Keeping Chinchillas As Pets - RSPCA

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1. Home
2. Advice and welfare
3. Pets
4. Rodents
5. Chinchillas

Rodents Chinchillas

Chinchillas are clean, quiet and attractive rodents that don't smell. They can live for 10–20 years, so are a long-term commitment for any owner.

They're quite shy, flighty and don't enjoy being stroked or handled. Because of this they're are more appropriate for adults than children, and also best for owners who enjoy watching animals instead of handling them.

These soft-furred rodents originate from the barren, rocky slopes of the Andes mountains of South America, where they have been hunted for their pelts to near extinction. They've also been bred and farmed for their soft, dense fur.

Insight into the biology and behaviour of chinchillas can help you to understand your pet better, so check out our amazing facts!

Chinchillas are athletic

They have long, strong hind limbs adapted for leaping, and a tail that makes up about one-third of their body length. They can jump over six feet (1.8m) in height, and pet chinchillas have been reported to jump onto the top of refrigerators!

Chinchillas are highly social

In the wild, they live in colonies of over 100 individuals. Therefore they must not be kept singly as pets.

Chinchillas communicate vocally

Chinchillas are generally quiet animals and communicate through a variety of soft high-pitched grunting noises. They produce hiccupping noises, chirps, squeals and barks which act as social messages to other chinchillas.

Chinchillas hear like us

Chinchillas have large ears and sensitive hearing. Their hearing range is similar to that of humans. They are easily startled by sudden loud or unfamiliar sounds.

Chinchillas need a high-fibre diet

Wild chinchillas eat leaves, stems, bark and seeds. Captive chinchillas need a high-fibre diet based on grasses and hays. Their teeth grow constantly, so they need to eat lots of hay, which is abrasive, to help wear their teeth down.

Chinchillas feed in the early morning and late evening, but should have access to food 24 hours a day. They eat by sitting on their haunches, holding the food in their forepaws.

Chinchillas have an unsual digestive system

Like rabbits and guinea pigs, chinchillas perform a digestive process called caecotrophy to extract as much goodness as possible from their food. Food is passed through their gut and special droppings (called caecotrophs) are produced. Chinchillas eat these droppings, so they absorb and digest them again.

Chinchillas sleep in the daytime

Chinchillas are nocturnal, meaning they're most active in the evening and at night. Chinchillas do not burrow, but live in rock crevices or holes in the wild. As a result, chinchillas will sleep while squeezed into very small spaces. They usually sleep upright in a huddled position, but will also sleep on their sides and can even sleep upside down!

Chinchillas are adapted to living in mountains

Wild chinchillas are adapted to living in rock crevices or holes at elevations over 4000m. Their red blood cells can take up more oxygen than other rodents or rabbits, which helps them survive at high altitudes.

Chinchillas have exceptionally dense fur which is an adaptation to the cold temperatures they are exposed to in their native environment. Each hair follicle has 60 to 90 individual hairs emerging from it; humans typically have one hair per follicle!

Hairless fleshy footpads allow chinchillas to be agile and maintain their grip on rocky surfaces.

Chinchillas are prey animals

Chinchillas are prey animals and their natural response to a perceived threat is to freeze or cower, and dart for cover. In captivity they will often try to wedge themselves into a tight space for protection, mimicking their natural behaviour to seek cover in rock crevices.

Chinchillas are able to lose large patches of fur – a process called ‘fur slip’. This is a defence mechanism against predators, which results in the predator being left with a tuft of fur while the chinchilla escapes. Fur slip can also occur in captivity due to inappropriate handling.

Understanding your chinchilla's needs

Chinchillas have only been kept as pets since relatively recently, and experts are still learning about how best to care for them. There's no single 'perfect' way to care for chinchillas, as long as you meet their needs.

Read our expert-reviewed pet care information to find out more about the needs of chinchillas, including their environment, diet, behaviour, company and health and welfare.

Adopt a chinchilla from the RSPCA

If you'd like to welcome chinchillas to your home, why not find chinchillas for rehoming from the RSPCA?

Find out more

Chinchilla behaviour

Keeping pet chinchillas can be challenging, so here's a handy checklist of what your pet chinchilla needs to stay healthy and happy.

Creating a good home for chinchillas

Originating from mountainous areas in South America, chinchillas are used to cool, cold and dry climates and have soft, dense fur to keep them warm.

Pet insurance

With pet insurance from the RSPCA, you'll be ready to care for your pet when they need it.

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