SOME HISTORY ABOUT US

The Chinchilla is a Rodent, native of South America or more precisely of the Andes that run across Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, In those zones the climate is varied ,hot during the day and cold during the night which is ideal for the Chinchilla who leads a nocturnal life, This does not signify that in domestic life it does not succeed to adapt to the usual hours of the family who takes care of it.

The chinchilla is subdivided into two great species: the Brevicaudata and the Lanigera. The Brevicaudata species is bigger than the Lanigera much less productive, very small ears and a vertical orientation, a very big head,a dense body and a short tail(a characteristic from where the species takes its name). The Lanigera species is the one that is more widely spread because it is more productive, with generally larger ears and with horizontal orientation, smaller head, the body a little less dense, a more elongated body with a longer tail.

The species “Lanigera” is subdivided in 3 types, “La Plata”, the “Costina” and the “Raton” (the Real). The La Plata has a greater physical adaptation than the other two types of Lanigera, in fact it is this that more than anything nears the characteristics of the “Brevicauduta”species. The “Costina” type has a conformation contrary to “La Plata” hence longer ears ,pointed muzzle(like a mouse) elongated body form,  narrow shoulders and a masket roundness of the backbone if seen in profile.The Ranton has characteristics similar to that of “La Plata” and seems to have risked extinction during the ruthless hunting at the beginning of the 1900, somebody has seen small colonies of “Real” Chinchilla in  the natural reserves of South America.

The “Costina” Chinchilla were seen exclusively in the most level plains of South America while the “La Plata” in the highest zones of the Andes range. Because the “Costina” lived in less cold zones, its fur is less thick and shorter,auricles bigger to disperse heat, contrary to “La Plata”whose ears are smaller and has a more compact body,longer and thicker fur,characteristics to keep the body heat longer.

In later years, the Chinchilla seemed  a good affectionate animal and in this context the “Costina” were widely spread. Lately the public, always more informed, has begun to ask the sellers for the recognized “La Plata” and La Plata-Costina hybrids  because  they are more beautiful,generally more social,calm and they trust man more like puppies . Another reason for which “La Plata” is more  asked for is its major physical resistance and longevity, in comparison to “Costina”.

We have begun to breed Chinchilla in 1985,we were attracted to this new animal, which at that time was nearly unknown in Italy and then with a passion for knowing what we could about it. In the following years, after we put up a small breeding farm, we have proposed the shop owners “Pets” this new type of rodent, but unfortunately with little results. We did not have much experiance and the principal mistake for which the chinchilla were not considered was the advanced age of the youths and the type of animal. In the 90’s we had pure costina and we have never seen other types of Chinchilla if not photos in specialised foreign magazines.

Unfortunately the “Costina” have to be weaned about two months of age, not before in view of their lively nature in regards to “La Plata” when we suggested to shopkeepers they did not let them be touched moreover at times they bit and urinated on them.

Nearly at the end of the 90’s we tried to introduce in our breeding farm the first “La Plata”, noting immediately the difference not only in character but also physical.they were animals that rarely suffered from intestinal problems like constapation and diarrhea, but above all they were calm and curious and giving them a little confidence they interacted very easily with the new family. They seemed to be more intelligent in respect to the “Costina”. Being more physically resistant the puppies could be weaned before and we succeeded to propose a new type of Chinchilla that loved to be caressed and held in the arms or in hand,more long living and above all a puppy that besides looking like a mini bear he also liked the new owner who decided to let him live in his home.

Later on with particular cross breeding we succeeded to give our chinchilla all the changes of existing colours in the world, the White Wilson, the Mosaic, the Pastel, the Ebony, the Black Velvet, the Beige, the Choko and all their varation of colours. Not only, we have brought forth a particular Mosaic that we are trying to fix genetically , which we have named “Mascherina” then a standard grey Chinchilla with a white face mask. Then a particular mosaic which we called Panda Mutato, which is the result of a series of cross breeding between white,grey and beige ones. This Chinchilla has two colours equally divided the Head part completely white and the rest all beige. In the world there are other Chinchilla Panda, but they are white and grey, hence the reason that our Chinchilla is a Panda Mutato.

The Chinchilla adapt very well to domestic life, the hours and habitat of the family and other domestic animals that live in the same house, nearly seeming human.He needs a spacious and high cage because he likes to climb and jump on the shelves inside the living quarter and he likes to stay in the highest part of the cage, In case you have smaller cages we recommend that you let him out once daily so that he can stretch a little  but always under your supervision, because the Chinchilla is curious and can gnaw electric wires or cause damage,we recommend that you give him all kind of toys. In shops there are stones that can be gnawed, which can also be attached to the inside of the cage like a small bell so that he can somehow communicate with the family through sound.

