Features of weight, height and size of chinchillas by month

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04/04/2019 The chinchilla is a beautiful and incredibly cute animal that has become popular for home breeding. The most important indicators of health and proper development are the size and weight of the chinchilla. Zoologists have determined the average parameters of the animal, which can be used as a guide during different periods of its life.

Adult chinchilla size

At the same age, chinchilla sizes may vary depending on:

• gender;
• genetic characteristics;
• health conditions;
• living conditions.

An animal kept in pairs is larger in size than one raised alone.

The size of an adult female specimen exceeds that of a male. For different specimens, the body length ranges from 22 to 38 cm, the tail grows from 8-10 to 15-17 cm.

How to weigh

Using a bowl like the one pictured above can help.

keep a young or adult chinchilla on the scale long enough,

to weigh them. First, gather all the equipment before you take your chinchilla out of the cage. The scale should rest on a stable surface such as a countertop or table. As mentioned earlier, if the scale does not have a weighing container, a bowl, box or small cage will do. Turn on the scale, make sure it is set to grams, and then place the container on it. Most scales have a container feature. This allows the user to compensate for the weight of the container. Simply press the tare button while the container is on the scale. Once the scale reads zero with a container on it, place the chinchilla in the container, find the reading and write it down. Some chinchillas actually sit on scales without a container. If the chinchilla wants to sit on the scale, the container and container function are not needed. A small treat given to a chinchilla can keep the chinchilla busy and still be enough to weigh him down. If the scale does not have a container function, weigh the container, then place the chinchilla in it and weigh them together. Subtract the weight of the container from the total weight. The result is the chinchilla's weight.

Chinchilla weight

An adult female weighs on average 500-650 grams, but can reach 800. There are known cases when a female had a kilogram mass. Males are smaller in size and weight than females. Their average weight is from 450 to 600 grams. Even large individuals usually do not exceed 700 grams.

Owners of pets whose size and weight deviate from the average in one direction or another should especially carefully monitor the well-being of the animal. If he has a good appetite and is at the same time mobile and active, then there is nothing to worry about.

If, after mating, an adult female chinchilla suddenly gains weight, this may be a sign of pregnancy. After mating, it is recommended to weigh the animal regularly. This will help you notice deviations in the condition of the female and her offspring in time and take the necessary measures.

If in infancy and childhood rodents gain weight evenly, this means that they receive in sufficient quantities everything they need for development. Starting from one and a half years, any weight fluctuations should be alarming. In the absence of pregnancy, the reasons may be either illness or non-compliance with the conditions of keeping the mammal.

Weighing equipment

There is no need to weigh your chinchilla using expensive scales. Many exotic rodent owners go to their local department store and find a perfect scale in the kitchen section.

Chinchilla on the scales

The scale should be able to switch from ounces to grams. Grams are used when weighing chinchillas because they are smaller. This helps show the change much sooner than a much larger ounce measurement would. If the scale doesn't have a container to put your chinchilla in, a small bowl, box, or cage can be used. A small notepad should be used to record the chinchilla's weight and the date of measurement.

Weight of cubs from birth to month

Unlike other rodents, chinchilla puppies are born with fur, teeth and sight. Already at the age of a week they are able to feed on their own.

Newly born babies look like fluffy balls weighing only 30-50 grams. The initial parameters of the animals are influenced by:

• parents' sizes;
• number of puppies in the litter;
• the course of pregnancy in a female.

There are newborns weighing up to 70 grams. But it is not at all necessary that such a cub will become a very large individual.

However, when purchasing a chinchilla, ask about its parameters at birth, as well as what type of puppy it was born with. As a rule, the first puppies in a litter are larger than the last. In the future, these data will help assess the baby’s development.

The lactation period in chinchillas lasts from 45 to 60 days. On the first day, the cubs can lose up to 2 grams of weight. From the second day they have been gaining it steadily. Chinchillas grow quite quickly. After a month, the animals are almost three times heavier than on the first day.

