Chinchillas

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In their native habitat, Chinchillas live in burrows or crevices in rocks. They can jump very high, up to 6 ft. In nature, Chinchillas live in social groups that are like colonies but are called herds.

Chinchillas are great pets, but they are also hunted down for their fur. The international trade of Chinchillas go way back to the 16th century. Their fur is extremely popular because of its soft feel. Their color is usually very even, which makes it ideal for for small garnments or the lining of large granments. They come in many different colors, including white, ebony, beige, standard grey, sapphire, violet and many combinations of these.

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Since Chinchillas are fairly small, they weigh very little.  Males are usually 400-500 grams and females are usually 400-600 grams.

It takes 150 Chinchillas to create a single full-length coat. This fact led to the extinction of one species and serious pressure on the other two.

Chinchillas come from the Andes Mountains of South America. The name 'Chinchilla' comes from the South American Indian tribe and means 'Little Chinta.'

Their fur has fur that has between 80-100 hair per folicle, making their coat too thick for fleas.

They do not bathe in water, but in dust instead. They will flip, roll, dig and play merrily on their quest to be clean.

Chinchillas will do what's called a fur slip and release a patch of fur when frightened. It is designed to help them escape the grasp of predators. It will grow back and it will not hurt the Chinchilla.

Chinchilla's predators are owls, foxes, and mountain lions.

They prefer temperature below 75F and will easily overheat or have a heatstroke in warmer climates.

Chinchillas are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and come out to play at night.

 Chinchillas eat and digest desert grasses and cannot efficiently process fatty foods, high protein foods, or too many green plants. A high quality, hay-based pellet and a constant supply of loose hay will sufficiently meet all of their dietary needs.  Chinchillas are primarily herbivores (plant-eaters); they eat tree bark, grasses, seed, fruit, grain, and herbs. Occasionally, they will eat insects. Like all rodents, their two front teeth continue to grow throughout their lives, and the chinchilla must gnaw and chew to wear these teeth down. In a sitting position, chinchillas gnaw on their food while holding the food in their hands. They do not drink much water.  

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinchilla

http://www.chinnitude.com/facts.htm

http://www.youtube.com/

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/rodent/Chinchilla.shtml