Chinchillas at home. Care and maintenance. Reproduction of chinchillas at home. Chinchilla breeds: silver and British

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Chinchillas are surprisingly perky and cute animals. It's hard to remain indifferent, looking at a small touching muzzle with a long mustache, black button eyes and a twisted ponytail.

In recent years, representatives of this family of rodents have gained incredible popularity among our compatriots. Chinchillas at home are unpretentious in feeding and maintenance, they need very little living space, and the positive received from daily communication with them is difficult to convey with words.

Where did they come from

Chinchillas are native to the mountain ranges of South America. There they settle in caves and burrows, appearing outside only after dark.

According to legend, the rodents got their name from the name of the Chinchil Indian tribe, who were dressed in soft and fluffy fur. Precisely because ofamazing fur coats animals were almost exterminated.

Hunters were interested not only in skins. There is fragmentary information that chinchilla meat was used in the treatment of tuberculosis.

Hunting for chinchillas did not stop with the disappearance of the Chinchil Indians. The Spanish conquistadors, having entered South American soil in the 16th century, were fascinated by the fur of these animals. Fur coats, coats, collars were a huge success, and thousands of chinchillas were caught to meet demand. The barbaric extermination of the species continued for several hundred years.

In the end, rodents fell into the category of rare, endangered animals. Now they are listed in the Red Book and are under the protection of the law.

Chinchilla breeding in captivity

Chinchilla was domesticated for the first time in 1895. This was done by Francisco Irrazaval, who lived at that time in Santiago. In the very first year of captivity, the animals brought offspring and subsequently continued to actively breed.

Chinchilla breeding became a profitable business already in the middle of the 20th century. Thousands of farms opened across the United States and Canada. Then rodents began to be recommended as cute pets that would not cause unnecessary trouble. In advertising, they were called "fur balls" or "fur balls". And the average price of the animals was $100.

Fluffy namesakes

The amazingly beautiful hair of these little fluffy rodents fascinates everyone who has ever held them in their hands. All thanks to the unique structure of the hairline. From eacha bulb located on the skin of an animal grows about 70 hairs. The wool is so thick that not a single insect is able to settle in it.

This unique fact has fascinated even cat lovers. About twenty years ago, the silver chinchilla breed was bred as a variety of short-haired British cats.

The namesakes of our cute rodents are extraordinarily beautiful. In cats, the coat is white, with a slight blackening at the tips, and a black veil covers the head, paws, side, back and tail of the animal. Among the feline counterparts, they stand out for their truly royal appearance.

In addition, the British chinchilla has an unusually kind and accommodating character. Such cats are well experienced their own loneliness. And if necessary, they can become a great "interlocutor" for their owner. Each "meow" uttered by these cats is endowed with special intonations and deep meaning.

Everyone who has ever met these cats, fell in love with them once and for all. Every year more and more fans are attracted to this amazing cat breed.

Just a couple of minutes alone with the Brit - and everyone will confidently say: this is an amazing cat breed.

Chinchilla: how to behave with a rodent

Before buying a chinchilla, carefully read the list of pet prohibitions:

• Do not wash animals in water. Chinchillas "bath" in special sand (zeolite) or volcanic dust.
• Chinchillas should not be housed in small cages made to fit other (smaller) rodents.
• The constant tickling of chinchillas is very bad for the condition of their fur.
• Do not let the rodent walk around the apartment on its own, its curiosity can lead to tragedy.
• Never feed chinchillas formula intended for other rodents.
• Do not leave a rodent in a room with a temperature above 25 degrees - overheating is guaranteed to lead to heat stroke.
• You can't walk a chinchilla on the street. There, the animal can become infected with dangerous infections. In addition, leashes and harnesses will irrevocably ruin the coat.
• At the moment, the immune system of chinchillas is not well understood, therefore, preventive vaccination of these rodents is not carried out.
• Parents and their offspring can live together for no more than four months, violation of this prohibition may lead to mating within the family.
• Don't feed animals with grass and leaves gathered along roadsides and in parks. This can lead to very serious poisoning and, as a result, death.

Chinchilla at home

Reviews of rodent owners about their cute pets are always positive. A person gets great emotional upsurge, enthusiasm and tenderness from communicating with these animals.

