A furry guest from the Cordillera, or all about chinchillas. My character is not bad - I just have it! Character of chinchillas Behavioral signs of stress

Normal behavior chinchillas are calm and friendly at home. The animal sleeps during the day, feeds and is active in the evening and at night. In a cage, a chinchilla spends most of its time on the top shelf. The animal sleeps sitting or in funny positions on its side. Chinchillas are active, at night they start a merry run around in the cage. The animals occasionally make sounds. You are probably familiar with the behavior of cats and dogs. It is very varied and informative, but chinchillas show emotions in their own way and show affection for humans. However, the conversation will not be about cuteness, but about the practical side of studying behavior. Let's try to understand by activity, behavior and emotions whether the chinchilla feels good or bad.

Recognizing abnormal behavior

For the owner of a chinchilla, it is important to distinguish the normal state of the pet from the abnormal one by its behavior. The owner of a chinchilla must understand the behavioral signals that his pet gives. The animal's behavior shows its condition - whether it is stressed, sick or aggressive. It is important to notice, first of all, negative signs and correct the situation.

Behavioral Signs of Stress

Chinchillas are susceptible to stress, which occurs under the influence of external or internal reasons. Signs of stress in an animal are decreased appetite, decreased motor activity, avoidance of humans, and gnawing of fur. In details . Identify and eliminate stressors.

It happens that a wild chinchilla is not easy to handle; it will not bite or shoot urine, but will shed its fur. When you grab the animal, the fur will fall out at the point of contact with your hand. This is their protective natural instinct of “freeing themselves from the clutches of a predator.” Don't worry, the fur will grow back quickly. Try not to grab the chinchilla too harshly, especially not with a sudden movement from above.

Manifestations of aggression

When under stress, a chinchilla can become aggressive. We once bought a young female, brought her home, put her in a cage, and did not bother her for the first few days so that she could get used to the environment. The animal turned out to be wild; its previous owners did not tame it in any way. When trying to pick it up, the female stood up and shot out a stream of urine. Such an act is the highest degree of aggressiveness in chinchillas. We managed to gain trust with walks on the couch and pumpkin seeds.

Chinchilla bites are not aggressive. Firstly, the chinchilla, like a rodent, tastes everything, including outstretched fingers. Secondly, an attack on a larger creature with an attempt to bite is not typical of rodents. It happens that chinchillas bite each other, showing dominance. Just in case, when handling an animal, do not put your hands near its face.

How does a chinchilla's behavior change if it gets sick?

You will see external symptoms diseases by regularly examining the animal. It’s not difficult for you to glance at your chinchilla at any moment; suddenly you notice changes in behavior that should alert you.

• The pet is wilted, does not go into the arms of the owner, hides from the person
• The chinchilla is inactive, sits hunched over
• Lost appetite, scatters food
• Stays at the bottom of the cage for a long time, and not on the shelves
• A very alarming sign if the animal turns its muzzle into a corner
• If the chinchilla sits day and night down with its head in a corner or in a litter tray. This is a very bad sign. The disease is probably advanced. I don’t want to scare anyone, but often a chinchilla just sticks its nose into the corner of the cage before dying.

These are behavioral signs of animal disease. If you see something like this, immediately get to work, weigh it, etc.

Just as an animal’s distress is determined by its behavior, progress in treatment is also observed. A chinchilla, recovering, becomes mobile, climbs high shelves, and its appetite improves. The animal gives small but important signals. For example, a pet sat in the corner of the cage in the morning, and after taking medication, it moved to the bowl in the afternoon. It seems like a small thing, but it's good sign. This is how you know you are on the right track.

Chinchillas make sounds, some trills resemble the whining of a dog. We have not yet been able to understand what the sound signals indicate. One thing is obvious: if an animal is hurt, it will squeak briefly. However, chinchillas endure illnesses and internal pains courageously and silently, unlike cats and dogs.

Questions arise about the behavior of chinchillas during pregnancy. According to observations in our nursery, an animal’s pregnancy has virtually no effect on behavior. When pregnancy is progressing normally, the chinchilla behaves as usual. Only immediately before giving birth, the female goes downstairs, clears the area and, without any unnecessary sounds, gives birth to chinchillas. We determine the fact of pregnancy mainly by the dynamics of the animal’s weight.

During a female's heat, the male gets excited and runs after her. If the female is already pregnant, she may refuse courtship. Then you will see fights, fuss, hear the squeaking of animals.

