Introduction to Chinchillas

Like guinea pigs, chinchillas originated in the Andes Mountains of South America where they lived in large colonies. After being heavily exploited for their fur, chinchillas almost became extinct. Several animals were brought to the United States in 1923 by an American engineer and most of today’s pet chinchillas and fur colonies are descendants of this original group.

With proper care, sanitation and a suitable environment, chinchillas can lead a long and healthy life (up to 20 years, although 10 to 15 years is more common). Chinchillas prefer not to be held, but they can be trained to sit on a hand, arm or shoulder and be petted gently. Excessive handling can lead to hair loss (commonly called slippage).

Chinchillas enjoy a daily dust bath with special, commercially-available dust to keep their fur in top form. Males are called bucks and females are called does.

to view a series of pop-up boxes that further explain appropriate chinchilla care.