# Chinchilla Chinchillas are fluffy rodents with the softest fur in the world. They are active and love to jump and climb. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Indoor cages with shelves and space for climbing. ![Chinchilla](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424623/objects/4365.jpg) ## Appearance The Chinchilla has exceptionally soft, dense fur, typically slate gray with white underparts, and large, dark eyes. It possesses a bushy tail, prominent rounded ears, and small, nimble paws, distinctly different from other rodents by its incredibly plush coat. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Chinchillidae - **Genus:** Chinchilla ## Interesting facts - Chinchillas have the densest fur of any land mammal, with up to 60 hairs per follicle! - They can squirt urine or release a patch of fur to distract and escape from predators. - They use over 11 different calls, including chirps, grunts, and barks, to communicate. - Wild chinchillas live in large family groups called "herds," sometimes with 100 members! ## Special abilities - **Fur Release Defense:** Chinchilla can shed clumps of fur when grabbed, allowing them to escape predators quickly and safely. - **Agile Cliff Climber:** Chinchillas can jump high and scale rocky terrain with powerful hind legs and a balancing tail. - **Dense Fur Cleanse:** Chinchilla has uniquely dense fur that requires regular dust baths to stay clean, healthy, and insulated. - **Ever-Growing Grinders:** Chinchilla's teeth grow continuously, so they must gnaw on tough vegetation to keep them from overgrowing. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 22-38 cm - **Weight:** 0.4-0.8 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-18 years - **Speed:** 20 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-3 - **Gestation:** 111 days ## Diet & Feeding Chinchillas munch on tough plants, like grasses and leaves, to wear down their ever-growing teeth. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, leaves, roots, lichen, cacti fruits, seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Andean Fox (*Lycalopex culpaeus*) — A main predator in their natural high-altitude habitat. - **Eaten by:** Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle (*Geranoaetus melanoleucus*) — A large bird of prey that hunts small mammals. - **Eats:** Ichu Grass (*Stipa ichu*) — A common hardy grass that forms a key part of their diet. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Keep them cool and handle gently, as they can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Chinchilla? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Chinchilla? 22-38 cm ### How much does Chinchilla weigh? 0.4-0.8 kg ### How long does Chinchilla live? 10-18 years ### How fast can Chinchilla move? 20 km/h ### What does Chinchilla eat? Chinchillas munch on tough plants, like grasses and leaves, to wear down their ever-growing teeth. ### Where is Chinchilla usually found? Indoor cages with shelves and space for climbing. ### How does Chinchilla hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [ZooMontana](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoomontana) — Montana, US · Zoo ## Watch - [Play video: Chinchilla](https://www.snappit.app/videos/chinchilla) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=qnQeCuLGrbo) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Chinchilla: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/chinchilla)