The 7 Best Chinchilla Cages for 2021

Last Updated on 01/23/2021 by Veronica Jones

A chinchilla is a lovely pet that people often underrate. It is furry, adorable and surprisingly easy to take care of.

A chinchilla cage is a specialty cage that is meant for these more energetic animals, so finding it can be a bit of a chore.

However, it can be a little difficult for people that don’t have the time to look for them.

They are essential for chinchilla comfort and safety, so you should check out the list provided below if you want your chinchilla to lead a long and healthy life.

Top 7 Best Chinchilla Cages

1. Homey Pet Black Wire Cat, Chinchilla, Ferret Cage

Features

• Two Extra Thick Shelves
• Lockable casters
• Foldable with easy setup
• Includes hammock and wire ladder

A chinchilla would want to explore its new cage. This helps it become comfortable with its new surroundings.

This cage comes with a wire ladder which is very useful. It can help your chinchilla get around. It also helps your critter get good exercise.

Chinchillas love to laze about. They also like comfortable sleeping arrangements.

This cage comes with a hammock which hangs from the roof. Getting in might look difficult to you, but your chinchilla will get the hang of it in no time.

It will love sleeping in this comfortable nook that comes with this cage.

This cage comes with two shelves. These essentially function as separate levels. The shelves help make the cage a bit roomier.

You can house multiple chinchillas in this cage. At least two can fit in with ease, and a third can squeeze in as well at least on a temporary basis.

There are three things that make this cage portable. First of all, it has very solid lockable casters. These help keep the cage secure while you are transporting it.

The cage is also easy to fold up and does not require tools to assemble. These two things, along with its lightweight design, help to make this a very portable cage.

This cage is completely open. It is made up of a wire mesh except for the solid, flat base. This helps the cage stay well ventilated.

This is perfect for people that live in hot climates. The open, airy design helps create a cooling cross breeze for your chinchillas.

If your chinchilla is of an above average weight, it would end up breaking the shelves in this cage.

These shelves can support up to fifteen pounds of weight. Any excess weight could damage the cage.

What We Liked

• Accessible
• Comes with hammock
• Sturdy shelves
• Portable design
• Well ventilated

What We Didn’t Like

• Not good for heavy pets

2. Prevue Pet Products 484 Deluxe Critter Cage

Features

• 5 shelves connected by 3 ramps
• 2 entry doors
• Weighs 63 pounds
• Includes plastic debris tray

People often avoid metal cages because they rest. However, plastic cages are not as durable. Chinchillas can chew through them.

This cage is made of metal, but it is a special, rust proof metal. This helps the cage last longer and gives you more value for your money.

Cleaning a cage from the inside can be a real hassle. This product comes with a plastic debris tray.

The walls will probably not get dirty because all of the debris tends to fall to the bottom.

To clean this cage, you will just have to pull the tray out and wash it. A simple process that won’t take too much time.

Unlike the Homey Pet Cage, this product has two separate floors instead of just platforms.

This gives it an edge in this regard, even though the Homey Pet Cage gets the top spot because of its other features.

The separate stories can give your chinchillas extra room to sleep comfortably.

Occasional cleaning will require you to reach every inch of this cage. This cage comes with two doors which gives you easy access to all areas.

The Homey Pet Cage retains the top spot because this cage is inferior in terms of comfort. You will have to add bedding if you want your chinchillas to sleep comfortably.

Though they never rust, the wires are still prone to bending. This can cause problems while you are packing this cage up and moving it.

Portability is an important benefit that you will miss out on with this cage.

What We Liked

• Rust proof
• Plastic debris tray
• Two separate stories
• Multiple doors

What We Didn’t Like

• Bedding is required
• Wires are not sturdy enough

3. Midwest Ferret Nation Double Unit with Stand Ferret Cage

Features

• Leak proof pan
• Removable shelves
• Double doors
• Lockable bottom wheels

This cage has four wheels at the bottom. Each wheel moves independently which makes this product quite easy to maneuver.

You can also lock the wheels at any time. This is very useful because the cage might slip if the wheels are not locked. These lockable casters can help you keep your chinchillas safe.

This cage is already quite spacious. However, if you find that you need more space for your chinchilla, this can be attained as well.

The shelves are removable, which can help create more vertical space. Your chinchilla will love hanging from this vertical space!

You can also add the shelf back if you have two chinchillas that are living in the same cage.

This chinchilla cage comes with liners that prevent debris from falling out of the cage.

This helps keep the area surrounding the cage a lot cleaner. It also gives your chinchilla a comfortable place to lie down if it is placed correctly.

Most cages have separated doors which are useful in their own way.

However, the double doors that you get with this cage are very useful because they give you easy access to the interior. They also help you air the cage out while cleaning it.

