Chinchillas

Chinchillas come from the Andes Mountains in South America. They have the densest fur of any animal aside from the sea otter. Considered the softest animal in the world, chinchillas have 80-100 hairs per hair follicle (hole that hair grows out of), where humans only have 1-2. Their fur is so dense that a flea would suffocate if it tried to live in it!

The name chinchilla, literally “little Chincha”, comes from the Chincha people of the Andes who wore their fur. By the end of the 19th century, wild chinchillas had become quite rare after being hunted for their fur.

ChinchillasMeet One!
Sleep:
Nocturnal
Diet:
Herbivore
Species:
Chinchilla

They take baths in dust

Due to the thick density of their fur, chinchillas can’t get wet and can’t bathe in water. Their fur prevents air-drying, which can cause fungus growth and fur rot. Instead of water, chinchillas clean their fun by taking dust baths a few times per week. In the wild, they roll around in finely ground pieces of volcanic rocks which causes the dust to gather in their fur and absorb oils and dirt. 

Because of this extreme density, they have to be kept in cooler environments to regulate their body temperature. To prevent overheating, blood circulates through their ears to cool off.

Chinchillas defend themselves by spraying fur and urine

Chinchillas have a unique defense mechanism known as “fur slip.” Fur slip occurs when a chinchilla is frightened or handled roughly, in response they release large clumps of fur. This is an effective means of escape from predators who are left with a large clump of fur in their mouths. Spraying urine is another defense mechanism chinchillas use against predators.

Activities

Games, puzzles, word searches, mazes, coloring books, stickers, riddles, and more. We have you covered! Check out all of our activities.

Chinchilla Yoga

Move, play, and pretend to be a soft and snuggly chinchilla with this fun yoga session with Pam and Houdini.
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Draw a Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are great little animals and are really fun to draw! Get creative with this step-by-step art activity, and study the interesting and cool parts about what make guinea pigs great!
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Houdini
Introducing

Houdini

Come one, come all to the Wonderful, Magical, Really, Really Cool, Houdini Show! Gather ‘round and watch as I leap 6 feet in the air from a standstill! I can smother a flea with my little hands tied behind my back, using nothing but my incredibly dense fur! Last but not least, I’ll bathe…. In dust! *POOF* He’s gone!
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Our Animals

Our animals are a zany and fun bunch of guys and gals. Get to know some of our wild hedgehogs, playful bunnies, ridiculous miniature chickens, and goofy guinea pigs!
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