Welcome to the DIY Section!

What does DIY mean? Do It Yourself! Ready to roll up your sleeves and create something special for your chinchilla? This section is all about empowering pet owners to craft safe, fun, and enriching items for their pets. Not only can DIY save money, but it also lets you ensure your pet receives safe high-quality accessories you’re proud of.

Please note that the information provided here is for educational purposes only. While we strive to offer the best guidance, we cannot be held liable for any outcomes resulting from the use of this information. Always use PPE, and have parental guidance if you’re under 18.

Use your discretion and consult with a veterinarian if you have any concerns about your pet's safety or health.

** We’re still working on adding some of the pages referred to here. The Safe Wood Page, Safe Treat Page, and other DIY pages. Please give us some grace when looking for the mentioned resources below **

One of the biggest expenses for chinchilla owners is the cost of chew toys, sticks, and wooden shelving.

By collecting, cutting, and processing your own wood, you can save a lot of money each year—but only if you do it correctly. This involves sourcing safe, non-toxic wood, cleaning it thoroughly, and kiln drying it in your home oven.

First, you'll need to locate a source of wood. You'll need to only use wood that is SAFE for your chinchilla to chew and consume. You can find a safe and unsafe wood list under our Chinchilla Care section. Quick Tip : Apple, Mulberry, Kiwi, and Grapevine are all common safe wood sources for Chinchillas!

What to Expect from the DIY Section of Our Website:

  1. Source Safe Wood
    Organic, pesticide-free, safe species—sourced with permission.

  2. Trim to Size : You’ll need pruning sheers, hedge clippers, or a good hand saw.
    Cut wood for twigs, sticks, chew chunks, or perches!

  3. Soak & Scrub : You’ll need a sink, and toothbrush/scrubber.
    Remove any harmful contaminants from the surface.

  4. Boil: A stock pot and tongs make it go fast!
    Eliminate microorganisms and bugs hidden beneath the surface.

  5. Bake & Dry: Large sheet pans, racks, and oven mitts help.
    Thoroughly dry the wood to prevent mold during storage.

  6. Drill: Optional
    Create holes for toys or add hardware for perches.

  7. Store & Enjoy!
    Watch your pet enjoy your hard work, and don’t forget to tag us @Chinnieboutique or @Ambers_Chinchillas—we’d love to see what you’ve made!

1. Source your supply of wood.

You can find wood for chews, toys, and perches both online and locally. Many sellers offer unprocessed wood at lower rates, making it an economical choice. Locally, check your yard, talk to friends and family, or visit community gardens and orchards to discover organic, pesticide-free options. Always remember to ask for permission first! Orchard owners may even offer to show you how to prune their trees without damaging future harvests.

Please note that we cannot assist in identifying unfamiliar tree species. Trees can vary significantly based on your location, so comparing photos often isn’t sufficient. Only source wood from trees you can confidently identify as a specific species or variety. For a list of safe wood options, be sure to check out our Safe Wood list under the Chinchilla Care tab!

Some wood may appear fuzzy during new branch growth, but this is completely safe and is a favorite among chinchillas. These fuzzy new growth pieces are quickly chomped on by chinchillas. Similarly, pieces with flower buds are also safe. If you find buds or blossoms on your tree, consider picking and processing them separately for a special treat!

While dirt may not be immediately dangerous, lichens can be.

Lichen is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms, a fungus, and an alga - otherwise known as cyanobacteria. Some species are edible but most range from mildly toxic to completely poisonous. Since there are over 3,000 forms, we’re unable to help you identify if the type on your wood is safe, or dangerous, so we take the cautious route and discard any wood with lichen, fungus, etc. Learn more here with the U.S. Forest Service. - It’s pretty fascinating! https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/lichens/about.shtml

How to spot it? Look for colorful, flakey, textured growths on the surface of the wood and discard if found.

2. Cut to your desired thickness.

Once you’ve selected your wood, it’s time to decide how you would like to cut it. Each chinchilla has their own personal preference. Some only like the thinnest twigs you can find. Others are happy with pencil-thick stick cuts. For toys, you’ll want to cut some older thicker wood for chunks and for perches you’ll want wood that is at least 1” thick.

 3. Soak and Scrub

This is an essential step in preparing wood chews. You’ll want to remove all the debris and contaminants that have settled on the wood, such as:

  • Dirt

  • Lichen

  • Air pollutants

  • Animal urine/feces

  • Bugs and their nests

  • Germs and bacteria

To loosen the dirt, fill the sink with hot water and soak it for 5-10 minutes. Once the water has cooled enough not to burn you, use your hand to vigorously rub the sticks together underwater. The friction alone helps remove most of the dirt and junk. New growth will be easier to clean than old growth, as it hasn’t been exposed to the elements as long. You may find that a toothbrush, or a firm scrubbing brush, will help break up caked-on dirt quickly. Your water should look dark brown at this point - a combination of dirt and tannins in the water. Drain the water and rinse the wood off, then repeat if necessary. Discard any wood that is rotten, moldy, infested with bugs, or heavily coated in lichens you’re unable to remove.