Individual character and habits of chinchillas

Chinchillas vary in temperament to the same extent as humans. Select three groups of pets according to the degree of taming - “quiet”, “ordinary”, “active”. According to our observations, boy chinchillas and girl chinchillas differ little from each other behaviorally. Both can be quiet or active. “Quiet” people avoid people more than others and are reluctant to give in to people’s hands. "Regular" domestic chinchilla She is accustomed to being handled, but due to her nature she is mobile and restless. “Active” pets are more tame, allow themselves to be held, accept affection, and even “extort” preferences from humans. One of our active pets was vigorously shaking the cage bars with her teeth, trying to be let out for a walk on the sofa. It is interesting that the same habit was formed in the chinchilla daughter, who grew up separately from her mother. It is likely that behavioral character traits are inherited.

Consider individual characteristics character of chinchillas, observing behavior. If your pet, active by nature, suddenly does not go to his hands and is depressed, is this a sign of a disease?

In the photo: Angora chinchilla baby Misya is very friendly, she approaches people herself

On video: Chinchilla Queen loves having her chest scratched

Health to you and your chinchillas!

Chinchillas have different personalities. Chinchillas almost never bite. There are animals that willingly go into your hands, examine clothes, hair, jewelry, etc. They can sit on the shoulders and head for a long time. But some chinchillas cannot tolerate being touched by hands; the extreme degree of hostility is when the chinchilla tries to shoot out a stream of urine and shedding fluff. Typically, this behavior occurs in animals raised on farms (which have had little to no contact with humans). But such chinchillas can be re-educated if you allow him to feel attention to himself, and not be limited only by the desire to grab and cuddle the animal. Most chinchillas perceive this attitude as aggression.

If you decide to get a pet, then when visiting a chinchilla breeder, pay attention to the behavior of the animals. After all, each animal has its own individual character. Some chinchillas run up to the open door with curiosity and even try to take advantage of the opportunity to get out. These chinchillas are leaders; they are not only the most active, but also restless. There are chinchillas that, when the door is open, are in no hurry to leave the cage, but first try to find out for what purpose it was opened: they are going to feed it, I suggest they go for a walk, they want to transfer it to another cage. These chinchillas are calm with a balanced temperament (long-term pairs form well). There are chinchillas that either do not show any reaction to opening the door, or at the same time try to hide in the far corner of the cage. This behavior occurs in chinchillas when kept in groups. These chinchillas are in a depressed state. If you take such an animal, then its character is difficult to predict. If the animal is already an adult, it may be withdrawn and will avoid the owner. If this is a young puppy, then it is quite possible that he will grow into a cheerful and sociable animal.

Four types of chinchilla temperament
Choleric(excitable unbalanced type of GNI) It is different increased activity: during wakefulness (in the evening and at night) jumps like a clockwork one; During the day he sleeps with half an eye, and at the slightest disturbance he always wakes up. The animal has sharp movements and a wary look, while it does not give any danger signals. If a choleric person is frightened by a loud sound or some kind of movement, he reacts in panic - the animal will rush off without making out the road and bumping into objects. After walking too much, he can easily become overexcited. When overexcited, the ears turn red, breathing and pulse quicken, the animal shudders and sometimes shakes its head. As a reaction to overexcitation, the so-called “exorbitant inhibition” occurs, i.e. the nervous system, in order to protect itself from excessive stress, goes into “sleep mode”: the animal dozes with open eyes after a desperate but short run, it can lie on its side, throwing its legs and tail out to the sides or stretching out, closes its eyes and almost does not react to its surroundings. For choleric people, such rest after a walk is typical; there is no need to worry - the chinchilla will rest and everything will be fine again. For nervous system dangerous if overexcitation occurs regularly! The development of conditioned reflexes in choleric people is quite slow, since the animal is constantly distracted. They quickly form positive conditioned reflexes (“Come to me!”) and very slowly form negative, inhibitory reflexes (“You can’t!”). However, once a command has been learned, the animal will always be willing to “work it out.”

Sanguine(balanced movable VND type)
Sanguine people are active while awake, but unlike choleric people they sleep soundly during the day. They willingly run, jump and play. Sanguines make sounds more often than others, in particular “security” sounds, which warn other chinchillas about possible danger. They react actively to sharp sounds and movements, but not in panic. Like choleric people, sanguine people can become overexcited, although their recovery period is shorter and less pronounced. The animal falls asleep, but does not “fall”, exhausted, on its side, and after 10-15 minutes it will be ready to continue its walk. Sanguine people are more trainable than others; both positive and negative reflexes are well established in them. Animals quickly learn commands and remember them firmly, willingly carrying them out even after a long break in training. You just need to take your time, move from simple to complex, so as not to “overtrain” the animal.

