Chinchilla behavior - decoding. A furry guest from the Cordillera, or all about chinchillas

What associations do you have when you hear the word Chinchilla? A furry long-eared squirrel, a furry gray mouse, or perhaps a bushy-tailed hamster. All these concepts somewhat unite all of the listed rodents. The chinchilla is as nimble and agile as a squirrel, looks like a hamster and big mouse. Although the chinchilla is not the first, not the second, and certainly not the third.

When you go to any pet store where you can immediately buy a small pet, you often see cages with chinchillas next to the cage of rats or mini-rabbits. A small creature with big ears and a fluffy tail attracts attention immediately at first sight. Her shiny fur just begs to be stroked and feel all the softness and tenderness. However, being a store-bought “Cheburashka” who sits in a cage all day and waits for his owner, the chinchilla mostly sleeps and is inactive.

Touched by this picture, we begin to think about buying a chinchilla. A tiny animal, cute and cute, why not? And we go to the consultant and ask to show the animal and tell us briefly how to deal with it at home. But first of all, it is worth studying the nature of chinchillas, so that later you can be prepared for any pitfalls.

Description of chinchilla

In nature, there are two types of these beautiful animals. Small (long-tailed) and short-tailed (large) chinchillas.

The small chinchilla is very attractive in appearance with its velvety and long fur, which in turn greatly helps the rodent survive in different weather conditions. The dimensions of such a chinchilla do not exceed 30 cm in length, while the tail of the animal can be half the length of its body - 11-18 cm.

Unlike the small long-tailed chinchilla, the short-tailed chinchilla has a larger body - about 40cm, a thickened neck, short front legs, very strong hind legs and completes the picture with a small short tail 8-10cm long.

In terms of weight parameters, a chinchilla can be on average 350-800g for males and 370-600g for females. They have very expressive and lively black eyes (however, they can see well only in the dark), large oval ears and long, sensitive whiskers (the so-called vibrissae), with the help of which the chinchilla is an amazing nocturnal animal. They are well oriented in space.

Thanks to its miraculous skeleton, which is able to shrink into vertical position, chinchillas skillfully penetrate the narrowest holes or openings. There are 4 toes on each small hind paw of a chinchilla and 5 toes on the front paws. The front legs are very tenacious, so the rodent is able to easily climb rocks and dig holes.

The average lifespan of a chinchilla is about 25 years. At good conditions life and prosperous genetics, the life of these beautiful creatures can reach 35 years.

It seems to me that when many people hear the word “chinchilla”, a picture of a gray standard breed of rodent comes to mind. But in addition to the usual gray wild color, chinchillas can be black velvet, white, white velvet, beige, brown velvet, white-pink, purple, sapphire and others. Many types of chinchilla colors cannot be crossed with each other, which leads to a deterioration in the quality of the offspring.

How do chinchillas talk and what sounds do they make? By nature, the chinchilla is a very emotional animal. Having only a few sounds in their vocabulary, but at the same time changing intonation and tone on an emotional level, chinchillas can diversify their interesting speech. And, being a socialized creature, the chinchilla does not like loneliness and thereby loves communication and attention to his person. Therefore, remember what to buy chinchillas better in pairs so that they never get bored. Behavior, mood, and ultimately health, partly depend on external factors that you create for her.

Both types of rodents are very active and, for the most part, are adapted to become more active at night. This is most likely why we sometimes see passive and sleeping chinchillas in pet stores during the day.

By their nature, chinchillas are hypoallergenic, because... do not shed. Therefore, they are suitable for people suffering from allergies. They are clean and have no unpleasant odor, because they completely lack sebaceous and sweat glands. That is why they cannot be compared on the same scale with tame rats and mice. The same rabbits have their own distinctive smell. Always stunning and clean fur, neat nails, which the chinchilla takes care of itself and bites off the nails as they grow. Therefore, the shinsha’s paws always remain soft and tender. Another important aspect is that fleas and ticks avoid the thick and dense fur of chinchillas.

