Chinchilla at home and in nature is an animal with an extraordinary character!
Chinchilla. Appearance
Since ancient times, a person has coexisted with animals, some he tames and keeps for good and food, others for the soul, gradually animals from the second category become full members of the family. Nowadays, you will not surprise anyone even with the most unprecedented and exotic animals, and such a funny animal as a chinchilla lives in many houses and apartments. But this is the most wild animal that lives in both Chile and Argentina.
In the wild, a real hunt has been announced for him, because of his valuable fur, the damage from the criminal actions of poachers is so great that the authorities have to protect the chinchilla by law, and even put it in the Red Book international organizations.
What are chinchillas and where are they found
Chinchilla belongs to the genus of rodents, and according to their appearance they are divided into two families, small long-tailed and coastal. The structure of the bones and spine allows it to stretch the body forward, literally lengthening to the size of a narrow crevice. Therefore, it lives in rocky areas, among stones and rocks, where using its anatomical features, can more easily hide from the threat coming from enemies. They prefer to settle as high as possible in the northern parts of the mountains.
Chinchilla is a pet of many. Lifestyle of chinchillas in nature and in captivity
Chinchillas are wild animals that prefer rocky and mountainous terrain. Chinchillas live and settle in families, closely interacting with each other. The main peak of activity occurs in the evening and at night, it is after sunset that they begin to look for food. Like all rodents, they love vegetables, from potatoes to cabbage, juicy roots, all kinds of grains and nuts. They will never refuse to eat a large cricket or a night butterfly. Although when kept in captivity it is fresh vegetables and fruits are not recommended to give them, in order to avoid diseases of the digestive tract.
Their entire image, from locator mustaches to large oval ears, was not created by nature by chance. Except external signs adapted to twilight image life, the chinchilla has a superbly developed cerebellum, which helps it navigate the terrain.
Listen to the voice of the chinchilla
Despite their small dimensions up to 35 cm, with a weight of up to 1 kg, they can stand up for themselves and not be offended. In the event of a threat, they stand on their hind legs, hiss menacingly and let a stream of urine into the offender. If these arguments do not work, strong teeth that grow throughout life are used, and the chinchilla has exactly 20 of them, of which 16 are molars.
Chinchilla in the snow - a rare sight for South America. Chinchilla breeding
Scientifically trace the relationship between male and female in wild nature there is no way, so the whole idea comes down to watching them at home. A female chinchilla can bring offspring up to 3 times a year. 110 days pass from the moment of conception to birth. The older and more experienced the female, the more cubs she will bring. For the first time, this is 1-2 cubs, in subsequent births up to 5-6 small fluffies. Animals are born with teeth and covered with short hair, they feed on milk for about 2 months. Although already at the age of one month, chinchilla puppies are quite independent and independent. And after 7 months, they reach sexual maturity.
Chinchilla ( Chinchilla) belongs to the order rodents, suborder porcupine, superfamily chinchilla, family chinchilla, genus chinchilla.
Description of the chinchilla and photos
Chinchillas have round heads and short necks. The body is covered with dense soft hair, and stiff hairs grow on the tail. The body length is 22-38 cm, and the tail grows 10-17 cm long. The weight of a chinchilla reaches 700-800 grams, while females are larger and heavier than males.
At night, chinchillas are easy to navigate thanks to their huge eyes that have vertical pupils. The whiskers of mammals grow up to 10 centimeters in length. The ears of chinchillas are rounded and have a length of 5-6 cm. There is a special membrane in the auricles, with which the chinchilla closes its ears when it takes a sand bath.
The chinchilla's skeleton can shrink in a vertical plane, so the animals can climb into the smallest cracks. The hind legs of chinchillas are four-toed, and the front ones have 5 fingers. The hind limbs are very strong and twice as long as the forelimbs, which allows mammals to jump high.
The life expectancy of a chinchilla reaches 20 years.
Do chinchillas have teeth?
Chinchilla teeth are very strong, however, like all other rodents. They have 20 teeth in total: 16 molars and 4 incisors. Newborn babies have 8 molars and 4 incisors.
