I don’t know who did these calculations, but the result is this: 25 thousand hairs are located on one square centimeter of a chinchilla’s body.
It was this beautiful fluffy fur that almost caused the animal to disappear from nature: since ancient times it was used to make magnificent outfits for noble people.
Chinchillas especially suffered when European immigrants poured into South America, in the mountains of which they lived, and simply began mercilessly to exterminate the owners of such valuable fur. But, probably, the time has come to stop, and now the number of wonderful animals is being restored, and hunting them is prohibited.
In recent years, chinchilla breeding and keeping animals as pets has become increasingly popular. Naturally, with a new direction new questions arise, including how chinchillas sleep.
Historically, chinchillas in nature are more active after sunset. They are also called twilight animals.
Therefore, when choosing a pet, you need to be prepared for the fact that its activity increases in the evening and night, i.e. Your interests and those of the little animal are radically different: he will sleep during the day!
And it would be good not to deliberately disturb him at this time, because forcibly interrupting sleep (as, indeed, for a person) threatens the chinchilla with stress and a decrease in immunity. The chinchilla wakes up in a split second from the slightest irritant - rustling, quiet steps.
Violent fun at night is usually characteristic of young individuals. Those who are older (look at the animals here), and even if they are burdened with offspring, behave quite quietly and decently.
But if the owner himself wanders along the corridor in the middle of the night, making his way to the toilet or the kitchen, slamming the refrigerator door, turning the lights on and off, then even the calmest chinchilla will turn into a night reveler.
In what position?
He lay down comfortably on his side... On many forums, chinchilla owners are often concerned about the unusual position that their pet takes in a dream. The most commonly discussed and some cause concern is the animal’s habit of sleeping on its side.
Experts say that this should not be a concern, because the chinchilla sleeps in the position in which it likes best. Other animals do this too. Some chinchilla lovers even compare them to people: not everyone, they say, sleeps strictly on their right side! So are chinchillas. Someone talks about their pet, who at first slept sitting up, and then began to lie down on his side.
The fact that the animal changes its sleepy position may be the result of acclimatization. Immediately after the purchase, in a new place, the fluffy sleeps while sitting. This is something like a defensive reaction for him, he is tense and wary. As you get used to your new place of residence, your sleeping position becomes more comfortable and even relaxed.
In addition to the above provisions, the following can also be mentioned:
- curled up in a ball
- on the back,
- on his stomach, stretched out to his full chinchilla height.
All of them correspond to the norm.
However, if the position in which the animal is located causes you doubts, carefully monitor its behavior, movements, gait, because... this may be a symptom of serious damage to any organ or system of the baby.
If no deviations, other than just an unusual posture, are noticed, then there is no reason to worry.
Observant owners note that this position indicates complete relaxation and peace of the pet, a feeling of security and the absence of anxious moments.
Quite often, female chinchillas sleep on their sides, waiting for an addition to the family. This position is more comfortable for them.
This weather dependent fluffy
Experienced chinchilla owners, observing their behavior, came to the conclusion that the sleep of many of their pets - although not all - is also affected by the weather. So, on a rainy or windy day, the animal can doze with its eyes half-closed. They sleep more both when it is hot outside and when the humidity is high.
How to train yourself to sleep at night?
The ideal option for the owners of a restless pet is to accustom him to his own sleep and wakefulness patterns. Some argue that this is possible in principle, but if done ineptly, it can result in great stress for the animal.
There are tips to simply work with him more and more actively in the evening, so that when he gets tired, he still gives up and falls asleep. Or resort to a compromise option - place the chinchilla’s cage in a place where the nocturnal activity of the furry beauty would not bother anyone.
There are also specific recommendations for teaching an animal to sleep at night. How to train a chinchilla to sleep at night? So, you can artificially extend his daylight hours by turning on the lights in the room with the cage an hour or two earlier. This primarily applies to the time of year when it gets dark early.
It is also advisable to give concentrated food earlier than the usual six in the evening - after three or four o'clock in the afternoon.
You can also artificially arrange “full-sized” exercise for a chinchilla, especially starting from its natural period of activity, i.e. six o'clock in the evening. At the same time, the cage door should be closed, and if the animal is tired during games, it will not have the opportunity to fall into its home and fall asleep.
You can open the cage before you go to bed, at 11 o'clock. By this time, the tired chinchilla will give up and will sleep peacefully without his hind legs, without disturbing his owners with his noise.
Chinchillas quickly get used to a routine if it is done systematically: cleaning, eating, playing and walking - at the same time. In the same way, they will get used to sleeping at night.
