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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June 12th, 2006 at 5:15 pm
How big do chinchillas grow?
June 12th, 2006 at 6:37 pm
Hi Philip,
Chinchilla adults are about the same size as a small to medium-sized domesticated rabbit. Their length runs in the range of 9 to 11 inches long not including the tail. An adult male chinchilla weighs between 0.8 to - 1.1 lbs while the females are generally larger weighing in at up to 1.3 lbs.
July 25th, 2006 at 12:57 am
What are the main things that are needed to take care of chinchillas?
July 25th, 2006 at 6:45 am
Tiffany,
Chinchillas need special food (not rabbit food), a cage large enough to house them, an exercise wheel, a room to run around in a couple of hours a night, and temperatures lower than 75 degrees with low humidity.
August 16th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Hi. I'm hoping to get a chinchilla real soon! What is a good age to get one at? Is it better to get a baby one or a 1 year old one?
December 25th, 2006 at 10:35 am
I have a male that is spraying out of his cage. What can we do? Will neutering help? Thanks.
December 25th, 2006 at 11:19 am
Tom,
Sorry, we've only ever had female chinchillas. We're not sure what the best course of action is in your case.
January 6th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
I have 2 chinchillas. Some chinchilla owners may be concerned if their chinchillas do not eat any fresh food (fruits, vegetables, etc.). As a general rule they do not. I know several people with chinchillas, and none of them will touch fresh food. For example, I dry lettuce for mine (it takes 3 or 4 days) and they go crazy over it, but if I offer them fresh lettuce, they run away. There is a place called JustTomatoes,etc. online that has the greatest quality dried fruits and vegetables for humans. My chinchillas adore these. They like the following (dried of course): Corn, peas, carrots, apples, persimmons, peaches, apricots, bananas. I am in no way affiliated with this company. It is just that I have not found any dried products that remotely compare. Try drying some leaf lettuce until it's crisp and watch your chinchillas "gobble it up".
March 22nd, 2007 at 10:40 pm
I have a question about the behavior of the chins. I have seen my chin make rapid scraping movements as though he is digging for something with his front paws on the plastic perch where the food is in his cage. Is this normal behavior or does it mean he is stressed or just playing?
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Debra,
That's a hard one to answer. One odd behavior isn't enough to say whether a chinchilla is stressed or not. Ours don't exhibit that behavior, but they probably do other strange things that your chinchilla doesn't. Is your chinchilla otherwise fine? Does he eat? Does he run around the cage and around the room when you let him out? Does his fur look healthy? Are his eyes clear and lively looking?
April 11th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I have 3 chin's. My male is about 3 years old and he is missing fur on his side. I have tried athlete's foot powder in the dust but it doesn't seem to be working. Any suggestions?
April 13th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Christina,
Take your chinchilla to a vet. It's safer than experimenting with home remedies.
April 17th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I have 1 pet chinchilla at home. He is so cute! I got him when he was just a few months old. I got him a few days before last Christmas. He was really small. Now he is a big fluff ball! If I sit quietly or lie quietly, playing on my DS Lite in my bed, he will start jumping on my face! Chinchillas are sweet, gentle creatures. Take the time to bond!
April 28th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I have a chin that was born Jan. 19 of this year. So far he has been pretty good. He has nibbled us a few times. My questions are: I was told that they seldom bite. Have you found this to be true? My other question is: he almost always barks and hops away when I try to pick him up from his cage. What does this barking mean? Will he ever allow us to pick him up without this running and barking? Thanks!
April 29th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Kelly,
Our chinchillas only bite when our fingers when they smell of raisins. As for picking them up, it can take some time. At first you should let him get used to you by not attempting to pick him up. Then try giving him a treat while holding it between your fingers. After that, put the treat in the palm of your hand so that he needs to climb in to your hand. Keep doing these sorts of activities and eventually you should be able to pick up your chinchilla.
Ideally your chinchilla would've been handled at a very young age so that he'd be used to it.
As for barking, that usually the sound a chinchilla makes when scared.
July 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I want to get a chinchilla but one of my friends said their bones will break when you hold them. Is this true?