Through the bell many Chinchilla communicate their feelings and eventual needs, it is up to the owner to interpret the signs of their woollen ball.

An important argument of the Chinchilla is food. The Chinchilla has a long intestine in regards to its body,due to the conditions of their natural habitat. Hence particular attention should be given to this aspect.We advise you to use food appropriate for the Chinchilla, and we have to be sure what our nice rodent prefers.The Chinchilla has a individualistic character,hence food which can fatten one,the other can dislike.We advise you against changing the type of fodder often,since they can produce grave inbalance in the Chinchilla’s intestinal bacterial flora weakening its proper natural defences. Fine hay is important it has lots of fibre which Chinchilla needs because of its long intestinal tract. Various tit bits can be given but never in excess.

Great attention shoould be given to the drinking water. The small bottle should be emptied and rinsed daily and a week or the greatest 10 days the same and the spout should be throughly cleaned and disinfected. The mortal danger of Chinchilla is stagnant water. For hygenic reasons we advice whenever possible the use of glass spouts.

The Chinchilla does not need vaccination, since it does not have a particular pathology. In our breeding farm,where change of air is calculated on temperature basis (hence less ventilation in winter and much more in summer) there have never been cases of colds or pneumonia or other illness due to respiratory of Chinchilla.There were only intestinal problems but now we made a perfect balanced foodwhich protects them from these dangers.

An “illness” if we want to call it such that grips the Chinchilla is the inconsiderate growth of its molars that little by little renders the Chinchilla unable to chew, hence to dribble and not to be self sufficient. The Chinchilla does not succeed to close its mouth and hence even the incisors grow in an abnormal way. We believe that in some way this “illness” is bound to genetic predispositions. Any environmental or feeding factor can trigger this phenomenon. Hence in our breeding farm selections are also made in this sense.

An example of dental (iperplasia)noted the elongated incisors and white in colour.

An example of healthy Chinchilla teeth  with yellow incisors and their length.

Often we are asked how can we have Chinchilla couples without procreation. It is sufficient to put two Chinchilla of the same sex and then game is on.It is important to befriend the two, if you already have a Chinchilla to avoid eventual jealousies (even if in the same Plata friendship often comes spontanously) the secret is in letting them become friends in a neutral place,like a small cage where none of the Chinchilla has ever been. Becoming friends we reccomend that they be put together in the cage of the Chinchilla “master of the house” only after having washed and disinfected it well,so that no one of the two chinchilla smells the old smells.

In particular the “La Plata” chinchilla besides becoming friends with those of its own species tends to befriend other animals even predators(e.g. cat).Once made except the eventual aggressivity of the other animal cohabitation is more possible. It has been said of chinchillas that they sleep on the house cats’ back or of chinchillas that mingle among the bitches’ puppies.

The chinchilla is sexually mature at the age of six months often even before but we advise not to mate them before being 8 months old because problems may arise in labour. It is important that the chinchilla is at least one year old at the time of giving birth,hence mate them at 8 months of age and calculating 111days of gestation(pregnancy) nearly 4 months,the female will give birth at about one year of age. In this way the possibility of languid labour is notably reduced. The litter may be one or four puppies, which average is two per litter and usually happens twice yearly. In larger litters more care and attention is needed than that regarding  one or two. The chinchilla are born with fur and open eyes and after a few hours they will be running and playing. After a few days of life the little ones start to taste their mother’s food and as we have stated before the “Costina” cannot be weaned before 50-60 days after birth . The “La Plata” can be weaned much earlier.

We have never tried to breed in the open air or avaries surely a chinchilla bred outside or in a graden feels less secure and neglected in respect to one kept in the house and I think that little by little it refuses to integrate with its owner,if left by itself in an avairy.Surely the chinchilla kept in the garden need a very large and high cage with branches on which to climb inside as well as shelves for sitting or jumping,but above all small houses or something else where to hide when frightened or shelter from heat or bad weather.

We end by stressing the importance of the sand bath. The chinchilla has a thick and delicate fur,so that it absorbes humidity and accumulates sebum. For this it needs to roll daily in absorbing sand that free them of fat,eventual humidity and dead fluff. The most used sand is that with a base of “sepiolite” that has a great absorbing power and does not itch. Naturally there are other types of sand for chinchilla that have different  structures but all with two common characteristics a good specific weight that helps the grains of sand to reach the fur and a great power of absorbtion.

We are trying to have the possibility of bringing to Italy the granula sand that is found in their natural habitat which the chinchilla rolls in to clean their fur . This is found in the great bed of prehestoric river now nearly dry in the Andes.