A Brief Introduction to ChinchillasChinchillas are unique, delicate, exotic rodents that were brought to the United States in 1923 by Mathias F Chapman. While they are thriving in domestic breeding facilities and in pet homes, wild Chinchillas are critically endangered due to being over hunted.
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What are Chinchillas? |
Chinchillas are crepuscular* rodents who originate from the from high altitudes of the Andes Mountains that runs along the western coast of South America, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Their habitat is harsh; Dry, windy, and cold. They are coveted for their plush fur, and quirky personalities. The two living species of chinchilla are Chinchilla Chinchilla AKA Chinchilla - Brevicaudata and Chinchilla - Lanigera. C.Chinchilla has a shorter tail, a thicker neck and shoulders, and shorter ears than C. lanigera. The former species is currently facing extinction; the latter, though rare, can be found in the wild.
Crepuscular: Active at dawn and dusk. Common misconception: "Chinchillas are nocturnal", Nocturnal: Active at night. |
Brief History |
The chinchilla received its name from the Spanish who named it after the Chincha Indians, who had used the fur and introduced it to the Incas. Chinchilla means" Little Chincha" in Spanish. In the 1400’s the Chinchas used the chinchilla for clothing, food, and pets. Eventually the Inca Empire expanded, taking over the Chinchas and continuing to use Chinchillas.
In 1923 Chapman, a mining engineer, succeeded to bring 11 live chinchillas to America. His goal was to bring these animals back to the states and set up breeding facilities to produce Chinchilla fur. In the 19th century, demand from the European and American markets drove the chinchilla population almost to the brink of extinction. An estimated 21 million had been trapped and killed for their fur before the local governments put a ban on all hunting. With commercial breeding ranched pelts are considered superior to wild ones, fur dealers have stated that no demand exists for wild chinchilla fur, The first chinchillas were all Standard Grey in color ( but a yellow-brown muddy version ). |
Today |
Today Chinchillas are still being bred in commercial farms by Chinchilla Ranchers; However, over time the market has changed. Fur is not as big as a commodity in the states as it use to be and pet owners around the world have fallen in love with these furry little beasts. While many breeders do still breed for pelts, some choose to only pelt casualties, most seem to cater to pet stores by wholesaling their culled animals. Almost every breeder will also sell to private individuals. Ranch herds range from 10 animals to 1,000's of animals and the ranchers are generally members of breeding clubs to make sure they are improving year to year.
Today's Chinchillas come in a variety of Mutation colors, as well as Standard Grey, which has been greatly improved upon to give a strong blue hue and crisp white belly. |