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Jenn,
A chinchilla's bones are delicate. You can't play with them like you would with a dog, but they can certainly be held if you can get them comfortable with you.
August 5th, 2007 at 2:19 am
Hi! I just got a chinchilla, and I have been reading everything I can find on them. tonight he is sitting very still, and sort of rocking back and forth, with his hands in front of him.. looks like he is meditating, any idea if this is of any concern?
August 5th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Amy,
We've never seen that behavior before. Our chinchillas will certainly sit still as if they're in a trance, but they don't rock back and forth. They eventually snap out of it and continue running around like there's nothing wrong.
Hopefully your chinchilla is just adding a slight variation to what ours do. Good luck!
August 8th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
What is the best way to bond with a chinchilla?
August 16th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
The best way to bond with a chinchilla is to take it out of its cage and just lie somewhere. Soon your chinchilla will get curious and run up to you, maybe even jump on you!! It will get used to you, running up and down your body. After a while, you can even try to pet your little friend. If he gets scared, don't be discouraged. Wait and he/she'll come back, and you can try again. Another thing that is very effective with my chinchilla is scratching him around the soulder blade/neck area. He'll tilt his head up, and open his mouth in pleasure!!! You have to take the time to get to know your chinchilla, what his favourite foods are, and the places he/she likes to be scratched. I gaurantee, if your good to your chin, you'll be friends in no time!
August 16th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
When I out my chin in his cage after his excersise time, he lies on his size and looks like a dog sleeping. He always seems perfectly fine, but I was just wonering if this is unusual behavior that should be examined by a vet. He is a part of my family!
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
October 28th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
i have a chinchilla and he rocks my socks and i love him with all my heart!
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!!!
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.
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
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
hello, i have two little pet chinchillas that i have recently adopted. One of them is a mother and the other is a young son. We do not know exactly how old they are but we know that the young one is a little buggar. It is hard for us to get close to them. They do not like to be held often and get extremely jumper when they are touched, but prefer to run around our room. Im just wondering what kind of things i could do to help our little friends feel comfortable with my boyfriend and I. I'm scared that they may not be able to get along with us. My boyfriend and I love them very much but its hard for them to be comfortable with us…..
if you guys have any suggestions please help
August 8th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
In reply to chile_mommy,
I have 3chins and one of them lost patches of fur around their nose and ears it grew back a couple months later. If it is wet around the patch it most likely gnawed its fur which is normal. Also I have a friend who has a chin who is missing fur, but is perfectly healthy. Sometimes it is unknown why that happens. If it is in a noisy environment than move it to some place quiet. It may be stressed. If they fur doesn't grow back but the chin continues to be responsive and playful, I wouldn't worry much about it.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
In response to Dolly,
Chins are like people they have different personalities. Some like to be handled, some do not, however even though they do no like to be handled they still want your attention, so continue to speak softly to them. A chin that hides from you may have been handled roughly or when it didn't want to be and that's why it does not trust you. You can try training it, which takes time and patience. Start with a treat, a raisin, a cherrio, or banana chip. Place it in the palm of your hand and the chin will come explore due to their curious nature. Eventually it will take the treat from your hand. After it continually takes the treat from your hand start putting the treat further up your arm, eventually it will climb up your arm, you may then try to put your hand under its bottom and pick it up. But as I said not all of them like to be held. I have a female who climbs on me but will not let me hold her so don't get discouraged. You also said they like to run around your room sit still on the floor and see if it comes to you, chins often like to use people as their jungle gym.
Hope I could help. If you have any more questions please feel free to contact me at gmaebaby@yahoo.com.
