Chinchilla adult size. Chinchilla family. Description and features of chinchillas

Many people have chinchillas as pet, others breed them en masse, when crossing, getting either the color of one of the main breeds, or unique color. This article provides information about the appearance of chinchillas, the main breeds and the rules for breeding rodents.

There are only two types of chinchillas: small long-tailed and large, they differ from each other in the size of body parts. Long-tailed chinchillas are the most common species, so further external description will apply to him. Their historical habitat is the Andes.

Rodent incisors have the function of biting off food particles. Indigenous, as in humans, it is customary to divide into molars and premolars. Their sizes can reach 12 mm. The first are large teeth, and they are located on the back of the jaw. perform a function machining food, grinding. Between the incisors and premolars there is also a special gap - the diastema. Chinchillas have only one set of teeth for life.

You will find out what are early signs pregnancy in a chinchilla, the rules for feeding females during this period, how to prepare a cage for the birth of babies and help the chinchilla herself during childbirth.

Chinchilla colors

The color of an ordinary individual - gray-blue with white patches in the belly area. Moreover, in the long-tailed representatives of this family, the saturation of the color and the length of the colored part may vary by nature. There are only 9 main colors of chinchilla fur, and as a result of selection, this number grows to 150 different new shades. The usual gray color can vary from a darkish to a light shade. Naturally, interbreeding gray color will not give you a new, unique shade, but this hybrid is no less important and valuable than the rest. Ordinary grayish chinchillas allow you to bring the properties of fur and the dimensions of the body of other individuals to a new level. Their number in good breeders is about 10%.

Main breeds

Fur color black (dark) velvet was introduced in the 1960s. The main color of these animals is black. In addition, there are distinguishable lines on the paws. The darker the color of the fur, the better it is.

Chinchilla color "black velvet"

Also, when selecting for breeding an animal of this subspecies, it is worth paying Special attention the shape of the muzzle and ears. For the first, it is better to choose a semicircular shape, for the second - small, round ones. This does not affect the quality of the fur, but it will add the aesthetic beauty of this individual and its selected offspring.

Wilson white (Wilson white) was originally a coffee-cream color scheme, but over time acquired various colors from snow-white to silver. Yellowness reduces the demand for products made from this fur.

Color white velvet obtained by crossing a pair of representatives of the above described colors. This type has dull spots on the head, a white color on the back.

Chinchilla color "white velvet"

Beige color saw the world through a random mutation. A skilled breeder managed not only to save the resulting individual, but also to distribute it among chinchilla lovers. hallmark for them is the ears of coral color and reddish irises.

For homobeige color characterized by the presence of exclusively beige type genes. They stand out from the Hetero-Beiges by having a very brilliant back color with a light coral tint, with creamy lilac ears and lavender eyes. Both subspecies have a white abdomen.

Color brown (hazel) velvet appears to be a hybridization of beige and black velvet. The presence of a pair of dominant genes belonging to the parents is characteristic. The color of the eyes and ears is from a beige representative, the lines of the paws are black. The shade of the fur varies from woody to chocolate.

Chinchilla color "brown velvet"

White and pink chinchillas also have two dominant traits and a lethal allele, that is, a recessive deadly gene. Color is pinkish or smoky. Eye color from light coral to brick. There is a chance of them having brown spots, which is very much appreciated.

Velvet white-pink- quite a valuable and unique color scheme. The color of the back is white, there are brown stripes on the paws, purple ears, burgundy eyes.

Male color "white-pink velvet"

Video - Examples of chinchilla colors

The nuances of crossing chinchillas of the main breeds

In this section, we describe the features of crossing chinchillas. It must be remembered that family ties between chinchillas should be avoided, as this will lead to degeneration of the breed. The results of most known crosses are presented in the table.

When breeding gray chinchillas, they are used to improve the physical parameters of other individuals: fur density, body weight. Breeders are advised to keep 7-10% of the entire population of high quality representatives of this species.

Chinchilla "black velvet" breakfast

It is worth refusing to hybridize a pair of chinchillas of the velvet gene, since it is not necessary to cross two representatives of black velvet color, because there is a high probability of the absence of offspring or its non-viability. Hybridization with snow-white Wilson gives a shade of snow-white velvet, with heterobeige - coffee velvet, with purple in 2 steps - purple velvet, with sapphire, also in 2 steps - sapphire velvet.

