Chinchillas are members of the rodent family which make up around 40% of all mammal species. Thick fur keeps out the bitter cold experienced in the South American Andes Mountains. The coat is made up of thin hairs, 60 from each hair follicle. This coat led to their hunting to near extinction for use in fur trade and other fashion accessories.Chinchillas are still endangered in the wild although colonies of around 100 individuals can still be found in remote areas. Their diet in the wild consists of vegetable matter, grasses and leaves, usually eating when sitting up keeping a vigilant eye out for predators. Chinchillas can be playful pets but do need large areas for climbing and jumping. Chinchillas are nocturnal and are therefore most active when we are asleep.

At Wild2You we are aware of how popular chinchillas are, however when the weather is too hot we do not take them out onto shows, because of their thick fur coat they are at serious risk of overheating and dying