Character and behavior of the chinchilla

The chinchilla is very sociable, talkative and sociable. However, this indicates her low resistance to stress. Like any other animal, the chinchilla requires a reverent and tender attitude towards itself. She feels the warmth coming from you anxiety or an emotional outburst that can simply frighten the pet. They do not like noisy companies, including children's games at home, which involve running or screaming. Sudden switching on of lights, loud sound of TV and music, noisy conversations can have an adverse effect on the health of the chinchilla. And as a result, on the wool, which will immediately begin to fall off.

Chinchillas can have different personalities. But often they are willing to make contact, get used to being handled and can sit on your shoulders for a long time. If the baby chinchilla has never been accustomed to being held, then all attempts to pick it up may fail. In such cases, shinshi usually release a stream of urine towards the danger or throw away a tuft of fur. But when faced with such a beast, you should not be upset. Instill love in your hands gradually. First with ordinary attention and conversations. Let the animal get used to the voice and smell of your body, and when it comes to your arms without hindrance, try to move on.

It would be reckless to call the character of chinchillas simple: these animals have a rich set of reactions and a whole range of characteristics. These animals feel like royalty and require appropriate treatment.

It is important to understand by what criteria one can evaluate the intelligence of an animal. When it comes to training, a chinchilla cannot be put on the same level as a rat: shishi have difficulty learning commands. The chinchilla is not always human-oriented, and quite tolerates his absence if there are relatives. However, to call an animal that has such an arsenal of interpersonal relationships stupid would be blasphemy.

A flock of animals has a clear hierarchy. In addition, they have a matriarchy - smart females dominate the community. The language of rodents is so rich that the following sounds can be distinguished:

• communications - soft grumbling when communicating with fellow tribesmen;
• call - a jerky sound when an animal is looking for someone;
• mating - the sounds of a male calling a female: a squeak of resentment or tender notes;
• satisfaction - hiccupping sounds of the male after mating;
• baby - high-pitched sounds, demanding when the baby is hungry and joyful if he has eaten;
• infringement of rights - a plaintive signal when a chinchilla is constrained by its relatives;
• protest - the sound of irritation;
• defense - a croaking, abrupt sound;
• rage – a grinding sound, in a female it may be accompanied by “shooting” of urine;
• family quarrel - grunting sounds of the male and sharp grinding sounds of the female;
• warnings of danger - expressive quacking;
• pain or extreme situation- a sharp cry.

Chinchilla cubs are more talkative, their chatter can be heard constantly.

Characteristics of a chinchilla

Chinchillas have a busy social life

In chinchillas different character: There are cute, tame animals and, on the contrary, distrustful and paranoid ones. Such rodents are typical inhabitants of chinchilla farms, where the animals are mistreated. This must be taken into account when purchasing an animal. , who groomed and cherished his animals. Try to come to his house and look at the seller’s pets. Some animals never become tame.

Habits of chinchillas of different sexes

The dominant females in the pack are more powerful. This also manifests itself in relationships with people. Ladies are less tame, although you can “negotiate” with them. Females have another unpleasant feature - the ability to shoot urine at an object of irritation.

The female is able to shoot urine at an irritating object

Males are calmer and easier to make contact. Their subordinate position in the pack determines their more peaceful disposition. And they also don’t know how to “shoot.” However, this does not mean that the male is absolutely harmless: strong pain or panic maybe

What is the character of a chinchilla?

Shushiki are gentle creatures, but rather capricious. Unlike rats, they do not have such devotion and adoration for their owner, but when good relations they get bored and require the owner's attention. A group of chinchillas, unlike rats, are more likely to socialize in their community without the need for human contact.

There is a trepidation in the character of the animal that does not allow rude treatment. You should not take a chinchilla by the tail, much less lift it: you can lose its trust for a long time. How, she requires a respectful attitude: if you take her in your arms, then only with her consent. It is enough to stretch out your hand, and the animal decides for itself whether it will go or not.