September 19th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
i love chinchillas so much im seceretly saving up $ to buy one
October 18th, 2008 at 11:33 am
My Boyfriend and i got a rescue chinchilla called chinny about a year ago, he was very frit at first and it seemed that he would never be tame. But i tell you now persevere because after 6 months, every week that passed we noticed improvement. He's not totally tame now but will come up to us and let us play with him. If you have the time to spend with them they can be very rewarding. I try to spend at least 3 hours a day on him, after time you'll see they've got their own personalities and cute little expressions.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Hey my name is Taylor I`m 10 years old and I LOVE chinchillas!!!!!They are such sweethearts,amazingly soft,and not to mention adorable!!My mom says because I have a hamster (Cuddles) I don`t need another pet, and i agree with her, but I would choose a chinchilla over a hamster any day.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I'm getting a chinchilla probably today or tomorrow, how cold can it be for the chinchilla? i Know it has to be under 75 but how cold can it be? I was just wondering because my house is pretty chilly in the winter.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Courtney,
Chinchillas are fine in cool homes. If you can survive, they can survive. This doesn't apply to heat though as they are not as tolerant as people to high temperatures.
November 13th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
To be honest I would love a pet chinchilla, but I don't agree with hem being kept in cages. They should be wild and its not fair.
November 17th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
I have a beautiful boy chinchilla and trust me, he couldn't survive in the wild. They are breed from long lines of other domesticated chinchillas, so obviously you don't know what your talking about. It isn't unfair in any way. They are safe that way and if kept outside their cage, they will die. They can fit into anything their head can, and they wouldn't even exist if everyone was a no meat eating or fur selling hippy like you, then the first 11 chinchillas brought over to america never would have been breed andsurvived. Instead they would have slowly became extinct and wouldn't be around to have pets today. Do your homework before you make a stupid comment like that.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:14 pm
i really want a chinchilla for christmas but my parents are unsure about it. Just to clear up somthing, do chinchilla's bite? and do the stink even after bath's?? PLEASE REPLY ASAP!
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Chinchillas don't smell. You dont give them real baths like in water. u give them baths in dust. If you think they smell bad u can get scented dust that they sell at any pet store. Their urine smells after awhile but it's easy to clean it all up. Some chinchillas do bite, it depends on how tame they are. every pet is different, but as long as u give them lots of chew toys you should be ok. My chinchilla usually only nibbles on my toe nails.
November 27th, 2008 at 12:43 am
I'm about to receive a pet chincilla from a friend of mine who's parents wont let him keep it and I think they are some of the most beautiful creatures alive and cant believe that they were almost hunted to estinction just because some snobby rich idiot wanted a fur coat.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:55 am
hi ive had my chinchillas for awhile now and ive only been able to smell them once as long as you clean there cage everyweek they will never smell.personally i dont think there dust smells at all.as for the biting every animal is different. any animal that feels scared will bite i got my chins from a friend of mine one chin only bit him once and ive never had a problem with them biting. they will bark at me if they dont want to be picked up but they wont bite as long as there comfotable with you then you shouldnt have a problem when you first get them put a treat in your hand and wait for them to come to you.remember chinichillas are social with eachother but being a person you have to gain there trust and once you have that you'll never have a problem
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:22 pm
i have a question and that question is if the chinchillas are mean
December 14th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I got my chinchilla almost 6 months ago and he is a really good pet.He really likes to be out of his cage and to run around my room but i have to be careful because he is very fast and likes to hide in places that i can't reach him.he really likes the cool weather and he is very happy and curious lilttle pet of mine and i am glad that i got him!!
December 15th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
i have only had my pet for three weeks now and he has never bitten me once i am really happy with him. But my dog is also my big baby and he would always spend nights in my room so i have to keep him out of it when i have my chinchilla out running around. I only let him in when Rain (chinchilla) is in his cage so he is safe. But i want my dog to know that i love him too and that i don't have favorites please help me cell: 1(989)7637933 i need help to make sure my dog is okay and my chinchilla is safe in his presence out of the cage.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Sydney
with time your dog will get use to your chin but you need to try spend time with 2 of them at the same time so your dog will see that you like them both. he/she will even play with your chin later.i also had that problem before but now they are very happy playing together.
January 2nd, 2009 at 2:08 am
Are Chins solitary creatures or do they need company with another chin?
January 5th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
I am about to get my first Chinchilla and I was wondering if a boy and a girl act any different? If their is a difference, what is it?
And I was going to get one that is 8weeks old, is that a good age?