Chinchillas are active and require a fair amount of space. They like to jump and climb and a large multilevel cage is recommended. A wire mesh cage is better than wood because they like to gnaw. The mesh must be small enough to prevent foot and limb injury and part of the floor should be solid. A hiding/sleep box is recommended.

Chinchillas are fastidious groomers and require dust as part of their daily bathing. The dust is a fine mixture of Fuller's earth and silver sand (1:9) and is placed in a container large enough for the chinchilla to roll around in. These baths need to be kept clean and free of feces and should be removed when not in use. Overuse of the dust bath can lead to an irritative conjunctivitis in some chins.

The chinchillas native habitat provides low humidity and sharp variations between daytime and evening temperatures. High temperatures and high humidity must be avoided year-round. Chinchillas are comfortable at cooler temperatures (>32oF) and can suffer heat stroke if the environmental temperature climbs above 80oF, especially when coupled with high humidity.