Customer Reviews

Guide to Owning a Chinchilla

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Do yourself a favor and click on the link above for the author's other books. Note that she has written books on hamsters, koi, gerbils, parrots, and conures.

I am truely amazed that the author is an authority on so many different animals. I have been breeding chinchillas for well over five years and I have rarely seen so much inaccurate information in one book.

This book provides all of the basics for raising a pet chinchilla. Although it covers a lot of topics, I would have appreciated a lot more details...especially regarding chinchilla health. It is a great book for someone who wants to learn the baiscs of chinchilla care.

This book is the biggest pile of garbage available for those who are seeking accurate information on caring for their chinchilla. The glaring innacuracies, poorly cared for specimens and some outright dangerous misinformation in this book make it just the sort of pitfall a new chin- person should avoid. However, being new to chinchillas as pets, most will not know any better.

I bought this book as a pet chinchilla owner, the chinchilla ownership group it is marketed towards, and was pretty disgusted by the inaccuracies. It is sadly common in pet books and it makes it difficult for new owners to separate the wheat from the chaff. After all, it was printed, so it must be true...
You'll get much more accurate information on pet chinchilla care from a Google search than from this book. Look for information from resources dedicated to pet chinchilla care, such as specialty chinchilla shops online or rescue organisations. Both sources usually offer much better, up-to-date information on caring for a pet chinchilla. Amazon doesn't let reviewers provide links to external sites, due to the ever-changing nature of online content, but if you look for information from sources online that obviously dedicate their professional reputations, either in business or charity, specifically to chinchillas, or to a very limited group of exotic species only, you will find the kind of information you and your chinchilla can really put to good use. And also, it is important to mention that the issues faced by pet owners and those of commercial chinchilla breeders, or even dedicated hobbyist breeders, will be very different, and therefore different approaches are often used and necessary. The pet owner will find in many cases that the commercial approach to care doesn't lend itself easily to forming the kind of relationship between owner and animal they are seeking, and vice versa. This book tries to solve for the needs of all types of new chinchilla owners, and ends up satisfying no one.

If my review sounds harsh, there is good reason. Chinchillas are fragile, exotic animals, and their proper care is important, not just for their well- being, but for their survival. They are not animals that should be purchased on impulse or without a good general source for knowledge of what care they need, and, unfortunately, in this book, for every piece of good information on chin care that is included there are ten pieces of incorrect and sometimes downright dangerous information.

If you are a new chinchilla owner, be it a pet, a new fancier, or a new commercial enterprise, my review summary is the same: Please, save your money, for your chinchillas sake.

I bought this book because it was the only one at a local pet store. I knew there were others, but I figured I was saving on shipping and handling. Well, other than pictures galore, I should have just gotten a book with real information. At least twice Barrie says two chins of the same sex should NEVER be housed together...come again? Anyway, I suppose this is okay for the casual reader or picture-hound, but for pete's sake: don't waste the 7 or 8 bucks if you really want helpful information.

This book has a lot of helpful information in it. I would reccommend this to all my family and friends.

I liked this book very much because I feel that it is a good source of basic information on the keeping of pet chinchillas. It is precise, easy-to-understand, and practical. Without getting technical, the author gives all the pertinent information for the casual pet chinchilla keeper. This book is at the top of my list of resources.

This book cotains lots of important info. and glossy pictures. The more you read, the more you find yourself in a chinchilla's colourful world.

all around good book with lots of useful info, pics, and randomness..