Chinchillas have been around for a very long
time. It is believed that chinchillas today
are descendants of the original 11 chinchillas
that were brought into the United States by
M.F. Chapman in 1923. Scientists believe they
are directly related to Pre Historic Megamys.
These were chinchilla like animals but much
larger than chinchillas we know today.
Megamys were found in the Permian deposits
in Argentina. Chinchillas always have been
natives of the Andes Mountains regions in
South America and have never migrated
anywhere else.
Chinchillas are a
medium-sized rodent. Their name originates
from the Chincha Indian tribes who relied on
them for food and fur. They used the chins
for clothing, pets, and used the fur to
weave blankets. It is known that their fur
was first used long before the Inca Empire.
Incas were a small warlike tribe in Peru
sometime around 1100 AD.
Chins are
nocturnal, meaning that they wake up in the
evening and stay up all night. They have
very poor eyesight and rely mainly on their
sense of smell, touch, and their keen
hearing. Chins live from 12-15 years and
some have been known to live for as many as
20 years. They are Herbivores, which means
that in their native state they chiefly
rely on grasses and other plants for their
diet. In captivity, they need to have a
diet that is of high quality commercial
pellets, fresh hay, and grain supplements.
Chinchillas do not require water for bathing.
In fact, water will ruin their fur. In the
Andes Mountains, they take baths in volcanic
ash. If a predator were to grab a chin,
they would end up with only a piece of fur.
This is called a "fur slip" and a chin uses
it as a defense. They are able to release
large portions of fur when they are afraid.
They can detach a portion of their tail if
you were to grab it any place other than
at the base. So, always hold their tail at
the base. Their fur will grow back. Their
tail will not. Chinchilla fur is the most
expensive fur in the world. It is very
soft and dense. So dense that no parasite
can live in it. So it is a real rare case
to see fleas or mites on chinchillas.
So, the list goes on and on with these
fragile, unique animals. Visit other areas
on my website. Take your time and learn all
you can about "little Chincha".
