Mary Allen
Chinchillas are popular pets primarily because of their cuddly fur and their joy in playing. But before you get yourself a chinchilla, you should do your research. Because the cute furballs from South America are demanding animals. Here you can find out everything about the nature of the chinchilla and how to keep it appropriately.
Origin and Appearance
The chinchilla belongs to the rodent family and is originally from Chile in South America. There are two main species: the short-tailed and long-tailed chinchilla. Both have button eyes and elongated ears in common. The crepuscular and nocturnal animals have thick, fluffy fur, which originally had different shades of gray. Today there are a total of seven specifically bred color schemes, from black to beige to white. However, their underside is always light. They are extremely social animals and live in nature in groups of up to 100 animals. Therefore, the chinchilla must not be kept alone, but always at least in pairs, at best with three or four.
Posture and Equipment
The active animals need a lot of space to run around and play. With two chinchillas, the cage should be at least 150 cm x 80 cm x 150 cm. Basically, however, the bigger the cage, the better off the animals are. A large aviary that is divided into several floors is ideal. Poles and branches of fruit and nut trees can be a great addition to the stable and offer rodents a lot of climbing fun. No plastic should be used in any of the furnishings. The bowls and the floor pan in particular must not be made of plastic, as chinchillas are passionate about nibbling on things.
The chinchilla cage should not be missing a house and other hiding and play options, a hayrack, and a water trough. A bowl of sand is especially important in the cage. Chinchillas love to bathe in the sand – this is how they keep their fur clean.
Tip: Choose a cage that is closed at the bottom. Otherwise, all the sand will be scattered around the room by the bath.
Feed the Chinchillas
Chinchillas are more demanding when it comes to their diet. Special complete and complementary feeds cover the chinchilla’s needs. Hay is also on their menu. It is important that the chinchilla does not get too many snacks and delicacies in between, as it has very sensitive digestion and puts on weight quickly. From time to time he can be offered apples, bananas, or snack sticks as treats. In order to be able to grind its teeth, branches of fruit trees are suitable. Make sure that the branches only come from unsprayed trees.
Chinchillas?
Chinchillas are great animals that are very interesting to watch and sometimes become quite tame. Nevertheless, they are very demanding in keeping and feeding and by no means cuddly animals. Although they look particularly cuddly, they don’t like to be cuddled and hugged themselves. Therefore, they are also unsuitable as pets for children. In addition, the animals are nocturnal and need to rest during the day. The children’s room would therefore be an extremely unsuitable location for the chinchilla cage. However, they are quite suitable for working people. The chinchillas can sleep undisturbed during the day and wake up punctually at the end of the day and become active.
With good care, a chinchilla can live to be over 20 years old and therefore older than many dogs. So you should think carefully about whether you want to get chinchillas. However, if you are looking for a loyal companion for a long time that you can watch rather than cuddle, the chinchilla is just right for you.