Behavior of chinchillas at home

The behavior of the animal is connected not only with its origin, but also with the conditions of its detention. It is necessary to provide a spacious cage, high-quality food and sufficient leisure. For the first 2-3 days, the animal should not be touched; it must get used to the new place. After the adaptation period, you need to start establishing contact. You can only use affection and treats.

You should not touch the animal with your hands - this is stressful for him.

Handmade chinchilla loves affection

If the credit of trust is received, the chinchilla itself will begin to show signs of attention. It is better to observe the behavior of the animal in the house. A awake chinchilla is constantly on the move, it is active and playful. This pet is not for cuddling. It is not suitable as a living toy for a child, but young naturalist will enjoy learning the habits. Be prepared for night noise from jumping and rearranging “furniture” and scattering of hay.

If your chinchilla is acting aggressively

Chinchilla aggression is almost always associated with fear, pain or negative experience. , so they are accustomed to reacting suspiciously to any changes.

Important! Chinchillas should not be covered with your palm, as a falling shadow is associated with a bird of prey.

Animals rarely bite and are repeatedly “warned” before doing so. The female chinchilla becomes angry during pregnancy and after the birth of the cubs.

Biting is not an act of aggression, but a way of communication. A real bite that draws blood should alert you. If a chinchilla has become aggressive, it means that some changes have occurred in its life. A change of scenery can turn a gentle animal into a defensive savage. Adult males dominate by biting, including “testing” the owner. In this case, you need to carefully stop the pet’s actions by moving the overplayed animal away.

Important! The male should see not a withdrawn hand, but a gesture of a confident person.

Why does a chinchilla wag its tail?

Typically, a male chinchilla wags his tail when courting a female. This is typical sexual behavior. Regardless of whether the girl is nearby or not, the male furiously sweeps the floor. If the male is alone, he can wave his tail, greeting the mistress, making attempts to mate with her hand. Sometimes mating games do not go according to the male’s plan; his beloved begins to chase him around the cage, accompanying the chase with furious wagging of her tail.

In everyday life, a lonely male, and sometimes a female, uses his tail to enhance emotions. The animal demands or asks for something.

Even a lonely male can take revenge with his tail

It is impossible to question the intelligence of chinchillas, though. Pets are inquisitive and gentle with a good owner.

Video: habits and character of chinchillas

Peculiarities of behavior and character of domestic chinchillas

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How long does a chinchilla live at home? Interesting Facts about chinchillas

The chinchilla is a rodent whose homeland is considered to be South America. The animal gained wide popularity thanks to its valuable fur. This feature caused a sharp decrease in the rodent population.

It is popular today to keep chinchillas as pets..

Pet lovers prefer the small chinchilla. An adult weighs up to 700 g. According to external data, the animal looks like a squirrel and a rabbit at the same time. Located on the face big eyes black with vertical pupils.

Chinchillas' ears are large, up to 6 cm in diameter, and have a rounded shape. They help get rid of excess heat. Acute hearing allows you to recognize the approach of a predator at long distances . Inside the auricle there are membranes that cover the ears while taking baths. This prevents sand from getting inside.

There are long whiskers from 8 to 10 cm on the cheeks. The rodent's head is large, located on short neck. The stocky body measuring 20–35 cm is supported by four legs: short front and long hind legs. Due to the difference in size, a chinchilla is capable of jumping up 100 cm, or even higher.

Strong claws help chinchillas quickly climb vertical surfaces. The rounded tail is covered with coarse hair. Its length reaches 15 cm. It helps to maintain balance while moving or jumping.

The animal is covered with beautiful fur, the hairs of which fit tightly to each other. The most common color: white belly, ash back.

IN natural environment chinchillas behave inconspicuously. Because of this, their character and way of life have not been studied enough. But it is known that The animals live in colonies of 100 or more individuals. One hole is shared by 2 to 5 chinchillas. The peak activity of rodents occurs at night, when they crawl out in search of food.

