Chinchillas have been documented to live to an average of six years in the wild.In zoos, this number is lessened to four years.However, in captivity, there have been chinchillas functioning as pets that live to be over 20 years old (Spotorno et al. 2004b).
Chinchilla young are born highly developed, after a short gestation period of, on average, 111 days.After birth, baby chinchillas have a full fur coat, teeth, open eyes, and weigh around 30-60 grams.Once delivered, they are able to walk within an hour.Young chinchillas reach sexual maturity within six to nine months of birth.Once they have reached sexual maturity, females may give birth to two to three litters per year.The average number of offspring per litter is generally around one to four (Saunders 2009).
Under captivity, these animals must be socialized and handled at a young age in order to interact positively with humans.They can make great pets for adults, but are not ideal for young children as they need to be handled with great care.Chinchillas are not generally aggressive animals; they rarely bite and never scratch (Saunders 2009).
The recommended amounts of dietary components for companionate chinchillas are as follows: 10-20% protein, 2-5% fat, and 15-35% bulk fiber.It is also highly suggested to supply chinchillas with timothy hay and a woodblock.Chinchilla teeth are rootless, and therefore, never stop growing.Chewing on a woodblock helps to maintain teeth and prevent oral diseases (Spotorno et al. 2004b).
The genus, Chinchilla, is a member of the family Chinchillidae, which falls into the order of Rodentia.Chinchillidae is a monophyletic group, containing the genera Chinchilla, Lagidium, and Lagostomus. These three genera are all endemic to South America. The genus, Chinchilla, is comprised of two species, Chinchilla lanigera, and Chinchilla brevicaudata (Spotorno et al. 2004a).Within the family, Chinchilla more closely related to Lagidium, the mountain viscachas, than to Lagostomus, the pampas viscachas.The distinctiveness of the two species of Chinchilla is supported by their molecular (DNA sequence) differences, morphological differences and male sterility in hybrids (Spotorno et al. 2004a). Both species of Chinchilla are now considered to be endangered in the wild (Saunders 2009).Despite coming close to extinction, they have become better known in the wild and common as domesticated pets.Chinchilla lanigera originated from north-central Chile, but is now found also in some areas in Peru, and in the low mountains and hills of Chile.Chinchilla brevicaudata came from the mountains of Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, and in the northern part of Chile.Yet, there is speculation that there are no longer any existing wild populations of C. brevicaudata (Jimènez 1996).Once discovered, these animals became valuable for their wool, meat, and pelt. Chinchillas have now become popular as domesticated pets and lab animals within the United States.There are suggestions that there has been some cross breeding between the two species in captivity (Spotorno et al. 2004a).These unique animals are small with very dense, silky fur in shades of grey, white, and black.Their long tails are generally covered in coarse black hair.In addition, they have very large ears which are important to their highly developed hearing systems.In the wild, they live in holes and tunnels, or under rocks in dry, sandy environments.As social animals, chinchillas generally live in colonies of around 100 members. These animals are mainly herbivores, feeding on various kinds of herbs and grasses (Spotorno et al. 2004b).
Chinchillas can easily be distinguished from the other genera of Chinchillidae by their size.Whereas the viscachas (Lagidium, and Lagostomus) are large rodents of up to 9kg, the chinchillas are usually around 0.5kg.The most defining difference between Chinchilla lanigera and Chinchilla brevicaudata is in their size and body shape.Chinchilla lanigera are referred to as long-tailed chinchillas, whereas Chinchilla brevicaudata are referred to as short-tailed chinchillas (Jimènez 1996).As a whole, the most notable characteristics of the Chinchilla species are their fur and ears.The fur of these animals is known for its silky touch.The fur is very thick due to the number of hairs contained in each hair follicle.There may be up to 90 hairs emanating from each hair follicle (Saunders 2009).These hairs are adapted for keeping the animal warm in their original cold, dry climates of the mountains.The hair is also unique in that it helps to minimize dander, and is, in essence, odorless and hypoallergenic, making them desirable pets.The dorsal coat can be a variety of colors: grey white, black, charcoal, or sometimes a bluish color.The ventral coat, in comparison, is a yellow-white color.Maintenance and grooming of their hair is through dust baths, which helps to remove dirt and excess oil in the coat of the chinchilla.The “dust” in these baths should be ground pumice or silver sand (Saunders 2009).
These small rodents in the wild weigh on average 412 grams as males, and 422 grams as females.In comparison, domesticated chinchillas weigh significantly more: males at 600 grams and females at 800 grams on average (Spotorno et al. 2004b).These numbers reveal a strong sexual dimorphism between males and females. This size difference is due to structural differences between the two sexes. Female Chinchilla lanigera are characterized by larger pelvis and viscerocranium bones.Also, males tend to have a faster growth period than the females (Lammers et al. 2001).These differences in size and development between the sexes are thought to be adaptive. Females may need a larger pelvis in order to give birth to young.The viscerocranium of the female may be larger if females consume larger food items (Lammers et al. 2001). In addition to being the larger of the sexes, females also tend to be dominant over males (Saunders 2009).
