Hey all! My name is Aiesha, and it’s so nice to meet you. I’m a resident chinchilla at AWS looking to find my new, loving home! While not as common as cats or dogs as pets, chinchillas such as I make great pets and companions. We’re gentle in nature and have playful personalities. That being said, we do need dedicated care and have certain preferences in our lifestyles.
1. Chinchilla’s have incredibly soft fur
One of the most standout features of a Chinchilla like me is our very dense, soft fur! While we aren’t the most affectionate and snuggly creatures, we don’t mind a few pets from our people. Our thick and dense fur means that we produce less dander than most animals, perfect for those who are prone to allergies! We also don’t take your typical bath with water but rather need a dust bath. These dust baths help us maintain a healthy coat, removing dirt and debris, distributing natural oils and keeping us nice and clean!
2. A low-maintenance diet
While we do prefer a specific diet, preferably high in fiber, we generally have a pretty simple and low-maintenance diet. Grasses and hays are the go-to, and the more the hay the better! Us chinchilla’s teeth are constantly growing, so chewing on hay helps us keep them worn down. Along with chinchilla pellets, our diet is pretty easy to keep up with and won’t have you running around to different stores every week!
3. Chinchilla’s lifespan can range from 10-15 years
Unlike most animals at our small size, we can live for a pretty long time! With quality care, we can live to 10-15 years, sometimes even longer. This means we can create a strong, lasting bond together that we can share for quite a while! As I’m a young chinchilla myself, I’m so excited to meet my new family to share a long-lasting, loving relationship with in my new home. Us chinchillas are perfect for a devoted person who wants companionship!
4. Fun and social creatures
While we aren’t the most snuggly creatures, chinchillas are very active and social! We are incredibly athletic and our strong hind limbs let us jump six feet high. We love to run, jump and climb through our spaces, and even more when we have time outside of our enclosures! Chinchillas like me also generally live in herds, so we love to have at least one friend to live with. What’s better than double the chinchilla fun?!
5. They’re more active at night
As we are active, we tend to get up to most of our fun at night! Being nocturnal, chinchillas such as myself usually sleep most of the day and then turn up the fun in the evening. This schedule is great for someone who works all day, since you won’t have to feel bad about leaving us at home knowing we’re enjoying a nice snooze! All we need is a nice hut or space in our enclosure to relax and sleep during the day and we are content as can be. That being said, maybe don’t keep our enclosure near your bed if you like to sleep at night!
So, now that you know five of the many reasons that chinchillas are great, why not add a small bundle of fun to your life?! If you or someone you know is interested in adopting, come by the Adoption Center or call (207) 985-3244 and ask for me!!