Phlegmatic person(balanced calm type of GNI)
Phlegmatic people are less physical activity generally and strong nap. They run less, periods of running are replaced by longer ones" walking". They react to sharp sounds and movements, but not expressed. Overexcitation in phlegmatic people is rarely observed. In phlegmatic people, reflexes are developed more slowly, but the established skills turn out to be very persistent, the animal flawlessly follows commands and is very resilient. When training, great perseverance and patience are required, also not things should be rushed.

Melancholic (weak type GNI)
Animals of this type move less compared to others. They sleep soundly during the day and behave calmly during walks. At harsh sounds and movements they hide, finding the darkest and most protected corner, and do not come out from there for a long time. Overexcitation is not typical for such animals. On the contrary, a melancholic person should be encouraged to take walks, since due to inactivity he is prone to obesity. Melancholic people, unfortunately, are of little use for training, because... Their reflexes are developed slowly and unstable. Conditioned reflexes They are produced rather slowly, and without use they can “fade out” over time. Most likely, it will be possible to reinforce the execution on command of some actions that the animal is inclined to perform anyway.
Friendship with chinchillas will depend only on your patience and the time you spend together.

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;
• danger warnings - 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

Chinchillas are rodents with unusually soft and beautiful fur. Distinctive feature of these animals is their cleanliness, timidity, predominantly nocturnal lifestyle, and quite high requirements to the content (food, cage, sand, air temperature, etc.) they say that caring for and maintaining a chinchilla is not cheap entertainment, so before you bring an animal at home, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons.

Features of chinchillas

• Height: 22-38 cm, tail length reaches 10-17 cm.
• Weight: 600-800 grams.
• Color: standard chinchillas are gray with a white belly; black, white, and brown are also available.
• Life expectancy in captivity: at proper care 10-15 years (rarely up to 20 years).

Is it worth buying a chinchilla for a child?	Shusha is a very fragile and exotic animal, so it is not suitable for small children. Of course, it all depends on the child’s consciousness, but it is usually not recommended to buy it for children under 12 years old.
Are chinchillas suitable for allergy sufferers?	Although chinchilla fur is hypoallergenic, experience shows that rodents are not suitable for allergy sufferers and asthmatics. Filler and sand that are needed for permanent basis, may be dangerous for people with lung diseases. Their small particles rise into the air and settle in respiratory tract and cause irritation and severe discomfort.
Why can't a chinchilla walk around the apartment?	Human housing is completely unsuitable for a chinchilla. At every step she faces dangers: vases with water, electrical wires and sockets, unstable furniture. Walking around the apartment is not recommended even in cases where you are sure that you have provided for all possible problems. Leaving the shushi cage is extremely stressful, and running quickly can cause a rise in temperature. As a result, heatstroke or stroke may occur. Don't worry about the animal feeling bad in the cage. Better make his home as comfortable and interesting as possible.
Is it possible to leave Shusha alone for a long time?	They do not get bored in the absence of people, but they need constant care. It is not recommended to leave the animal for longer than 1.5 days. For this time, the food left and a portion of water in the drinking bowl will be enough for her. But you need to keep in mind that a fidget can break the drinking bowl and wet the food. Therefore, leaving it for a long time is a bad idea.
Maybe get a couple of females or two males?	Same-sex animals do not coexist well together. They may quarrel and fight. If you still want to take the risk, get two males from the same litter.
Do doctors deal with chinchillas?	Unfortunately, specialists in the treatment of rodents are only in major cities. Ordinary veterinarians do not have sufficient qualifications to work with exotic animals and can seriously harm Shusha. Having chosen this animal, you must be prepared for independent decision majority possible problems with health.
Will the animal get bored alone?	They live well alone, the animal always has something to do.
Is it difficult to breed chinchillas?	Breeding chinchillas is not an easy task. It assumes the presence of 2 cells or a spacious display case with a maternity unit. The female and male should not live together for six months after giving birth. In addition, many owners note that shushis living in pairs become less tame.

Character, behavior and habits

Each animal has its own character, but there are features that unite this species. All animals are very inquisitive. They will not ignore changes in the environment and new things in the cage. They react violently to the arrival of guests and find a favorite among family members.

Shushi are nocturnal animals; they like to sleep during the day. Watching them sleep is very funny. Everyone has their own preferences: some sleep on their sides, others curl up in a ring or take another “uncomfortable” position. Usually the animal wakes up at 7-8 pm, and its peak activity occurs at 10 pm.

