The Perfect Pet Blog -

Petazon.com - the Largest Pet and Animal Price Comparison Site

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Chillin' with Chinchillas



















Check out this awesome Chinchilla Chiller by Super Pet

Sept. 17-2009

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been mesmerized by any animal that is big, soft and fuzzy. Recently, I was formally introduced to the Chinchilla at my local library. The library had an 'exotic animal" handler and he brought in several exotic animals for the kids to see and touch.

Now, I am not a "rodent" person by any means, which made me a bit skeptical as the animal handler explained that the Chinchilla is a "rodent". But, when this little guy was passed around to be touched, I was immediately hooked. This so-called "rodent" was by far the softest, fuzziest animal I have ever touched. I had to have one--immediately.

In fact, I fell so in love with that little guy that I almost stuffed him in my pocket and took him home. But there was a rather large crowd and everyone was watching. I reluctantly passed him back to the handler and began obsessing about where to get my next pet.

Although I am an impulsive, obsessive pet person, I have learned over the years to do considerable research on animals before purchasing one. Especially when the animal is an"exotic" . I decided to go on a Chinchilla fact finding mission to see if this animal would be a good fit for our family. Here are a few interesting things that I've learned along the way, along with my thoughts (in red italics):
  • Chinchilla fur is about 30 times softer than human hair, and is considered to be the softest fur in the world. ("knew it.....have to have it"--bonus)
  • Chinchilla's have the highest fur density of any land animal- their coats are so thick that even fleas can't live on them. ("no fleas, - excellent. another bonus".)
  • The name Chinchilla comes from a South American Indian tribe and means Little Chinta. ("I love Native American history- the name is cute- even if it is a little creature" hmmm.. let's try to find a bigger one..)

  • Chinchillas bathe in dust. Water can't touch their fur. They roll around in a dust bath to keep themselves clean and furry. ("dust bath- awesome- don't even have to get them wet. What happens if it gets out and goes into the bathtub? hmmm....not a bonus)
  • Chinchillas weigh between one and two pounds ("my dog could eat it for breakfast. Harry weighs in at 75 and is very jealous....not good")
  • Chinchillas are nocturnal and they can live to be 10-20 years old. ("Can I realistically handle 10-20 years of staying up all night, entertaining an animal? no....not a bonus.")
  • Chinchillas are considered rodents ("call it what you want, a rat is a rat......not a bonus")

After researching the facts on buying a Chinchilla, I looked around at all the amazing pet products that are available specifically for this engaging little creature. The Chinchilla chiller rodent pad was one of my favorites. I read that the Chinchilla prefers temps under 75 degrees, so this Chiller would be the perfect accessory for a furry friend.

Some other appealing products like the Chinchilla Dry Dust Bath, the Honey Treat Stick and the Bath House were all perfect for this little pet. I was amazed at how much stuff a Chinchilla could want or need.

After careful consideration of what it realistically would take to keep a happy, healthy Chinchilla in my house, I decided that it wasn't a good option right now. Actually, my husband said you want a "what?"- I think he thought I said a kangaroo or a Koala Bear. Needless to say, I will not be chillin' with any Chinchillas at home anytime soon. I'll just keep on attending exotic animal shows to get my quick furry fix and be on my way.

Labels: , ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home