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What Is a Chinchilla?
Facts about Chinchillas: Chinchillas are small mice that live in groups. They are known for having soft, fluffy fur and being quiet and shy. They are quick, active, and can climb well and jump as high as six feet. Chinchillas must constantly chew to keep their teeth from getting too long as they keep growing. They often stand to soak up the sun, clean themselves, or eat with their front paws.
Chinchillas are great pets for families because they are small and look like small cats or rabbits. They don’t have any smell or dirt on them. Their shy, calm nature makes them better for adults and older kids. Chinchillas are most busy in the morning and evening and are more awake at night. A few amazing facts about chinchillas are:
Amazing Facts About Chinchillas
Baby Chinchillas Are Called Kits
Chinchilla babies are called “kits,” and they are born with all of their fur. They are between 30 and 60 grams, which is 1 to 2 ounces. Chinchillas are one of the most independent baby animals because their eyes and ears are open and work when they are born. The average number of chinchilla babies is two, but there can be anywhere from one to six. Around eight months old, they will be ready to have babies.
Chinchillas Like Dust Baths
Chinchillas take dust baths occasionally to keep their fur in good shape. Their fur shouldn’t get wet or be washed in water because it takes too long to dry and could make their skin red and sore.
A dust bath will keep their skin from getting too oily and will keep their fur soft. Pet chinchillas should be given these dust baths at least twice or thrice weekly. If you give them too many dust baths, their skin may become dry.
One to two inches of chinchilla dust can be put in a chinchilla bath house or a plastic dishpan that is 6″ x 6″ x 12″. It can be used for an hour at a time or kept up by cleaning it every day and replacing the dust every week. Sand shouldn’t be used because it can irritate the eyes or skin and hurt the fur.
Chinchilla Coats Make the Species Endangered
Chinchillas have very thick fur with up to 60 hairs per cell and 20,000 hairs per square inch, which makes it feel very soft and fluffy. hair traders, who hunt chinchillas so much that they are almost extinct, want their hair because of this. Chinchillas live in the rocky hills of the Andes mountains in western South America, where they were born.
The species C. chinchilla is very popular because its fur is of better quality and is bigger than the species C. lanigera, the most common species to be kept as a pet. Chinchillas are on the list of animals in danger of dying out, so they are protected in the wild. Their numbers keep going down because their environment is being destroyed and too many traps are being set.
Read More: What is the Average Lifespan of Guinea Pigs?
Chinchillas live longer than a lot of other small pets
In captivity, chinchillas usually live between 10 and 15 years, but in the wild, they usually only live 8 to 10 years because they have to worry about being eaten by animals or people. This means chinchillas live much longer than small pets like hamsters or guinea pigs. Chinchillas live longer than other small pets because their bodies don’t grow as quickly as other animals. Another possible reason is that as a species, chinchillas generally have fewer health problems.
Every family should have chinchillas as pets.
Because they are small and quiet, chinchillas can make great family pets. Even though they are clean and don’t smell, you can teach them to use the bathroom. They like to get close to their pet parents or another chinchilla of the same gender. They are easy to feed and don’t do much during the day, which is great for people who are busy or away from home.