They are more affectionate than dogs, smarter than rabbits, funnier than your average hamster; less temperamental than cats and ………… the list goes on. There is simply no comparison. Meet the amazing chinchillas and you will be instantly attracted to them. Chins, as they are more affectionately called, have the good looks and intelligence to scream. To learn more, keep reading!

Source:

The Chinchilla is a member of the rodent family originating from the Andes Region of South America.

Characteristic:

The most attractive attribute of a Chinchilla is its poking coat. Each hair follicle contains 60 to 80 hairs, 20 to 30 times more than cats and dogs! Add the big button eyes, big round ears, and long fluffy tails; No wonder Chinchillas melted many hearts. Chinstraps are nocturnal, spending most of the day dispensing. They don’t have an odor, unlike rabbits or guinea pigs, so they can make decent apartment pets.

Skin colors:

Standard gray is the original color, but as the barbel trade grew, the demand for variety gave rise to a new trend: color mutation. Available colors are Beige, Silver or Pink, White, Black Velvet, Brown, Tan, Sapphire, Mosaic, Violet. The rarer the color, the more expensive it is.

Life expectancy:

Average 8 to 10 years, in some cases more than 15 years.

Diet:

Chins are herbivorous. Their nutritional requirement is fairly bland, all they require is commercially produced chinchilla pellets, dried timothy hay and alfalfa, and fresh water. An occasional treat of dried fruit will make them very happy.

healthy sign:

Healthy chins have bright, clear, active eyes; yellow-orange and aligned teeth, dry nose; hard and elongated stools; dense and uniform coat. The ideal weight for a fully developed chin is about 450 to 800 grams. Chins are hardy and rarely get sick.

Maintenance:

Chins don’t cost much to maintain. The essentials are the cage, the water bottle, and wood shavings for bedding. A 24 by 24 by 18 inch wire mesh cage is considered good, larger if it has more than one chin. Get those with raised wire floors if possible, to allow droppings, urine, and partially eaten food to fall off, as barbels are clean animals and don’t like their fur dirty. Also, Chins need a dust bath at least once a week.

Where to buy Chinchillas:

Always buy a chin from a reputable breeder. The breeder must know the background of the barbel and provide the proper equipment and feed for the barbel. Pet stores sell many other animals and therefore the staff may not have enough knowledge about barbels. Look for a pedigree certificate, if you want to breed quality chinstraps with the goal of winning prizes. Otherwise all chins are adorable. Price is not necessarily a guarantee of quality, so be sure of your requirement and seek a second opinion.