Table of body weight gain in the first month of life for puppies

The daily increase in the first week does not exceed one and a half grams. It increases noticeably during the second week and amounts to 2-3 grams per day. And from the 24th day of life, babies gain 3-4 grams daily. If the puppies are gaining weight well, it means they have enough milk. If this indicator is significantly lower than normal and upon examination of the female it turns out that she has no milk, the babies are placed with a wet nurse. If this is not possible, they are fed artificially. In this case, during the first week, the cubs are given a special mixture at least every 2.5-3 hours.

By comparing the size and weight of a chinchilla by month with the average parameters, you can understand whether it is developing correctly.

Zoologists suggest focusing on average data. A chinchilla should weigh:

• at the end of the first month about or slightly more than 113 grams,
• at the end of the second - 242,
• at the end of the third - 327,
• fourth - 385 grams,
• sixth - 475,
• at the end of the eighth - 506 grams.

By ten months, the animal reaches a weight of approximately 600 g. By one year, chinchillas usually have the size of an adult animal. But some individuals still continue to grow up to one and a half years. Uniform development of the animal is rare, but with proper care the final indicators will be close to normal.

Deviations from the norm

Quite often, chinchilla owners are faced with the fact that their pets do not fit into established standards. This can happen both for understandable physiological reasons and in connection with certain pathologies. Most often, furry cats suffer from increased weight, and this happens in the following cases:

1. Poor nutrition . Chinchillas are herbivores. In the wild, 90% of their diet consists of dry grass, mosses and lichens. Therefore, at home they need to be fed similar food. But many owners, in their desire to pamper their pet, literally feed the animal with sweet fruits, dried fruits, and nuts. Or even worse - sweets, salted seeds and chips. Such a menu will inevitably lead to obesity of the animal with all the ensuing consequences.
2. Diseases . Excess weight in a chinchilla can appear against the background of diabetes and other hormonal imbalances, metabolic disorders, and the formation of benign and malignant tumors. Therefore, if, after gaining excess weight, the fluffy dog ​​has become apathetic, exhibits unreasonable anxiety, and does not eat well, it is necessary to urgently take him to the veterinarian.
3. Pregnancy . Rapid weight gain is considered normal for pregnant females. Indeed, in addition to the fact that the chinchilla is gaining weight due to the growing babies, during this period it needs to be fed with more high-calorie food. The female needs additional energy in order to remove the load on the body and have the strength to give birth and feed the offspring.

It is worth noting that sometimes chinchillas suffer from underweight. This can happen for various reasons:

• poor nutrition, lack of vitamins, micro- and macroelements;
• thyroid diseases;
• worms and other endoparasites;
• frequent stress;
• diseases of the digestive system.

If excess or underweight is detected, it is necessary to bring the indicator back to normal as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences can be dire. If you have any doubts about the cause of a deviation from the norm, you should contact a veterinary clinic. A specialist will quickly identify factors that have an adverse effect on your pet and give recommendations on how to eliminate them.

In order not to have to spend a long time treating a chinchilla, it is necessary to constantly monitor its weight and size. Because it is much easier to deal with the problem at the very beginning, before health complications arise. Good physical shape is a sign of a healthy and active pet that will live a long and happy life.

Why does a chinchilla lose weight?

Weight fluctuations in a rodent may indicate health problems or errors in maintenance.

Newborns must be weighed, so it is easy to identify the lack of milk in the mother. If the weight of the entire litter is below normal, it is necessary to supplement the pets artificially. It is better to weigh on a scale with at least 1 gram division. It is enough to do this once every 5-7 days to track the dynamics of indicators.

Adult animals also need to be placed on scales regularly. If weight loss is noticed, the cause may be illness or stress. In this case, weigh your pet every day. If it turns out that he is losing 10 g daily, this will confirm the seriousness of the problem.

Here are several reasons for chinchilla weight loss:

• possible presence of parasites;
• excess physical activity. You can temporarily remove the running wheel from the cage and watch your pet;
• low calorie diet. Try to adjust it;
• complete refusal to eat. In this case, you need to check your teeth.

How to achieve uniform development and growth of your pet?

Chinchillas are herbivores that are quite fastidious about changing their diet. They are quite active and playful, so their diet should be enriched with proteins and carbohydrates. Rodents do not finish old food, and if they don’t like something, the rodent will remain hungry, but will not eat what they don’t like.

