Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors www.apbc.org.uk E: [email protected] Chinchilla Factsheet Introduction Chinchillas are South American rodents with soft, dense coats, large ears and eyes and a long hairy curled tail. They are becoming increasingly popular as pets in the UK and can commonly be found for sale in pet shops. This species has complex social, environmental and behavioural needs which need to be met if they are to be kept happily as pets. This information leaflet is about the history and natural behaviour of the chinchilla, and how to meet their behavioural needs as pets. If you already have chinchillas, this guide willhelp you understand your chinchillas so that you can provide for their needs, and if you are thinking about getting chinchillas it can help you to decide whether they are the right pet for you and your household. The Natural History chinchillas have descended from 12 feed on different plants when they of Wild Chinchillas wild chinchillas (C. lanigera) captured become available so their diet varies in 1923 by Mathias. F Chapman and greatly between the wet and dry Chinchillas belong to the family taken to the USA (Spotorno et al, seasons(Cortés, Miranda & Jiménez, Chinchillidae, which consists of 2004). Today, they are kept as fur- 2002). Their main food plants are chinchillas and viscachas (Marcon bearing animals, laboratory animals the bark and leaves of native herbs & Mongini, 1984). There are two and pets. and shrubs, and succulents such as species of chinchilla; Chinchilla bromeliads and cacti ( Cortés,Miranda lanigera, the long-tailed chinchilla, Habitat & Jiménez, 2002). Chinchillas rarely and Chinchilla brevicaudata, the drink in the wild but obtain all their short-tailed chinchilla (Spotorno et Their natural habitat is arid and barren fluids from their diet (Spotorno et al, al, 2004). Chinchillas have a broad with sparse vegetation and rainfall 2004). head with large ears and eyes, small occuring mostly between May and forelimbs and a long, hairy tail. They August (Spotorno et al, 2004). Living Behaviour have rootless teeth which grow in an arid environment, chinchillas are continuously and enable them to cope specially adapted to conserve energy Chinchillas are social animals which with the constant dental wear caused - they produce concentrated urine live in colonies of 100 or more byeating abrasive plant material and small, dry faeces, and their dense individuals(Spotorno et al, 2004). (Spotorno et al, 2004). hair (with around 50-75 hairs per They construct burrows or shelter in follicle (Wilcox, (1950)) prevents heat crevices under rocks or in plants, and Chinchillas were once widespread and water loss (Spotorno et al, 2004). dustbathe frequently in the area near along the Andes, but commercial Their lifespan in the wild is around 6 the burrow entrance (Spotorno et al, hunting for their fur in the 19th Century years but in captivity it can be up to 20 2004). Chinchillas are crepuscular and decimated the population (Jimenez, years(Spotorno et al, 2004). nocturnal (active at dawn and dusk 1996). Wild chinchillas are protected and throughout the night) (Jiménez, under CITES Appendix 1 (CITES, Diet 1996). They use conspicuous rocks accessed 2011), and classed as for observing their range, resting and ‘Threatened’ under the IUCN (IUCN, Chinchillas are generalists and forming latrines sites which serve to accessed 2011). They exist mostly in opportunistic herbivores – an advertise their presence to others the Reserva Nacional las Chinchillas in adaptation to living in areas where (Spotorno et al, 2004). Chinchillas Auco, Chile (Jimenez, 1996). Captive food availability fluctuates. They are a prey species - their natural predators include the Culpeo foxand Avoid cages with plastic shelves and Transporting your chinchillas to Magallen horned owl and they can bases – chinchillas are prodigious a separate exercise area can be shed their fur to escape predators chewers and will destroy these quickly. stressful for chinchillas as this often (Spotorno et al, 2004). involves being caught from their cage Shelves should be arranged so that and exercise area, being handled, Care of pet chinchillas there are no uninterrupted heights being away from familiar scents and of 60cm or more to avoid injury from places to hide, and lack of access to Environment falls (Saunders, 2009). Many cages resources such as food and water. have wire mesh floors – these help Rooms such as kitchens, living rooms, Accommodation to prevent chinchillas’ coat from bathrooms and bedrooms are not Chinchillas are highly active animals coming into contact with damp litter ideal places to allow chinchillas to and captive chinchillas show peaks which can cause matting, h owever exercise freely as they can reach high of activity in the early morning and prolonged sitting on wire mesh floors places and squeeze into tight spaces evening, and throughout the night (Kay, can cause podermatitis (blistering on so can be hazardous for chinchillas. 