Wait, where are chinchillas from?
If you are considering adopting a chinchilla, you probably want to know everything about these adorable creatures. In order to create a perfect environment for your pet, you need to understand their natural habitat.
Wild chinchillas are found in South America. But do you know what their habitats look like? It’s ok if you don’t, we are going to cover all of that in this post. So if you are ready to learn more about the natural habitat of chinchillas, read on!
Where Do Chinchillas Live in the Wild?
Chinchillas are found in the Andes Mountain range. These mountains extend through the South American countries of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Chinchillas tend to like high altitudes. They are often found living 3,000-15,000 feet above sea level.
The Andes Mountains offer a harsh climate. The terrain is spare and rocky. But chinchillas thrive in these cold and windy conditions.
What is a Chinchilla’s Natural Habitat?
So we now know that chinchillas are found in the Andes Mountains. But what exactly is their natural habitat?
The Andes are covered with volcanic ash, rocks, and shrubs. Chinchillas burrow under rocks and in between crevices of this semi-desert terrain.
Chinchillas are a social species. They live in herds of 14-100 chinchillas. Living in herds helps protect them from predators. “Look-out” chinchillas watch for other animals that share their natural habitat (mountain lions, birds, and snakes) while the other herd members rest, feed, or play.
Chinchillas only have a few ways to defend against predators. If attacked, they can spray urine or release patches of fur. Chinchillas are also skilled jumpers. They can leap 6 ft. into the air.
Chinchillas are grey, which helps them blend into the ash-colored landscape of the Andes. While this terrain might seem rugged and challenging, chinchillas have adapted to the landscape.
How did Chinchillas Adapt to their Natural Habitat?
So as we learned, chinchillas thrive in the rugged Andes Mountains. But what adaptations help them survive these conditions?
Well, a few things help these creatures survive in the Andes:
- Their fur
- Their diet
- Living in herds
- Their sleep/wake cycle
Fur
Chinchillas are known for their coats. Sadly, they are often illegally hunted for their beautiful fur. But why do chinchillas have these gorgeous coats?
The chinchilla coat is extremely dense and soft (which is one reason they are hunted). This thick coat protects them from the chilling temperatures in the Andes. Also, chinchillas are coated in lanolin, which protects them from parasites.
Chinchillas also adapted to the thick volcanic dust in their habitat. They use the volcanic dust as a bath since their fur can’t get wet.
Chinchillas can also release their fur if they are attacked. This handy adaptation helps them escape from predators.
So, chinchillas adapted their thick coats to protect from the cold temperatures and predators in their natural habitat.
Diet
Vegetation is sparse in the Andes. So chinchillas had to adapt to their surroundings.
They consume the grass and shrubs found among the rocky terrain. Since their digestive system adapted to the available vegetation, they can’t easily digest foods high in fat or moisture. But they can survive on a simple diet of grass, hay, and water.
Herds
Chinchillas are a social species. They live in herds of 14-100 chinchillas. This helps protect them from the many predators they face in the Andes.
Chinchillas are prey. They can’t fight against predators. So instead, they had to develop a defensive tactic. And living in a herd is a strong way to defend against predators. Each herd has a few “look-out” chinchillas to watch for approaching predators. Owls, mountain lions, foxes, and snakes are some of the wild predators that chinchillas face.
Although herds don’t fight predators, they can still help keep chinchillas safe. Living in a herd offers protection that a chinchilla won’t find alone.
Sleep/Wake Cycle
Although many people think chinchillas are nocturnal, they are actually crepuscular. This means they are most active during twilight hours.
And they adapted to this sleep/wake cycle as a result of their natural habitat.
By staying active during twilight, chinchillas avoid the hottest part of the day. They burrow before they sleep, so they can also hide from predators during this time.
How Can You Replicate a Chinchilla’s Natural Habitat?
Now that you know more about a chinchilla’s natural habitat you might be wondering, “can I replicate this environment for my pet?”
Yes and no.
Of course, your home isn’t going to be exactly like the Andes Mountains. But there are ways you can replicate their natural habitat.
Chinchillas thrive in cool temperatures. So make sure you keep their cage in a cool, dark place. Don’t place is in direct sunlight.
You can fill their cage with rocks, branches, or small logs. This will give your chinchilla items to burrow under.
Make sure you provide your chinchilla with a proper diet. In the wild, they only eat certain types of vegetation. So, pet chinchillas should be fed hay, water, and chinchilla food pellet in order to closely replicate their natural diet.
Finally, chinchillas are social creatures. They prefer living in herds. So if you are going to adopt a chinchilla, be prepared to own at least two chinchillas. They thrive best in groups.
Final Thoughts
It is important to learn about chinchillas before you adopt one (or two!).
These creatures originated in the semi-desert climate of the Andes Mountains. They naturally adapted to this habitat. So, they are comfortable living in a cool and rugged terrain.
Before you adopt a chinchilla, you need to decide if you can provide a proper environment for your chinchilla. You need to make sure your chinchilla lives in a cool area with access to a proper diet.
But once you understand their natural habitat, you can create a perfect environment for your own chinchillas. And these adorable creatures can make great pets.
Did you learn anything new about chinchillas’ natural habitat from our post? Let us know below!