Chinchilla

CHINCHILLA - Scientific Name - (Chinchilla Laniger)

Originally from South America, they lived in the high plateau areas of the Andes Mountains, where the climate and terrain were much like a desert. Chins do not have sweat glands, therefore, they stayed underground much of the day to stay cool. They do not dig holes...instead they choose natural crevices or dens from other animals.

They are most unusual because of their small front legs and large rear legs. They hop around similar to a Kangaroo. They can jump long distances to protect themselves from predators, they have whiskers and ears much like a rabbit, a tail like a squirrel, friendly like a guinea pig, and have a good personality. They make good pets for children (supervised).

Originally, they were imported to the U.S. for their furs. This was back in the 1920's. During the last decade or so, they have been becoming very popular as pets. Their soft fur makes them very cuddly. They do well in apartments, are easy to maintain, are very clean, and relatively quiet. They can live up to 15 years, although 8 to 10 is the average.

To keep themselves clean, they love to take a dust bath. You simply put a cup of dust bath into a pan or non-tippable bowl or tub. You'll be delighted to watch as it's natural instinct will let them jump right into the dust. They will roll, toss, turn, and do somersaults. This will remove dirt, oil and residue from their fur. The dust bath will only take a few minutes and should be offered at least twice or three times per week, with daily being preferred. Be sure and remove the bath dust and tub after your Chinchilla is done. The dust should be changed every 2 or 3 weeks.

PROPER NUTRITION is a must for your Chinchilla. Commercially prepared pellets are now available that contains all necessary nutritional requirements. These pellets should be fed daily. Keep in mind that loose hay should also be provided at all times. If loose hay is not available, cubed hay will suffice.

As with all animals, Chinchillas should be offered clean, fresh water every day. They will readily adapt to a water bottle. Large breeding colonies may be equipped with automatic watering systems. We suggest feeding your Chinchilla two tablespoons of prepared pellets per day, one in the morning and one in the evening, about one ounce per serving.

HOUSING your Chinchilla is very important. They are a gnawing animal so their cage should be made of "galvanized" wire. You cannot have a cage to big, BUT, it could be to small. An ideal size would be 4 feet square. At a minimum, we would suggest 30" x 24" x 18". Be sure and include a sleeping box for privacy.

Being a gnawing animal, they need something to chew on. White pine blocks work very well for this purpose.

Chinchilla are quickly growing in popularity. With the proper care and handling, they will soon become the pet of the house.