We've come across some interesting facts about chinchillas during our research. Here's a list of things that don't quite fit in with other pages on this site.
- Chinchilla fur is considered the softest in the world and is thirty times softer than human hair.
- Chinchillas must regularly bathe in dust or volcanic ash to remove oil and moisture that gathers in their thick fur.
- Chinchillas have the highest fur density of any land animal with more than 20,000 hairs per square cm. Their fur is so dense that skin parasites (such as fleas) cannot live on one lest they suffocate. Whereas humans grow one hair from each follicle, a chinchilla has more than fifty hairs from a single follicle.
- They are agile jumpers and can jump up to five feet above their head.
- Martha Stewart has 15 pet chinchillas.
- Chinchillas have no dander, which is the leading cause to pet related allergies.
Sources:
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Chintasia
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July 28th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Our foreverfriend is 8 months old and also has lost a patch of fur the size of a quarter. What should we do, if anything? It has been a month and the fur is not growing back. He is otherwise healthy.
Please help,
Mommy 2 Chile
June 18th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I have a chinchilla and I love him so much. He loves to cuddle and play with me and he's wonderful. I do suggest getting a chin but only if you're up to take great care of one because they are harder to take care of than the average pet. After I give my chin exercise he lies on his side and lounges like a dog and it's normal. He's just tuckered out from all the running and wants to sleep.
June 8th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Hi,
I'm getting a chinchilla and I have heard that they are very loving,friendly,happy animals who ever is out there and wants to get one please consider it!!!
October 28th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
i have a chinchilla and he rocks my socks and i love him with all my heart!
August 30th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Hi,
We got our chinchilla from my son's math teacher in May of this year. He's approx. 7 yo and he's really bonded with me. Even gives me smooches from the cage. My problem is he is difficult to get out of the cage for exercise time. He does have a wheel but he can't seem to figure it out.
I'm terrified to force him out of the cage for exercise time for fear of breaking his little bones. He has a huge cage and runs around like crazy but the times we've taken him upstairs to his exercise room it's been so cool but we always have a hard time getting him back in the pet transport.
Any suggestions?
Oh, I also have the big ball they can run in but he just stood there like he was terrified. We only tried it once and I'm not sure if I should try again.
I did want to mention that he did have some romaine lettuce last night, just a bit and it was the first time. He usually snacks on apples and raisins. He eats alfalfa hay and the forti diet pellets.
I'm so much more attached to him than I ever thought I'd be. I love him and he's a constant source of pleasure and amusement. I'd like to keep him around a long time.
Thanks for listening and any and all advice will be welcomed
Kristi