Chinchillas are rodents that are native to the Andes Mountains of northern Chile in South America. They live in colonies called “herds” at high altitudes up to 4, 720 metres (14,000 ft.)

Chinchillas are omnivores meaning they eat both plants and meat. Chinchillas primarily eat grass and seeds. but will also eat insects and bird eggs when available.

The breeding season for chinchillas runs from November to May in the Northern Hemisphere and from May to November in the Southern Hemisphere.
Once a female chinchilla becomes pregnant, she will carry her young for about 111 days before giving birth. Females have young twice a year. Each time they give birth they will have a litter of one to six kits.

Newborn kits are born with hair and with their eyes open, and weigh only 1.2 ounces (35 grams). Kits nurse for six to eight weeks, and when they are about 8 months old, they are ready to have offspring of their own. Generally, chinchillas live eight to ten years, though some have lived as long as 20 years.

Fun Facts

Chinchillas have the softest fur of all land mammals.