Unlike the Homey Pet Cage and the Prevue Cage, this chinchilla shelter is quite tough to put together.

It has a lot of intricate parts. The ramps in particular are quite tricky, because for some reason each ramp has its own unique design.

There are also a lot of small parts that might go missing, making the whole process very frustrating for people that aren’t used to DIY projects.

What We Liked

• Easy to maneuver
• Space can be expanded
• Effective liners
• Double door

What We Didn’t Like

• Difficult to assemble

4. Exotic Nutrition Mansion Multi-Level Cage for Chinchillas

Features

• Two floors and two platforms
• Horizontal, chew proof wires
• Animal safe powder coat

This cage has two separate stories, but it also has two extra platforms that jut out halfway in each story. This gives your chinchillas extra room to play in.

It also makes it possible to house more than two chinchillas in this cage, although it will make things cramped.

Debris trays are often criminally shallow. This product comes with a deep tray that will catch all debris before it falls, provided you clear it regularly of course.

The horizontal wire mesh is specially designed. It is both chew proof and scratch proof.

This is useful for small animals that might want to escape. You know that they need to stay in for their own good, but try telling them that!

The wheels are meant to be a big aspect of this product’s appeal. However, they mostly just get stuck a lot, making this product difficult to move around.

This product is more expensive than both the Homey Pet Cage and Prevue Cage combined, even though it is not as good as either of them.

What We Liked

• Extra platforms
• Deep trays
• Durable wire mesh

What We Didn’t Like

• Wheels jam a lot
• Unnecessarily expensive

5. 3 Levels Ferret Chinchilla Cage

Features

• Removable floors
• Built in handles
• Half inch cross bar mesh

The easy to fold design and built in handles make this product perfect for travelling. You can take your dear pets along with you when you travel thanks to this highly portable cage.

Some cages are difficult to give a thorough cleaning to. If you want to be as efficient as possible, you can remove this cage’s floor and clean it separately.

This cage has a very durable mesh. However, it manages to stay light in spite of this.

This is because the durability comes from the cross bar design rather than the weight of the material. Smart design all round!

Your chinchilla might feel a little restless if you keep it in this cage. There just isn’t enough space to roam, nor are there multiple levels or floors it can climb to.

While good for cleaning, the removable floor makes this cage a little unsafe for your chinchillas.

What We Liked

• Made for portability
• Removable floor
• Cross bar mesh adds durability

What We Didn’t Like

• Lacks space to roam
• Removable floor slightly unsafe

6. Dreamhome Heavy Duty Chinchilla Cage

Features

• Plastic mesh
• Metal base plate
• Two ledges

Plastic is a popular material for wire mesh. This is because it is lightweight and won’t injure your pet chinchilla.

This cage is made of chew resistant plastic, which is useful because it adds durability to the equation.

The two ledges provide ample space for play time. This makes the cage an enjoyable place for your chinchillas to live.

The base as well as the ramps are all flat and free of wires. This helps prevent the dreaded bumblefoot from appearing.

Your chinchilla’s paws will be safe with this smartly designed cage.

While resistant to chewing, the plastic mesh can be damaged by pretty much everything else.

It has not been designed to withstand a lot of force. It looks cheap, and applying a bit of pressure will show how flimsy it really is.

Debris tends to fall out of this cage. This is because of the shallow base.

Debris might end up squeezing through the mesh, so be prepared for a lot of cleanup if you end up buying this cage.

What We Liked

• Chew resistant plastic
• Room for play
• Paw safe

What We Didn’t Like

• Plastic is flimsy
• Doesn’t contain mess

7. PawHut 4 Level Indoor Portable Small Animal Cage

Features

• Four interconnected levels
• Steel wire
• Two front openings

This cage has been designed to squeeze four levels into a surprisingly compact space. This helps maximize room and makes this cage suitable for two chinchillas.

Your chinchillas are going to need a constant source of water. This cage comes with a handy water bottle that you can use to make sure that this happens.

This is quite an affordable cage. As one of the most budget friendly cages on this list, it gives budget conscious shoppers a decent option at last.

The floor of this cage has a metal grate on it. This is presumably to let debris fall to the bottom where you can collect it from.

However, it is dangerous for your chinchillas because it can injure their feet and cause bumblefoot.

Steel wire is great for durability but it tends to rust very quickly.

You will have to be careful while cleaning it, lest you end up damaging it in some way. Regular oiling can help prevent this from becoming a problem.

What We Liked

• Plenty of space
• Comes with water bottle
• Price

What We Didn’t Like

• Grated bottom
• Rust prone material

Selecting the Best Chinchilla Cage

The importance of getting a house for your pet is the same as buying a house for your family. It directly impacts their health and well-being.

