Natives of South America, Chinchillas are small rodents of which there are different types and breeds. The long-tailed chinchilla and the short-tailed chinchilla are the most common breeds of chinchillas, and both have their own distinctive characteristics.
The two types of chinchilla:
Long-tailed Chinchilla
The long-tailed chinchillas usually have a brownish, blueish or pearl grey fur and a very dense and soft coat. This thick fur helps the chinchillas to stay warm in higher altitudes. The long-tailed chinchillas are 23 to 35cm long, and they have bushy tails which are 8 to 15cm long.
Long-tailed chinchillas are mainly herbivorous and enjoy vegetables such as leaves, roots, mosses, lichen, grass, and seeds as well as smaller insects and eggs.
They will live about ten years in the wild but can live over 20 years when they are kept as pets and well looked after.
Short-tailed Chinchilla
The short-tailed chinchilla is also known as the royal, Bolivian or Peruvian chinchilla and is one among the endangered species of the rodent as they are highly exploited for their fur. These chinchillas are usually 28 to 49 cm in length and have short front legs and very powerful and long hind legs which help them to jump and climb. They are found in many different colours, and each colour has its own characteristics.
Chinchilla colours:
White Chinchilla
The white chinchilla should be bright white in colour with no yellow casting in it, but they also come with darker patterns on their ears and the fur.
Black Chinchilla
Black chinchillas have dark-coloured veiling, their sides are light-coloured, their bellies are usually bright white, and they come with black stripes on the paws. Their fur is velvety, so much so that these chinchillas are even called black velvet.
Beige Chinchilla
The beige violet chinchilla is a combination of the violet and the beige gene. It has a lighter champagne colour and a bright white belly. This breed also comes with purplish eyes.
Purple Chinchilla
The purple chinchillas have a fur that is very grey in colour on the whole belly. These come with a violet gene with the combination of an ebony gene.
Brown Chinchilla
The brown chinchilla usually has black and beige parents and the legs, and the hands of the brown velvets are of brown colour and underside of it is a bright white colour.
Grey Chinchilla
Grey colour is dominant in these chinchillas, and they are even found in different shades of grey with crisp or bright white-coloured bellies.
Pink White Chinchilla
The pink-white chinchillas are the cross between the beige and white chinchillas. Their colour is predominantly white with some creamy beige patterns; they have a pink nose and the lighter-coloured ears.
Summary
Chinchillas make wonderful pets, but it's a good idea to do your research before you get one and make sure that you choose the right one for you, your family and your lifestyle.
They also enjoy company, so that's a great excuse to get more than one, just make sure they are of the same gender or the male is neutered to prevent breeding.