From the Wilsonian snow-white chinchilla, snow-white, silver, mosaic chinchillas are obtained with a similar probability. Representatives of this species, like dark velvet, have a deadly gene, therefore it is not recommended to cross two individuals of the same species. Snow-white velvet is not suitable for further selection, because it inherited 2 lethal genes from its parents. The most successful choice for crossing will be a homo- or hetero-beige chinchilla.

Individuals of beige color are successful for selection. They give offspring with 2 dominant genes. Hybridization with black velvet produces brown velvet , and with snow-white Wilson - pink-white. Beige chinchillas can be crossed with any other. Moreover, it is possible to get a chocolate or smoky color by crossing them with representatives endowed with the ebony gene. One of the manifestations of this gene is a painted abdomen. The degree of color of the abdomen is proportional to the degree of dominance of this gene, so that the less colored the abdomen, the weaker the gene in this individual. It also adds shine to the coat. It is better to combine individuals with the ebony gene with carriers of the same gene to preserve the quality of the fur in the offspring (the ebony gene tends to reduce its influence when crossing).

Homobeige individuals are obtained as a result of crossing two homobeige, two heterobeige, or hetero- and homobeige. This color is very much appreciated by breeders, because it makes it possible to avoid the appearance of ordinary gray cubs. When homobeige individuals are hybridized with ordinary ones, they are heterobeige, with black velvet - brown velvet or heterobeige, with heterobeige - homo- or heterobeige.

Brown velvet, when hybridized with individuals with the ebony gene, makes it possible to obtain a velvet pastel. It is noticeable in the color of the fur of the cubs in the form of a coffee or smoky shade with a painted belly. Also, the result of crossing these subspecies can be a rare young generation with the presence of beige and velvet genes.

Fur shade - velvet pastel

When combining white-pink and beige chinchillas, homozygous white-pink are obtained. Them feature have ears of a soft brown hue and clear eyes. The lethal gene is present. Can be crossed with regular or dark velvet. In the case of hybridization with the second, up to 8 different combinations can be obtained!

Velvety white-pink has 4 sets of genes from white, beige, gray and velvet counterparts at once. However, when looking for a pair for crossing, it is worth considering the presence of a pair of lethal genes in him at once. good choice can become homo- and heterobeige individuals.

The nuances of crossing minor breeds

individuals snow white ebony They have black and white fur. The degree of saturation of a particular color varies, for example, the main color is white, and black represents only partial blotches on the fur, color of the eyes, ears. White ebony has a lethal gene. This color is derived by crossing white hetero- and homoebony. It is not recommended to hybridize it with representatives of white flowers.

The representatives of the color velvet pastel the color of the back is bronze-brown, velvety lines on the paws. The eyes are mostly brick-colored or a shade close to it. This color is derived by crossing pastels with brown velvet or velvet ebony. When hybridizing velvet pastels and pastels, there is a chance to get rare and valuable cubs with a beautiful chocolate-velvet shade of fur.

Homoebony is now considered the most interesting of the breeding colors. Its color is completely black, but perfectly black individuals are very rare and very expensive. Homoebony is usually bred together with hetero. Cubs are obtained with beautiful fur. There is also a chance to get a homobeige, chocolate brown, lilac individual.

Chinchilla color "homoebony"

heteroebony in turn, they breed better than homo. The coat color can vary from light to dark. The light hybrid has additional white hairs on the tail. You can get it after crossing a homoebony with a gray chinchilla.

Chinchilla color "heteroebony"

Violet (lilac) fur color. The back shimmers with purple tones. Breeders settle standard gray animals with these animals, which are carriers of the purple gene. This method allows you not to lose the quality of the fur.

To get the purple velvet color, you need to go through 2 steps:

1. Hybridization of representatives of black velvet and purple.
2. After that, the resulting individuals are re-crossed with purple.

The fur of this subspecies is purple, darker than that of the common lilac chinchilla.

At the end I would like to mention sapphire color. Fur in this case happens different shades blue gamma. Crossing one or a pair of sapphire representatives results in cubs of the same color.

Video - Features of breeding diamond chinchillas

A rodent from the chinchilla family, similar either to, or to a large, or maybe to or, came to our apartments from a distant South America. There you can find two types of chinchillas: with a long or short tail. The local Indians greatly appreciated the skin of chinchillas, but in Europe, animal fur products became so popular that it negatively affected the population of wild chinchillas. Source:

Now the animals are bred on farms for fur, and lovers are happy to keep them in urban areas. As a pet, the chinchilla is unpretentious, it gets used to a person well.