Interesting fact: An adult chinchilla has orange colored teeth. Cubs are born with white teeth that change color with age.
Colors of chinchillas. What color are chinchillas?
Chinchillas have an ash gray color and a white belly - this is the standard color of the animal. In the 20th century, more than 40 different types chinchillas, the coat color of which has more than 250 shades. Thus, chinchillas come in white, beige, white-pink, brown, black, purple and sapphire.
Types of chinchillas
There are the following types of chinchillas:
- Small long-tailed chinchilla (coastal)
- Short-tailed (large) chinchilla
Male and female chinchilla
Chinchilla female larger than the male and weighs more. Males are more tame. But if you take not a female, but a male first, the chinchilla may be offended and turn its back.
Where does the chinchilla live?
Chinchillas are native to South America. The short-tailed chinchilla lives in the Andes of southern Bolivia, in northwestern Argentina and northern Chile. The long-tailed chinchilla lives only in certain areas of the Andes in northern Chile.
Thanks to strong hind legs, chinchillas are capable of high jumps, and a developed cerebellum guarantees them excellent coordination. These are colonial animals that do not live alone. Chinchillas are most active at night. If there are no crevices and voids in their habitats, the chinchilla digs a mink.
What does a chinchilla eat?
Like all rodents, the chinchilla feeds on seeds, cereals, herbaceous plants, lichens, bark, moss, legumes,
natural habitat
Chinchillas are native to South America. Short-tailed chinchillas live in the Andes of southern Bolivia, northwestern Argentina and northern Chile. The long-tailed chinchilla is now found only in a limited area of the Cordillera in northern Chile. Approximately half of the entire wild population is in fenced reserves, about 5000 individuals live in private, unprotected areas.
The natural habitat of chinchillas is desert uplands, rocky areas at an altitude of 300 to 5000 meters above sea level. Chinchillas settle in niches between stones, rock crevices, small caves, preferring the northern slopes; in the absence of natural shelters, they dig holes on their own.
Biology
The biology of chinchillas in natural habitats has been little studied; basic data on behavior, reproduction, and physiology are obtained in artificial conditions. Most of the data refer to long-tailed chinchillas due to their massive captive breeding.
The head of the chinchilla is rounded, the neck is short. The body length is 22-38 cm, the tail is 10-17 cm long and is covered with stiff guard hairs. Chinchillas are characterized by sexual dimorphism: Females are larger than males and can weigh up to 800 grams; the weight of males usually does not exceed 700 grams. Chinchillas are adapted to nocturnal life: large black eyes with vertical pupils, long (8-10 cm) vibrissae, large rounded ears (5-6 cm). The chinchilla's skeleton is able to compress in a vertical plane, which allows animals to penetrate into narrow gaps in the rocks. The forelimbs are five-fingered, four grasping fingers and one little used. The hind limbs are four-fingered, one finger is turned back. The strong hind limbs are twice as long as the forelimbs and allow high jumps, while the strongly developed cerebellum provides good coordination of movements necessary for safe movement on the rocks. Chinchilla Brevicaudata differs in larger size, broad head, small bluish ears and short tail.
Chinchillas are omnivores. The basis of their diet is made up of various herbaceous plants, mainly cereals, legumes, also seeds, mosses, lichens, shrubs, tree bark, and small insects.
Fur
Chinchilla has very valuable fur.
Teeth
The general composition and structure of the teeth of chinchillas are characteristic of many rodents. Chinchillas have 20 permanent teeth. There is one incisor in each half of the jaw ( Dens incisivus, I), all four incisors are covered with dark orange enamel. Fangs ( Canini) are not developed. Then in each half of the jaw follows one small molar - premolar ( Praemolar, P) and three molars ( Molar, M). The right and left half-jaws are mirror-symmetrical, so only one side is usually depicted. All teeth are rootless and grow throughout life.
