Navigation



Chinchilla Blog

Current Articles | RSS Feed RSS Feed

Curly Fur Chinchilla

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 @ 08:19 PM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

Apparently there is a new mutation gene of chinchilla on the block -- the curly haired chinchilla. The curly haired chinchilla was noted in germany by a chinchilla breeder http://www.chinchillahobbyzuchtwilson.de/. Below is a picture of a baby with the curly hair gene. What do you think?

 

curly fur chinchilla

Check out the debate here http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16559&page=4

0 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Chinchilla Dust

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 @ 04:26 PM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

What is chinchilla dust? Why does your chinchilla need it?What will it do for your chin? In the wild chinchillas naturally role in volcanic ash to keep their fur clean and healthy. Chinchillas have very thick coats with the highest fur density of any land animal. A chinchillas coat has more than 20,000 hairs per square cm (according to http://www.chinchillaplanet.com/chinchilla-facts/. Their fur is so dense that skin parasites (such as fleas) cannot live on one lest they suffocate. Whereas humans grow one hair from each follicle, a chinchilla has more than fifty hairs from a single follicle. Rolling in the dust is a great way to get rid of excess oil from their fur. Aside from being a healthy option for your chinchilla, they really enjoy dust baths and it's extremely fun to watch! Chinchillas will roll in the dust and cover their entire bodies. After dusting they are in generally good moods and look amazing.

You can dust your chinchilla outside of her cage in a chinchilla safe room or inside the cage, but you should not leave your dust in the cage with the chinchilla for more than 20 minutes at a time, as it will quickly become soiled. There are several option for chinchilla dust. Blue cloud and blue sparkle are among the most popular within the chinchilla community and you can get really good deals buying in bulk from sites like http://www.ryersonchinchilla.com/ (The same goes for feed, hay, and alfalfa blocks). At pet stores you will mostly find Kaytee dust which is very pricey and not thought of as favorably by chinchilla owners and breeders. While it is not dangerous for your chinchilla, it does not seem to provide the quality of results. Chinchilla owners tend to feel that the dust does not provide as beautiful result in coat quality as the Blue cloud dust. Avoid sented dust as it can irritate the chinchillas nasal passages.  You should give your chinchilla no more than 2 dust baths a week, over dusting can irritate and dry out their skin. Below is a chinchilla dusting video enjoy!


Chinchilla Dust Bath - Funny home videos are a click away

1 Comments Click here to read/write comments

April is Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Thu, Apr 15, 2010 @ 09:34 AM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

prevent animal cruelty

Did you know that April is prevention of animal cruelty month? Our chinchillas friends are not the only ones in need. unfortunately animal abuse happens every day and occurs in many different forms, from illegal pet trade, to neglect. So what can you do to help? Here are 10  ideas on how you can make a difference!

 

1. Volunteer at your local shelter

2. Donate to ASPCA  a reputable organization founded in 1886 with a mission to prevent animal cruelty

3. Volunteer your time this summer to help save the wild chinchillas 

4. Report abuse. Call your local humane society if you witness any type of cruely or abuse. It is common knowledge that violence towards non-human animals is a precursor of violence towards human animals.

5. Join a wildlife protection organizations. Capturing exotic animals from the wild to sell them as pets is a cruel practice that often results in death for the transported animals. Support organizations that protect these animals.

6. Buy cruelty-free products. Many consumer products, from shampoo to cosmetics and cleaners, have been cruelly tested on animals who are intentionally poisoned or blinded. Check the packaging and only buy products that are cruelty free and not tested on animals.

7.Provide bird baths. Keep water in a birdbath and in a ground pan all year long to help keep our feathered friends hydrated. This will provide bird watching opportunities for you as well. 

8. Don't feed wildlife. Good-intentioned as it may be, feeding geese and other wildlife weakens their natural ability to find food. 

9.Throw bird seed or use bubbles at weddings. Rice swells in birds' stomachs, often proving fatal.

10. Avoid pesticides. Deter ants with spices. Pour a line of  red chili powder, paprika, or dried peppermint at the place where ants enter the house. They won't cross it, and you wont have to inhale nasty poisons.

1 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Pink White Baby Chinchilla

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 @ 07:57 PM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

pink white female chinchilla

Spring is busy this year with two kits born just weeks apart. We are pleased to introduce Kirby, our first pink white chinchilla. Kirby is a sweet mommas girl who is beginning to become curious about food pellets and hay. She is still spending most of her time sleeping, eating and playing. I am looking forward to introducing Kirby into her new home with Caramel in a couple of months when they are both fully weaned. They will share a tall cage together and have already been introduced. Kits tend to love playing with one another and I let them visit while I supervise. Both moms are also friendly and watch over the kits as they play. It is  exciting to have two babies close in age! Pink whites are also one of the more rare specialty chinchillas (See chinchilla breeding chart) . Kirby's mom is wilson white and her father is a beige. With these two cuties it is hard to put any up for adoption!

