Probably every animal lover has heard about chinchillas - the feedback from the owners about these animals is very good. But still, in terms of prevalence, they are significantly inferior, for example, to guinea pigs, rats and hamsters. Therefore, it is worth telling about them in more detail - perhaps some of the readers will want to settle this cute pet in their apartment.
Animal description
Start with the fact that these animals belong to the category of rodents. The body is quite large - depending on the gender and breed, its length can range from 22 to 38 centimeters. In this case, the tail length reaches 15-17 centimeters. On a large, slightly elongated head with curious eyes, rounded ears are located. Long vibrissae grow around the nose - sometimes they grow to 10 centimeters. The front legs are five-fingered, and the hind legs are four-fingered. But the latter are twice as long, which makes it possible for chinchillas to make serious high jumps. Thin, flexible fingers allow you to grab food, and also help to climb vertical surfaces.
In the ears there are special membranes that cover the ears and prevent the ingress of foreign objects during the sand baths. Males are slightly smaller than females. On average, their weight is 700 grams, while females - 800 grams.
Most active in the dark, when they go hunting. Large eyes, sensitive ears and long vibrissas give them the opportunity to navigate perfectly in the dark.
In general, the animals are very beautiful, even elegant. It is no coincidence that even the cat breed silver chinchilla appeared, the reviews of the owners about which are only positive.
Where do they live?
The birthplace of chinchillas is South America. Once upon a time they were found in huge numbers on the territory of Bolivia, Chile, Argentina. These rodents lived mainly on rocks, inhabiting heights from 500 to 4 thousand meters.
To their misfortune, they attracted the attention of people. Soft and very warm skin turned out to be an ideal choice for making clothes. It is not surprising that a hunt was quickly opened for rodents, more similar to total extermination. About 100 skins of tiny rodents left for one fur coat. Therefore, to date, their number in the wild has declined sharply. In some places of natural habitat, they completely ceased to exist.
Fortunately, chinchillas have taken root at home, the owners leave the best reviews about them. So they certainly do not face complete extinction, although these rodents occupy a certain section in the international Red Book.
Character
Before you start chinchillas, the reviews of the owners of the animals will need to be studied more closely. Many owners claim that these rodents are very different in temperament. Some are agile, fun and friendly. And others are distinguished by a gloomy character, inactivity, they like sleeping or combing their hair more than running. Moreover, individuals with completely different characters may well be found in one litter.
Therefore, it is very important to carefully study different pets in order to choose who will become the best friend for you. What is interesting - from the very first days of life, cubs have a rather pronounced character. Decide for yourself what is more important for you - a cheerful pet, with whom it will be interesting to play, or an ordinary rodent that successfully complements the interior of the room and is content with quality care. Only in this case, you and the established chinchilla will be really happy, and the union will bring a sea of positive to both sides.
In general, the animals are quite peaceful and calm, unlike other rodents that can bite for no particular reason. Wise chinchillas are capable of aggression (well, with the exception of individual misanthropes) only if they are offended, squeezed or scared. Therefore, they can be a good choice for children.
Also do not forget that the chinchilla is not a hamster at all, living on the strength of two or three years. No, this is a long-lived rodent that can survive with good care for 18-20 years. Therefore, approaching such a decision as the establishment of a chinchilla should be very, very serious.
We select a suitable cell
In order to prevent mistakes, it is not superfluous to study the reviews of the owners of chinchillas and draw the appropriate conclusions.
First of all, you need a cell. It should be quite large, not less than 50 x 50 centimeters. Most chinchillas love to run. Climb on any subject. Well, if you start not one individual, but several, then the cell should be increased at least one and a half times. Do not forget to add ladders, driftwood and other home decoration there, allowing rodents to spend excess energy.
The selection of a suitable installation location is also very important. Chinchillas, like other rodents, do not tolerate drafts. At the same time, overheating should not be allowed - the optimum temperature for them is 18-22 degrees. Therefore, you can not put the cage in direct sunlight or near a heating radiator.