reproduction
Chinchilla cubs (one and a half months old)
Chinchillas are mostly monogamous. The mating season is between November and May in the northern hemisphere and between May and November in the southern hemisphere. The female usually brings two litters a year, 1-5 (usually 2-3) cubs in each. Pregnancy of a long-tailed chinchilla lasts from 110 to 118 days (short-tailed - 128 days). Chinchillas are born well developed, with open eyes. They are completely covered with fur and weigh up to 70 grams. The lactation period lasts 6-8 weeks, at about 2 weeks from birth, chinchillas begin to try adult food (hay first). Young individuals reach puberty by about 8 months, chinchillas of some rare colors mature later than their standard or beige peers. Chinchillas bring offspring for 8 years, their life expectancy in natural conditions is about 10 years, and at home it can be more than 20 years.
Story
The name chinchillas was given by the Spaniards, who first arrived in South America in 1524. Word " Chinchilla" literally means "little Chincha" and comes from the name of the Indian tribe Chincha (may also sound like "Hinha"), whose representatives wore clothes made from chinchilla skins. This tribe was later conquered by the Incas, who also highly valued the fur of chinchillas. Clothes were made from their fur and wool, which were considered an attribute of the highest nobility, in addition, the meat of these animals was used as a remedy for tuberculosis. Under the Incas, hunting for chinchillas was strictly limited. As a result, by the beginning of the European conquest of South America, chinchillas were widespread in the western part of the mainland. With the advent of the Spanish conquerors, the rate of trapping of animals increased sharply, the extraction and export of skins was constantly growing.
Export of chinchilla skins from Chile:
| Year | Quantity, thousand pieces |
|---|---|
| 1885 | 184.548 |
| 1896 | 321.375 |
| 1897 | 147.468 |
| 1898 | 332.328 |
| 1899 | 435.463 |
| 1900 | 370.800 |
| 1901 | 385.170 |
| 1902 | 126.940 |
| 1903 | 144.000 |
| 1904 | 314.100 |
| 1905 | 247.836 |
| 1910 | 152.863 |
| 1915 | 3.202 |
| 1917 | 4.380 |
| 1918 | Export stopped |
The high popularity of this fur at the turn of the 20th century led to the almost complete extermination of chinchillas in the wild. In 1929, a ban was imposed on catching chinchillas. To date, the number of wild chinchillas is slowly recovering, although this species is still under threat.
Breeding in captivity
Artificial feeding of a baby chinchilla
Female and male Chinchilla in a cage.
The founder of captive breeding of chinchillas was the American engineer Matthias F. Chapman. In 1919, he began searching for wild chinchillas, which by that time were extremely rare. He and 23 hired hunters for 3 years were able to catch 11 chinchillas, of which only three were females. In 1923, Chapman managed to obtain permission from the Chilean government to export chinchillas. He managed to adapt the chinchillas to the flat climate and transport them to San Pedro (California). These animals became the ancestors of a new type of artificially bred fur-bearing animals. In the late 20s, the number of chinchillas increased annually by 35%, in the early 30s - by 65%. In the 50s, chinchilla farms existed in most developed countries. Since the beginning of the 90s, there has been a trend of keeping chinchillas as pets.
On this moment chinchillas are listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and natural resources. Long-tailed chinchillas are bred for fur on farms in many countries, and are also common as pets.
In 1553, the animal (apparently mixed with mountain viscaches) is mentioned in literature - in the book "Chronicle of Peru" by Pedro Ciesa de Leon. The name for chinchillas was the province of Chincha (Peru).
natural habitat
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Chinchillas are native to South America. Short-tailed chinchillas live in the Andes of southern Bolivia, northwestern Argentina and northern Chile. The long-tailed chinchilla is currently found only in a limited region of the Andes in northern Chile.
Chinchillas inhabit dry rocky areas at an altitude of 400 to 5000 meters above sea level, preferring the northern slopes. Rock crevices and voids under stones are used as shelters; in their absence, the animals dig a hole. Chinchillas are perfectly adapted to life in the mountains. Chinchillas are monogamous. According to some reports, life expectancy can reach 20 years. Chinchillas lead a colonial lifestyle; they feed on various herbaceous plants, mainly cereals, legumes, as well as mosses, lichens, cacti, shrubs, tree bark, and insects from animal food.