Chinchillas make very interesting sounds. Each sound has its own meaning, and with their help you can understand how the animal feels. Lonely shushis often make searching sounds. This is how they try to find their relatives. A male paired with a female often sings a mating song and performs a dance, twirling his tail.

When the animal gets angry, it begins to click its teeth and make a cracking sound. If her displeasure is caused by a person or another chinchilla, she may attack the offender. Their attacks are quite funny: the snarling rodent stands on its hind legs, stretches out, releases a stream of urine and tries to bite. Their bites are harmless. Despite the fact that they have sharp and long teeth, they are not able to bite through the skin.

Relationships with rodents and other animals are usually complex. Shuni do not pay attention to other animals as long as they are not touched. But as soon as a cat or dog becomes interested in the animal, he will begin to experience severe stress. If you want to keep a chinchilla in a house where there are already pets, give it a separate room.

At home, keeping and caring for chinchillas is not particularly difficult. The animal should live in a spacious and comfortable cage, always have access to clean water and fresh food.

They require a strict thermal regime. The air temperature should not exceed 25°C. More heat is life-threatening and can cause heat stroke.

If you live in a hot climate, consider installing an air conditioner. This will help avoid many problems. If the heat in your city lasts only a few days, use the following ideas.

1. Freeze several liter water bottles in advance and place them in the cage. Make sure that the bastard doesn't start gnawing on them.
2. Place the tiles in the refrigerator for half an hour. Then give it to the chinchilla.

What not to do:

• do not use a fan, the animal may catch a cold;
• do not install a humidifier; high humidity is also undesirable.

Ideal home

The animal is very mobile, so they need a lot of space. When choosing a cage, first of all, be guided by its size. The minimum cage size for one animal is 50*50*70 (length*width*height). It is optimal to choose a more spacious home - 60*50*100.

The higher the cage, the better! Chinchillas love to jump and climb on bars. The cage must have at least 2 shelves.

You can also equip a storefront, since such a house has several advantages. It has closed walls, so dirt will not fly out. In addition, the showcase looks more stylish and can be successfully integrated into the interior.

Unfortunately, display cases are not sold in pet stores. You can order them from craftsmen or make them yourself. You can use wooden shelves or an old chest of drawers as a basis.

Accessories

Chinchillas definitely need:

• feeder;
• drinking bowl;
• house;
• stone for teeth point;
• stones and branches.

When your home is ready, start arranging it. First, she needs a water bowl and feeder. It is better to choose hanging options, so the animal will always have clean food and water. It is advisable to purchase metal utensils, as the wood will quickly wear down.

Be sure to put a house in the cage. It would be better if it were made of wood. Of course, sooner or later it will be eaten, but the animals will get great pleasure from such a shelter.

You can distract the animal from the point of its teeth on the cage or house using a special chalk stone. A teeth pointing stone can be purchased at any pet store and hung on the bars of the cage.

Large stones and branches of permitted trees can be placed in the cage (see section Feeding). The chinchilla will be pleased with the system of manholes and pipes where it can hide. If the size of the cage allows, hang a hammock in it. You can buy a hammock for ferrets or sew one yourself from thick fabric.

Toys

To prevent your fidget from getting bored, place several toys in the cage. Don't be discouraged if your upgrades don't make much of an impact. Chinchillas are completely unpredictable. They may be happy with an ordinary branch and not react at all to a new hole or house.

The best toys for chinchillas are wooden blocks and walnut shells. Watch how enthusiastically she drags them around the cage and gnaws them.

Standard running wheels for hamsters and guinea pigs have too long distances between the bars. While running fast, an animal can easily damage its paw. There are solid wheels made of wood, they are difficult to find, but they will suit the shushi well. If you are afraid that your pet is not getting enough activity, equip the cage with pipes and hang a few extra shelves.

Basic care: feeding, bathing and cleaning the cage

Feeding

The main component home care The chinchilla's main concern is feeding. Shusha is a herbivore. IN wildlife its diet consists of dry grass and tree bark. In captivity, food includes 4 components:

• main food, it should make up 70-80% of the diet
• cereals
• complementary foods (treats) - no more than 10%.

The animal needs bottled or boiled water. Tap water cannot be given.

Chinchillas should not be given anything raw. Allowed berries, fruits, branches and leaves must be well dried.

Choosing the main food

The right basic food is the key good health your pet. The main rule of good food is that it should consist entirely of compressed grass pellets. It should not contain any additives, including approved complementary foods and colored granules.