Chinchilla sizes- 20-35 cm without a tail, the coat is very thick and pleasant to the touch. They are able to make friends with their own kind: hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits. Often found mutual language with cats, but it all depends on the individual characteristics of pets, it is recommended to be careful when meeting.

Chinchilla colors

The animal leads night image life, females are larger than males. The standard color is agouti, in which the uneven color of each hair forms a beautiful silver-blue color. However, thanks to genetic work, the following chinchilla colors: black velvet, beige, white, ebony, sapphire, violet, blue velvet, brown velvet, pastel and some other colors.

Chinchilla care does not fundamentally differ from caring for other rodents, but there are some features. The cage should be spacious and multi-tiered. A house, branches, ladders are placed inside. The chinchilla is toilet trained, so a tray with sawdust or filler is placed in the corner of the cage. Sawdust or pressed shavings are used as bedding, although some do not use it at all.

The cage should have a bath with fine sand, which is sifted and changed from time to time. Daily bathing in the sand replace chinchillas water procedures and essential for hair care. Sand should be sieved once a week, and changed 1-2 times a month. The bedding and filler for the tray are changed once a week, and the complete cleaning and disinfection of the cage is carried out 1-2 times a month. It is necessary to clean the feeder and drinker every day so that the chinchilla does not suffer from digestive disorders (more on this in our material).

What to feed a chinchilla

The cage contains a manger for hay, a feeder and an automatic drinker for rodents. Water should be fresh, it is better to pour boiled water daily.

There should always be hay in the cage and ready food for chinchillas. Food is purchased at a pet store (Prestige, Sluis) or ordered from nurseries. Be sure to put a mineral stone for rodents, and constantly give branches of fruit and deciduous trees(apple, pear, raspberry, linden, willow, birch).

As complementary foods, they give out cereals (lentils, oats, rye hercules) in dry or sprouted form, dried dandelions, pieces of dried carrots and apples, dried rose hips, clover, plantain, yarrow, nettle, pumpkin seeds. Source:

Starting in spring, you can gradually accustom to succulent feed. Leaves, shoots, grass are first given little by little, after drying. abundance succulent feed often causes diarrhea in a pet. Food is given once a day (in the evening) in such a way that the chinchilla eats everything.

Chinchilla at home

Chinchillas are easy to learn: at first, approach the cage as often as possible, talk with the animal, treat it with rose hips or seeds from your hands. Gradually, the animal will get used to it and stop being afraid, then you can very carefully take the chinchilla in your arms. Try not to pick up too often, the fur of the animal does not like to be touched. No need to abruptly grab the animal, hold it by force - your pet is very shy, so treat it with the utmost care.

Do not deny your pet free movement around the apartment. When the chinchilla gets used to you and is not afraid, you can let it out for 1-2 hours to walk around the house. At the same time, carefully monitor the animal and take precautions: wires, slots, necessary and dangerous items should not be available to chinchillas.

Chinchilla breeding

If you want to breed these cute animals, then it is better to immediately take a pair and a spare cage, because. males are deposited during the period of rearing offspring. It is also practiced to keep one male and several females together. Individuals can be allowed to breed for 8-9 months, a couple can bring 2-3 litters per year, each from 1 to 6 babies, which are fed by the mother up to 3-3.5 months. Chinchillas retain the ability to reproduce up to 8-12 years.

How long do chinchillas live

And of course, many who want to have a chinchilla should be interested in the question of the life expectancy of a chinchilla. It turns out that these rodents, unlike their smaller counterparts (for example,) live much longer - with good conditions content and proper care For a chinchilla, your pet can live 17-20 years.

Where to buy a chinchilla

The chinchilla is not such a popular pet as, say, or, however, some pet stores allow, if not immediately buy chinchilla then at least make a reservation for it. As a rule, in this case, the store contacts a specialized chinchilla nursery and after a while your order is fulfilled. If you have the opportunity to directly contact the breeder of chinchillas and order a rodent from him, then this is even more best way. As for bird markets, chinchillas get there by accident and the risk of acquiring a sick animal is quite high. Therefore, we still do not recommend buying chinchillas in bird markets.