Chinchillas are nocturnal animals.They tend to be most active around the hours of dawn and dusk, and sleep most of the daytime hours.They are very curious explorers of their surrounding habitats (Saunders 2009). They are capable of very quick movements such as running and jumping (Spotorno et al. 2004b).It has been recorded that they can jump to heights of five meters both horizontally as well as vertically. Chinchillas are very vocal animals, using chirps, hiccups, and clucks to communicate different feelings or emotions (Saunders 2009).When under stress they may make “eek-eek” or “nyak-nyak” noises.Shedding fur is another response to stressful conditions (Spotorno et al. 2004b).
Chinchillas are either of two species (Chinchilla chinchilla and Chinchilla lanigera)[3] of crepuscular rodents of the parvorder Caviomorpha. They are slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America.[4] They live in colonies called "herds" at high elevations up to 4,270 m (14,000 ft). Historically, chinchillas lived in an area that included parts of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, but today, colonies in the wild are known only in Chile.[5] Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae. They are also related to the chinchilla rat.
The chinchilla has the densest fur of all mammals that live on land, with around 20,000 hairs per square inch and 50 hairs growing from each follicle.[6] In the water, the sea otter has a denser coat. The chinchilla is named after the Chincha people of the Andes, who once wore its dense, velvet-like fur.[7] By the end of the 19th century, chinchillas had become quite rare after being hunted for their ultra-soft fur. Most chinchillas currently used by the fur industry for clothing and other accessories are farm-raised.[8] Domestic chinchillas descended from C. lanigera are sometimes kept as pets, and may be considered a type of pocket pet.
The two living species of chinchilla are Chinchilla chinchilla[1][2] (formerly known as Chinchilla brevicaudata) and Chinchilla lanigera. C. chinchilla has a shorter tail, a thicker neck and shoulders, and shorter ears than C. lanigera. The former species is currently facing extinction; the latter, though rare, can be found in the wild.[9] Domesticated chinchillas are thought to be of the C. lanigera species.
Chinchillas formerly occupied the coastal regions, hills, and mountains of Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia. Overexploitation caused the downturn of these populations and, as early as 1914, one scientist claimed that the species was headed for extinction. Five years of fieldwork (published in 2007) in Jujuy Province, Argentina, failed to find a single specimen. Populations in Chile were thought extinct by 1953, but the animal was found to inhabit an area in the Antofagasta Region in the late 1900s and early 2000s. The animal may be extinct in Bolivia and Peru, though one specimen found (in a restaurant in Cerro de Pasco) may hail from a native population.[5]
In their native habitats, chinchillas live in burrows or crevices in rocks. They are agile jumpers and can jump up to 1.8 m (6 ft). Predators in the wild include birds of prey, skunks, felines, snakes and canines. Chinchillas have a variety of defensive tactics, including spraying urine and releasing fur if bitten. In the wild, chinchillas have been observed eating plant leaves, fruits, seeds, and small insects.[9]
In nature, chinchillas live in social groups that resemble colonies, but are properly called herds. Herd sizes can range from 14 members up to 100, this is both for social interaction as well as protection from predators.[10] Chinchillas reach sexual maturity at eight months. They can breed any time of the year, though breeding season typically falls between May and November. They are typically monogamous.[11] Their gestation period is 111 days, longer than most rodents. Due to this long pregnancy, chinchillas are born fully furred and with eyes open. Litters are usually small in number, predominantly two.[12]
Both species of chinchilla are currently listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to a severe population loss approximated at a 90% global population loss over the last 15 years.[1] The severe population decline has been caused by chinchilla hunting by humans. The long tailed-species was listed on The IUCN Red List as “Very rare and believed to be decreasing in numbers” in 1965. From 1982 to 1996, both species were listed as Indeterminate. In 2006, the long-tailed species was listed as "Vulnerable" while the short-tailed species was listed as "Critically Endangered". By 2008, both were listed as "Critically Endangered", and in 2016 they were reclassified as "Endangered" due to limited recovery in some areas.[13][14]
Chinchilla fur trade on an international level goes back to the 16th century. Their fur is popular due to its extremely soft feel, which is caused by the sprouting of 60 hairs (on average) from each hair follicle. The color is usually very even, which makes it ideal for small garments or the lining of larger ones, though some large pieces can be made entirely from the fur. A single, full-length coat made from chinchilla fur may require as many as 150 pelts, as chinchillas are relatively small.[15] Their use for fur led to the extinction of one species, and put serious pressure on the other two. Though it is illegal to hunt wild chinchillas, they are now on the verge of becoming extinct because of continued poaching. Domesticated chinchillas are still bred for fur.[16]
The domestic chinchilla is descended from Chinchilla lanigera, the long-tailed Chinchilla. They are more common one in the wild, as the other species, Chinchilla chinchilla, or short-tailed Chinchilla, has been hunted nearly to extinction. Therefore, domestic chinchillas have thinner bodies, longer tails and larger ears. In the wild, the average life-span of a chinchilla is ten years; however, they could live up to 20 years in human care.[11]