High-quality granules can be ordered from farmers and professional breeders. It can also be purchased at a pet store. Pay attention to the products of the following companies:

• Vitakraft;
• Versele-Laga;
• JR Farm;
• Benelux;
• Beaphar.

Carefully study the composition of the feed. The presence of salt, yeast and preservatives is not allowed (see). Adult you need 2 tbsp. feed per day. All uneaten food should be removed and replaced with fresh food.

How to accustom a chinchilla to the right food?

Many people buy chinchillas that have been trained to eat improperly. Moving is very stressful, so it is not recommended to suddenly change the animal’s diet. It is advisable to ask the seller for some of the food that the animal was fed with or to find out in detail about its usual diet.

Start small:

• Eliminate all fresh foods immediately.
• Use the correct food as a base and mix in 1/3 of the normal food.
• Over the course of a week, gradually reduce the amount of your usual food, replacing it with a new one. If you notice that your animal is not eating well, increase the amount of sweets. This process may take a month.

Add grains and hay

Cereals also make up daily diet. Every day, give 1 teaspoon of rolled oats, buckwheat, corn, lentils or a mixture of 5 grains. Shushis are very fond of flax seed, but you can give it a little at a time (no more than 1/3 tsp).

Hay should be given once every 3-4 days in small portions. It is better to put it in a hanging hay. Fallen hay needs to be picked up. Firstly, dirty hay can harm the bush, and secondly, it causes a sharp bad smell. Also make sure that purchased hay is free of roots and soil.

Lure

Many people underestimate the importance of complementary foods and consider them just ordinary treats. In fact, the right treats are an excellent source of essential nutrients. If they are varied, you don’t have to worry about the quality of your pet’s fur and teeth.

How to pamper your pet? You can buy ready-made complementary food for chinchillas. Many feed manufacturers have it. Such a delicacy should make up no more than 10% of the total diet, that is, approximately 1/3 tsp.

If you wish, you can make the goodies yourself. Simply collect and dry berries, fruits or branches. Remember that herbs can only be collected in ecologically clean areas away from the highways.

Chinchillas can:

• branches, leaves and berries of hawthorn, viburnum, cranberry, gooseberry, sea buckthorn, rowan, currant, bearberry, blueberry;
• lingonberry leaves and berries;
• blackberry leaves and stems;
• blue honeysuckle berries;
• leaves and fruits of strawberries and raspberries;
• branches, leaves and fruits of viburnum, ;
• juniper berries;
• mulberry branches and leaves;
• rose hips and flowers;
• calamus, ginseng and burdock roots;
• carrot;
• Bell pepper;
• greens and parsley root;
• Jerusalem artichoke root and stems;
• bird knotweed stems;
• leaves, inflorescences and stems of oregano;
• jasmine flowers;
• leaves, stems and flowers of fireweed;
• calendula flowers;
• hibiscus;
• sorrel;
• clover stems;
• nettle;
• alfalfa;
• mallow leaves;
• leaves and stems of the common cuff;
• leaves, stems and flowers of goat's rue;
• coltsfoot leaves;
• lemon balm;
• mint (great for stress relief!);
• dandelion root and leaves;
• plantain;
• rose buds;
• chamomile;
• chicory root, stems and flowers;
• thyme stems and strings;
• Echinacea leaves;
• branches of acacia, maple;
• branches and leaves of birch, elm, pear, willow, linden, hazel, aspen, poplar, alder, ash;
• branches, leaves and buds of willow;
• branches, leaves, fruits and inflorescences of an apple tree;
• pumpkin seeds;
• spikelets and stems of brome, fragrant spikelet, meadow bluegrass, red fescue, wheatgrass, ryegrass, shake grass;
• grape leaves and vines;
• green tea leaves.

Prepare 7-10 options and alternate them regularly. This way the animal will receive all the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Do not overfeed your animal with sweets! The chinchilla liver is not designed to process large amounts of glucose. Poor nutrition will greatly shorten their lifespan. On average, a rodent with an improper diet lives up to 3-4 years and gets sick regularly.

Fur care

Chinchillas have soft fur that covers their entire body. In order for it to remain beautiful, it needs to be looked after regularly. They love to take care of themselves. They bathe and groom their fur regularly, but need a little help.


Once a week the animal needs to be bathed in the sand. Buy special sand for chinchillas or volcanic dust (it will give the fur a special shine). Pour it into a special bathing suit, which often comes with the cage. You can make your own bathing suit from a 5-liter bottle or wood. Open it and give it, the zeyer will happily brush his fur coat, happily tossing and turning in the sand.