The concern even increases when you have a pet chinchilla. In this article, we will highlight all the major factors that you need to consider while buying a cage for your chinchilla.

Cage Size

Chinchillas are very athletic rodents. They have strong posterior legs which give their movement a jumping bounce.

You will need to provide them with a cage that has ample space for them to move around freely.

The general rule for space is that one chinchilla needs a minimum of 6 cubic feet space in a single cage.

Even with this cage size, chinchillas require a couple of hours outside the cage to fully utilize their muscle strength.

A perfectly sized cage comes with many benefits. It stays clean for a longer period of time resulting in a better health of your chinchilla.

It provides enough space for more than one chinchillas to get along with each other and also have some personal space.

It reduces frustration and avoids the habit of fur chewing which is very dangerous to their health.

It keeps your chinchillas fit by providing them with sufficient space for exercising on their own terms.

Airflow

The most important quality you should look forward while buying a chinchilla cage is the amount of air it allows to cross.

Pet chinchillas are prone to heat stroke so they need to stay cool and ventilation helps them do it.

If you are planning to build your own cage, make sure that 3/4th of the cage is covered with wires and not solid.

Aquariums and plastic bin-cages don’t do well for chinchillas. In humid areas, chinchillas can absorb moisture in their fur which can lead to fungal problems.

Less Plastic

Plastic cages are cheap as compared to metallic cages but they have their disadvantages. Chinchillas like to chew and they keep doing this for their entire lifespan.

Small quantities of chewed plastic start to get deposited in their bodies and it may cause serious health problems in the long run.

You will also have to replace the plastic cage after every 1-3 years.

Continuous chewing from your pet will destroy the plastic ramps, shelves, and base.

After considering all the drawbacks of a plastic cage, it is safe to invest a bit more and get an all metal cage that will go a long way with you.

Solid Base

Solid base has its advantages. A cage with solid base ensures that the tiny feet of your chinchilla do not get stuck in the wired floor.

Chinchillas have a jumping motion and when they jump on wired surfaces, their feet can get hurt.

If you already have a cage that has wired ramps, you can remove them as chinchillas do not really need ramps to get around the cage.

Similarly, you can also cover the wired levels of your cage with tiles.

Make sure that the tiles fit perfectly at their place so they do not slip and your chinchilla does not get injured.

On the contrary, a wired floor allows the pet waste to fall through and saves some cleaning time.

Safe Materials

The materials of the cage make a lot of difference. A good quality cage will go along the entire lifetime of your pet chinchilla.

We recommend that you buy an all metal cage with powder coating to avoid rusting.

Metal is also chew-free. Wooden accessories inside the cage also work very well.

They can be easily replaced without too much pressure on your pocket and are also less chewable than plastic.

Easy Access

Accessibility helps you in operating the cage. A good cage will allow you to reach inside with your both hands and forearms and grab your chinchilla.

Also pay close attention to all the access points, windows, shelves and especially the cage door.

By firmly tapping the center of the door for 5-6 times you can make sure that the door locks are of good quality and do not open up easily.

Cage assembly and disassembly should be easy and less time to consume as well to help you in cleaning.

Weight and Stability

Chinchillas are always jumping around and playing inside the cage. Their jumping motions generate a lot of energy inside the cage.

Ideally, a cage with the large base will be able to support all the action at the top of the cage.

All the portions of the cage should be heavy, joined strongly together and durable.

Cages that are lightweight will make a lot of sounds when your chinchilla will jump around.

You can check this by slapping with force at the top of the cage. If the cage does not rattle then it will be able to absorb the jumping motion of your pets.

Accessories

With the passage of time, you will need to add many accessories like Chinchilla Dust Bath, hammocks, boxes, tubes and hiding spots for your chinchillas to play around.

You will need a cage that has enough space to add all these things without overcrowding the floor and shelf space.

You will also need very large wheels such as 12″ Silent Spinner Wheel, Plastic Flying Saucer Wheel or Steel Flying Saucer Wheel.

A cage that has large floor pan with shelves which are easy to rearrange will keep your chinchilla happy and excited by a periodic change of arrangement.

Conclusion

From the aforementioned list, you can see that expensive cages are not necessary to give your chinchilla a comfortable and safe home.

A moderate budget can get you a fantastic cage, namely the Homey Pet Cage.

If you are on a tighter budget you can also look into. Good examples of this are the Pawhut Hutch and the 3 Levels Hutch.

The great thing about these budget cages is that they are still very good at maintaining quality.

However, you should keep in mind that they are going to require a bit more care than the more expensive cages.

That being said, high end hutches are something you should avoid as much as possible.