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Chinchilla Age & Exercise
It has been recommended that young chinchillas (under 6 months) are not exercised - this is because there seems to be a high correlation between hypoglacaemia fitting (fits due to lowered blood sugar levels) and juvenile chinchillas.
Personally I do not allow chinnies younger than 6 months to exercise outside their cage and after that age I allow them only short periods of time exercising - 5 minutes at a time and gradually build the time up over a period of months up to 30 minutes on cool/cold days. Once they reach 6 months, I allow them the same amount of exercise as my older chinchillas - this varies from individual to individual since some of my more "excitable" chinchillas have a tendency to run themselves ragged which is not beneficial to their long-term health.
Chinchillas who have reached what is considered an "older" age (8+) should also have their exercise restricted. In human terms, exercising a chinchilla over the age of 8 is a bit like asking your elderly grandparent to run a marathon (in a fur coat!). Gentle exercise is beneficial for older chinchillas but it should be approached with caution and restricted if necessary. Some older chinchillas will naturally pace themselves (and potter about sedately like my Monty) but it has been known for older chinchillas to exercise themselves to exhaustion.
, so I know how important it is to look for many resources so I can provide good care. The main reason why I choose to try chins is life length. Rats live 2-3 years on average, it was so amazing to read that chins can live to 15 yrs or so. (I have read a few diff numbers). Its hard on the heart to loose pets as I am sure most of you know. I wanted more time to bond this time. 
