The chinchilla as a pet is an excellent decision. Domestic chinchillas have little to do with wild chinchillas. There is an extraordinary variety of hybrids of various colors, sizes and morphologies. In nature there are only two species: the Chinchilla chinchilla or Short-tailed Chinchilla, and the Chinchilla lanígera or Long-tailed Chinchilla. If you are thinking of adopting a chinchilla as a pet, don't miss this article on our site where we detail its basic care.
Characteristics and character of domestic chinchillas
Chinchillas are small rodents. The females, at 800 g, are larger than the males, at 600 g, and both are larger than wild chinchillas. They are gentle and not very aggressive animals.
Its fur is very dense and silky, although incomparable to that of wild species. Precisely because of the particularity of its capillary structure, it is not convenient for the animal to be handled excessively. Especially when it comes to children, who are naturally moved by such beautiful little animals and want to caress them profusely.
We usually talk about very social pets that, once they get comfortable, are really sweet and affectionate. They'll love being petted and rewarded with treats.
Also these are intelligent animals since they will recognize you and show you how they feel: happy, active, sad or sleepy. They communicate through squeaks or small bites of affection.
Chinchilla capillary structure
Unlike humans, where each hair has its own hair follicle, Chinchillas have 50 or more hairs anchored in each of their folliclesThis is a defensive resource of the wild chinchillas that the domestic ones conserve. Obviously this anchorage is weak and they lose hair due to friction if they are stroked too much.
When wild chinchillas are harassed by a predator - usually a maned wolf - they convulse their body from which a multitude of hairs are shed. These hairs are introduced into the animal's snout, forcing it to sneeze; which gives the chinchilla time to hide and get to safety.
So that the chinchilla's fur looks as it deserves, we must place a tray with fine sand in its cage, available at any specialized store, so that it can take sand baths In addition to enchanting you, it will allow your hair to be beautiful and shiny. Of course, you must pay attention that small grains of sand do not remain in the eyes.
Feeding domestic chinchillas
Domestic chinchillas are herbivores They can eat any type of edible vegetable and exceptionally some small insects. They really like alfalfa. They also need water. It is unusual for chinchillas to consume their droppings, unlike many other rodents.
Of course, to avoid lack of vitamins, we recommend you buy feed for chinchillas. It is a very complete food with which we make sure it does not have any deficit.
Consume about 25 g of food daily of any type of vegetable or feed. Fibrous vegetables are excellently suitable, but those with a high water content (such as lettuce) are best avoided.
Most common diseases of domestic chinchillas
The most common diseases of domestic chinchillas are:
- heatstroke
- sand in the eyes
- Stomach problems
- mycosis in the skin and hair
- dental problems
- parasites
However, these problems will not happen, if the diet is adequate, the white wood chip litter is renewed weekly and Calcium carbonate - marble powder - is provided for dry cleaning with said powder, which must be renewed every ten days. The water must be changed frequently.
Special care for domestic chinchillas
Domestic chinchillas are very sensitive to heatstroke, and can even die as a result. They need their cages to be in cool, dry places. They require dry environments protected from drafts and humidity.
On the other hand, they don't like being manipulated by strangers. If this happens they tremble to release hair, as their instinct dictates. They can even drop their tails similar to what happens with lizards
Also, we must prepare his cage thoroughly to cover all his needs. When the chinchilla is a baby, a standard cage is sufficient. However, once adulthood is reached, we will have to acquire a larger one, with different floors if possible and great width. As we mentioned in the previous section, we will place a bed of white wood chips that we will change every week.
Life expectancy of domestic chinchillas
Domestic chinchillas live much longer than wild ones. The average lifespan of domestic chinchillas is 10-15 years, there have even been cases of longevity close to 25 years.
Chinchillas are easily stressed animals. If you lead a serene existence your life will be much longer. They are nocturnal animals, so at night is when the domestic chinchilla registers more activity. To cover this activity, we can place an exercise wheel in his cage.
Domestic chinchilla mutations
There are more than 20 mutant hybrid species that come from the only 2 wild species existing in nature. In turn, each mutation diversifies into countless subtypes that not only differ in color, but also confer different phenotypes. There are large, dwarf and medium-sized chinchillas.
With colors ranging from black to white. Some have black eyes, others reddish and so on without limit to the genetic alteration introduced by chinchilla breeders.
If you decide to have a docile, clean and calm animal as a pet, you will be making an excellent decision by choosing a domestic chinchilla. But remember, pet stores are the ideal places where they will inform you and guarantee their quality and origin.
