The chinchillas, which belong to the rodents, are at home in South America, in the Andean countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. A distinction is made between short-tailed and long-tailed chinchillas. The latter come mainly from Chile. There they live up to 4,000 m altitude, well above the tree line. The natural habitat is cool and dry. The temperature varies considerably between day and night. Plants that only grow sparsely in the region are correspondingly poor in nutrients. The organism of the chinchillas has adapted to the climate and the meager food. Chinchillas eat grass, leaves and bark as well as roots and fruits. During the day they sleep in crevices and caves. As soon as dusk falls, they begin to forage. The population of wild chinchillas was almost wiped out because they were long hunted for their fur. The trade in wild chinchillas is now banned. Unfortunately, the furs are still in demand, so chinchillas are now bred on fur farms where they are not kept in a species-appropriate manner.
Suitable housing for chinchillas
Chinchillas are highly social animals that live together in large groups in the wild. Therefore, they should be kept in pairs, better still in groups.
A pair is best suited: a female with a neutered male. But same-sex groups are also possible. So that there are no exclusions, an even number of animals is recommended.
Chinchillas need lots of exercise. Ideally, they should be kept in a separate room set up for them. If this is not possible, an enclosure should be at least 2 x 2 x 2 m in size and placed in an area protected from drafts.
Due to the nocturnal activity, children's rooms and bedrooms are not suitable rooms.
Chinchillas can react with fright to loud noises, which is why a heavily frequented living room with a TV is not a suitable place. Overheated rooms are also unsuitable. The temperature of the room should be 15 - 20 °C. The location should be bright but not exposed to direct sunlight.
Appropriate facility
There are numerous items for setting up the chinchilla home in well-stocked pet stores. Hemp litter, linen litter, corn litter or wood litter are suitable as floor coverings. Otherwise, the home of the little heartbreakers should be as three-dimensional as possible, because chinchillas like to jump.
Seat boards at different heights, also attached at an angle, as well as thick and flexible branches are ideal for climbing and gnawing. Several sleeping caves, huts and nests, food and water bowls are also part of the basic equipment - as is a sand bath . Bathing in the sand is used for grooming and relaxation. Bird sand is not suitable here because it is too sharp-edged and often contains aniseed, which is harmful to chinchillas.
chinchilla diet
Chinchillas are strictly herbivores. The basic feed consists of hay, which should always be sufficiently available. It can be stuffed into haystacks or placed in tubes for additional employment.
Greens complement the diet. Dandelion, nettle, peppermint or clover are suitable as herbs, preferably in dried form. There are special feed mixtures for chinchillas on the market.
acquisition of the animals
Chinchillas can live up to 20 years. They are available from pet shops, from private breeders and sometimes from animal shelters.
Health should be checked upon acquisition. Healthy animals are alert and curious, move quickly, react well, have clear eyes, an airy, soft coat, no sticky anal areas and no white spots on the teeth.
Profile CHINCHILLAS
- Order: rodents
- Origin: South America
- Life expectancy: 15 - 22 years
- Size: 22 - 32 cm plus tail
- Weight: 400-800g
- Colours: gray, white, beige, black, two-tone and three-tone piebald
- Behaviour: sociable, active at dusk and at night
- Sexual maturity: at 4 - 6 months
- Special features: can shed their fur when threatened
