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Identification
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Descending from South America's Andes Mountains, a chinchilla is foot-long rodent that resembles a mouse, a rabbit and squirrel. It has a long furry tail and mouse ears, and can easily be mistaken for rabbit. Today they are popular house pets, especially for children. They have the highest density of fur thickness of any land mammal.
History
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The South American tribe known as the Chinchas, who wore chinchillas' fur, first introduced these small rodents to the western world in the 1500s, giving them the name chinchillas. Because of too much hunting, they almost became extinct. But thanks to Mathias Chapman, they survived as he brought eleven chinchillas to the United States in 1923. The Chilean government made laws to protect the species. Over time, there were enough chinchillas to be offered as pets, gaining popularity in the 1960s.
Features
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Because chinchillas love to chew, they have to be housed in wire cages so they won't destroy furniture or injure themselves chewing electrical wires.
Chinchillas are known for jumping as high as five feet. An omnivorous species, they eat fruits such as berries, seeds and insects.
They clean their coats daily, taking dirt baths (also known as ash baths). Don't try to bath them because if moisture stays on their coats it can result in fungi and ringworm.
Benefits
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Besides being hypo-allergenic, chinchillas have many other advantages as house pets. They're friendly and intelligent. Chinchillas even know their names when you use it enough. Chinchillas make ideal family pets and are affectionate. After getting to know you, they will even jump into your lap for petting.
They provide entertainment. It's fun to watch them roll on their play equipment and miniature cage gym. It's easy to transport them. If you have to go away, it's not hard to get a neighbor to feed them. Because they eat and drink from self-feeding containers, caretakers don't have to come every day or even every other day, so it's easy to find caretakers. Unlike caring for a dog, you don't have the expense of leaving them at a kennel.
Considerations
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If you already have a cat or dog, don't adopt a chinchilla as these small pets are a tasty snack. Even when they're caged, other pets can still frighten them.
Prices vary and are determined by color with rarer colors pricier. A standard chinchilla can run around $75 with rare colors such as extra dark ebony (homoebony) as high as $245.
Tips and Warnings
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Choose a large cage with plenty of chew toys. When you do let your chinchilla out, confine him to a safe area for about half an hour daily. Interact with him, with plenty of handling, reassuring your love.
Provide branches are for chewing and monitor temperature as chinchillas should never be too hot.
Don't snatch or grab your pet abruptly.
Warnings
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Keep your chinchillas out of heat. Because they can't sweat they can die from heat strokes. That's why they they're so adapted to digging underground in their native South America.
Be careful offering your fingers as they love to chew on new owners. Always offer a chew toy when socializing with them.
Although they can be trained, it's hard work and takes much patience. However they cannot be litter trained, so that's another reason to keep them caged.
Don't place one female and two males in the same cage as the males will continually fight over the female.
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About Chinchillas
When first introduced, most people don't even recognize this charming little creature that looks like a cross between a squirrel, a mouse and a rabbit. Unlike common pets as dogs and cats, chinchillas aren't as well known as house pets. Yet, if you'd love to have a pet but have allergies, you'll be relieved to learn that chinchillas are hypo-allergenic. Owners with allergies can even stick their noses into their fur and not have any allergic reactions.