Chinchilla is the name of a crepuscular rodent, which is native to the Andes Mountains in South America. A bit larger in size than the ground squirrels, the rodent belongs to family Chinchillidae, along with viscachas. The term 'chinchilla', meaning 'Little Chinta', has been derived from a South American Indian tribe. Of the two species of Chinchilla, Lanigera is the one that is mostly found in the domestic and pelt scenes. Chinchillas can be classified as nocturnal creatures, which love to sleep during the day and are active at night. One of the unique traits of the rodents is that they grow teeth almost continuously, throughout their lifetime. If you want to learn some more interesting facts and amazing information on chinchillas, make use of the information provided below.
Chinchilla Facts
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Chinchillidae
Genus: Chinchilla
Species: Chinchilla lanigera and Chinchilla brevicaudata
Length: 10-14 inches
Height: 5-6 inches
Weight (Males): 400-500 grams
Weight (Females): 400-600 grams
Age: 10 years (maximum - 20 years)
Age of Maturity: 6 -10 months (at times as early as 3 months)
Gestation Period: 111 days
Number of Offspring: 2
Interesting and Amazing Information on Chinchillas
- Chinchilla is believed to have the softest fur in the world, as much as thirty times softer than human hair.
- Chinchillas have a need to take regular baths in dust or volcanic ash, so as to remove the oil and moisture that gets accumulated in their thick fur.
- Amongst all the land animals, chinchillas have been found to have the highest fur density, with more than 20,000 hairs per square cm.
- The fur density of chinchillas is so high that skin parasites (such as fleas) will die from suffocation, if they live on the former.
- In a chinchilla, more than fifty hair can grow from a single follicle, surely great in comparison to one hair per follicle, in humans.
- Chinchillas have been known to be good jumpers, easily jumping up to five feet above their head.
- The body temperature of a chinchilla remains between 96.8oF and 100.4o F, with the heart rate being around 100 beats/minute.
- The estrous cycle of a chinchilla lasts for 40 days.
- At the times of their birth, chinchilla offspring weigh around 35 grams and have their eyes open.
- Whenever they get frightened, chinchillas release a patch of fur, mainly to escape the grasp of a predator. The hair grows back after sometime.
- Being devoid of dander, one of the leading causes of pet-related allergies, chinchillas are preferred as pets.
- The predators of chinchillas, in the wild, include birds of prey, skunks, felines, snakes and canines.