4 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Caramel Chinchilla Girl

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 @ 10:52 AM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

beige chinchilla female kit

Our newest addition to the herd Caramel. Caramel is a beige female chinchilla and already growing so quickly! She was born to Haze and BB. She is still shy but very chatty with mom especially shen she wants milk, she has quite the appetite!~We will be calling her Mel for short.

3 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Chinchilla Affection and Interaction

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Sat, Feb 20, 2010 @ 09:28 AM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

Chinchillas tend to do very well in pairs and paired chins have several different ways in which they communicate and show affection. One way in which your chinchillas may greet each other and show affection is by nuzzling the tops of each others noses. It may look like biting, but this is a grooming affectionate gesture (unless for some reason the other one is squealing do not be alarmed.) They also like to be nuzzled under their chin (try scratching under your chinchillas neck sometime, most chinchillas LOVE it)

chinchilla affection

They will also make cooing noises at each other. This often  happens when you separate two paired chinchillas and then put them back into a cage together. They "miss" one another and this cooing sound is one of relief and happiness  that they are reunited. Your chinchillas will also often sleep together, one may even sleep partially on top of another chinchilla.

They will likely also develop a pecking order for eating and dusting. You may notice that one of your chinchillas always eats first or dusts first while the other waits it's turn. The one eating or dusting first has established herself as the Alfa. In one of my cages the alfa is the eldest female. She dusts, drinks water, and eats before the others. She shares her bath once she has had a few rolls first, but she is always first. If another of the chinchillas tries to jump into the dust bath before she has had enough time, she will stand up on her hind legs to assert her authority. This is usually enough to get the intruding chinchilla to back off, but if not the alfa female will chatter her teeth a little, and as a final step chase the intruding chinchilla off or act like she is mounting (humping) the other chinchilla. This interaction does not last long and the intruding chinchilla is quickly forgiven if they are cage mates.

Treats seem to be a different store. My chinchillas will go for a treat no matter who is the alfa of the cage. I give them all treats at the same time to prevent them from stealing one another's treats or fighting, but they typically will run with the treat to save it rather than give it up to another chinchilla. I have however seen adult chinchillas give up part of their treat to a squealing baby chinchilla without putting up too much of a fuss.

In my experience, kits tend to be treated well by the entire herd. I have my chinchillas paired and separated into different cages (as I have found that two males and femlaes in a cage is dangerous and inadvisable), and if a new born kit escapes it's cage and wanders into another chinchillas cage, it is not harmed or chased by the other chinchillas.  I do separate my kits and the mother into a baby safe cage while she is nursing to prevent escapes, but babies can be quite the little escape artists and when I have found them in other cages the chinchillas of that cage were friendly to the kit and often would even groom her.

Females will also take care of kits even if they are not their own. In one case I had 2 females that had given birth a week or so apart. I placed both mothers with their kits in separate baby safe cages, but two of the kits escaped. I found them in the cage with the other kits mother nursing right beside him. I separated them back with their own mother, but they were content to be with either and neither mother seemed to mind nursing the others kits. Babies will also have a larger range of sounds they use to communicate with each other, their mothers and other chinchillas.

I highly recommend keeping chinchillas cages in a chinchilla safe room, not the middle of the house, especially if you have other pets. Chinchillas are highly intelligent and they tend to find tricky ways to escape from their cages. My ebony female chinchilla will actually lift the handle of her cage and kick the door open. I tried using bread ties to hold it in place, but she found her way through those as well. In the end I had to put a metal key ring on the doors to prevent her from escaping. Fortunately since she is in a small, chinchilla-proof room there is not much she can damage or get into. I went through several books before realizing that no matter how hard you try, your chinchilla will likely find some way to get out of her cage and cause a ruckus.

Watching and studying chinchilla behavior is probably one of the most rewarding aspects of owning a chinchilla. They are not affectionat in the same ways as a dog or cat, which most of us are familiar with, but with enough patience and willingness to to interact with your chinchilla at the chinchilla's pace, you can experience the joys of chinchilla affection yourself..

3 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Save The Chinchillas!