List of prohibited products:

1. Pine nuts grains, fried seeds. This food will worsen your digestion. 2. Any prepared food; the chinchilla eats exclusively raw foods. 3. Flour products of any kind. The rodent only approves of crackers made from wheat flour. 4. Chinchilla does not digest rye. 5. Products that have no nutritional value. 6. Monotonous diet. 7. Food from the hosts' table.

If you introduce grains into your diet, they should be of exceptionally high quality. Sometimes you can pamper your beloved pet with dried fruits, rose hips, hawthorn, fresh vegetables and fruits. Chinchillas love apples, carrots, bananas, melon, potatoes, and cabbage. The main part of the diet is hay and slightly dried greens. An abundance of carbohydrates will lead to obesity, so feeding the animal is prohibited.

How much should your chinchilla weigh? Summary table by month and normal growth rates

In childhood, the animal should gain weight evenly: this will mean that it receives everything necessary for the formation and growth of the body. And when the chinchilla turns 1.5 years old, any changes in weight up or down indicate developmental abnormalities. The reasons for weight loss or gain lie in illness, violation of living conditions, and the special physiological state of the female - pregnancy.

Factors influencing the weight of a chinchilla: • Genetic characteristics; • Conditions of detention; • Pet health; • Gender of the animal.

An adult female is larger than a male, and a chinchilla raised in pairs is larger than one raised alone. The length of a one-year-old animal is 22-38 cm, and the size of the tail varies between 8-17 cm.

Caring for a chinchilla at home

Chinchillas living at home need the owner's care and proper care.

Main responsibilities of the owner:

1. organizing proper and timely nutrition for the rodent;
2. hygienic care of animals;
3. cleaning the cage.

What and how many times a day to feed

Proper nutrition is the key to the health and long life of a rodent at home. 70-80% of a domestic chinchilla’s diet consists of ready-made food made from pressed grass pellets. This product is purchased at pet stores. When choosing food, study its composition. It should not contain additional additives, preservatives, yeast or salt.

The recommended daily portion of ready-made food for chinchillas is 2 tbsp. l. Uneaten remains are removed from the feeder, and the next time fresh food is given.

Additional bait to the chinchilla's main diet:

• Cereals. Every day you can feed your chinchilla a cereal mixture of corn, rolled oats, buckwheat, lentils and flax seeds. The dosage of each ingredient is 1 tsp, and flax seeds - no more than 1/3 tsp.
• The hay is clean, purchased, without any pungent odor, roots or soil. This product is given once every 3-4 days in small portions.
• Treats (no more than 10% of the diet). You can pamper your pet with ready-made bait from stores, as well as dried berries, fruits and branches of healthy trees.

Chinchillas can be given twigs and leaves of viburnum, acacia, maple, cranberry, hawthorn, rowan, gooseberry, sea buckthorn, Jerusalem artichoke root, calendula and jasmine flowers, leaves of lemon balm, mallow, oregano, alfalfa and nettle.

Allowed products also include grape leaves, stems of chamomile, clover, mint, thyme, string, coltsfoot, apple inflorescences and fruits, willow buds, pumpkin seeds, parsley, sweet peppers, carrots, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, honeysuckle and lingonberries.

Allowed treats are given in small portions. It is advisable to treat your pet with a variety of baits so that his body receives all the necessary microelements.

Important rules:

1. herbs and twigs for feeding chinchillas are collected in ecologically clean areas far from highways;
2. be careful when choosing foods to feed your chinchilla and never give the animal spoiled or dirty food;
3. A chinchilla should not be overfed with sweets, since the liver of this rodent is not designed to process large amounts of glucose.

Remember: a harmful and unbalanced diet provokes various diseases and leads to the premature death of a pet.

Bathing and grooming chinchillas

Chinchillas are clean animals that take care of their luxurious fur on their own. The owner can only take a small part in caring for the pet, providing her with the opportunity to take pleasant and healthy sand baths by placing a container with sand in the cage.

It is not recommended to bathe your chinchilla in water. Water procedures can result in inflammatory diseases. These rodents are very vulnerable to hypothermia and catch cold quickly. If the fur is heavily soiled, you can moisten a soft cloth with water and gently wipe your pet’s fluffy coat.