Chinchillas live in colonies and are active at night. Exploitation of animals as a source of valuable fur in the European market and North America was started in the 19th century, there is a great need for skins to this day. About 100 skins are required for one fur coat; chinchilla products are recognized as the rarest and most expensive. In 1928, a chinchilla coat cost half a million gold marks. In 1992, a chinchilla coat cost $22,000.
The long-tailed chinchilla is kept as a pet and bred for its fur on numerous farms. The fur of a small, or long-tailed chinchilla is grayish-bluish, very soft, thick and durable. The fur of large, or short-tailed chinchillas is of somewhat poorer quality.
Now the rodent is protected in its original habitats in South America, but their range and numbers have been greatly reduced.
Biology
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The biology of chinchillas in natural habitats has been little studied; basic data on behavior, reproduction, and physiology are obtained in artificial conditions. Most of the data refer to long-tailed chinchillas due to their massive captive breeding.
The head of the chinchilla is rounded, the neck is short. The body length is 22 - 38 cm, the tail is 10 - 17 cm long and is covered with stiff guard hairs. Chinchillas are characterized by sexual dimorphism: Females are larger than males and can weigh up to 800 grams; the weight of males usually does not exceed 700 grams. Chinchillas are adapted to nocturnal life: large black eyes with vertical pupils, long (8 - 10 cm) vibrissae, large rounded ears (5-6 cm). The chinchilla's skeleton is able to compress in a vertical plane, which allows the animals to penetrate narrow cracks in the rocks. The forelimbs are five-fingered: four grasping fingers and one little used are twice as long as the front five-fingered ones. The hind limbs are four-fingered. The strong hind limbs are twice as long as the forelimbs and allow high jumps, while the strongly developed cerebellum provides good coordination of movements necessary for safe movement on the rocks. Chinchilla Brevicaudata is distinguished by its larger size, broad head, small bluish ears and short tail. The auricles of chinchillas have special membranes with which the animals close their ears when they take sand baths; thanks to this, sand does not get inside.
Chinchillas are herbivores. The basis of their diet is made up of various herbaceous plants, mainly cereals, legumes, also seeds, mosses, lichens, shrubs, tree bark, and small insects. Chinchillas make very interesting sounds: when they don't like something, they make a sound similar to quacking or chirping. If they are very angry, they begin to make sounds similar to growling or blowing their nose, and sometimes at the same time they click their teeth very quickly. If they hit hard or get very frightened, they can squeal very loudly. But chinchillas are not defenseless - when threatened, they can attack. They attack in a rather funny way: they stand high on their hind legs, begin to “growl”, let out a stream of urine, and then bite with their teeth.
FUR
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Chinchillas have a relatively small and narrow oral cavity, but with well-developed gums. Adult animals have 20 teeth in both jaws (upper and lower), including 4 incisors and 16 molars. The molars are deeply set in the jawbones. The cross section of such a tooth has the shape of a square. On the rubbing surface of the molars there are two transverse lamellar bulges that provide grinding of the feed. The total length of these teeth is 1.2 cm. The length of the root is 0.9 cm, and the height of the crown that rises above the gum is 0.3 cm. The upper and lower molars are located opposite each other, touching the entire surface. The incisors are slightly curved. Their crowns overlap each other - top to bottom. The length of the crowns of these teeth is from 0.6 to 1.2 cm. Newborn chinchillas have 8 molars and 4 incisors. Incisors grow throughout the life of animals.
Forage, previously crushed by teeth, then enters a relatively long digestive tract, which is almost 12 times longer than the body of a chinchilla. A simple single-chamber stomach is located in the left side of the abdominal cavity in the hypochondrium, has a length of 3.5 cm and a width of about 2 cm. The volume of the stomach can increase many times in the process of filling it. The small intestine is about 37 cm long. It contains the duodenum and a portion of the small intestine that enters the sac-like caecum of considerable size.