There is nothing surprising in the popularity of chinchillas - this cute animal lives for about 20 years, loves active games and does not need special maintenance (except perhaps in a large spacious cage). He also looks very funny! To make it easier for you to choose the perfect friend for yourself, we have collected photos of all types of chinchillas in one article.

Two main types of chinchillas

AT wild nature meet:

• small longtail, she is a coastal chinchilla. The body size is 22-40cm, and luxurious fluffy tail reaches 17 cm in length, giving the animal a resemblance to a squirrel. The ears are large and rounded, the eyes are dark and expressive.

• Large or short-tailed chinchilla. Larger, has a thick neck, short powerful legs and a short tail.

For home breeding the most commonly used is the first species, the long-tailed chinchilla.

The natural color of wild animals is gray-blue, the abdomen is lighter. It is thanks to this color of fur that rodents manage to hide between stones, hiding from the watchful eyes of predators.

As a result of natural mutations and painstaking work of breeders, about 200 species of chinchillas were obtained. Some of them have a uniform coat color, others have specks. We will tell you about the main and most interesting ones.

The main colors of chinchillas

There are 8 basic colors:

• Natural grey.
• White.
• Heterozygous beige.
• Homozygous beige.
• Sapphire.
• Ebony.
• Violet.
• Carbonic.

Standard gray or natural- natural wild color, from which all the rest are derived. The hair is very dyed in an interesting way: the root part is bluish-gray, the middle is white, and the tip is dark.

White chinchillas are divided into several subspecies - here are albinos with a perfectly snow-white skin and bright red eyes, and white recessive ones, among which there is a spotted color, and white dominant ones with a beautiful silvery or yellowish tint.

Heterozygousbeige. The color of the coat is dark beige, with a tint of lavender or chocolate and a pronounced veil.

Homozygous beige. The coat is lighter, with a white or almost white bottom. The eyes of representatives of both beige colors are red.

Sapphire. Deep grey-blue coat and light belly. The eyes are pale pink. Sapphire chinchillas are usually noticeably smaller than the rest.

ebony. There are homozygous and heterozygous. In the former, the fur is very dark, the color of a black wing, in the latter, the sides and tummy may be slightly lighter.

Violet. Highly beautiful view with a dark purple back, gray sides and a light tummy.

Carbonic. Deep black, no light stripe, and brownish tint is considered unacceptable. The eyes of representatives of this species are also completely black.

And other interesting colors

Unfortunately, we will not be able to tell about all 200 species in one material, so we will limit ourselves to a few more beautiful colors of chinchillas.

Black velvet. One of the most popular options is that the back, head and neck are jet black, while the tummy is white. The fur is very soft and elastic. The color of these unusual animals is also called artillery velvet or velveteen.

Brownvelvet. Obtained by crossing black velvet and homozygous beige. These animals have long fluffy fur of a rich brown hue.

white-pink. Highly interesting view- fur is snow-white with a pale pink veil. They are also called apple trees.

A feature of all chinchillas, regardless of coat color, is an amazing charming appearance, playfulness and soft thick coat. And which view did you like the most?

Chinchillas are small animals from the order of rodents native to South America. Their habitat is the highlands of the South American Andes. Currently, there are very few chinchillas left in the wild; these animals were hunted for their fur, as a result of which the species is on the verge of extinction. Since the middle of the last century, chinchillas have been bred by amateurs as pets.

The chinchilla was first described by the English zoologist Edward Bennett in 1829.

Chinchilla - description and external characteristics

In appearance, the chinchilla resembles a large squirrel (they weigh from 300 to 800 g, and the males are smaller than the females), and in terms of the way they move, they are more like a rabbit. They have a very thick, fine and soft coat, large dark eyes and large ears. Ears - the only organ of chinchillas that allows you to reduce body temperature - they are covered with a dense network of capillaries.

The body length of chinchillas is from 22 to 38 cm, the tail is 10-17 cm. The hind legs are longer than the front ones, due to which their movement resembles rabbit jumps. Number of fingers: on the hind limbs - four, and on the front - five. The front paws can make grasping movements.

The number of teeth reaches 20, and they grow throughout life. Therefore, it is very important for chinchillas to be able to chew on something.

Baby chinchillas have teeth white color, but in adult animals they acquire an orange color.

What are the types of chinchillas?

