Fostering and Rehoming Chinchillas in SE Louisiana
Established in 2007, NOLA Chinchilla Rescue is a foster-based organization, dedicated to helping owners provide quality homes for their chin companions, assisting in fostering and rehoming unwanted chins and providing an emergency rescue service for chinchillas in the Gulf South. We are located in the metro New Orleans area.
~~PLEASE NOTE WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING SURRENDERS~~
We may be able to help rehome your chin no matter where you live through our network of contacts and our Facebook page.
We have placed over 160 chinchillas in new homes (plus a hamster, a rabbit and a horned dragon). Our chinchillas have been placed in the New Orleans - Baton Rouge - Lafayette area as well as in Lubbock, DFW, Greater Houston, Little Rock, OK City, Monroe, Memphis, Jackson, Hattiesburg, Birmingham, Mobile, Atlanta, Buffalo (NY) and the Florida panhandle.
Also, with a great amount of help from the chin community, we found forever and foster homes for the 70+ rescued Arlington (US Global Exotics) Chinchillas in Feb 2010 (see website Rescue page and see Facebook Photo Album"Arlington Chinchilla Rescue").
In addition, many chinchillas have found new homes through postings on our Facebook page.
If you are considering adopting a chinchilla, please do your research.
Chins are exotic animals and they have special needs that must be met (air conditioning, pure water, diet). At a minimum, you need to know what is on this site.
Besides their physical care, your chinchilla will want an hour per day of your life for the rest of its life.
For more information, contact us by email at nolachinrescue@gmail.com or phone 504.912.9143.
Visit our Facebook page for up to date information on our rescue. References are available on request and scheduled visits are welcome
Help Support The Rescue
Organic apple chew sticks, pear sticks, rose hips, Blue Sparkle dust and Blue Cloud rocks, alfalfa pellets, oats, alfalfa cubes, treat bags, hanging toys, 2nd and 3rd cut Hays, horse cookies, oral syringes and other good things for your chin are available.
These are the products we use and all proceeds go to the rescue.
We offer good prices, guaranteed satisfaction and Priority Mail shipping.
Please help us to help our rescue's chinchillas.
We also make and sell a variety of houses, hay bins, poplar blocks and other items made of safe woods for your chinchilla's enjoyment in and out of their cage. See our Wood Houses, Chill Houses, PlayClimbs, DustBath Houses in the WebShop pages of this website.
Chins And Youths
We consider chinchillas to be adult companion animals.
They can easily live 20+ years.
While young teenagers may initially purchase most chinchillas, the result is rarely favorable for the chin. Schoolwork, dating, and part-time employment are just some of the reasons their cute pet is soon left alone.
When he/she grows up, goes away to college or gets married, what is their chin supposed to do with the remaining 10+ years of it's life?
Another factor is that while undeniably cute, most chinchillas are not cuddly.
A chin rarely likes to be held for more than a minute.
It is not something their friends can play with, nor can it be taken to school or even outside without substantial risks.
Also to be considered is that a teen rarely has the financial resources necessary in case of an emergency.
Chins also do not control the household, the thermostat or necessary transportation.
**If your teenager wants a chinchilla, it needs to be a family decision.
**Teenage abandonment is the overwhelming #1 reason for rehoming and surrenders.
**It needs to be understood that the FAMILY will be responsible and will provide a forever home for the chinchilla.
Exotic Animal (chinchilla) specialists in the Greater New Orleans and Louisiana:
{NOTE: BE SURE TO LOCATE AN EXOTIC VET NEAR YOU!! In case of emergency, this can be a life saver.}
Dr. Rich and Dr. Pence at the Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana are located in Metairie, LA.
They can expertly examine your new chin and treat any health issues.
Their clinic is also a source for purchasing Timothy Hay and Oxbow Essential ( red bag) pellets and apple sticks.
Each examination costs about $45 (this might have changed) , excluding any necessary treatment.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO ADOPT?
Along with the chinchilla, the new owner should provide a cage, house, wood tunnel, hay bin, hammock, cuddle buddy, chill pad(s), water bottle, food bowl, and toys.
Excluding a cage, other costs necessary to provide a quality home will include:
15" exercise wheel ($120); Oxbow Chinchilla Deluxe pellets, ($5 per month); hay:($10 month); rose hips, $10 (for 600- we give 1 per day); dust, ($6/month); wood chew sticks, ($15 for 2-4 months); wire carrier, ($35).
We sell what we use.
ALL of the above mentioned cage stuff and supplies are available for sale in this web site.
Then figure on about $40-50 per month thereafter. If you have multiple chins please figure on about $40/each/per month.
Don't forget to put something away for vet bills, too.
ADOPTABLE CHINCHILLAS
Happy Tails - Past NOLA Chinchilla Rescue adoptions See all our adopted chins on Facebook.
AFFILIATIONS PARTNERS and FRIENDS
Animal Control Officers: Jefferson Parish; Ascension Parish Shelters: Jefferson Parish Animal Shelters; St Charles Parish Animal Shelter; Mobile, AL, Municipal Animal Shelter; Jackson, MS, Animal Shelter; St Tammany Parish Animal Services; Baton Rouge Animal Services; Birmingham- Jefferson Animal Control Oxbow Animal Health: Rescue Rewards Program Member
Rhonda's Rescue, Huntsville, AL.
Citizens for Animal Protection, Houston, TX
NOLA Ferret Rescue
Willow Springs Animal Rescue, Willow Springs, MO
Navarre Ferret Rescue, Navarre, FL
Chinchildren's Chinchilla Rescue, Red Oak (DFW), Texas
Wild Rescue, Inc. Denton, TX
Email your questions!