Compared with the caecum of other mammals, the chinchilla is more adapted to the digestion of poor plant foods, it has numerous bulges. The length of the caecum is on average 37.5 cm (27.8 - 42.7), the width is 2.4 cm (1.7 - 2.8), the volume is about 70 cc (45-91). In the caecum, the food is retained for 4-5 days and undergoes further digestion processes. Basically, the breakdown of coarse fiber occurs here with the participation of numerous bacterial microflora, which, during digestion, is an additional source of protein.
The absorption of water and non-protein nitrogen occurs in the large intestine. Here, too, due to the developed microflora, the digestion of feed occurs, as well as the separation of liquid. The large intestine of the chinchilla is very long, 2.5 times longer than the small intestine. His internal structure provides excellent water absorption, which is a functional adaptation of the body to a lack of water in the natural environment. The large intestine passes into the rectum, which ends at the anus. Undigested food residues, deprived of water, are removed through the anus in lumps in the form of rice grains about 0.6 cm long.
Chinchilla excretes two types of feces: nocturnal and daytime. About 50% of the night, soft feces, rich in complete microbial protein, vitamins of groups B and K, are eaten again by the chinchilla, and she does not touch the daytime (hard) feces. The phenomenon of coprophagia (eating feces) in chinchillas is a natural and important physiological process. Night feces are similar in composition to the contents of the caecum, and, thanks to coprophagy, chinchillas "charge" the digestive tract with beneficial microflora. Thanks to coprophagy, the food masses pass through the digestive tract twice and are better absorbed, the animal receives a complete microbial protein and vitamins B and K, which are synthesized in the cecum.
Adult females are able to bring 2-3 litters per year. Puberty in puppies can occur early: in females at 2-3 months, in males at 4-5 months, but mostly young animals mature by 6-7 months. Females can come hunting - from November to May, and its peak - in January - February. Pregnancy lasts 110..115 days. After whelping, the female can cover again within 18 hours, that is, females combine pregnancy with lactation, some individuals are capable of this even after the second birth. But a third litter within a year is quite rare. The reproductive period lasts an average of 8 years or more with a life expectancy of 15 ... 16 years. Reproducibility to a large extent depends on the conditions of detention. The female brings 1 ... 5 cubs, most often - 2-3, but some had females who raised 5 puppies each. Puppies are born covered with hair, sighted, weighing 35-65 g. And after a week, in addition to mother's milk, they begin to eat other foods. Up to 8 months, growth in males and females is the same, then the latter in terms of live weight overtake the former.
The body of the chinchilla is covered with thick, even silky fur 2.5-3.0 cm tall, with a weakly expressed covering hair, forming a beautiful dark veil. The color of the hairline on the back and sides of a standard chinchilla is from light gray to dark gray with a blue tint, on the abdomen it is white or bluish-white.
The downy hair is slightly wavy, very thin, 12-16 microns, covering twice as thick and only 4-8 mm longer than the underfur. On one square centimeter of the surface of the skin, there are more than 25 thousand hairs, significantly more than other fur-bearing animals.
The hair has a zonal color: the lower zone is dark gray, sometimes almost black or bluish, the middle is white, the upper is black, which gives the fur beautiful game tones on the curves of the body. Male and female do not differ in fur color. Currently, there is a large variety of animals with a different fur color.
In nature, the long-tailed chinchilla lives in cold, dry desert conditions, where relative humidity air rarely exceeds 30%. and where there are exceptionally sharp fluctuations in air temperature. Chinchilla is very sensitive to high humidity, especially in combination with a sharp change in temperature.
On steep mountain slopes and in rocky deserts, animals use natural caves and crevices as dwellings, where they escape from heat and cold.
Shedding of hair in animals of different ages does not occur simultaneously. Puppies change hair 2 times up to 7-9 one month old when the formation of the hairline ends and it first matures. Adult chinchillas molt gradually throughout the year, and mass, simultaneous molting is not observed in the entire herd.
There are no seasonal differences in the color of the hairline, only the density of the hair changes. The full maturity of the hairline in adult chinchillas occurs mainly from November to March and lasts in some individuals from several days to a month, and sometimes more.