Chinchillas are of two types:

• The short-tailed chinchilla is a rare and almost extinct species. It is the short-tailed chinchilla that has the most valuable fur.
• Long-tailed chinchilla - still found in small groups in the wild. It was this chinchilla that became the well-known domestic animal.

Chinchillas in the wild are found in the dry mountainous regions of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. In these zones, the temperature in summer does not exceed +24 C o, and in winter it drops to -20 C o. The climate is dry, windy and cold. It is thanks to such living conditions that chinchillas have very valuable and thick fur.

Vegetation in the area where wild chinchillas live is quite scarce. It grows mainly cacti, shrubs, some cereal plants and herbs. Such habitat conditions affected the diet of these animals. Their incredibly long intestines allow them to extract nutrients from rather scarce food. In an adult animal, the length of the small and large intestines reaches 3.5 m. Wild chinchillas feed only on plant foods: branches and bark of shrubs, succulents, dry herbs and leaves.

Chinchillas live in groups and are nocturnal. Up to hundreds of animals can live in one group. During the day, they hide in natural hiding places, such as crevices in rocks or in burrows dug by other animals. To protect against predators, the colony always has "observers" who warn the whole family of the danger with loud sounds.

Chinchillas are nocturnal animals big eyes and long sensitive whiskers (vibrissae) allow them to move unerringly in the dark.

AT natural conditions chinchillas form pairs. They produce one offspring per year. There are usually 2-4 cubs in a litter.

Unfortunately, at present the number of wild animals is very small, only about ten thousand. In 2008, the long-tailed chinchilla was declared critically endangered. And the short-tailed chinchilla, unfortunately, is an endangered species.

How many years do chinchillas live in the wild?

Approximately, wild chinchillas live for about five years.

Chinchillas feed on various herbaceous plants, mosses, cereals and legumes, as well as shrubs, cacti, tree bark, and insects.

Chinchilla breeding

Chinchillas reach sexual maturity at eight months of age. When possible, they form monogamous pairs. Pregnancy lasts quite a long time - 105 - 110 days, so females can give birth no more than two to three times a year. Usually 2-4 almost fully developed babies are born. They have open eyes, erupted teeth, they are completely covered with hair and are able to move independently.

What sounds do chinchillas make?

In nature, chinchillas live in groups and have developed a way of communicating with sounds. Their range ranges from a soft and quiet rumbling to a sharp whistle:

• mating rumble calls of the male for mating;
• the squeak of babies is a demand for attention from the mother or food;
• protest - sharp sounds that chinchillas make during a quarrel or warning of danger;
• chinchillas make very sharp and high-pitched sounds in a rage, in a state of severe fright or when they feel pain.

Chinchillas are extremely mobile animals, they love to jump, run and play. Life expectancy in captivity depends on how they are kept. How long can a chinchilla live at home? If you are attentive to nutrition, keep animals in a spacious cage, give them the opportunity to communicate and move, then they can live long enough: eight to ten years or more.

Character

By nature, chinchillas are very affectionate and tame, they almost never bite. The animal can bite only in a state of strong fright. All chinchillas are different, some like to be caressed, while others do not, and these qualities of character must be respected. What chinchillas do not tolerate is violence. In order to achieve mutual understanding with the animal, you need to show patience and perseverance, to respect the peculiarities of his character and behavior.

After acquiring a chinchilla, you need to leave it alone for about a week, let it settle in a new place. Then, non-persistently, you need to stretch out your hand to her with a treat. If the chinchilla wants to, she will come up herself, take a treat and climb into her arms. If not, you need to continue to tame it day by day until the animal gets used to you.

A chinchilla may be offended if left alone for a long time or simply do not pay attention to it. She will not want to play with you and will not even take a treat from your hands.

Chinchillas are very good at manipulating their owners. They know exactly what needs to be done to get what they want: they will sit in a corner and look at you with sad eyes, or they will jump on their hind legs to get a treat or go for a walk around the room.

Is it possible to teach a chinchilla to go to the tray

Chinchillas are very smart and learn quickly. It is very easy to teach them to go to the tray: put it in the cage in the place where the animal usually goes to the toilet, while you need to remove all the bedding and wipe the floor of the cage with lemon. Chinchilla will immediately understand what needs to be done.

Tray

The second way: to allow the animal to first go to the toilet on the entire bedding at the bottom of the cage, but gradually reducing it every day. When a small patch remains, replace it with a small tray. The main thing is to change the bedding every day so that the cage is always dry.