Photo of a sleeping chinchilla Video on the topic
As experience shows, The daily routine of a chinchilla largely depends on the daily routine of the owners. If during the day the owners are at work and there is silence in the apartment, the animal sleeps peacefully. In the evening the owners return, and he immediately perks up.
But if you don’t touch the chinchilla, then it will continue to sleep, and its activity will develop closer to the night, when the owners already want to sleep. The most important thing in this situation is to balance the desires and capabilities of both. And find a compromise option.
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A few centuries ago, the Andean highlands in Bolivia, Peru and Chile were widely inhabited by small, furry chinchilla rodents. Nowadays it is quite difficult to find them in the wild, and many species with the tallest and thickest fur have been completely exterminated.
The two currently extant species of these animals belong to the chinchilla family, which also includes mountain and lowland viscachas. Short-tailed chinchillas (lat. Chinchilla Brevicaudata) have not been found in nature since the mid-twentieth century; it is hoped that they have been preserved in remote areas of the Andes. More fortunate fate long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera), which still lives in natural conditions, is bred on farms and is popular as a pet.
Chinchillas got their name, literally meaning “little Chincha,” in honor of the Chincha Indians, who widely used the skins of these furry animals in clothing. Europeans, amazed by the beauty of the fur, began to intensively exterminate chinchillas and export their skins to Europe. In the 19th century, skins and coffee became the main exports from South America, and by the beginning of the 20th century, chinchillas in the wild were almost exterminated.
Chinchillas are perfectly adapted for life in their natural habitat; they have a compact body, a short neck, and a large head, which is slightly less than a third of the body length. Long round ears are capable of picking up the faintest sounds, and large black, slightly protruding eyes with vertical pupils see perfectly in the dark, because chinchillas are nocturnal animals. These rodents have surprisingly long whiskers, which reach a length of 13 cm with an average body length of 24-28 cm. The length of the tail of Chinchilla lanigera is 11.5-18.5 cm, it is covered with hard long hairs on top and soft and shorter hairs below . At rest, the tail is curved upward; during a jump, it extends, serving as a balancer and rudder. Short-tailed chinchillas are somewhat larger, have thick necks and shoulders, and shorter ears and tail. The weight of adult animals ranges from 450-860 g, females are somewhat larger and heavier than males. Chinchillas have short forelimbs; the hind legs are much longer, they allow the animals to jump to a height of 1.8 m. The front legs have five toes (the fifth is reduced) with short, blunt claws, and the hind legs have four toes with large pads. On the second phalanges of the first toes of the hind legs there is a brush made of hard white hairs, with which the animals comb their luxurious fur. Chinchillas do not have sweat glands, because their habitats are always cool. In captivity, at air temperatures above 25°C, animals can die from heat stroke. The animals take very good care of their fur, regularly taking dust baths, but they avoid water - the unusually thick fur does not dry out completely, and rot and mold can develop in it.
Chinchilla, auto photo: EliMalone.
New Year's chinchilla or chinchilla - Santa Claus, photo credit: Kingdom Animalia.
In nature, chinchillas live in colonies of up to 100 individuals; the nature of their relationship is practically not studied; it is assumed that they are monogamous. These rodents feed on cereals, plant seeds, grasses and moss, and sometimes insects. Chinchillas wait out daylight hours and bad weather in rock cracks and natural burrows. Observation of the animals in enclosures showed that they themselves do not dig holes; their delicate fingers are not adapted for this. Pregnancy in chinchillas is much longer than in other rodents. After 111 days of gestation, furry cubs are born with teeth erupting and eyes open.
Chinchilla in the home interior, photo author: alex.spatari.
Chinchillas do not hibernate because the temperature in the Andes varies little throughout the year. These animals can successfully defend themselves from enemies: they rise on their hind legs, begin to growl, click their teeth, spray urine on the enemy, and if that doesn’t help, they bite. But usually, when predators appear, chinchillas flee, jumping high from stone to stone. These animals have an amazing ability to ricochet: jumping onto a rock, the chinchilla strongly pushes off from it, abruptly changing direction. Such abilities make chinchillas practically invulnerable in nature, and even at home it is extremely difficult to catch an escaped animal.
In nature, chinchillas have bluish-gray fur with a dark veil, and their legs and belly are white. As a result of selection work, animals with beige, white, brown and black colors, as well as a combination of different colors, were obtained. Very interesting are the rare royal Persian-Angora chinchillas with longer fur and a neat face; White individuals with dark ears and tail are especially good. With proper home care, chinchillas can live up to 20 years. These animals are extremely shy and sensitive to sharp sounds and light, so spacious, equipped cages must be located in a quiet place. Chinchillas should have adequate nutrition with special food, the opportunity to swim in fine sand, clean water and cool air. Taming should be gradual and unobtrusive so as not to cause stress to the animal. Healthy chinchillas are cheerful and active, they have clear eyes and fluffy fur, and are very interesting to watch. Chinchillas are very “talkative” and make extensive use of sounds when communicating. They squeak and coo, scream and hiss, yap and mutter, and are capable of making both high and low sounds.
