Basic info about chinchillas.

Chinchillas are rabbit-sized, crepuscular rodents native to the Andes mountains in South America. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they belong to the family Chinchillidae.Domestic chinchillas can be kept as pets. Chinchillas are crepuscular and typically do not like to be disturbed during the day, which may make them less favorable as pets to some people. Chinchillas are naturally very skittish creatures and generally do not like to be held, although they can become very attached to their owners if they grow up without a cage mate. Because of their high-strung disposition, they are not usually considered to be good pets for small children. However, chinchillas can be very friendly animals if sufficiently acclimated to human touch as kits, making them excellent pets for patient owners.Chinchillas can be very docile if given sufficient attention as kits.Male chinchillas tend to be easier to handle because they are not subject to temperament fluctuations due to the estrus cycle.Chinchillas make a variety of vocalizations, including chirps, squeaks, and barks. They use these sounds to express themselves, from a calm, loving chirp given to a potential mate to a loud, aggressive bark when threatened. Chinchilla kits often greet their parents with a very high pitch chirp, usually to indicate that they are hungry. Since they are active at night, it is not uncommon for them to vocalize in the early hours of the morning. If irritated or frightened the female chinchillas may cluck loudly and spray urine at the offender.

Feeding and Diet

In the wild, Chinchillas feed on roots, bulbs, and mosses. In captivity Chinchillas eat cubed hay, rolled oats, raisins, nuts, and cookies. Once a week it's good to give your Chin dried or frozen fruit, chewable vitamins, unsalted peanut in the shell, uncooked pasta, or other treats. Pregnant females like calf manna, raspberry leaves, cranberry or other juice. Pay attention that everything in your Chinchillas' ration is in moderation.

Housing

Since chinchillas are very active animals, it is best to house them in a large enclosure, such as a room of their own instead of a small cage. If kept in a cage, the chinchillas need to have a large area replete with shelves or other obstacles on which to play. The cage should be taller than it is wide, as the chinchilla's natural environment is very mountainous. Chinchillas also need other forms of stimulation, such as hanging wooden toys, large wheels (over 16 inches in diameter and not constructed of mesh, as chinchilla legs and toes can easily get caught), or paper towel tubes. Wooden sticks and chew toys are also good options, but conifer woods (especially cedar) should be avoided because of the high content of resins that are toxic for chinchillas. Birch, willow, apple tree or manzanita are all safe woods for chinchillas to chew. Plastic in the cage should be avoided at all times. Chinchillas are often voracious chewers, and any ingested plastic can cause blockage in the intestines. As with most small animals, red cedar bedding should never be used due to its toxic nature. The cage must have good air circulation. The chinchilla lacks the ability to sweat; therefore, if temperatures get above 25°C (80°F), the chinchilla could get overheated and may suffer from heat stroke.
Active and inquisitive by nature, chinchillas need to spend some time outside of the cage (around half an hour a day and always supervised) to exercise and to satisfy their curiosity. Chinchillas will chew on inappropriate items including electrical cords.

Basic Info About Gerbils.

A gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia. Once known simply as "desert rats", the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats. Most are primarily diurnal (though some, including the common household pet, do exhibit crepuscular behavior), and almost all are omnivorous.
The word "gerbil" is a diminutive form of "jerboa", though the jerboas are an unrelated group of rodents occupying a similar ecological niche.
One Mongolian species, Meriones unguiculatus, also known as the Clawed Jird, is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular pet. It was first brought to the United States in 1954 by Dr. Victor Schwentker for use in research.
Gerbils are typically between six and twelve inches (150 to 300 mm) long, including the tail which makes up approximately one half of their total length. One species however, the Great Gerbil, or Rhombomys opimus, originally native to Turkmenistan, can grow to more than 16 inches (400 mm) in length. The average adult gerbil weighs approximately 2 1/2 ounces. As of August 19, 2003, officials in western China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region began releasing eagles to combat the damage they say the great gerbils have done to eleven million acres (46,000 km²) of grassland.
Pet gerbils have an average lifespan of 2 to 4 years. Some have been known to live five or six years.

