On this page we help you with Chinchillas facts and Chinchilla information by answering your most popular frequently asked questions about Chinchilla facts:
Chinchilla
Chinchilla Facts – What Are Chinchillas?
Chinchillas are a type of crepuscular rodent that originates from the Andes mountain range in South America. Originally hunted both for food and mainly their fur, the Chinchilla is now fortunately most popular as pets to many children and adults alike who enjoy the special charms Chinchillas have to offer.
Chinchillas are fairly small in size; typically about 12 inches in length they resemble small rabbits or Guinea Pigs. You may also be familiar with the animal Viscachas, which are also part of the Chinchillidae family of rodents.
The two different types of Chinchillas are: Chinchilla Brevicaudata and Chinchilla Lanigera. The Chinchilla is part of the Caviomorph family that also includes Guinea Pigs. Yes the Chinchilla is part of the rodent family but mice and rats are part of the different Myomorph family.
Chinchilla Facts – Why Do Chinchillas make good pets?
Chinchillas make good pets because they have hardly any smell so they are much more pleasant than dogs for example. Because they are small in size they are manageable and require little space and maintenance compared to most other types of pets.
They are inexpensive in terms of upkeep and costs. Principally the major expense will be your Chinchilla cage and then of course the major on-going cost will be its food but this is not going to cost much.
You can really interact with your pet Chinchilla, they are very playful and they react to your movements and they make noises and sounds themselves and they will soon become a firm favorite member of your family in no time.
Chinchilla Facts – Where Does the Name Chinchilla Come From?
The name Chinchilla is derived from the Chincha Indian people from the Andes mountain range in South America. Chinchilla literally translates as ‘little Chincha’. The Chincha tribe hunted the Chinchilla for food and the warmth of its fur when used to make fur coats and clothes.
Chinchilla Facts – How Long Do Chinchillas Live For?
Typically most pet Chinchillas will live for on average 15 years. This is a long-term commitment on your part so please consider this carefully before you buy a pet Chinchilla, especially if you are buying a pet for your young children. Who will look after your Chinchilla in twenty years from now?
Unlike a hamster or even a guinea pig, chinchillas live long lives. They live anywhere from 15 to 20 years. So keep in mind, as you’re deciding if this pet is for your family that it’s not a short term commitment you’re considering.
Chinchilla Facts – What is Chinchilla Fur?
Chinchilla fur is very thick, soft and luxurious, this outer layer obviously keeps the Chinchilla warm in its natural habitat but the downside is that this fur became highly sought after. Initially it was used by the native Indians as a way to stay warm by making the fur into coats and cloths which were worn.
Chinchilla fur became popular as a fashion accessory by wealthy Europeans. So much so that in the early 1900′s the Chinchillas were in danger of becoming extinct through over-hunting. Because the Chinchillas are such small animals it can take well over 100 to make a fur coat.
To this day hunting wild Chinchillas continues despite it being made illegal, this is down to the high value of Chinchilla fur, it ranks in value as high as mink and sable. The farming of Chinchillas for the purpose of the fur is still legal. Chinchilla fur is so thick and soft because the Chinchilla has the highest hair density of any animal on land, humans have one hair per follicle – the Chinchilla has between fifty and sixty!
Chinchilla Facts – How Did Chinchillas Become Popular as Pets?
There is a great story concerning a Mr M F Chapman who was a mining engineer working in Chile, he was responsible for bringing eleven Chinchillas back to the USA and in so doing he made the Chinchillas safe (for now) because they were bred and became popular as pets. There are now thousands of Chinchillas being kept and well-cared for as pets.
Chinchilla Facts – What are the Disadvantages of Chinchillas?
As much as we at The Chinchilla Cage Shop love Chinchillas we do have to recognise the downsides to owning a Chinchilla as a pet. We do this because we would not want anyone to buy a Chinchilla and then not want to look after it or keep it.
It is best that you know in advance that Chinchillas are a nocturnal rodent. This means they will mainly sleep during the day and come out to play at night. If this does not suit your lifestyle then do not buy a Chinchilla to keep as a pet. Imagine of your house is noisy or if you have children, they will probably not understand why they cannot wake your poor Chinchilla up!
Another disadvantage is that Chinchillas are quite small and tend to be of a timid and nervous disposition. They do not naturally like to be held and cuddled so maybe if you have very young children they may be a little too rough and clumsy for the Chinchillas liking.
Also take into account Chinchillas are noisy little rodents! While this may be fun to begin with remember that your furry cute Chinchillas are likely to be running around making plenty of noises during the night being nocturnal! Depending on the positioning of your Chinchillas cage and the size of your house you could be in for some sleepless nights!
Being furry little things your Chinchilla will not be the best choice of pet if you are any of your family suffer from dust-related allergies.
Chinchilla Facts – Is It True That Chinchillas Can Do Tricks?
Well we are not saying that they can perform like animals in the circus but the Chinchilla can run, jump up to six feet and climb. They are certainly not a dull pet and will keep you entertained for hours on end.
- Chinchilla in its cage
Chinchilla Facts – What is The Chinchilla Cage Shop?
We are Chinchilla lovers who have produced this resource of useful information all about Chinchillas. We focus our website on Chinchilla Cages to help you buy the right type of cage Chinchilla. From our site you can find all different types of Chinchilla cage from large to small to expensive to cheap. You can even learn how to build your own Chinchilla Cage.
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