How to care for them
In general, care is quite simple. It's nice that chinchillas don't smell, and it is precisely this minus that often scares potential breeders from rodents. But nevertheless, it will be necessary to carry out cleaning in the cage where one individual lives, at least once a week. Accordingly, if there are more pets, then you will have to clean up more often. That is why it is advisable to buy a cage with a retractable bottom - it allows you to easily and quickly get rid of scraps and debris.
It is very important to put a sand bath in the cage. Chinchillas are very fond of sand baths. After such a procedure, their mood improves, and the hair begins to shine. But washing them is not advisable - rodents already keep themselves in perfect cleanliness.
Do not forget about clean water. Chinchillas are quite active animals, so it is better to use a special nipple drinker. If you put water just in a small bowl, rodents will certainly turn it over or simply throw garbage there. And they simply refuse to drink dirty liquid.
On this, the subtleties of leaving end. Of course, we must not forget about proper feeding, but we will talk about this a little later.
Chinchilla Reviews
To learn more about an interesting rodent and decide whether it suits you, it is not superfluous to study the opinion of experienced breeders. So, what do the owners say about chinchilla (do not confuse British chinchilla with a cat)?
First of all, many distinguish the absence of an unpleasant odor characteristic of hamsters, rats and some other rodents. Of course, this is a huge plus. It is nice that most individuals are quite friendly, they will not show aggression without good reason. The wool is renewed gradually and almost imperceptibly, that is, in the process of molting, during which the whole cell will be clogged with old fur, you should not be afraid of this.
Finally, the life span is an order of magnitude longer than that of most rodents — up to 20 years! This can be called both a plus and a minus. On the one hand, the child will not be upset due to the loss of a pet, on the other hand, you take responsibility for the life of the pet for a long time. Surprisingly, chinchillas are quite touchy. For example, if you leave your pet unattended for several days (for example, having left somewhere), then he really can be offended. Stop eating, do not want to play. To regain confidence, you have to work hard: give a treat, stroke, gently talk.
How to feed her
In order for the pet to live a long, happy life and delight the owners with beauty, a cheerful character, it is very important to provide him with a suitable diet.
Some breeders prefer to buy pellets in which all the necessary substances are successfully balanced. And others believe that this solution is not ideal. On the one hand, granules are quite expensive, and on the other hand, giving a specially selected food, the owner knows exactly what trace elements and vitamins a pet receives.
Most of the diet should be cereals. It is better to make a mixture of oats, wheat and barley. This is the main food that gives the animal energy. To provide it with vitamins, it is necessary to introduce vegetables and berries into the diet. A great choice would be carrots, beets, rose hips, tomatoes, pumpkin.
Finally, we must not forget about the goodies. Here, a dried apple, dried apricots, raisins are suitable. It is dried - after eating fresh from a pet, digestive problems can begin.
Chinchilla as a business
The owners of these animals leave a variety of reviews. But most often people are interested in: is it possible to make money on these rodents?
Alas, in practice, everything is not so rosy. In general, it is very easy to breed rodents, and large investments are not required. First you need a large cage, a bag of food, one male and three females. As a result, a farm of four individuals can be turned into fifty in a year. Pregnancy lasts about 100 days, in the litter most often occurs from 3 to 6 cubs, and they become sexually mature at 6-8 months. And fifty chinchillas can easily be turned into several hundred. Keep in mind that a single rodent can cost from several thousand rubles to several hundred thousand - depending on the breed.
Not surprisingly, the business of growing chinchillas gets the best reviews from owners!
But there is a problem. To attach such a number of rodents is often very difficult. And handing over to pet stores, you can get at best half of their cost. And not every store will accept several hundred chinchillas per year.
Conclusion
On this our article comes to an end. Now you know more about the features of keeping and breeding chinchillas. The feedback from more experienced breeders will allow you to decide whether this rodent suits you as a business or a pet.