Chinchilla Facts

Chinchillas are bred for their soft fur. It takes over 250 chinchillas to make one fur coat. Sadly, this horrific act of cruelty is still legal.
Chinchillas originate from South America in the Andes Mountains were it is very cold and dry.
In the wild chinchillas live in herds of 14-100 members and herds of 200+ have been seen. Chinchillas are social and prefer to have chinchilla friends.
Chinchilla's poop 250 times or more per day and some like to eat their poop, which is totally normal and safe.
Their enclosure requires daily cleaning.
Chinchillas should never get wet. Their fur is too dense. This can cause fungi and mold infections.
Chinchillas do not bond like dogs or cats.
They do not like to be held and really do not care about human contact.
They are very cute, but they will not reciprocate love and affection.
Chinchillas are very fragile. The wrong grab or hold, or too high of a jump, can easily break their bones.
Chinchillas must be kept in a room where temperatures are under 70 degrees and lower is better. This will increase utility bills.
Chinchillas live over 20 years making them a very long-term commitment.
Chinchillas are classified as exotic animals which means they need a special exotic vet that not all communities have nearby. These vets are also costly.
Chinchillas have teeth that grow so they must chew all the time. They will chew anything and everything. This means they require special enclosures and when let out for playtime a very safe chin-proofed area.
Chinchillas do not make good pets.
If you really desire to have a chinchilla in your family, always adopt, don't shop.
Due to their needs and long term commitment very few families who have a chinchilla keep them for their full life span and they tend to be re-homed regularly.
If you have a desire to learn about chinchillas, please visit a sanctuary.