Chinchillas Facts
Though not as well known as the hamster or rabbit, they are slowly becoming a very poular pet, the chinchilla will win you over with its charm. With just one touch of a chinchilla's exquisite coat, you'll know why this animal was once bred exclusively for its soft, dense pelt. As breeders became aware of the chinchilla's charming personality, however,more and more of the animals became treasured pets. Though still coveted for its coat, the chinchilla has won the hearts of many pet owners. If you're looking for a unique small animal pet, this may be the animal for you.
Please never buy fur products, animal for looks better on the creatures Not worn as a fashion accessory by humans.
Chinchilla means "little Chinta," the South American Indian tribe for which the animal is named. A native of the high Andes Mountains in South America, this rodent species typically weighs between 1 and 2 pounds, and resembles a cross between a squirrel and a small rabbit. It has large eyes, big ears( although now well bred show quality chinchillas now often have smaller ears), long whiskers and a round, chubby (blocky) body. A chinchilla carries its bushy tail, similar to that of a squirrel, curled over its back. Large hind feet help it hop like a kangaroo, and the small front legs and feet are like those of a squirrel. The soft fur of a chinchilla comes in a variety of colors, the most common being the standard gray. The newest, rarest and most unusual color is the violet, a shade of pink or mauve. Another rare and unusual color is ebony; ebony chinchillas are jet black all over with no gray or white highlights. Other coat colors include mosaic (white with some other color, usually silver or gray), beige (light tan or dark cream), black velvet (black on top, changing to gray on the sides), brown velvet (dark brown on top, lightening to beige on the sides) and charcoal (deep, dark gray).
With the exception of the ebony, charcoal chinchillas most chinchillas have white underbellies. Although now, some breeders are now seeking to breed what are termed wrap-rounds by breeders. To my eye they are not attractive, without the white belly a violet would look terribly dull and not attractive all all. If you look at the pics of my chinchillas and note the pure white belly colour I think you will agree the contrast of white belly to darker body is more attractive. Wrap-rounds are not as yet recoginised at shows. Indeed I should think the judges may consider them an inferior colour. Time will tell on that matter of course.
there are 2 types of chinchillas being bred in uk at moment
When introduced to people at an early age and handled regularly, chinchillas can become affectionate pets. Your chinchilla may enjoy sitting in your hand while you gently scratch its chin and between its ears. Nocturnal in nature, your pet will probably sleep most of the day and appreciate more activity in the evening. Beautiful, intelligent, clean and easy-to-care-for, it's no wonder that the chinchilla is becoming the new pet of the 90s. People of all ages, including small children, can add a little love to their lives with a chinchilla.
Some like to be held.
Chinchillas can and do become very attached to their owners and will even rub their heads on them to show affection. They will welcome your arrival with a soft "chinchilla chuckle." Open the cage door, and they will jump into your hands. Socialized chinchillas love attention and will play with you for hours, but they can take up a lot of your time. You may want to consider buying a companion for your furry friend. To stay healthy and happy, a chinchilla needs supervised exercise periods outside its cage. Before you let the animal out of its cage for its evening romp, however, remove any breakable objects and block off access to spaces behind refrigerators, ovens and cupboards. While the chinchillais exploring, watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't gnaw on electrical cords--or your furniture!
It is also perfectly normal for chinchillas who have not been handled by the breeder when young to act like this. It is also true that some chinchillas will sit with you and go to sleep on your lap while you sit. This is because they are used to people handling them you see.
Some do not like to be held.
I handle the baby chinchillas. I do like to leave them alone for one day after they are born to allow them to bond with the mum as it is wrong to handle a new born kit too much at the start. The kit needs to be with and get to know mum that first day to bond with her and this way it will keep following mum if she moves away. after I see that all is okay I then handle the baby each day for short spells. This gets the kits used to humans and also used to humans holding then in the hand.