1. The Mighty Chinchilla
Animal Science I

2. About Chinchillas… Originated in South America Nearly became extinct!!
Lives in Andes mountains
Nearly became extinct!!
Because of fur hunting
Used for fur coats
Takes pelts to make one coat!
That scarf in the picture is $650.00!!!

3. Color Groups Standard: most common White Beige Black
Blue-gray, white, beige, black
White
May also be silver-white and platinum-white
Beige
Light to medium and dark beige
Mating white with beige produces rose or apricot colors
Black
Black undercoat, gray-white band, and black tips of fur

4. Beige Black
Grey White

5. Characteristics Resemble rabbits with short ears and short, bushy tail
Tail looks like a squirrels
9-15” long
1-2 lbs.
Fur is about 1” long
Shed every 3 months

6. Priming line: distinct line of new hair which is darker than old hair
Prime fur: pelt that has been completely shed and new fur appeared
Large ears and eyes
Long, stiff wiskers
Make little noise, but squeak when upset
Very clean
Almost odor-free

7. Housing Nocturnal animals!! Metal and wire cage needed
Location of housing needs to be quiet during day
Metal and wire cage needed
They chew through wood and plastic
Small chinchillas can crawl through openings a square inch big!

8. Polygamous breeding cages:
Need to be kept apart
Polygamous breeding cages:
Three separate cages connected with holes in them by tunnels
Two females and one male
Male can go between cages
Females fitted with collars so they cannot go between cages (they will not fit)
Needs chew blocks in cage
Prevents maloclussion

9. Bathing Do not use water! Needs dust baths Twice a week
Small, rectangular pan with 2”-3” of powder placed in cage and left for about 5 minutes so chinchilla can “bathe”

10. Feeding Pelleted food Inadequate food will lead to fur chewing!
Ground alfalfa, corn, wheat and bran
supplements: grass, lettuce, carrots, celery, apples, pears
Inadequate food will lead to fur chewing!

11. Handling Cup hands around animal OR
Pick up by tail and put other hand under front
Chinchillas can release fur as a defense from getting picked up

12. Diseases
Suffer from: conjunctivitis (eye inflammation), otitis (ear infection), enteritis, pneumonia, uterine infections AND…..
Fur chewing: common problem
Chews fur on the flanks and leaves patches of short fur
Causes: poor nutrition, small cage, drafty conditions, boredom, high humidity

13. AND…. Malocclusion Convulsions: two types
One caused by lack of calcium
One caused by lack of vitamin B (may lead to paralysis and death)

14. Reproduction Estrus cycle is 28-35 days
First heat period around 5 months old
Cannot be bred until heat cycle
Gestation period is 111 days!!!
Cause of animal being so expensive
Any stress during pregnancy causes premature birth or abortion
Average litter is 2
Born fully furred, eyes open and full set of teeth!
Wean at six weeks old

15. Interesting…….
•Chinchillas have an average life span of years in the wild. However, in captivity a chinchilla can live up to 25 years if cared for properly.