Here are just some of the things that make chinchillas so loved:

• Chinchillas at home do not require difficult care and high maintenance costs.
• They do not need to cook food separately, rodents feed on dry mixtures of dried fruits and sever altypes of cereals.
• If properly cared for, rodents will live for quite a long time (about 20 years), and chinchilla couples will breed regularly.
• Rodents rarely get sick, they don't smell bad.
• The animals are funny, playful, they can be tamed and even taught simple commands.

Many will ask: "Do they really have no flaws?" Of course there is, because no one is perfect! However, there are very few of them:

• With the onset of darkness, all chinchillas become active (like all animals leading a nocturnal lifestyle). They can make noise almost all night, interfering with the restful sleep of the owners. In addition, if you want to play with a cute animal, you will have to do this closer to midnight.
• Chinchillas are extremely sneaky and curious. At the slightest opportunity, they tend to escape from the cage and rush to explore the territory. However, they are very fast. Catching a rodent, if he does not want to, is not so easy. Therefore, owners should carefully ensure that the cage door is always locked.
• Animals are very demanding on the climate. They do not tolerate high humidity and a sharp temperature drop. Therefore, to keep a chinchilla at home in the southern regions, the room with the cage must be equipped with air conditioning.

Buying a chinchilla

Just ten years ago, buying a chinchilla was quite problematic. For the sale of rodents, a few specialists bred, and the prices for them were extremely high. However, now they are sold in mostpet stores and available to everyone.

When choosing a furry friend, you need to be extremely careful. It is worth buying only those chinchillas that have been properly cared for. Otherwise, the animal will have to be treated after purchase.

Take the rodent in your hands and inspect. Pay attention to how well-fed the animal is. To do this, feel all parts of the body, also inspect the quality of the coat.

Never buy a skinny animal. The coat should not be dull, falling out in fragments. Sedentary rodents with signs of obesity should also not be purchased.

The eyes of the animal can tell about the presence of he alth problems. Purulent discharge is a sure sign of a bacterial infection in the body. However, this statement is true when both eyes are affected. If there is only one sore, most likely this is a consequence of mechanical damage by sand, or the animal was in a draft, and it was simply blown away.

A he althy rodent should be active, react sharply to the approach of a stranger. His coat is shiny, smooth and close to the body.

Shared accommodation

Animals living alone require a lot of attention from their owners. They love the company, and without proper care, they become very sad.

Chinchillas at home feel much more comfortable living in couples. And it is not necessary to populate a boy and a girl together. Chinchillas are very prolific. The owners of such a family will automatically take care of numerousfluffy babies. Therefore, if you are not ready for this turn of events, consider buying a same-sex company.

Fluffy family

Puberty in chinchillas occurs at the age of 6-7 months. From now on, they can be safely put down.

The issue of breeding animals must be taken very seriously. In families of chinchillas, total matriarchy is observed. Therefore, never put a male in an already inhabited female's cage. She is guaranteed to beat him and kick him out.

It is desirable that the boy be older than his girlfriend. This will help him feel more confident.

Before you end up in the same territory, future spouses need to get to know each other from a distance. To do this, cages with animals are placed side by side and give them the opportunity to get used to the smell of each other. Only after that they can be put off, but under the close attention of the owner.

If everything is done correctly, breeding chinchillas at home will take place without any difficulties.

Waiting for the babies

The gestation period for chinchillas lasts 100-115 days. At the first stages, it is quite difficult to determine whether the “lady” is really pregnant. The embryos are small, and it is unrealistic to feel them. The easiest way to detect the very moment of mating. At the eighth week of pregnancy, the expectant mother's nipples swell. This will serve as a sure sign of the imminent replenishment in the family.

The birth of a new life

Chinchillas usually give birth in the morning. Most often, the female does not need anyone's help. Babies are bornfast. They are already covered in hair, their eyes are open, and their mouths are full of teeth.

After childbirth, the mother eats the placenta. It contains all the nutrients needed by the body of a chinchilla during breastfeeding.

It is simply impossible to hold a chinchilla in your hands, play with it for at least a couple of minutes and not fall in love with this exotic rodent. They are the perfect pets, the best furry friends for kids.

And if you haven't made up your mind after reading about all the benefits of keeping these animals, go to the pet store right now and look into the little black eyes. The answer will come by itself!