Chinchillas are popular pets, though they require extensive exercise and dental care,[17] due to their teeth continually growing throughout their life span, and since they lack the ability to sweat, they require a temperature-controlled environment.[18]
The animals instinctively clean their fur by taking dust baths, in which they roll around in special dust made of fine pumice, a few times a week; they do not bathe in water. Their thick fur resists parasites, such as fleas, and reduces loose dander.[19]
Pet chinchillas require easy access to food, water, and hiding places, where they can sleep undisturbed for extended periods of time. Chinchillas are typically highly social creatures, so owners should interact often with their pets. They also have sensitive hearing and are easily startled by loud, unexpected noises.[20]
Chinchillas have been used in research since the 1950s. Since the 1970s, the prime interest in chinchillas by researchers is their auditory system.[21] Other research fields in which chinchillas are used as an animal model include the study of Chagas disease, gastrointestinal diseases, pneumonia, and listeriosis, as well as of Yersinia and Pseudomonas infections.[22]
Chinchillas live active lives and can recover well from minor physical injury.[23] Fractures may be problematic, because chinchillas sit on their hind legs and eat with their front paws, so many types of injuries will disturb their natural eating behavior.[23]
Chinchilla breeders sometimes report seeing their animals have convulsions. Typically this happens only irregularly and then only for a few seconds, and not more than a few minutes at the most.[24] Convulsions are a symptom that can have many causes, including a brain problem such as hemorrhaging, a vitamin or dietary element deficiency in the diet, or some kind of nervous system injury.[24] If convulsions are observed after chinchillas mate then it is likely related to a circulatory problem.[24] Some chinchillas who are kept in groups have stress convulsions during feeding if they see other chinchillas getting food first.[25] Vitamin B, cardiac medication, or a calcium injection may be used to prevent convulsions.[24]
Listeriosis is not a typical chinchilla disease, but in group housing conditions it can spread as a digestive tract disease in a community.[26] Pasteurella can be contracted from food and then transmitted among a group of chinchillas.[27] Symptoms include apathy, digestive disorder, and fever.[28] Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are widely distributed in nature and can affect chinchillas like many other animals.[29] They can cause wide deaths in populations of chinchillas and spontaneous abortion in pregnant chinchillas.[29]
Respiratory tract infections can be caused by many pathogens, but, regardless of cause, usually result in difficult breathing and a nasal discharge.[30] Young chinchilla are more likely to be affected and these infections are unlikely to result in an epidemic, even if transmissible.[30]
Gastrointestinal disorders are observed as either constipation or diarrhea.[30] These are almost always the result of a problem with the diet, but if the diet is optimal, they could be the symptom of an infectious disease.[31] Constipation in chinchillas is difficult to observe in groups because it may not be obvious than an animal is not contributing to the population's waste.[31] If it is identified, mild treatments include feeding paraffin to soften the feces.[31]
Chinchillas are easily distressed, and when they are unhappy, they may exhibit physical symptoms.[32] A common indicator of stress in pet chinchillas is fur-chewing (or fur barbering), an excessive grooming behavior that results in uneven patches of fur; chinchillas may chew their own fur or that of their cagemates.[33] Fur-chewing can sometimes be alleviated through changes in living environment, but is regarded by some experts to be passed genetically from parents to offspring.[34] Usually, fur-chewing itself is a benign symptom that does not cause physiological distress.[35]
Sick chinchillas may stop eating if they are stressed, which can make them even weaker.[36] Chinchillas that live in communities are especially sensitive in their breeding seasons of February to March and August to September.[36] Chinchillas are social animals and are likely to be upset to have their breeding mate changed in breeding season.[36] They are known to be disturbed by a change of diet in these times.[36]
Chinchillas may be treated with chloramphenicol, neomycin, or spectinomycin for digestive problems.[36] Sulfonamides dissolved in drinking water may be used.[37] Colistin can be an effective antibiotic.[37]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) Chinchillas are either of two species (Chinchilla chinchilla and Chinchilla lanigera) of crepuscular rodents of the parvorder Caviomorpha. They are slightly larger and more robust than ground squirrels, and are native to the Andes mountains in South America. They live in colonies called "herds" at high elevations up to 4,270 m (14,000 ft). Historically, chinchillas lived in an area that included parts of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, but today, colonies in the wild are known only in Chile. Along with their relatives, viscachas, they make up the family Chinchillidae. They are also related to the chinchilla rat.
The chinchilla has the densest fur of all mammals that live on land, with around 20,000 hairs per square inch and 50 hairs growing from each follicle. In the water, the sea otter has a denser coat. The chinchilla is named after the Chincha people of the Andes, who once wore its dense, velvet-like fur. By the end of the 19th century, chinchillas had become quite rare after being hunted for their ultra-soft fur. Most chinchillas currently used by the fur industry for clothing and other accessories are farm-raised. Domestic chinchillas descended from C. lanigera are sometimes kept as pets, and may be considered a type of pocket pet.