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Wed, Jan 06, 2010 @ 09:51 PM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

wild chinchilla

Do you love chinchillas? Would you like a chance to travel and save wild chinchillas? Now you can! The Save the Wild Chinchillas project is looking for volunteers who want to help with restoration of the wild chinchillas natural habitat. The wild chinchilla population has been reduced by 90% in the last 3 generations due to hunting and reduction of habitat. The good news is, there are people like Amy Dean who are working hard to bring back the natural habitat and preserve these lovely creatures in their natural habitat. Amy lives in Illapel,a Chilean city, which is the capital of the Choapa Province.

The major issue they faced in 2009 was a lack of volunteers to help with the watering of the   plants they planted in order to restore the habitat and food supply of the wild chinchillas.This year, they are looking for more volunteers to help in their effort. You will be provided with a place to stay while you are there, but Amy is a vegetarian and asks that you do not eat meat in their home. There are however restaurants near by where you can order what you want.You can learn more about becoming a volunteer here or on their website .

If you become a volunteer, we would love to hear your stories!

3 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Chinchilla Dusting and Other Behavior

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Sat, Dec 12, 2009 @ 09:26 AM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 





Chinchilla Dusting Video Chinchilla Dusting and Other behavior

0 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Chinchilla Mating Call

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Sat, Dec 05, 2009 @ 11:56 PM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 


Chinchilla Mating Call

2 Comments Click here to read/write comments

Chinchillas as Pets

Posted by Jennifer Snyder on Sun, Nov 08, 2009 @ 10:31 AM
Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on Facebook Facebook | Submit to Digg digg it |  Add to delicious  delicious |  Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon |  Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

baby chinchilla

I read several comments each day on disappointment in chinchilla ownership. This is a disturbing but all to common phenomena. Many people see videos on you tube, see friend’s chinchilla’s or see chins on animal planet and feel that a chin is the perfect pet for them; unfortunately this is not always the case. All too often I respond to yahoo answers, blogs and posts on unhappy chinchilla owners. The problem seems to lie in expectations. Chinchillas can be very rewarding pets...if you know what you are getting into. As you may have noticed  comments I have made in other posts, chinchillas are not dogs, they are not cats, they are chinchillas. Often chinchilla owners express disappointment in their first few weeks or months of chinchilla ownerships. These feelings are almost inevitable if you do not have proper expectations when you purchase or adopt your first chinchilla. Chins do not respond in the way that a dog or cat does to a new owner. For example, a dog might lick you, respond to you and be happy to interact with you almost immediately. A chinchilla however, will likely be scared in her new environment, and not even willing to take treats out of your  hand, let alone allow you to hold her. I know this might sound pretty drastic, but it is true, chinchillas take work, time and patience to trust their human owners and many do not ever like being held.


Chinchillas have VERY long life spans (up to 20 years), and after observing chinchilla behavior for the last 9 years, I can say with confidence, chinchillas are bright social creatures who learn new behaviors with time and patience.., they adore social interaction, thrive on it actually and can and will bond with their human owners. Like alpacas, llamas and other South American creatures, chinchillas thrive in pairs and hard time living solitary lives. If you choose to get just one chinchilla, she will depend on you for friendship and you will have to spend a lot of time talking to, petting and interacting with your chinchilla. Without this interaction your chinchilla may develop negative behaviors like fur chewing, bar biting, spraying, barking (defensively) and even nipping.  They WILL bond with their human friends given time, but it can be frustrating for some people to love their new pet and not receive the kind of response they are expecting in return. Even if you are frustrated with your chinchilla never raise your voice to her in anger, NEVER shake her cage, never slap or physically sold your chinchilla. Rewarding your chinchilla with a small treat to reinforce a positive behavior (no more than 2 treats a day they have sensitive digestive systems) and a firm NO are the best ways to correct a negative behavior. I have found chinchilla ownership very rewarding watching my chinchillas interact together is fascinating. I love that when I come to their room they all run out to see who it is and run to the front of the cage when they realize it is me. They know that my presence means something cool is about to happen, a treat, hay, dust or just a quick pet under the chin. They like me, but they love each other. Pairs will “cry” when they are separated and immediately start grooming each other when they are reunited. They are capable of a wide range of emotions and behaviors, and as long as you have the right expectations from the beginning, you and your chin will have a happy fulfilling life together.


8 Comments Click here to read/write comments

All Posts | Next Page



Subscribe by Email

Your email:

Follow Chinchinchillas

Follow chinchillas on twitter

Chinchilla Twitter Updates

    Search Chinchilla Place

    Buy Chinchilla Stuff

    Download The Save The Wild Chinchilla News letter

    Save the wild chinchillas

    Chinchilla Place Store

    Find Chinchilla Books

    www.flickr.com
    This is a Flickr badge showing public photos and videos from jennifersipesnyder. Make your own badge here.

    created at TagCrowd.com