They often make sounds that warn of possible danger. They react violently to sharp extraneous noises, but do not panic. They also tend to get overexcited, but recovery takes much less time - 10–15 minutes.

Sanguine chinchillas are the easiest to train; they remember commands well. In the future, they readily do everything they remember.

Phlegmatic person

They move little and sleep well during the day. They prefer active running hiking . They do not particularly react to sharp sounds. It is extremely difficult to overstimulate them. Conditioned reflexes are difficult to develop, but learned commands remain in memory for a long time and the chinchilla carries them out without whims.

During training, you should be patient - from simple to complex.

Melancholic

This character is the slowest. Strong nap, quiet walks. Sharp sounds They are so frightened that they hide in the far corner and do not come out for a long time. Overexcitement is not typical for them. Sometimes they have to be forced to walk, since leading a sedentary lifestyle, the chinchilla can become obese.

It is almost impossible to train them. Reflexes are not remembered, and even if something is learned, it is quickly forgotten.

Differences in the behavior of females and males

It has been repeatedly noted that female chinchillas are much more active and larger than the male. Boys are lazy and smaller in size.

Males are not known to show aggression, but girls can spray the offender with a stream of urine or bite.

Female chinchillas love increased attention to themselves and show a desire to communicate with their owner. Boys are capable for a long time to be alone, which does not bother them.

Regardless of gender, animals can be both tame and wild. It all depends on the nature of the pet, as well as the conditions of detention.

Chinchilla - your pet

Today we want to start a series of publications about chinchillas and their maintenance at home. Until recently, most of our compatriots associated these fluffy animals exclusively with natural luxurious fur coats. However, the time has come to throw such stereotypes aside and look at the chinchilla as pet, which, by the way, is ready to dislodge classic pets from the podium - and. It turns out that keeping a chinchilla does not require much trouble, and this animal itself has a number of advantages over other pets. But first things first…

Benefits of keeping a chinchilla at home

So, you have long been planning to have a pet, however, due to certain circumstances, cats and dogs are not suitable for this role. Well, then perhaps the perfect chinchilla is just what you need. Do you doubt how this is possible? Then what do you say to the fact that by their nature these creatures, which are usually classified as rodents, belong to the category of telepaths. After all, chinchillas are capable of sensitively responding to human emotions and even... predicting our further actions . Some chinchilla breeders sincerely believe that what lives in their house is not an ordinary animal, but a real messenger from other worlds, so close emotional contact can be established with it, and so well do the owners understand their pets. Also, these are very energetic and active creatures that have their own character and their own habits, which you want to observe, you can, and the secrets of chinchillas - you want to unravel them.

Getting to know the chinchilla

Chinchillas belong to a genus of furry animals from the chinchilla family and from the order of rodents. The homeland of these creatures is considered to be South America, where at an altitude of 5000 meters above sea level in the mountain ranges these nimble animals live in nature.

What does a chinchilla look like?

White chinchilla

As a rule, an adult chinchilla reaches a size of 22-38 centimeters, and the length of the tail of this rodent is 10-17 centimeters. The chinchilla's head is rounded, the neck is short, the body is covered with durable and thick fur, and hard guard hairs can be found on the tail. An adult chinchilla can weigh up to 800 grams. The eyes of this creature are large, black with vertical pupils; by the way, chinchillas have excellent vision in the dark. Their whiskers can reach a length of up to 10 centimeters, and their ears can grow up to 6 centimeters. As a rule, the ears have a round shape. By the way, the structure of the chinchilla’s ear is very interesting, since in auricle There are special membranes with which the animal closes the ear canal while it takes sand baths and cleans its fur. The chinchilla's skeleton also has the amazing ability to shrink when pushed into vertical planes - thanks to this ability, these animals can penetrate the narrowest crevices. Their forelimbs have 5 fingers, similar to small hands, while their hind limbs have only 4 fingers. The standard color of a chinchilla in nature is an ashen gray-blue color, although it is also possible to have a white color in the chinchilla’s belly area...

