Jump To Section
Related Articles
First-Time Chinchilla Owner? Essential Care Guide & Fun Facts
Published on January 9th, 2024
Updated on October 22nd, 2025
Jump To Section
- Chinchillas are very agile animals and can jump up to five feet in the air!
- Chinchillas have open-rooted teeth, which means they continue to grow throughout their lives. Because of this, make sure to provide plenty of chew toys for your pet.
- A chinchilla's fur is considered the softest in the world: 30 times softer than human hair! Chinchillas also have 50 or more hairs per follicle as opposed to humans, who only have one.
- Dust baths are used for chinchillas to remove any oil or moisture from their thick fur; this will also help keep their fur soft. You should not bathe a chinchilla in water as this may cause them to lose their fur.
- Caecotrophy is the process used by a chinchilla to digest its food twice.
- Red blood cells in chinchillas can hold more oxygen than other rodents. This is due to their natural living conditions at high altitudes.
- "Fur slip" is known as the chinchilla's natural defense against predators. This allows the chinchilla to release large patches of fur, leaving their would-be predator with a lump of fur.
- Chinchillas can communicate with each other using barking, chirping and grunting noises along with squeals.
- When eating, chinchillas tend to sit on their haunches and use their front paws to hold food.
- Baby chinchillas are called kits.
Have a Vet Question?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