If you skip this step, your pet could end up ingesting all that ICK.

4. It’s time to boil

Once your sticks have been soaked and scrubbed, it’s time to boil them. But why do we boil the wood?

Boiling helps to break up any stubborn dirt or lichen that may not have scrubbed off, and it kills any insects that could be hiding beneath the bark or within the wood.

To start, add your wood to a pot and cover it with water. At this stage, you can enhance the flavor by adding chinchilla-safe herbs to the water. We have a list of safe herbs under our Chinchilla Care tab. A tip: hibiscus is highly flavorful and adds a lovely color!

Make sure the water is just above the wood—fully submerging it is ideal. Boil your wood for 20-30 minutes. If the wood is completely submerged, you don’t need to cover the pot. However, if some pieces are sticking up, using a lid will help trap steam and treat those exposed areas. Stir occasionally for even boiling.

After 30 minutes, you may notice bubbly scum and dark water—this is dirt, sap, and tannins being released. The color will vary; for example, apple wood will produce reddish water, while mulberry will be more olive-toned.

What are tannins? Tannins are a group of polyphenolic compounds found in plants. They’re similar to the compounds we extract when soaking beans or brewing coffee and tea. There’s nothing to worry about; in fact, tannins are beneficial in nature, such as in the tannin-rich waters that beta fish thrive in!

Once the boiling is complete, carefully drain your pot and rinse the wood with fresh water. Be cautious, as it will be hot! Once it’s cool enough to handle, you can move on to step 5.

5. Bake to dry.

You can skip the baking process, but it’s not recommended. Wet wood stored in a dark place can mold and encourage fungal growth! If you do choose to skip baking, it should only be during the summer when you can leave the wood in the 100°F sun for several hours until it is fully dried.

For best results, bake wood in a single layer with similar-sized pieces. This ensures that all your wood dries evenly at the same time. However, we sometimes stray from this advice, resulting in thinner pieces burning while thicker ones require additional time in the oven. Consider this a “do as I say, not as I do” moment!

Baking the wood effectively removes moisture, simulating kiln drying. This process helps eliminate pests and reduces the risk of mold or fungal growth.

Temperature Guidelines:

  • Kiln drying is typically done at 120°F to 240°F.

  • The drying time will vary based on the thickness of the wood and the temperature used. Lower temperatures and thicker pieces will require longer drying times.

    • Twigs at a low temperature can be done within an hour.

    • Sticks at a high temperature can also be completed in about an hour.

    • Perches may need to be baked at a lower temperature for a longer duration to prevent burning.

Always check your wood in 30-minute intervals, and never leave your oven unattended!

To test for dryness, twigs and sticks should snap sharply when bent. If they bend without breaking, they still have moisture inside. Thicker sticks will produce a light, hollow sound when tapped together, while perches will resonate with a hollow echo.

For additional assurance, we like to test our wood by snapping and listening for that hollow sound before declaring it done. This is optional, but after I turn the oven off, I often leave the wood inside overnight on the rack to allow any remaining moisture to escape. Once the wood is dry and cool, you can move on to optional step 6 (drilling) or step 7 (storing).

6. Optional - Drill.

You can stop here and just use your processed twigs and sticks as chew toys as is, BUT if you cut some thicker chunks or perches you’ll need to drill holes for toys and mounting hardware. You’ll find this information on our DIY - Hanging Chew Toys and DIY - Ledges & Perches pages found under our Chinchilla Care Tab! 

7. Store and Enjoy!

When storing any wood product for your chinchilla—especially those you've DIY'd and that may still retain small amounts of moisture—it’s best to choose a breathable container. Options like a canvas or cardboard box, a paper bag, or simply leaving the wood out in an open area with good airflow are ideal to prevent mold and ensure your hard work doesn’t go to waste. Store the wood similarly to how you would keep your pet’s hay: in a cool, dry, dark place.

Once the wood is clean and cool, feel free to give it to your chinchillas as often as you like! Wooden chews can serve as a daily treat and toy for chinchillas of all ages. If you’ve used our guide to create your own chews, we’d love to see what you’ve made! Please post a picture and tag us at @Chinnie_Boutique and @Ambers_Chinchillas on social media. We can't wait to see your spoiled pets!