Information On Chinchilla Care
Many chinchilla owners love their pets for their playful, loveable personalities and their unusually soft fur. Chinchillas are rodents that are larger than hamsters or guinea pigs and are familiar to many others for their luxurious fur. With fifty to sixty hairs per follicle, they have incredibly thick fur that fleas cannot survive in. The density of their hair is different from that of any other animal which has caused humans to use their fur in garments to such a degree that the medium-sized rodents became nearly extinct in the 1900’s. This is easy to understand since it takes anywhere from eighty to one-hundred chinchillas to make a single coat!
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Chinchillas are naturally grey in color but with an increase in their popularity as pets, select breeding has produced a variety of colors including the mosaic white with grey and black patches, solid white, black velvet, violet, and Panda colors.
Chinchillas roll about in volcanic ash in order to clean their fur in the wild but those that are kept as pets should be given a dust bath several times weekly. Never get your pets wet since they lack the guard hairs that prevent the under-fur from getting wet and can cause them to develop a fungal growth of ringworm. You should also be careful not to allow chinchillas to take dust baths too frequently since this can remove too much oil and cause their skin to dry out.
In nature, chinchillas are found in colonies. If they are kept in captivity where there is adequate space, those of the same sex will usually cohabitate peacefully in the same cage. You can also place a single male with one or more females but should not have more than one male with females since they will be likely to compete. Also, keeping them in too small of a cage can cause them to become territorial.
Chinchillas should be given a special diet to allow for their delicate digestive systems. Most pet supply stores have food that is specifically designed for chinchillas but you will also need to provide hay as part of their regular diet. Rose hip, sugar-free cheerios, or dandelion leaves can be provided as a treat but you should limit treats to once a day at the most to ensure they don’t have a reaction to the sugar or develop diabetes from becoming overweight. Provide your chinchillas with a water bottle rather than a water dish that can become dirty and support algae growth. You also want to ensure that the chinchillas’ fur doesn’t get damp.
Chinchillas have become very popular as pets since they have such friendly, lovable personalities and are so cute and playful. You will enjoy petting their super thick, luxurious fur or just watching while they entertain you with their jumping and climbing. While it is important to provide them with adequate care and to maintain their cages to keep them clean and dry, they are reasonably low-maintenance pets that will provide you with many hours of entertainment.
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