Chinchillas are very mobile and quickly react to external stimuli, as they have well-developed hearing and sense of smell. Chinchillas are active all year round. During the day, it is most active in the first half of the night and before dawn. A feature of these rodents is that they cannot comb their fur in order. Therefore, to maintain the hairline in a lush state, they regularly “bathe” in the dust. Chinchilla adapted to natural conditions to dry plant foods. Its main food is stems, leaves, seeds, roots and bulbs of cereals and other drought-resistant herbaceous plants, fruits, leaves and bark of evergreen shrubs, as well as cacti. All these, as well as high-altitude plants in general, have an exceptionally high caloric content and nutritional value. The need for water is satisfied by them due to the moisture of the plants eaten.
Chinchillas are mostly monogamous. Chinchillas mate at night. The fact of mating can be determined by indirect evidence: tufts of wool and the presence of a waxy elongated flagellum 2.5-3 cm long in the cell. With a greater degree of certainty, the fact of the female's pregnancy can be determined by a change in her mass, the female's gain is 100-110 g compared to the previous weighing every 15 days. Starting from the 60-day gestation period, the female's nipples swell and the abdomen increases. Pregnant females are fed high-quality fortified and varied food. 10 days before whelping, the nest box is filled with bedding (hay or straw) and turned upside down so that the female does not scatter the bedding. From the cage a few days before whelping, a bathing suit with sand is removed. The male (for his safety and the calmness of the female) is removed from the cage or separated from the female by a partition. During the prenatal period and during childbirth, the room should be quiet, it is forbidden to take a female. With the approach of childbirth, the female moves little, does not touch the food. Most often, the female gives birth in the morning from 5 to 8 hours. Childbirth lasts from several minutes to several hours and occurs without assistance. In case of difficult childbirth, the female is given 3-4 times a day sugar in the form of syrup, 2-3 ml each, or sand, 1.5-2 g each. Cubs are born covered with fluff, with erupted teeth and open eyes, and on the first day they are able to move quite freely. One-day-old chinchillas are weighed, the sex is determined (in the female, the anus and genital opening are almost nearby, and in males at a much greater distance). Newborn chinchillas have a live weight of 30-70 grams. Older females can bring more babies than younger ones (up to 5-6 instead of 1-2). The female can be covered by the male a day after giving birth. During the year, the female can cover herself and bring cubs 3 times, but the third covering is not desirable, since the body of the female is greatly depleted. As a rule, milk appears in the female on the day of birth, but there are also delays in the appearance of milk (up to 3 days). Therefore, if the cubs are sitting hunched over, with their tail down, you need to examine the female. If she does not have milk, chinchillas are placed with a milk nurse or fed artificially: condensed milk diluted (1: 2) in water (without sugar) or cow or goat milk. The first week the cubs are watered every 2.5-3 hours. A few days after birth, the nest box is set with the entrance to the side so that the cubs can freely crawl out of it (for feeding). The lactation period lasts 45-60 days, at this age chinchillas are approximately deposited, and can be deposited at 30 days of age, especially if the cubs are fed with boiled milk after deposition. Young animals grow quite quickly, monthly cubs are almost three times their one-day weight and weigh 114 g, at 60 days - 201 g, at 90 days - 270 g, at 120 days - 320 g, at 270-440 g and adults - 500 d. As a rule, weaned young animals are kept in ordinary cages with several heads, females and males separately. Polygamous breeding of chinchillas is also often found, when there are 2-4 females per male, with age the number of females can reach up to 4-8.
Chinchilla is a small herbivore animal belonging to the class of mammals, the genus of chinchillas. This genus includes 2 species - large and small chinchilla.
From the history of chinchillas
Many are interested in where the animals have such a romantic name - chinchilla. Some think - from the sounds that chinchillas can make, others believe - from the quiet rustle of the amazing beauty of the fur that occurs under the hand of a human stroking animal. We will immediately dispel these, albeit romantic, but far from the truth speculations.
