Hey pals!

Shelby here! I'm the creator behind Chinpals, and the founder of our small pet brand - Little Pals!

I am so grateful for the millions of people that follow us and enjoy our skits, dances, and movie remakes.

We're thrilled to continue to use our platform to educate and support small pet owners, and now offer our favorite creations for your little pals.

Thanks for stopping by - read more of the Chinpals story below!

Our Little Pals (the Chinpals!)

  • KING LINUS

    Best Boy Emeritus

  • HENRY

    Chief Toy Engineer

  • CHIP

    Quality Control

  • KNOX

    Resident Baked Bean

  • FINN

    Small Pet Resources

  • TEDDY

    Cuteness Expert
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Our Story

As a kid, my first pets were hamsters, then guinea pigs, and in college I adopted my first chinchilla, Henry, from a family off of Craigslist. I fell absolutely in love with this little gray fur ball, but I had no idea the supplies I had were totally inadequate.

Up until then, I thought everything in the pet stores was just what I needed – and why wouldn’t I? There are shelves full of the very best products for cats and dogs; surely everything for small pets is good too, right? Wrong. From tiny cages and plastic toys, to sugar-loaded treats, I learned very quickly that I was going to have to be very careful where I shop for supplies for my little pals.

Growing up, my dad filmed and edited all kinds of hilarious home movies. He wrote and directed them, me and my family starred in them, and they were full of bloopers, silly lines, and goofy props and costumes. As you might assume, they often included our pets, and created some of my favorite childhood memories.

Once I got my hands on the camera, I filmed my pets all the time, whether it was our dog doing tricks or my guinea pigs eating blades of grass. After adopting Henry, I got my first smartphone and could not get enough of making short videos with him to share with anyone that would watch. “Oh my god, that was so cute!” was more than enough motivation to shoot our next video.

Fast forward to March 2020, when the pandemic began. I’d since adopted three more chinchillas (Chip, then Knox and Linus), won a professional orchestra job, and finished up four years of school. Like most people during quarantine, I was bored, a little concerned, and found myself scrolling TikTok. With the encouragement of friends and family, it wasn’t long before I started posting videos with the chins.

I was hesitant at first, but once our videos started gaining traction, the Chinpals were born into stars. Video after video went viral, leading to articles, new clips, interviews, and even a spot in People magazine. It was more than I ever could have dreamed up.

The opportunity to grow our community and turn this into my full-time job is something I’m forever grateful for. However, it’s also come with the thorn of knowledge that, despite my efforts to show the real commitment it takes to be a chinchilla owner, those care-related videos simply couldn’t compete with King Linus, dancing videos, or a Titanic remake. While I have always felt a responsibility to do the opposite, I know that I have likely inspired some people to buy chinchillas as pets from the same terrible pet stores filled with the same terrible products.

That’s why I decided to launch my own small pet brand centered around safety and enrichment. While we’re starting off small, I have some big plans to grow Little Pals and help change the pet industry from one that has brushed aside small pets, to one that celebrates them. After all, what makes all pets so special is that they become part of our family – no matter the species.

In January 2025, I had to help Linus, our little king and ninja, cross the rainbow bridge due to a terrible, genetic dental disease called root elongation. He was the first pet of my own that I’d ever experienced losing, and it completely shattered me. I was grateful for the embrace of thousands of people in the Chinpals community who loved Linus, expressing their sympathies and sharing their same experiences.

I’d like to dedicate Little Pals to Linus, my soul chin, who I owe so much of Chinpals to, and for so many years of unusually reciprocated love.

Reign in peace, sweet king.