Chinchillas are fun and enjoyable pets. They are closely related to another rodent, namely the guinea pig. Chinchillas originated in South America, where they lived in the Andes Mountains. In addition to their popularity as a pet, they are also prized for their soft and luxurious fur. The average lifespan of chinchillas is about 10 years (range 9 to 15). They weigh between 400 and 600 grams, with females slightly larger than males. Chinchillas are nocturnal and are therefore more active at night, preferring to sleep during the day. They don't hibernate.
Chinchillas are quiet and shy animals that rarely bite. But they are quite fast and agile, and love to climb and jump. Like other pets, they get sick sometimes, and their illnesses can be serious. All pet chinchillas should be seen by a veterinarian within 48 hours of purchase and at least annually thereafter. This check is critical to detect any symptoms of illness and will help the new pet owner start off on the right foot. Many problems that arise when keeping chinchillas are caused by misinformation. Therefore, the first visit to the veterinarian can help owners prevent some wrong steps that can ultimately lead to the animal's early death.
- Like all rodents, chinchillas' teeth grow continuously throughout their lives.
- The gastrointestinal tract of chinchillas is specialized for digesting large amounts of fiber (for example, like other rodents and rabbits).
- The breeding season for chinchillas usually lasts from November to April.
- Like guinea pigs, chinchillas are born with their eyes open, covered in fur, and quite active.
- Chinchillas can shed their fur, and some of the fur may fall out if the animal is grabbed too hard, for example.
- Chinchillas love to take dust baths every day.
Healthy chinchilla
Chinchillas are usually purchased from pet stores or through breeders. As with any pet purchase, chinchillas that are too quiet or sickly should be avoided. When a chinchilla is scared, it should be anxious and move quickly. Avoid animals with closed eyes or with discharge from the eyes or nose. Check the ears for redness and excess wax, which may indicate an infection. If possible, check your teeth to make sure your incisors (front teeth) are not overgrown. The pet should be neither fat nor thin, you should be able to feel its ribs with just maybe a little fat over them. Check your chinchilla's rectal area for moisture, which may indicate diarrhea or a gastrointestinal infection.
First visit to the vet
Your chinchilla should be examined by a veterinarian within a few days of purchase (usually 48 hours). All pets, including chinchillas, need regular examinations. Choose a veterinarian who is familiar and has enough experience with chinchillas.
Chinchillas, like other decorative rodents, are predominantly nocturnal. Therefore, owners cannot always catch their pet at the peak of activity. But they have the opportunity to constantly observe the funny positions in which the animal sleeps. Sleep, no less than, reflects the state of health and psyche of the pet, so it is important to monitor how chinchillas sleep.
It is difficult to calculate how much a chinchilla sleeps per day. The duration of sleep is significantly influenced by the character and age of the animal. Young animals are much more active, so they can wake up during the day to have a snack and run around. But if your pet sleeps most of the day, waking up only when the sun sets, his behavior is also normal, close to normal. This upsets most owners, who cannot really watch the animal or play with it. Fortunately, at home, chinchillas often adapt to their owner’s routine. Therefore, after some time, the pet will wake up when you come home in the evening, and at night it will spend several hours sleeping.
How does a chinchilla sleep?
The first time after moving to a new home, the animal experiences stress, so it will sleep only while sitting, choosing a protected corner of the cage. He sits on his hind legs, and presses his front legs to his stomach or leans them on an object of suitable height. Some chinchillas sleep standing on their hind legs, holding onto the bars of the cage with their front legs. This unusual position ensures a quick transition to activity after waking up - the animal is always ready to defend itself or run.
If a chinchilla is stressed, he sleeps standing up Over time, the animal begins to trust its owners, gets used to its new place of residence and relaxes. Therefore, a sleeping chinchilla curls up into a ball, or stretches out to its full height, and demonstrates a wide variety of other poses. You can often see a furry animal hanging from the top shelf, sleeping in a bowl or in the toilet.
IMPORTANT: The choice of a tray for sleeping is unlikely to please the owners - but usually the chinchilla is simply looking for where it is most convenient. In nature, animals sleep in a group, providing themselves with warmth and comfort. Therefore, in order to wean your pet from the habit of sleeping in the toilet, you need to equip more comfortable places to sleep - a comfortable bed,.
Hammock is a great place to sleep Why does a chinchilla sleep on its side?
