Paws For This Week’s Animal Facts: The Most (chin)Chill(a) Animal Ever

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Ellie Dunn
Dec 18, 2021 1:00 PM EST

Imagine getting home from a long day at work, the mall, a sports game, and jumping into a big tub of……dust. YEP. Dust. Sounds sparkling clean to me. Well, if you are the mammal with the densest fur, that's exactly what you are doing. 

If you didn't get it from the title, this week's animal facts are the one and only chinchilla! Known for their soft, dense fur, chinchillas have stolen the hearts of many as exotic pets. But, did you know that chinchillas are native to South America? In the wild they are social, curious animals who travel in packs of a hundred. They are often confused for hamsters or guinea pigs when domesticated, but chinchillas are a very special type of rodent. From the start to the end of their lives, chinchillas have completely different habits than what we think of a "normal" rodent. Keep reading to find them out!

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  • 01
    Organism - CANHAS CHEEZ BURGER Chinchillas thrive as social animals. There have been documented wild herds with over 100 individuals.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger

    I would pay big big bucks to be walking around and suddenly see a herd of 100 chinchillas walking toward me. That would look like a huge walking gray mass OR the softest blanket to ever exist floating closely to the ground. 

  • 02
    Rodent - CANHAS CHEEZ BURGER Compared to other rodents, chinchillas live quite a long time, especially in captivity. They survive up to 10 years in the wild and up to 20 in captivity.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger

    This is interesting and completely defies most wild vs. captive animal norms. But then again, you will soon see chinchillas do that in many aspects of their existence. Chinchillas kept as pets honestly have to have a great life (as long as they have a partner). Being pet and fed all day?!?! Sounds like life.

  • 03
    Light - NHAS CHEEZ BURGER There are only two living species of chinchillas-the short-tailed and the long-tailed.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 04
    Rabbits and Hares - ICANHAS CHEEZ URGER Out of all the land mammals on Earth, chinchillas have the densest fur.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 05
    Carnivore - ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER Instead of taking baths in the water, chinchillas roll around in the dust. The fine particles remove grease and any other loose particles on their fur.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 06
    Organism - WHAS CHEEZ BURGER Chinchillas have sensitive hearing that helps them detect any predators lurking close by.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 07
    Vertebrate - Even though they're small, some chinchillas have been known to jump up to six feet. ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 08
    Nature - Chinchillas originate from the Andean Mountains of South America. NHAS CHEET
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 09
    Rodent - Like humans, chinchillas' hearing also deteriorates with age. Also known as presbycusis, chinchillas experience a more pronounced decline in hearing compared to other rodents ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 10
    Rabbit - ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER. A chinchilla's hind legs are long as their front legs. more than twice as
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 11
    Organism - ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER. Unlike other rodents who are born naked and helpless, chinchillas have a full coat of fur and functioning eyes at birth.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger
  • 12
    Photograph - ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER Between male and female chinchillas, females are larger, heavier, and more dominant than males.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger

    Can't get enough of ICanHasCheezburger? Then you're in luck because we're now on Instagram!

  • 13
    Rodent - ICANHAS CHEEZ BURGER. Due to their heightened senses, chinchillas can easily get overwhelmed and distressed.
    via I Can Has Cheezburger

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