Chinchilla Research Paper
Body What is a chinchilla? The Chinese word for chinchilla means “dragon cat”. Chinchillas are exotic animals and are hard to describe. They look like a cross between a rabbit and a squirrel. They come from South America and have big ears, tiny front paws, dense fur, and a curled tail. They also have the softest fur on earth. Chinchillas are mammals and come from the Rodentia family and have a long life span. Their wild ancestors originated in the mountains of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. They typically live ten to fifteen years but can live up to twenty years. There are three species of chinchillas: the brevicaudata, which has a short tail, coarse coat and a large blocky appearance and weigh more
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They come in several color variations with most chinchillas being standard grey though they can also be black, white, tan and variations of each. Some colors such as violet, blue, sapphire, and chocolate are rare. Chinchillas have a very long gestation period lasting 111 ' 119 days which is longer than a dog or cat. A chinchilla will usually have 1 to 2 babies but on occasion can have 3. And they usually have 1 or 2 litters a year. Chinchillas are herd animals and it is often a good idea to have 2 chinchillas for companionship. Chinchillas lived in large herds that could number up to 100 and were originally hunted for their fur until about 1910 when the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru outlawed the trapping of wild chinchillas. A chinchilla’s natural defensive reflex is to run. They are very fast, very quiet and can jump several times their body height. And if they are grabbed they can blow their fur out to escape capture. Chinchilla’s are …show more content…
Once you have earned a chinchillas trust they can be very affectionate and playful. They are constantly on the move and like routine. Chinchillas manage best when they are kept on a schedule, being fed and allowed out for play time at approximately the same time every day. It can take up to six months for a chinchilla to become fully tame and bonded with you. They like to run and jump and the more you laugh at them the more they will continue their antics. They have very light bones and need to be handled with care, so they are not usually suitable for young children. Chinchillas are medium maintenance pets, they are from a dry climate_, _and they drink and urinate very little and are practically odorless. Being chinchillas urinate very little their cages only need to be cleaned about once a week. They are not needy animals. They can be fed in no time and can be taken out for play time while you are watching TV or reading a book. They also need a dust bath a couple times a week to keep their fur smooth and clean. Chinchillas need to be kept cool and do the best at approximately 65 to 70 degrees. They should never be exposed to temperatures over 79 degrees and should
They come in several color variations with most chinchillas being standard grey though they can also be black, white, tan and variations of each. Some colors such as violet, blue, sapphire, and chocolate are rare. Chinchillas have a very long gestation period lasting 111 ' 119 days which is longer than a dog or cat. A chinchilla will usually have 1 to 2 babies but on occasion can have 3. And they usually have 1 or 2 litters a year. Chinchillas are herd animals and it is often a good idea to have 2 chinchillas for companionship. Chinchillas lived in large herds that could number up to 100 and were originally hunted for their fur until about 1910 when the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru outlawed the trapping of wild chinchillas. A chinchilla’s natural defensive reflex is to run. They are very fast, very quiet and can jump several times their body height. And if they are grabbed they can blow their fur out to escape capture. Chinchilla’s are …show more content…
Once you have earned a chinchillas trust they can be very affectionate and playful. They are constantly on the move and like routine. Chinchillas manage best when they are kept on a schedule, being fed and allowed out for play time at approximately the same time every day. It can take up to six months for a chinchilla to become fully tame and bonded with you. They like to run and jump and the more you laugh at them the more they will continue their antics. They have very light bones and need to be handled with care, so they are not usually suitable for young children. Chinchillas are medium maintenance pets, they are from a dry climate_, _and they drink and urinate very little and are practically odorless. Being chinchillas urinate very little their cages only need to be cleaned about once a week. They are not needy animals. They can be fed in no time and can be taken out for play time while you are watching TV or reading a book. They also need a dust bath a couple times a week to keep their fur smooth and clean. Chinchillas need to be kept cool and do the best at approximately 65 to 70 degrees. They should never be exposed to temperatures over 79 degrees and should