Sexual differences in chinchillas

Peculiarities of behavior of chinchillas

We have already written that these are very affectionate and emotional creatures that very subtly and sensitively feel the mood of their owner. Moreover, chinchillas can even carry on a conversation with you. If they don't like something, they will make loud sounds that look like chirping or quacks, and if the chinchilla gets very angry, it can even growl and snap its teeth. The chinchilla expresses its hurt and pain with a loud squeak. By the way, if you really drive the animal crazy, it can rise on its hind legs, start growling, let out a stream of urine and grab your hand with its teeth. But it’s better not to let it get to that point.

Despite the possibility of giving such a rebuff - chinchillas are very timid animals, and even a loud sound, a sharply turned on light or a blow to the cage can plunge them into a state of stress - the animal can nervous soil start to get sick from such a shock and even die. Therefore, remember this and take care of your chinchilla’s nerves.

Types of chinchillas

Chinchilla is a tame animal

Today, experts distinguish between 2 types of chinchillas that can be kept at home: the coastal chinchilla or small long-tailed chinchilla and the large chinchilla or short-tailed chinchilla. Appearance these representatives different types a little different, however, as is the behavior. Thus, coastal chinchillas reach a length of up to 38 centimeters, and boast a fluffy, chic tail, the length of which can be as much as 17 centimeters. By the way, the tail of such a chinchilla is very similar to the tail of a squirrel. The eyes of such an animal are black and large, the mustache is long, the ears are round and large, and the animal itself is nocturnal. Whereas a large chinchilla is distinguished by short front legs, powerful hind legs, a short, inconspicuous tail, and a thick neck. Chinchillas of this species are larger in size, they have a wide head and small bluish ears.

In addition to these 2 main types of chinchillas, many are also known today mutation species, which arose as a result of crossing animals, however, as a rule, they differ mainly color scheme color, while the standard parameters of the chinchilla’s body and its habits remain preserved.

The most common colors of chinchillas

As a rule, among chinchillas that live at home, you can most often find animals with a standard gray color, black velvet, white, beige, homobeige, ebony, purple and even sapphire colors. It is noteworthy that crossing these colors allows you to achieve up to 200 different combinations of hybrid colors, some of them have a very complex structure, and in order to obtain them you need to go through several stages of breeding.

• Gray color - as a rule, it is the gray color that is considered to be the standard color of the chinchilla. Crossing 2 chinchillas gray produces offspring of similar colors. However, among gray chinchillas one can distinguish light gray, medium gray and dark gray animals. Moreover, sometimes in a gray chinchilla on the bends of the body you can observe how Bottom part hair - almost black rises to the middle part and becomes white and in the upper part becomes black again.
• Black color - was first bred in 1960 in America. Distinctive Features This color consists of horizontal black stripes on the chinchilla's front legs, a white belly, and a black head and back. It is noteworthy that black chinchillas cannot be crossed with each other, as the offspring will have defects or will not be born viable at all.
• White color - like black and white chinchillas - cannot be crossed with each other.
• Beige color - was discovered in 1955, as a rule, beige chinchillas have pink or pink eyes. dark red, and the ears and nose are pink, sometimes even covered with small black dots. The fur itself can be either light beige or dark beige. In fact, beige chinchillas can be crossed with each other.
• Purple color is considered quite rare, and animals of this color begin to reproduce only after 14-18 months.
• Sapphire color - when you see a sapphire chinchilla, it’s hard to believe that the color of the animal’s fur will not change during its life, however, this is true.

Among the variety of pets, chinchillas in many ways have a number of advantages. Firstly, their fur does not have an unpleasant odor or shedding. Secondly, they do not make noise, are clean, affectionate and friendly. Thirdly, chinchillas are very beautiful.

Description and features of chinchillas

Beautiful, furry little lumps that came to us from the south of America are chinchillas. Although they live in the southern part of the continent, they tolerate hot weather very poorly. At home, animals live in the mountains, in gorges and rocks. Moreover, their skeleton is so complex that they can easily, in case of danger, fit into any narrow crevice.