Diet
Your gerbils will do well on a good commercial gerbil seed mix with a protein content of about 12 percent, and a fat content in the 6- to 8-percent range. Nutritionally complete, gerbil mix is made up of pellets, grains, seeds and dried vegetables, and is readily available at pet supply stores. If you offer your pets a mix that includes sunflower seeds, you may notice them picking out these tasty treats first and leaving the high-protein, ultra-nutritious seeds for later. Don’t worry—they’ll eventually eat the good stuff, so please resist the urge to refill the bowl or offer more sunflower seeds, which are high in fat.
Offer small amounts of fresh vegetables to your gerbils every day. Carrots, leaf lettuces, turnips, and broccoli are good choices. Offer small amounts of sweet fruit such as apples and bananas every other day, but take care to introduce new foods gradually. Don’t forget to clean up any leftover fresh food before it spoils.
Fresh, clean water should be available at all times. It is best to use an inverted bottle with a drinking tube, and change the water daily.
Do not give your gerbils cabbage, potatoes, onions, uncooked beans, chocolate, candy or junk food.

Housing
Gerbils are social, so it’s a good idea to get at least two. If you introduce them when they’re young, there’s an excellent chance you’ll have a successful match—especially if you choose gerbils from the same litter. Please do not keep males and females together, or they will breed.
Get your gerbils set up in a wire cage or a 10-gallon aquarium that has a wire mesh cover. The enclosure should be placed away from direct sunlight and drafts, and lined with absorbent bedding. Timothy hay and aspen shavings are good choices, but avoid using pine or cedar shavings at all costs—the fumes from these products may be harmful to the animal. Also make sure that you change the litter often enough to keep it dry and odor-free.
Gerbils love to play, so be sure to provide yours with an exercise wheel that does not have any openings in which their tails can get caught. Toys will be much appreciated, but avoid toys made of soft plastic or cardboard— they will almost certainly be chewed to bits! Gerbils also like to hide and sleep inside enclosed spaces, so it’s a good idea to place a small box or flower pot for this purpose.
Gerbils also love to dig, so provide yours with plenty of extra bedding, hay or shredded paper towels. Tunneling’s fun for your pets, too, so be sure yours have cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet paper. Larger, sturdier tubes— those made from PVC, for example— will also serve this purpose. And finally, don’t forget to place a smooth, clean stone or rock in your gerbils’ home. This will serve as a lookout for them.

Basic Info about hamsters.

Hamsters are a member of the subfamily Cricetinae and are rodents. Hamsters are one of the easiest animals to care for and breed in captivity which is a main reason why hamsters are so popular among pet keepers.

Hamster Housing
There are many variations of terrariums and cages available at pet stores for Hamsters or other small rodents. Often you will find cages which have many add-on parts avaible to change the configuration of the cage or connect two together. This provides you with the ability to create a unique environment for your hamsters. A hamster wheel is a great additon to any terrarium and will ensure there is a way for your hamsters to exercise.

Hamsters have pouches in their cheeks which they use to store food. Typically hamsters will walk up to their food dish and collect a large amount of food in these pouches. They will then walk away to a place where they feel safe and empty the food from their pouches and begin to eat.

Fruits & Vegetables for Hamsters

Fruits and vegetables are excellent foods for hamsters in small amounts. Never try to make the majority of your hamsters diet out of fruits and/or vegetables. Hamster mix should always be the primary source of their nutrition.
When first starting to feed your hamster fruits introduce it very slowly into their diet. If you notice any change in their behaviour or if they appear to become sick stop feeding all fruits and vegetables. Once they have recovered completely you can begin to slowly introduce the fruits and vegetables back into their diet.
The following is only a partial list of the fruits and vegetables that can be fed to hamsters.
Alfafa
Banana
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Chestnuts
Cranberries
Cress
Grapes
Green Beans
Papaya
Strawberries
Sweetcorn
Sweet Peppers
Turnip
Watermelon

Hamster Mix

Just about any pet shop will have hamster mix which is specially designed for hamsters. Hamster mix is usually made up from a variety of crushed grains and seeds.
Do not feed your hamster any sort of mix designed for other animals. At the very least your hamster may not be as healthy as possible because it is not receiving the correct types and amounts of vitamins. Feeding your hamster the wrong type of food can also cause serious illnesses in your hamster.
Beware when changing the type of hamster mix you are feeding your hamster, especially if you have been feeding it the same one for a while. Hamsters are very sensitive to changes in their diet. The best way to change their food is to make it a gradual change by mixing the two together for a week or so.

Plants and flowers help to make up a good varied diet for your hamster.
If you do not know specifically that the plant you wish to feed your hamster is safe for it, leave it out of its diet! The list below gives some examples of plants that are safe for hamsters.
Chickweed
Clover
Cornflowers
Dock
Mallow
Roses
Trefoil
Vretch
Young Grass