2004; Dzierzanowska-Goryn, Kaleta & the soles of the feet) so it is important Kowalczyk, 2005). They need a large to provide solid shelves for chinchillas Enrichment and interesting environment to live to escape from standing on wire mesh Plenty of environmental enrichment in and explore so their home should (Hoppmann, & Wilson-Barron, 2007). will help to keep chinchillas mentally consist of a spacious home cage and and physically stimulated(Saunders, free access from the cage to a large and The Exercise Area – Chinchillas need 2009) and enables them to express enriched exercise area. access to a safe exercise area to run natural behaviours such as hiding, around in at least eachevening if it is chewing and jumping. The Home Cage – When chinchillas not freely available to them at all times. first started to be kept in captivity on Ideally, this should be attached to their Your chinchillas’ cage and exercise fur farms they were housed incages cage so that they can come and go as area should contain boxes, tunnels which are typically 40 to 60 cm wide, they please. A good option is to locate and tubes to explore, hide in and jump 35 to 50cm deep and 35 to 40cm your chinchillas’ cage in a chinchilla- on, and branches of wood to chew to high(European Commission, 2001) proofed room where you can safely help wear their teeth down ( Spotorno and cages of this design and size are let them out to run around at night. et al, 2004; Hoppmann, & Wilson- still readily available to buy for pet Another option is to attach a secure Barron, 2007). Provide a selection of chinchillas. These traditional style cages playpen, with a roof to prevent escape, enrichment items and swap them for are far too small to accommodate a to their cage. new ones frequently to help maintain pair or group of chinchillas but there are your chinchillas’ interest in their now a greater variety of cage sizes and Chinchilla-proofing environment. designs available. an exercise area A very large metal wheel with a solid Chinchillas are notorious chewers running surface (i.e. no open rungs) so you should ensure that any may be provided but this should not area you allow your chinchillas be the only source of enrichment and to exercise in is fully chinchilla- exercise for chinchillas. proofed to protect them from injury or from ingesting materials which As a prey species, chinchillas need could be harmful to their health. places to hide and rest undercover away from predators. Providing Make sure that: chinchillas with nest boxes helps them • Skirting boards and the lower to manage stress by enabling them half of walls and doors are to retreat from things which scare covered. This can be done by them (Saunders, 2009; Hoppmann, covering them with wood or & Wilson-Barron, 2007; Kay, 2004). cardboard, or placing small There should be at least one nest box animal playpen panels along the for each chinchilla housed together edges of the room. to ensure chinchillas can hide from • Electrical items are either and avoid each other if needed, and removed or covered. Hard a larger one for them to rest or hide Choose the largest cage possible to plastic tubing to cover electrical together if they wish. enable your chinchillas to hop, jump, wiring can be bought from most explore, hide and avoid each other if DIY stores. Bedding and Nesting materials they wish. The cage should be made • Any items you do not want Provide bedding at the base of the of strong metal and strong wire mesh, chewed are removed. cage to absorb waste, and nesting with wooden shelves at several levels • Cover the flooring if you do not materials within the cage and nest (Spotorno et al, 2004; Saunders, 2009; want urine stains –chinchillas are boxes for your chinchillas to rest on. Hoppmann, & Wilson-Barron, 2007). not fussy about where they wee! Wood shavings, newspaper, shredded paper or recycled wood or cardboard heat stroke(Spotorno et al, 2004; due to ad libitum feeding of litters are suitable bedding materials, Hoppmann & Wilson-Barron, 2007). concentrate foods, selective and hay or soft, shredded paper feeding on ‘muesli type’ foods and bedding can be used as nesting Diet lack of hay in the diet(Wolf et al, material. Chinchillas are mainly herbivorous 2003; Legendre, 2002). A recent (eat only plant material) and study in rabbits has indicated the The cage should be spot cleaned caecotrophic (they produce two extent of health problems caused daily to remove droppings and damp types of faecal pellet, the first by muesli foods (RAW, 2013) and bedding and nesting material. Once type, the ‘ceacotroph’, is eaten due to the similarities in the dietary a week, the entire cage should be by thechinchillas directly from requirements, digestive system and cleaned and all bedding and nesting the anus to produce a second, dentition of rabbits and chinchilllas, material replaced.