Useful Chinchilla Facts
by
Chloe T. Davis
From the mountains of South America are Chinchillas – medium sized animals of the rodent family. Their most striking characteristic is their thick luxurious coats. The normal lifespan of a pet chinchilla is 10 to 20 years. By nature, chinchillas can live an average life of 15 years.
In the early 20th century, chinchillas were almost wiped out. They were being slaughtered and sought after for their coat. To produce a single chinchilla fur coat, about 80 to 100 chinchillas should be slain. Some remaining chinchillas were caught and brought to the United States to preserve its existence. There were originally 11, and one died during the trip but was replaced by a newborn chinny. All the chinchillas in the American homes today were descendants of those 11.
Just like other rodents, chinchillas are nocturnal and mostly stay active at night. During the day, youll find them usually sleeping, so noise and other disturbances should be a no-no. Chinchillas are sensitive to stress and noise, so you cant approach them with quick movements as youll only terrify them. The temperament of a chinchilla ranges. They are bright, full of mischief, and have a sense of socialism. When they love their owners, theyre really affectionate. Chinchillas, however, are what you see is what you get animals and their attitudes from the time you had them will stay that way. For instance, if your chinchilla has a mild demeanor, it will have a mild demeanor all throughout his life. If your chinchilla is mean, it will always be mean. The first time you bring a chinchilla home, theyll be extremely shy or will always run away from you but it doesnt mean they see you as a threat. As you spend more time with your chinchilla, they will trust you more up to a point where theyll even come to you to scratch them behind the ear. Chinchillas are not fond of being held, but some will allow you to hold them if they trust you enough. You have to use both hands in carrying them. Support the hind legs in one hand, while the other hand supports the front legs, elevating them slightly. To avoid a feeling of falling, rest them against your body. As with any pet, chinchillas will not make good pets for those who are allergic to animal dander. Furthermore, chinchillas are not ideal for kids since they are unlikely to be held and cuddled.
Chinchillas are also small gnawing creatures that need to gnaw just to keep their teeth in shape and short. They will be really happy if you can give them something to chew on besides their food bowls, water dishes, or cage bars or wires. Chinchillas stand out from their rodent cousins as they make sounds. They produce different squeaks, squeals, and barking sounds. While thats true, they dont vocalize that often. The noises youll hear from the chinchilla cage are likely those that come from chewing, rearranging of amenities or when theyre running on their wheels.
You cant resist from yearning for this wonderful creatures. They are very social, and their thick coats are soft to the touch. Chinchillas need a time investment to provide proper care; but they are still easy animals to take care of.
Chloe T. Davis is an animal lover and proud owner of six adorable
chinchillas
. Chloe built the site
chinchillapetcenter.com
to provide useful information for soon-to-be, as well as experienced, chinchilla owners.
Article Source:
Useful Chinchilla Facts
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