Anyone who has seen a chinchilla in person at least once will not remain indifferent. Her neatly folded body, with beautiful soft fur. When you touch it, you want to touch it, stroke it, how pleasant it is to the touch.

At the same time, it is so thick that in its natural habitat, the animal never freezes. After all, the optimal temperature for a chinchilla’s life is fifteen degrees Celsius. Interestingly, with one hair follicle a lot of hairs grow.

photo of a chinchilla in nature

Chinchillas come from the rodent family. But presumably, porcupines in general are considered their ancestors. These small animals grow up to half a kilogram. The body length is no more than thirty centimeters, and one third of it is a beautiful squirrel tail. Females are slightly larger than their male counterparts.

Chinchillas have short fur, slightly longer on the tail. As standard, they are gray. There are also white and black colors obtained by crossing.

The animals have a very beautiful, small and neat muzzle, with dark small eyes. A small nose, and a constantly moving mustache. Chinchillas' ears, almost round, like two locators, are located on the sides of the head.

The body is neat, round, soft. The hind legs are much larger than the front ones. With their help, a chinchilla can jump very high from a standing position. They always sit on hind legs.

Their forelimbs, much smaller in size, are tucked in front, towards each other, with well-defined toes. The chinchilla eats with the help of its front paws, carefully taking with its fingers what you offer.

Domestic chinchillas are very kind, vulnerable animals, with an easy-going character. They quickly get used to their owner, and even wait for him to come home from work, demanding attention.

Therefore, anyone who buys such a miracle should be prepared to pay a lot of attention to their pet. They have one weak organ, the heart. Therefore, animals cannot tolerate loud sounds or sudden movements. They can simply die in fright, from a broken heart.

Chinchilla price

If you decide buy a chinchilla, there will be no problems with this. There are a lot of breeders now. There are also entire chinchilla farms. When purchasing, be sure to request a chinchilla card. It records the number of crossings and with whom. Because, having acquired a brother and sister, do not expect healthy offspring.

Price on chinchillas different, the most inexpensive, these are gray standards. They cost three, four thousand rubles. Next come the beige ones, a little more expensive. A white Wilson can be bought for 5-7 thousand.

Well, the most expensive and rare ones are black Wilsons. They sell from seven thousand and above. Since Wilsons are bred by crossing, it is not a fact that if you take a white or black chinchilla, you will have the same offspring.

Chinchillas at home

You need to immediately decide why you are getting a pet. For different purposes, different ones are needed chinchilla cages. If, as a friend for yourself, you need a cage, large sizes. Chinchillas need space. And it is desirable, even a two-story one, for the animal to run and jump, since at night it is very active. With many stairs, playhouses.

If you buy an animal for breeding offspring, you will need a dorm cage. After all, one male needs three or even four girlfriends. The structure must be built in such a way that the male can safely move to each female. And under no circumstances should they meet in the same room, otherwise fights and injuries cannot be avoided.

Chinchilla care generally minimal. They are fed once a day, evening time. Since chinchillas are nocturnal animals, they sleep all day. There must be a drinking bowl in the cage, only with boiled water.

Food plate - make sure it is ceramic and not plastic. Since your pet can easily chew through the plastic, swallow it and die. Hay feeder. Edible chalk is a must for their body.

A pebble for grinding down teeth, because chinchillas’ teeth grow constantly. And if you don’t grind them down, they will grow to such a size that the animal won’t even be able to eat. Also, a small birch or aspen log.

The chinchilla will happily chew on it. A sand bath, but it needs to be placed in the cage once a week, where the fluffy will bathe. Then remove. And the filler, it is sold at any pet store, wood pellets or large sawdust. The litter is changed once a week. The chinchilla is very neat and goes to the toilet in one place.

Home chinchilla eats more grass food. Her diet consists of eighty percent grass, and twenty percent grain. Do not feed your chinchillas leaves or fruits from stone fruit trees as this will kill them.

