|
|||||||||||||
|
What is a Chinchilla? Chinchillas are naturally found in the mountains of northern Chile. In the wild chinchillas have a head and body length equal to 225-380 mm, and a tail averaging 75-150 mm. The fur of a chinchilla is extremely dense and soft. In wild species each hair usually has a black tip, and as many as 60 hairs grow out of one follicle. The ventral side is usually gray and the belly white. Its tail is furry with coarse hairs on the dorsal surface. These natural or standard colored chinchillas are the original colored chinchilla. Since they were first brought to the United States in the early 1900's the color variations of these creatures have become vast. From White to Violet and Black to Sapphire, they can be found in many colors. The chinchilla’s head is broad and the external ears are large. Chinchillas have large, black eyes with a vertical split pupil, vestigial cheek pouches, and incisors with colored enamel . Both the forefoot and hind foot have four digits with stiff bristles surrounding the weak claws. In the wild the chinchilla feeds on many types of vegetation, but primarily on grass and seeds. While eating, a chinchilla sits erect and holds the food in its forepaws. Our domesticated chinchillas are fed alfalfa, hay, oats, and commercial food pellets. Females normally have two litters per year, with two to three young per litter. Gestation lasts for 111 days, and the young are well developed at birth. The newborn chinchillas weigh up to 35 g, are fully furred, and have their eyes open. Lactation lasts for 6-8 weeks and sexual maturity is attained after 8 months. Life span in the wild of chinchilla is roughly 10 years, but some domesticated chinchillas have lived for over 20 years. Chinchillas are very social animals and have been known to live in colonies of more than 100 individuals in the wild. They are primarily nocturnal animals. Domesticated chinchillas are very social and can be hand tamed to play and interact well with their owner. Chinchilla Care Cages A chinchilla cage can never be too big. The minimum size should be 2x3x3 feet with the height being the largest dimension. The wire mesh spacing should be no larger than 1X2 inches for an adult chinchilla. For a breeding cage the wire spacing must be no bigger than ½” x 1”. All floors on a chinchilla cage should be solid as wire floors can be damaging to chinchillas feet.Your cage should be kept in a quiet part of the home. Remember chinchillas are nocturnal animals so a bedroom may not be the best place for your chinchilla as they are very active at night and make a lot of noise. Chinchillas need to be in a cool dry place. They do not tolerate heat or high humidity.A chinchilla wheel is great for exercise. When picking a wheel make sure to pick one with a solid running track. Plastic ones will be ingested so pick a metal one. A good wheel on the market is the flying saucer wheel. Food
Chinchillas need to be fed fresh food every day. A chin normally eats approx. 2
talbespoons of food a day.
However, this can vary depending on the chin. You should feed your chin every
day in a heavy spill proof bowl or the type that fits onto the side of the cage. Only feed chinchillas
special chinchilla food that does not contain seeds and nuts in them. Some of
the top diets on my list are Top Shelf Chinchilla feed, Unifeed Chinchilla,
Oxbow, Tradition and Marzuri Chinchilla feed. Hay
Chinchillas must have hay to maintain a healthy
intestinal balance. Hay is available in loose bales or in compressed cubes.
I give both loose and cubes. Hay
should be available to the chins at all times. Timothy hay is the type to use as it has more roughage and is much better for their teeth. A half-and-half
mixture of timothy and alfalfa hay
is great in the cube form. Water Chinchillas need fresh water every day. Water is best provided in a glass water bottle hanging from the outside of the cage.Water bottles should be cleaned out at least every 3 days. Washing them in the dishwasher and using the sanitizing cycle is a good way to get them really clean. If you don’t have a dishwasher, use a good bottle brush and wash them out with hot water, soap and a few drops of bleach. Make sure to clean the top, spout, and washer as well. Be sure they are WELL rinsed out before you refill them and place them back in the cage. Supplements Healthy adult chinchillas do not require any
supplements but they do benefit from them. Growing chinchillas and pregnant or
lactating females should get supplementation for their diets. I supplement all
of my chinchillas. Bedding The
best type of bedding to use in the bottom of the cage is aspen or dustless kiln
dried pine. Cedar should be avoided. Dust Chinchillas need a dust bath to stay healthy. It is their way of cleaning their fur. Chinchillas should be given access to a dust bath at least twice a week. I use Blue Cloud dust as it cleans their fur the best in my opinionTreats
Treats should be given sparingly. NO more than ONE treat a day. I feed treats by hand to win a chinchillas trust. Chinchillas have no gallbladder and therefore cannot digest
fats Once you bring your new chin home please remember that your home is a new and strange place for your chinchilla. Please let your chinchilla adjust to their new surroundings for a week or or two before too much interaction with them. When looking for a location to place your chinchillas cage, follow these guidelines: Keep them away from a direct heat source. Make sure they are not exposed to a draft. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Have plenty of circulation in the area. Do not allow the temperature to go above 75 degrees F. in the summer and below 60 degrees F. in the winter. Keep them well protected against other pets. |
||||||||||||