You should not leave the bathing suit on for more than 30 minutes. Chinchillas love to sleep in it, and prolonged contact with sand dries out the skin. Also, there is no need to succumb to persuasion and put on a bathing suit more than once every 4 days.

It is contraindicated to wet the fur. It takes a long time to dry, and the shushi can catch a cold. In addition, while swimming, water can get into the ears, which will end inflammatory process. If the fur is very dirty, use a damp towel and a fine-toothed comb to gently remove the dirt.

The cage requires major cleaning every 3-4 days. It doesn't take long to clean up. To speed up this process, use a small dustpan and brush.

Use any unscented wood filler. There are special litters for rodents, but cat litters are also suitable.

It is prohibited to use the following as bedding:

• sawdust (they are too small and can get into the chinchilla’s eyes);
• newspapers (paint contains toxic lead);
• rags (shusha will eat threads).

Taming

Unfortunately, a chinchilla cannot be tamed like a cat or dog. She is very independent and prefers solitude. There are happy exceptions - some shushis happily go into the arms of their owner, adore affection and attention.

In order for Shunya to become more tame, not afraid of you and feel comfortable, start taming her from the first day at home.

For the first 2 weeks, keep all contact with the chinchilla to a minimum. Let her get comfortable, get used to new food and unusual smells. To relieve stress, offer her a leaf of dried lemon balm or mint.

After two weeks, start communicating with the Shusha. Approach the cage, open it and reach towards it open palms. Most likely, she will become interested and will sniff and lightly nibble your fingers. She might even jump into your palm. In this case, try not to make sudden movements and do not try to pull the animal out of the cage. It's better to let him get used to it and then let him go. Celebrate your success with a treat.

After that, try scratching it. Favorite places for affection are behind the ear, along the neck and chest. Try not to touch the back, sides and tail, this awakens protective reflexes and a sense of fear. Some shushi don't like to be touched at all. If you hear a dissatisfied crackling sound when scratching, leave the animal alone.

Never catch or handle a chinchilla against its will. This is only permitted in cases of illness or the need for examination. She will react violently to such an invasion. She may shoot urine at you, bite you, or scratch you. If you catch it regularly, your hands will become a signal of danger, and the shusha will be afraid of you.

What not to do

Remember that chinchilla is exotic. She requires special treatment.

• let the bullshit out of the cage;
• take it outside;
• wash in water;
• put in a ball for walking;
• use a ferret harness;
• give fresh grass;
• feed indoor plants.

Health diagnostics

What does a healthy chinchilla look like?

• The sole of the paws should be smooth and velvety. If your heels peel or bleed, change the padding and apply moisturizer.
• The teeth are bright orange and even. Light colored teeth indicate a calcium deficiency. If the animal is constantly drooling, its teeth have become too long.
• The nose is dry, without any discharge. If her nose is wet and she sneezes, she has a cold.
• Ears should be cold. Hot ears indicate that the noise is hot. Reduce the ambient temperature immediately! Peeling occurs due to prolonged bathing. Dark spots on the ears (they look like freckles) are the norm.
• Eyes are shiny and dry. There are no cloudy spots. If the eye is numb or swollen, rinse it with chlorhexidine. Perhaps a piece of filler or sand just got into it.
• Bald spots in fur- a sign of stress. Most likely, the chinchilla chews it out on its own. If the problem does not disappear after a month, have the scraping checked for mites.
• The weight of the shushi should not change dramatically. If you notice that Shusha has lost weight, start giving her mint regularly. The main culprit for weight loss is stress.
• The animal's urine is yellow and transparent. Blood may appear due to kidney problems.
• Boluses (litter) should have an oblong shape and a smooth, slightly moist surface. A sharp decrease in the number of boluses indicates constipation. Temporarily switch the shusha to hay and water. If there is diarrhea, immediately give the animal a tablet. activated carbon. Mucus and blood in boluses are a reason for an urgent visit to the doctor.
• The genitals should be dry, without swelling or discharge. A ring of matted fur may form on the male's genitals. Usually the animal removes it on its own, but if swelling begins, help it.

Perform this inspection regularly to quickly respond to potential problems.

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 natural environment its habitat, the animal never freezes. After all, the optimal temperature for a chinchilla’s life is fifteen degrees Celsius. Interestingly, many hairs grow from one hair follicle.

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 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 legs. 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 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, a 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 tract 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.