Beginning owners pay especially close attention to their pet's sleep, and changes in behavior are often mistaken for signs of illness. Sometimes this can be justified - when the animal sleeps too anxiously, waking up all the time, or too much - this can be a symptom of the onset of the development of the disease. But if a chinchilla sleeps on its side, although it always slept sitting up, this is completely normal and only means that your pet is accustomed to its new home and feels safe.
For the same reason, owners are often concerned that the animal sleeps with its eyes open. This seems too unusual behavior and causes anxiety. Sometimes the animal falls asleep so much while sitting in your arms that it looks completely strange. But this is also a variant of the norm - many chinchillas sleep most of the time with their eyes closed, and during the day or in their arms they literally doze “with half their eyes open.” We also need to remember the weather dependence of animals - they react to the weather, in the heat they become lethargic, sleep a lot, and on windy, rainy days they will be nervous and doze fitfully. Usually, when the weather returns to normal, the animals calm down.
Chinchillas love to sleep in a group If you notice that your animal's sleep has changed or strange signs have appeared, observe its behavior while awake. If the appetite is good, the pet is active, walks in your arms, and does not show other strange symptoms, there is no cause for concern.
How to train a chinchilla to sleep at night
It happens that the animal does not change its mode in any way, continuing to sleep during the daytime, and at night it makes noise, disturbing its owners. Even if the regime has successfully shifted, the sleep of these rodents is very sensitive - any noise, snoring, steps along the corridor will wake the animal, and often after this it continues to stay awake until the morning. If your pet doesn't sleep at night, the best solution is to place the crate in another room. You can also find soundproof cages, but they are quite expensive. If it is not possible to move your pet’s home, the question inevitably arises: how to wean him from a nocturnal lifestyle and make him sleep more soundly?
Training a chinchilla to sleep at night is quite difficult. The most effective method is to provide your pet with sufficient activity in the evening. Chinchillas love to walk around the apartment, explore the premises, and also. Turn off or dim the lights, open the door, then carefully wake the animal and offer a treat. When he starts jumping around the cage, take him for a walk around the room. Usually animals, having walked and played enough in the evening, get tired and behave quietly at night.
Active games before bed Getting up early will also help calm your chinchilla at night - as soon as your alarm clock rings in the morning, let the animal out of the cage (at six or seven in the morning it will still be awake). While you are getting ready for school or work, your pet, who has not slept at night, will run around and become completely tired. During the day he will sleep soundly for six to eight hours, and in the evening he will wake up early. This regimen, combined with intense activity, will help adjust your sleep time over time. With age, most animals reduce the number of noisy games, and at night they prefer to doze.
How do chinchillas sleep?
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Basic rules for caring for a chinchilla at any time of the year.
Chinchillas, like any other pets, require careful care and concern.
They need to be controlled nutrition, hygiene and know some nuances about the behavior of these beautiful furry animals.
The basic rule of care is to provide comfortable conditions life for a chinchilla: it should live in a clean cage with bedding made of wood sawdust or special filler. The room in which the cage with the animal is located must be constantly ventilated. The chinchilla must be bathed in specialized sand mixed with volcanic dust, which can be purchased at a pet store.
In order to save beauty And silkiness A chinchilla's coat needs to be combed periodically and fed with specialized food, which can be purchased at a pet store. The chinchilla must constantly receive moisture, so you need to monitor the freshness and availability of water in the drinking bowl. The cage should be equipped with a mineral stone or special chalk, on which the animal will sharpen its teeth, since they grow in chinchillas throughout their lives.
Caring for chinchillas in winter
With the onset of cold weather, all the rules for caring for a chinchilla are supplemented with some nuances. In the case of central heating in your home, you should ensure that the cage with the animal is not located near the radiators, as overheating can easily lead to thermalblow.
Chinchillas react poorly not only to heat, but also to cold. Therefore, during the ventilation process, you must also be extremely careful, and it is better to simply take the cage to another room for a while. It is easier to avoid a number of colds than to treat them later, which in the case of a chinchilla is not at all easy to do.
Swimming animals are better in the cold season don't get carried away. Due to the low humidity in a heated apartment, the sand in which the animal bathes will additionally dry out its skin, which can lead to peeling.
If the need arises transporting a chinchilla in winter, then this must be done in an insulated carrier (for example, wrap it in a blanket), the bottom of which is strewn with sawdust. When in a warm car, try to avoid overheating the cage and direct flows of warm air from the car heater, as the animal may simply suffocate.
Chinchilla nutrition in winter it should be more balanced and rich, since during this period the activity of these domestic animals increases. The animal's diet should be rich in cereals, hay, dried fruits and mineralized feed.
Knowing and observing the basic features of caring for an animal, you can maintain its health, vigor and attractive appearance at any time of the year.