Chinchillas do not need nail trimming or ear care. They cope with these hygiene procedures on their own. The owner only needs to monitor the oral health of the furry pet. A stone for sharpening teeth, as well as branches of useful plants, should be constantly available in the cage.

Cleaning the cage

Once every 3-4 days you need to clean the chinchilla’s cage. It is recommended to fill the bottom of the structure with special fillers. They absorb moisture and unpleasant odors well and are absolutely safe for rodents.

How to clean:

• The bottom of the cage is cleared of debris and other contaminants. For convenience, it is recommended to use a small brush and dustpan.
• The surfaces of the structure and accessories are cleaned of dust with a damp cloth.
• Once a month it is recommended to disinfect the cage and internal elements. This procedure is carried out in order to destroy pathogenic microorganisms, which will eliminate the risk of illness for the pet.
• Every day you need to change the water in the drinking bowl and keep the feeder clean.

Cleaning the cage will not take much time and will provide safe living conditions for your furry rodent at home.

Description of the animal

Chinchillas are school animals. They form groups, the number of which can reach several dozen individuals. Each colony has an individual, usually a female, who monitors the habitat of the flock and gives a signal in case of danger.

Rodents are nocturnal. They have well-developed hearing and vision; orientation in the dark is also provided by vibrissae; their length can reach 10 cm.

The sounds that chinchillas make depend on the condition of the animal:

• to communicate with other individuals or attract attention, animals make sounds reminiscent of cooing or grumbling;
• short and smooth sounds are a call for mating;
• if a rodent gets angry or shows dissatisfaction, it grinds its teeth;
• a sharp and short squeak is a sign of fear or approaching danger.

Due to the small number of chinchillas in nature and their nocturnal lifestyle, most information about the rodent was obtained based on observations of individuals kept in captivity.

What sounds does a chinchilla make?

What does it look like

The appearance of a chinchilla has the following features:

• the body and head are rounded and slightly elongated, the neck is short;
• the ears are round, there are membranes inside the auricles that cover the hearing aid while taking sand baths;
• the front legs have four grasping fingers, the hind legs are longer, thanks to which the animal is able to jump far and develop high speed;
• There are 20 teeth in the oral cavity, 4 of which are incisors; they grow throughout life and need constant grinding.

The average size of an adult chinchilla is in the range of 22-30 cm, and its weight is 700-800 g. Tail length is from 70 to 17 cm. The largest chinchilla can reach sizes of 35-38 cm and weight up to 1 kg.

How to distinguish a female from a male

Sexual dimorphism in chinchillas is practically not expressed in appearance: individuals of both sexes have the same size and color and differ slightly in size (females are larger). The only difference that makes it possible to accurately determine gender is the structure of the genital organs.

To determine the sex of the animal, you need to pick it up, lift its tail and estimate the distance between the anus and the protruding tip. In the female they are located nearby, and in the male they are located at a short distance.

Chinchilla fur

The special properties of the rodent's coat are provided by the unusual structure of the hair follicles, each of which contains from 60 to 80 villi, while the guard hairs found in other animals are completely absent.

Thanks to such dense fur, chinchillas are able to live in cold mountain climates, where temperatures drop to -30 degrees. Due to the high density of villi, they do not have ectoparasites.

Since this type of rodent lacks sebaceous and sweat glands, their fur is not protected from moisture. To dry the coat and remove dead hairs and dirt, the chinchilla bathes in fine dust or sand.

In terms of softness and density of fur, the chinchilla surpasses all wild mammals. Animal skins were used to make clothing items by the ancient Indians. At the same time, chinchilla fur was considered a luxury, available only to leaders and other titled members of the tribes, and the capture of animals was limited.

With the advent of Spanish settlers in South America, mass trapping of rodents began in order to obtain skins for export to Europe. Commercial hunting has become so widespread that a new profession has emerged in Chile: “chinchillero” (chinchilla hunter).

It is impossible to establish exactly how many animals were exterminated before the complete ban on hunting in 1929. According to surviving data on legal exports, more than 7 million chinchilla skins were exported to Europe from 1840 to 1916 alone.

Among the most expensive furs in the world, chinchilla ranks fourth.