Once chinchillas were very numerous. About a thousand years ago, the Chinchas Indians, who lived on the South American continent, wore clothes made of unusually beautiful silver fur. They sewed it from the skins of rodents, resembling large squirrels with fluffy tails and rounded ears. A few hundred years later, the Chinchas were conquered by the Incas, who also liked the fur of cute rodents. In memory of the conquest of the tribe, the Incas began to call the animals "chinas". After some time, the Incas were conquered by the Spanish conquerors. Among the treasures stolen from the Incas, the conquistadors discovered clothes made from the silvery fur of the chinas. Enchanted by the beauty of the fur, the conquerors brought it to Europe, in their own way changing the name of the animals. So South American rodents - owners of precious fur, were called "chinchillas". Since then, the prosperity of rodents has ended. Their fur was highly valued in Europe. Chinchillas were exterminated by the thousands, which soon led to their almost complete destruction. People realized it only at the beginning of the 20th century: laws were passed to protect chinchillas. And in 1923, one American began to breed chinchillas on farms. As it turned out, chinchillas can be kept and bred in captivity. And today, receiving precious fur from them to please fashionistas all over the world, chinchillas are bred on numerous farms in Europe and America.
Chinchilla habitat
The habitat of animals in the wild is the Andes mountain range, which is located along the western part of South America. The Andes are huge (over 8,000 km) and cover various countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile. Chinchillas live in rocky areas at an altitude of 900-4500 meters above sea level. The humidity here is low, the climate is rather harsh - windy and cold, and the vegetation is sparse - only rare shrubs, herbs and cacti. The mountains are covered with volcanic ash, in which chinchillas bathe. Chinchillas prefer to settle in rock crevices, where they are relatively safe from mountain lions And birds of prey. But dwellings do not protect them from snakes that share the same territory with them.
Chinchilla: the appearance of a fluffy miracle
At home, the small chinchilla (Chichila lanigera) is usually bred.
Outwardly, the animal resembles both a squirrel and a rabbit at the same time. The expressive muzzle of the chinchilla is decorated with large black eyes with vertical pupils. Large (about 6 cm), movable rounded ears are sharp to the ear and can warn of the approach of any predator. The ears are the only source of getting rid of excess body heat. Chinchilla perceives sound in a greater range than humans. The auricles have special membranes, with the help of which the animals close their ears when taking sand baths - so the sand does not get inside.
In the lower part of the cheeks there are whiskers 8-10 cm long. The head of the animal is quite large, the neck is short, the body is stocky, 20-35 cm long. The hind legs are almost twice as long as the front ones, which allows the animal to make rather high jumps (90-120 cm up) . The claws on the fingers are powerful, sickle-shaped. Thanks to them, animals climb almost vertical, slightly rough surfaces with exceptional speed. Long (10-15 cm), tail slightly rounded upwards, covered with hard guard hairs. The tail helps to maintain balance in movement and jumps, and wagging the tail of the chinchilla attracts attention.
Adult animals weigh from 400 to 700 grams.
The body of the animal is covered with amazing fur - airy and elastic. The hairs are thin and fit tightly to each other (about 20 thousand pieces per 1 sq. cm of the skin). The standard color is bluish-gray (ashy), while the abdomen is white.
What does a chinchilla eat in nature?
Chinchillas are essentially omnivores. But given the scarcity of vegetation in their habitats, the diet of animals in natural conditions mainly consists of herbs, roots, twigs of shrubs, moss, bark, etc.
Although chinchillas are not picky eaters, diet planning at home must be approached carefully. You can read about the basics of feeding domestic chinchillas.
Chinchilla lifestyle
In nature, chinchillas lead a secretive lifestyle. For this reason, their biology is not well understood. True, it has been established that in areas where the number of rodents is quite high, they live in whole colonies (100 or more individuals each). One hole is usually occupied by two to five animals. Chinchillas are active mainly at dusk and at night. It is at this time that they go out to look for food.
Chinchillas live up to 20 years. It's in nature. How long the animal will live in captivity depends on the owners. With good care at home, chinchillas live 15-18 years.
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