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Chinchilla factsNocturnal If you offer your chin treats during the daytime it will learn to wake up and look for them when anyone enters their room. A chinchilla will generally learn to ignore daytime noises/movement if you ignore their pleading looks, far better for our chins to get a good days sleep. Special Needs -Bathe in sepiolite dust It is a myth that chinchillas cannot have a water bath however such baths should only be given in an emergency and the chin must be thoroughly dried. Sociable - Yes chins are naturally sociable however in their artificial captive environment care must be taken with their introduction. Life Expectancy - 10 to 12 years but can live into their 20's rumour has it one chin lived over 30 years! Oestrus - 28 to 35 days Gestation Period - 111 days Litter size - 1 TO 5, 2 average - young precocious and active Weaning 6 to 8 weeks - but can stay with mum until 10 weeks maximum. A chinchilla rescuer has received chins that have conceived at the very young age of 10 weeks this is the equivalent to an 8 year old child conceiving ! In the UK kits are not usually re homed until they are at least 12 weeks old. Puberty - can be as young as 10 weeks. This is important and means that kits must be weaned from their opposite sex parent/siblings by 10 weeks at the latest, likewise female kits should not be housed with opposite sex partners until they are mature enough to bear kits (usually from 8 months but depends on each chins weight/maturity). Adult Weight - 600 grams. This is an average figure, weights can vary widely my chins range from 475g to over 800g! Temperament. Intelligent, sensitive, very active, rarely bite but may aim urine (usually females) if they feel threatened. Need exercise and company, if they are kept singly then they need even more time/attention from their human. Like a regular routine. Domesticated Early 20th Century for fur trade, later for pets |
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