The National Chinchilla Society

Welcome to the website of the National Chinchilla Society.

About the National Chinchilla Society (NCS)
The NCS was originally formed in the 1950’s as the Chinchilla Fur Breeders Association Ltd. It was responsible for the importation, breeding and development of the chinchilla into the well-known animal many people own today. In 1993 the name was changed to the National Chinchilla Society. It must be stated that the Society is not associated with the fur trade. The aims of the Society have remained the same throughout its long history. These are to encourage and promote the keeping, breeding and exhibition of quality chinchillas, whilst at all times maintaining good husbandry practices.

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The Chinchilla
Part of the rodent family, the chinchilla originates from the Andes, South America. An adult animal can be up to 30 to 36 cm long including its bushy tail and weigh in the region of 600-900 grams. They have a life span of 8 to 10 years, in some cases over 15 years. Chinchillas have fine dense fur, stiff whiskers, large ears and eyes. There dense fur means that they can’t harbour parasites, however, it does make them susceptible to heat stroke, so care should be taken to ensure that they don’t get hot. Their nutritional requirements are quite bland. They fair best on a commercially produced chinchilla pellet, good quality hay and fresh water.
Chinchillas are rock hoppers that like to scurry; they require floor space in their cages rather than height. Cages should be made of galvanised welded wire mesh (at least 16 gauge) with holes no larger than 1.9cm square, additionally; there should be a wooden area where the chinchilla can sit. A raised floor allows droppings, urine and partially eaten food to fall through and helps keep the cage clean.
Chinchillas are clean animals, they should be given a bath every other day in special dust to cleanse their fine fur and remove grease and dirt. Without this dust their fur becomes dull and sticks together making the fur part in great clumps. This is not only uncomfortable for the animal but unsightly and detracts from, what is after all, one of the world’s most beautiful creatures.

The Chinchilla is a gentle, timid and intelligent animal of the rodent family. It originates from the Andes Region of South America. An adult animal can grow up to 30-36 cm long including its bushy tail, which alone, can measure up to 12.5 cm. It has fine dense fur, large ears and eyes and long stiff whiskers. A fully grown animal weighs between 600 and 800 grams.

The Chinchillas nutritional requirements are quite bland, all they require is commercially produced chinchilla pellets, fresh, clean, dry hay and fresh water.

a mosaic chinchilla

Chinchillas have continuously growing teeth and need something to chew on. Pumice stone or pieces of wood are recommended.
Chinchillas are rock hoppers that like to scurry, so they prefer floor space in their cages rather than height.

It is recommended that cages should be made of welded wire mesh, at least 16g in thickness, with the holes no larger than 1.9 cm (3/4 inch) square. Raised wire floors allow droppings, urine and partially eaten food to fall through, as the chinchilla is a clean animal that does not like its fur to become soiled.

Chinchillas should be given a dust bath for at least 10 minutes every day. The dust is specially formulated to cleanse their fine fur of grease and dirt. Without this dust their fur becomes dull and sticks together making it part in great clumps. This is not only uncomfortable for the animals but unsightly and detracts from, what is after all, one of the worlds most beautiful creatures.

This information, together with all content on this website, should not be reproduced without the express permission of the NCS Website Manager. Links to this webpage are however welcomed.

All material, names and logos on this website © National Chinchilla Society Website Manager - Richard Crutchley, 2001-2006. All articles, name (National Chinchilla Society, NCS) and NCS logos printed in this publication are the copyright of the National Chinchilla Society. The permission of the Committee via the Website Manager must be obtained prior to any form of reproduction by any means including electronic retrieval systems.