Chinchilla

Overview:

Chinchillas are native to Chile and Peru. In the wild they live in groups and make their home in burrows and natural outcroppings and crevices.These small rodents have plush, soft coats of fur. They weigh around 1 to 1.5 pounds and can be up to a foot long. They have rounded ears and eyes on either side of a broad head. Their fur is very dense, soft, and pleasant to touch. The fur is often gray, but can be beige, tan, black or white. These rodents can live as long as 20 years with the proper diet and care.

Diet:

Hay is a very important part of the chinchillas daily diet. Timothy or Alfalfa hay is a good choice. Chinchillas are not supposed to eat any foods that contain too much water, such as fruits and vegetables. Your pet should always have a source of fresh water, from a automatic water feeder if possible. Unsalted nuts and sunflower seeds, dried fruits like bananas, cranberries, apples, and peaches, all make wonderful treat, but treats should not be given very often to your pet chinchilla.