Chinchilla  lanigera are native of the Andes in South America..  In the wild they live between the snowline and the tree line.  They were used for food and clothing by the natives.  In the 1500’s they were discovered by the Spanish and were named after the Chinca Indians. In 1930 some animals were taken to America and bred. They are related to the rabbit, guinea pig and squirrel families.

In New Zealand pairs were imported in the early 80’s and in 1988 they were available in pet stores.

Chinchillas are very intelligent nocturnal creatures, making them ideal pets for the working family.  They sleep in the daytime and are ready to interact in the evenings. They can be taught basic tricks like rolling over and come when called.

They can chew almost anything so have to be watched carefully when out of the cage.  They move quickly and can hide in small areas such as behind fridges and washing machines. Their fur is very soft and their tail is quite coarse.

If startled they can make a squeaky noise or some can spray urine at their owners.Chinchillas are best kept in pairs.  Two males can live together sometimes but definitely not two females.