The little animal will eat it with pleasure, but only one piece of the apple. You can give one nut or a handful of unroasted seeds once a week. She will also like a piece of bread. They should always have hay in their cage.

At home, chinchilla very quickly gets used to its owner. When you see him, stand at the edge of the cage, take hold of the bars with your front fingers and look to be picked up. If you don't give them maximum attention, they can become sad and die.

Fluffies happily sit in their arms, not even thinking about biting their breadwinner. Their fur has no odor and does not fall out. Let your pet go for a walk. But be sure to be careful not to go near electrical wires.

The animal’s diet should contain vitamins:

• Vitamin A (retinol) - Important for maintenance good vision in chinchillas, mucous membranes and immune system. Found in bananas, pumpkin and raw carrots.
• B vitamins in legumes and cereals are necessary for good metabolism, growth and development of the animal.
• Vitamin C ( ascorbic acid) - one of the most important vitamins necessary to maintain and improve health. It is found in large quantities in rose hips and sorrel.
• Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and gonads. Contained in almonds and walnuts.

Minerals and trace elements are also very important for chinchillas.

Calcium useful for strengthening teeth and bones. It also helps the body resist infections and diseases. It is found in large quantities in nuts, dried fruits, and seeds.

Potassium – essential element for the cells of the body, and also normalizes the functioning of the liver, heart muscles, strengthens blood vessels and capillaries. Contained in dried apricots, sunflower, dandelion leaves.

Zinc necessary to maintain strong immunity. Provides normal development and the functioning of the gonads. Contained in sprouted wheat grains, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and legumes.

Iron Primarily required for the production of red and white blood cells.
Found in beans, peas and green leafy vegetables.

Magnesium affects energy processes in all organs and tissues. Sources include nuts, oatmeal, and buckwheat.

Folic acid for chinchillas it is important for the formation of milk in lactating females. Contained in beans, wheat, vegetables, dried fruits, oatmeal.

Baby chinchilla

Chinchilla fur

Of course, it is considered the most beautiful, warm and one of the most expensive chinchilla fur. It serves as a canvas for various fur products - hats, mittens, chinchilla fur coats.

Since wool does not fall out and does not cause allergies, the skins are in high demand and products made from them have high price.

Some types of chinchilla coloring

At home, chinchillas are mainly bred with the following colors:

• standard gray, the most common color of chinchillas, in nature, by the way, the animals are exactly this color. Color saturation varies from light to dark gray.
• black velvet. This color is characterized by black diagonal stripes on the front legs, black back and head, and white belly. It is not recommended to cross animals of this color with each other.

• white, distinguished by white fur, dark “mask” on the head, dark gray diagonal stripes on the front legs

• beige. Fur color varies from light to dark beige. pink to dark red eyes and pink ears, sometimes with black dots.

• homobeige, light cream fur with a pinkish tint, light ears Pink colour, eyes with a light blue or white circle around the pupil.

• ebony, the resulting individuals can be light, medium, dark, very dark. Chinchillas of this color are distinguished by a beautiful shine and particularly silky fur.

• purple color is quite rare. The animal's fur is dark lilac, its belly is white, and diagonal dark stripes are located on its paws.

• Sapphire has a soft blue tint of fur with the presence of ripples.

Chinchilla diseases

Gastrointestinal disorder. The reason for this is inappropriate feeding. Its symptoms are diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. This disease occurs as a result of feeding moldy food, poor quality food, or poor quality water.

Cages on a chinchilla farm

Urolithiasis is most often observed in adult males. The symptom is bleeding inflammation Bladder.

Conjunctivitis in animals can occur due to mechanical damage, exposure to various foreign bodies, dust), chemical (disinfectants, smoke) or bacteriological.

Dental diseases. It has been established that as animals age, they develop dental problems, especially tooth growth and periodontal disease. Since chinchillas’ teeth grow throughout their lives, they must be able to grind them down on a hard surface; the absence of “grinding” elements leads to gum wounds and difficulty in feeding.