Chinchilla is a small, furry rodent, about the size of a rabbit, that is native to the Andes mountains of South America. There are two species, Chinchilla lanigera and Chinchilla brevicaudata. There is little noticeable difference between the two species except that the Chinchilla brevicaudata has a shorter tail, a thicker neck and shoulders and shorter ears. Find out more!

Their preferred habitats are burrows or rock crevices. They also inhabit barren, arid areas of mountains at elevations of 3,000 – 5,000 metres. Moreover, chinchillas are strictly herbivores and feed primarily on seeds and grass, they also eat a variety of other vegetation and plant matter. While eating, chinchillas sit upright on their hind legs and hold the food in their front paws.

In the wild, Chinchillas live in social groups called herds which contain around 100 individuals. These animals are primarily nocturnal animals with activity peaking at dusk and dawn. During the day they rest in holes and crevices among rocks, emerging at dusk to forage through the night.

Also, chinchillas make a variety of vocalizations, including chirps, squeaks and barks. They use these sounds to express themselves, from a calm, loving chirp given to a potential mate to a loud, aggressive bark when threatened. They are very clean creatures.