down will keep them exercised.
My advice is to get something with at least two levels, or at least two platforms. As you can see from the list, there are cages with a lot more levels than that. You can go for as many levels as you want, no need to overspend though.
Ramps
Ramps are a way to go up and down but also a way to play. Most domesticated rodents like ramps in their cage, not exactly sure why. Nonetheless, a cage with ramps is just better. Even single-story cages have a ramp.
Be careful though, some chinchillas can get hurt on the ramps. They slip and fall from the ramps. So, in addition to the ramps, make sure there are covers. This is my advice at least, many pet owners go for plain ramps.
Fabric cover on the ramps protects the pet from injuring its feet. This is not exactly a necessary feature, as you can see from the list.
Sturdy And Durable
As many chinchilla owners know, these animals are not exactly the small rodent we can consider them to be. They are in fact quite big and strong. They have enough power to move a badly constructed cage.
So, you need something sturdy that won’t shake with each movement of the pet. Alloy steel constructions are the best here. Make sure the wheels have breaks though.
Small animal cages are not cheap at all. In fact, there are some ridiculously expensive models. If you are going to be spending that much money, make sure the cage lasts long.
Easy Access
A clean cage is important for the well-being of the chinchilla. A part of taking care of a chinchilla pet is cleaning the cage once every week. This is nothing hard to do as long as the cage is easy to access and clean thoroughly.
Some small pet cages are designed so badly, cleaning them is just too exhausting. They don’t have wide enough of an entry to even get to the platforms. Not to mention, the scattered litter everywhere.
That’s why you should look for something with multiple wide doors, so you can put your hand in there and reach corners. Multiple doors are not really necessary. Just make sure that every platform, ramp, and level are reachable. A removable litter tray is really helpful as well.
Price
You can see from the list that small pet cages can get pretty expensive. An average single-story unit costs around 60$-80$. The spacious, high-quality cages cost a lot more. So, you need to get your budget in order.
There’s no need to overspend, just get something spacious and reliable. There are not many budget options that are good enough but you can still find something of good quality. Make sure safety, space, and sturdiness are provided, then worry about the extra features.
Related Questions And Other FAQs
What Kind Of A Cage Does A Chinchilla Need
A single chinchilla needs a cage with an enclosure of 4′ x 4′ x 3′. This is the minimum amount of space a chinchilla needs, more space is always better. The cage size for a pair of chinchillas should be at least 36.6 inches in length, 24.8 inches in width, and 62.5 inches in height.
Do Chinchillas Smell Bad
Surprisingly so, chinchillas do not have a natural bad odor. In fact, they smell like nothing. If chinchillas get smelly, they are either sick or the cage litter needs to be cleaned.
Can Chinchillas Free Roam
Chinchillas should get supervised out of cage time but they should not be allowed to free roam. The chinchilla can get stuck or hurt if it roams freely in your house.
