Monty’s Manor is where it all began. 

In 1997 I purchased my first chinchilla, The Lord Montague, otherwise known as Monty to his friends. He was amazing.

Owning Monty was a revelation and I soon learned that he was an absolute character. He was intelligent, inquisitive, sometimes agile, and absolutely terrified of being picked up! He often held his right ear down on his head as if he was indicating to turn right. 

When I first brought Monty home there was very little information available about chinchillas. I had to scour the internet and what I found was often contradictory or (as I now know) down-right wrong. Monty spent most of his time outside of his cage when I was at home, pottering around after me or looking for ways to get into mischief. One particular favourite hobby was trying to get into spaces that I didn’t think he could fit into – an early lesson in not underestimating a chinchilla’s dedication to squeezing into tight spaces. I spent quite a lot of time in the early days extracting Monty from behind the sofa or from underneath my TV cabinet. 

As time went on I began to understand that looking after chinchillas relies on observational skills: watching, listening, and checking plays a huge part in chinchilla care. I got to know Monty’s normal behaviour so that when he became ill, I knew to take him to the vet. 

Monty had developed a heart condition which was treated successfully with medication for almost a year. Just before his 13th birthday he looked tired and he did not behave in quite his usual manner. I made the decision to have him euthanised that day. My vet and I discussed possible further treatment but we both agreed the time had come. I was permitted to stay with Monty as he slipped peacefully away. 

During Monty’s lifetime, I rescued several chinchillas from poor situations and, after losing a young chinchilla to dental issues (malocclusion), I was determined to learn all I could about chinchilla health and welfare. 

Today, the chinchilla unit is still known as Monty’s Manor and his legacy lives on. I continue to keep chinchillas, with each one being a unique character. Like Monty, they teach me something new each day and never fail to make me smile.