Chinchilla color

The natural color of chinchillas is gray, but not uniform, they have a dark back and a white tummy. Color can vary in saturation from light gray to almost black.

Numerous color variations have been bred by amateurs: white, black, beige, brown and others. There are also purple chinchillas, although their color is not quite purple, but gray with a bluish or slight purple tint. In total, there are about 240 different shades of color of domestic chinchillas.

Golden color

How to tell a male from a female chinchilla

Despite the fact that males are usually smaller than females, it is quite difficult to distinguish them from each other. In nature, females are larger and more aggressive than males, but at home they practically do not differ in either behavior or color. The only way to determine the sex of an animal is simply to look at its genitals. In boys, the distance between the anus and the urethra is approximately 3-4 mm, while in girls there is no such pronounced gap.

Chinchillas are rather delicate animals, and their diet at home must be selected very carefully. What do chinchillas eat? The main food for them is dry hay (it must be properly dried, with a pleasant smell of herbs).

Fresh, quality hay should always be in the cage. If there is not enough hay, the animal may die.

In addition to hay, the chinchilla is fed with special feeds, and as complementary foods, cereal flakes, dried leaves, herbs or roots, corn and flax seeds, dried pieces of vegetables are suitable. These animals are happy to gnaw branches of fruit trees and bushes: apple trees, cherries, raspberries or currants. The main thing is that everything is dry and does not contain moisture.

Chinchillas need to be given water. Make sure the water is always fresh.

A responsible attitude to the selection of food for chinchillas prolongs their life, more than half of the animals die prematurely from intestinal disorders.

Reproduction at home

For breeding at home, they take a male and female chinchilla aged at least eight months and weighing at least 500 g. Before giving birth, it is advisable to transplant the male in order to allow the female to calmly give birth to babies and relax.

Content at home

At home, keeping chinchillas and caring for them is not difficult. But there are some important conditions that must be adhered to. Chinchillas need spacious, wide cages, preferably tall, cage-like, they are very active and need to move a lot. For one animal, a cage of the following sizes is suitable: 100 cm high, 80 cm long and 50 cm wide.

Chinchillas like to climb to heights, so it is advisable to give them this opportunity by installing wooden shelves in the cage. Ladders are not needed to connect the floors, since chinchillas love to jump very much. In addition to shelves, it is desirable to install in a cage: a spacious wooden house, hammocks, tunnels and a running wheel.

Chewing toys are also needed. It can be: small branches, wooden blocks, salt or chalk stone.

When choosing a cage, pay attention to the presence of plastic parts, they should not be in the cage, because. chinchillas gnaw and eat everything, and plastic can cause intestinal obstruction and death of the animal.

In addition, the chinchilla needs to be released from the cage for a couple of hours a day, but at the same time it must be observed, since they love to gnaw on everything that comes their way, including wires and furniture.

The bottom of the cage can be left clean, without filler, and in the corner of the cage you can install a tray where the chinchilla will go to the toilet.

A container of sand can be placed in and next to the cage several times a week. You do not need to leave it for a long time, because too much bathing in chinchillas can dry out the skin.

If there is no filler at the bottom of the cage, then every day the cage should be swept with a small broom, removing excrement. It is advisable to wipe the shelves daily with natural detergents.

Chinchilla Health

A healthy adult animal should weigh at least 500 g. You also need to pay attention to the color of the teeth. If the teeth begin to turn white, losing their orange color, this is the first sign of calcium deficiency. Fur should be smooth and shiny.

People often ask if a chinchilla needs special care. Special care is not needed, but it is better to consult a veterinarian if you notice that your animal:

• refuses to eat;
• lethargic and passive;
• tumbles to the side.

In the room where the animal lives, the air temperature should not be higher than 26 degrees. Heat air can cause heatstroke in a chinchilla.

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.

AT wild environment a real hunt has been declared on 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 according to the 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 them appearance 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 - pet many.

Lifestyle of chinchillas in nature and in captivity

Chinchillas are wild animals that prefer rocky and highlands.

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 have a bite of a large cricket or nocturnal butterfly. Although it is not recommended to give them fresh vegetables and fruits when kept in captivity, 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 a twilight lifestyle, 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 is a rare sight in South America.

Chinchilla breeding

It is not possible to scientifically track the relationship between a male and a female in the wild, so the whole idea comes down to observing 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 large quantity she will bring babies. The first time it 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.