COMMON BEAVER

Weight gain in females during pregnancy

It is difficult to visually determine pregnancy in chinchillas. Weigh the female regularly after mating with the male. A steady increase in the female's weight indicates pregnancy.

Over the 110 days that pregnancy lasts, the animal’s weight increases

Observations come from the practice of our nursery.

Chinchilla as a pet: pros and cons

Keeping chinchillas at home has its pros and cons. Let's look at them.

Pros:

• An independent and clean rodent that does not require constant attention, it is an excellent choice for busy people who do not have the opportunity to devote a lot of time to their pet.
• A chinchilla does not produce an unpleasant odor, even if the animal’s cage has not been cleaned for several days. This is due to the absence of sweat and sebaceous glands in the rodent’s body.
• Chinchilla fur does not harbor fleas and ticks.
• Chinchilla fur is hypoallergenic.
• These animals carry out hygienic care on their own, which reduces the list of responsibilities for the owner.
• They have strong immunity and do not suffer from genetic diseases.
• They eat little, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on food and necessary accessories for your chinchilla.

Minuses:

1. are nocturnal;
2. afraid of loud sounds;
3. can't stand heat;
4. walks around the house can only be done under supervision, as a chinchilla can chew furniture and other interior items;
5. To keep a rodent, you need a spacious cage with good equipment so that the self-sufficient and active animal always has something to do.

Chinchillas are cute, fluffy animals with interesting behavior patterns that bring their owners a lot of positive emotions.

Maintenance, care and nutrition

With proper care and proper maintenance, chinchillas feel great in captivity, in domestic conditions.

In apartments, animals are kept in cages sold in pet stores. For the rodent to feel good, the air temperature should be low: you need to remember that in nature they live in high mountain conditions at low temperatures. The optimal room temperature is considered to be 13-17 degrees, humidity – 50-60%. Air humidity should not exceed 75%, and temperatures should not exceed 24-26 degrees.

It is better to place the cage in the house so that direct sunlight does not fall on it. In the summer, the cage can be kept on a loggia, veranda or balcony, and when cold weather arrives, it can be brought back indoors.

Since chinchillas naturally prefer rocky and mountainous places, they often create a similar landscape when kept at home. To do this, caves with voids inside are built from large stones. Animals love to hide in such secluded places: they rest during daylight hours and give birth to cubs. The lack of shelter can negatively affect the animal's psyche. For excellent well-being of the rodent, it is recommended to equip the cage with a stone or clay shelter.

It is also very important to provide opportunities for sandy swimming. In their natural environment, chinchillas do not bathe in water, as their fur can remain wet for a long time, increasing the risk of colds. Rodents prefer dry “bathing” in dust to wet bathing - a procedure that removes parasites and excess moisture from the fur.

In domestic conditions, it is important to provide your pet with the opportunity to dry bath. To do this, a special bath with fine sand is placed in the cage. It is better to buy sand in pet stores - specialized, processed. When reusing sand, it needs to be sifted, calcined over a fire (disinfected) and a little talc added (7-9% of the volume).

Bathtubs need to be voluminous and high, so that the sand does not crumble when bathing. Chinchillas love to bathe every day, usually in the evening. Procedures can last up to three to four hours, after which the bath can be removed.

It is important to remember that refusal to bathe is a possible sign of illness in the animal. In this case, you must definitely contact a veterinary clinic.

You should feed your chinchilla only plant-based, varied foods. Ready-made feed mixtures with the required content of components are available for sale. When preparing the mixture yourself, a balanced composition can be obtained on the following basis: wheat -10%, flax seed - 5%, oats - 3%, barley - 5%. The remaining 77% are vegetables and root vegetables, cut into small pieces, plus greens. Access to food is free.

How big are the puppies?

Their weight range is from 25 to 60 grams. This criterion depends on the nutrition of the mother who feeds them with her milk, the conditions in which newborns are kept and the genetic characteristics of the female. A larger female gives birth to larger offspring. If, for example, mother and daughter have the same color, then with a high degree of probability we can expect that the daughter will grow up to be large.

Mature puppies need a lot of fiber to grow and achieve a normal weight; their diet should consist mainly of grass hay and food with a high protein content (25%).