The Chinchilla
The Chinchilla is a small mammal the lives in the Andean Mountain range. Rodent is not usually a term that one associate with cute and fluffy, but the Chinchilla is an exception. It originates from Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia. It is a very social animal and loves to have company; if it does not have company, the chinchilla may become mentally ill. In order to understand the significance of the Chinchilla, one must know where it comes from, how its body functions, and how it lives. The chinchilla originates from Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. It lives in the Andean Mountain range up to the point of snowcaps. Living in rocky areas mainly to stay dry. From the middle of the mountains up to fifteen thousand feet, the chinchilla is
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They have plenty of time at night to go and find things they like to eat. Insects can be easy to find considering that they can search small crevasses under rocks. They find and grab insects like cockroaches, ants, and beetles in their paws. The chinchilla also has its own predators. To combat these predators it has some unique defense techniques. One of these is to release the fur where the attacker has latched onto the chinchilla. Since the fur is quite dense it could stop a bite, but the hair detaches so the chinchilla can escape. The chinchilla can also bite when threatened. It is a very compassionate animal when it is domesticated; they cuddle and loves to be cuddled. Chinchillas first came to America in the 1920’s. Thirteen of them were brought to America by a Chilean scientist to help the protection plan. A chinchilla loves to have a companion, if they do not it may become mentally ill due to loneliness. They adapt to their human companion’s schedule even though they themselves are nocturnal. When living domestically chinchillas can live for twenty years and sometimes more. At the beginning of these twenty years, a chinchilla is born in a litter of one to eight kits, which are baby chinchillas. Born fully furred these kits are very affectionate and lovable. Kits drink milk until four weeks old. At four weeks, they can consume hay and other solids while still drinking milk from its mother. At
They have plenty of time at night to go and find things they like to eat. Insects can be easy to find considering that they can search small crevasses under rocks. They find and grab insects like cockroaches, ants, and beetles in their paws. The chinchilla also has its own predators. To combat these predators it has some unique defense techniques. One of these is to release the fur where the attacker has latched onto the chinchilla. Since the fur is quite dense it could stop a bite, but the hair detaches so the chinchilla can escape. The chinchilla can also bite when threatened. It is a very compassionate animal when it is domesticated; they cuddle and loves to be cuddled. Chinchillas first came to America in the 1920’s. Thirteen of them were brought to America by a Chilean scientist to help the protection plan. A chinchilla loves to have a companion, if they do not it may become mentally ill due to loneliness. They adapt to their human companion’s schedule even though they themselves are nocturnal. When living domestically chinchillas can live for twenty years and sometimes more. At the beginning of these twenty years, a chinchilla is born in a litter of one to eight kits, which are baby chinchillas. Born fully furred these kits are very affectionate and lovable. Kits drink milk until four weeks old. At four weeks, they can consume hay and other solids while still drinking milk from its mother. At