Eventually wire mess will rust. If your bottom is solid,like plastic solid, it wont rust. That's why still is the best and safe for you to buy a cage rather then make your self, cause you still not familiar with what this animal living lifestyle.

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Added on May 23, 2008, 4:36 pmThis fellow eat my S$850

Hi saramic,
There is many 'level' of condition of not create a artificial cooling enviroment for chinchilla. I have know many many chins owner, not providing AC. The only thing need to know is is the house temperature is too high. Some houses tent to be very hot even tho is double story, down stay still will feel like an oven, some apartment is hot, some apartment is ok, some single story house also have some spot is in ok level.
A chinchilla live in temperature above 25C will not hv good fur, will eat less, and need dust bath very often to maintain they fur and is not in safe zone of not begin overheat. Because they have about 60-80 hairs sprouting from each hair follicle, human begin have 1-3 hairs sprouting from each hair follicle ONLY. Chinchilla or any pet doesnt not tolerate at all smoking, smoker is definately can't own any animal basically, but the world now is you hv money you can buy the animal. Here you can do a simple test to see how warm it would be for your chinchilla in a particular place- Dress 3 t-shirt + 1 sweeter in a corner/place that you going to place your chin, stand there for 15mins.
I see the time you reply, is 4:22AM! I think you are very suitable with animal that is nocturnal(awake at night), provided you not a smoker.
Create an artificial enviroment of their kind will definately be a yes to chinchilla.