Though still sought for its coat, the chinchilla has won the hearts of many pet owners. If you're looking for a unique small animal pet, this may be the animal for you.

Chinchilla means "little Chinta," the South American Indian tribe for which the animal is named. A native of the high Andes Mountains in South America, this rodent species typically weighs between 1 and 2 pounds, and resembles a cross between a squirrel and a small rabbit. It has large eyes, big ears, long whiskers and a round, chubby body. A chinchilla carries its bushy tail, similar to that of a squirrel, curled over its back.

The soft fur of a chinchilla comes in a variety of colors, the most common being the standard gray. The newest, rarest and most unusual color is ultra-violet, a shade of pink or mauve. Another rare and unusual color is ebony; ebony chinchillas are jet black all over with no gray or white highlights, such as the others do. Other coat colors include mosaic (white with some other color, usually silver or gray), beige (light tan or dark cream), black velvet (black on top, changing to gray on the sides), brown velvet (dark brown on top, lightening to beige on the sides) and charcoal (deep, dark gray).

The dense fur, while attractive, has more than one practical use for the animal. It effectively insulates against the extreme cold in the Andes. With proper care, they can live an average of 15 years.

They are very easy to look after and easy to clean up after and don't smell, provided they have been fed a proper diet. The wrong type of food may cause soft squishy droppings which are a nuisance to clean off shelves etc. They certainly don't smell such as guinea pigs do.

When introduced to people at an early age and handled regularly, chinchillas can become affectionate pets. Your chinchilla may enjoy sitting in your hand while you gently scratch its chin and between its ears. Your pet will probably sleep most of the day and appreciate more activity in the evening, however if you are wandering back and forward they will get used to you being there and often start to fit in with your times.

Chinchillas are very clean animals  and easy to clean out. They do not smell such as rabbits or guinea pigs do.  It's nature and longevity of life is making it very popular nowadays. People of all ages, including small children, can add a little love to their lives with a chinchilla.

I have the email address of a friend who sells quality pellets as used by me email me for the contact details. We also sell cages regulation and made to order

which chinchilla food do you vote as best for your chinchillas?

vote here

 

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Food for thought A rather frightning copy from message boards!!!!