# Chinchilla
**Chinchilla** is a genus of rodents in the family [Chinchillidae](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinchillidae) native to the Andes of South America, containing two species, the short-tailed chinchilla (*Chinchilla chinchilla*) and the long-tailed chinchilla (*Chinchilla lanigera*). Both are known for extremely dense, soft fur, are endangered in the wild, and are also widely kept as domesticated pets and laboratory animals.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Species | Two: short-tailed chinchilla (*C. chinchilla*) and long-tailed chinchilla (*C. lanigera*, also called Chilean chinchilla)[1](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchillidae/) • [2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/) |
| Size | Head and body 225–380 mm, tail 75–150 mm; females up to 800 g, males about 500 g[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/) |
| Fur | As many as 60 hairs grow from a single follicle[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/) |
| Reproduction | Gestation about 111 days; young are precocial, fully furred with eyes open; two to three young per litter[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/) |
| Lifespan | Roughly 10 years in the wild; over 20 years in captivity[1](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchillidae/) |
| Conservation | Both species listed on CITES Appendix I since 1977 and classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List[3](https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/sf2025-2028chinfpp.pdf) |
| Captive care | Cool, dry conditions required; heat stress risk above 26 °C (78 °F)[4](https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/Beaumont%20Sainsbury%20Animal%20Hospital/EXOTICS/Animal%20Care%20Factsheets/Chinchilla-care-and-advice-Dec-2022-NS.pdf) |
## Taxonomy and physical description
The genus *Chinchilla* belongs to the family Chinchillidae, a group of hystricomorphous rodents confined to western South America; the family also contains the mountain viscachas (*[Lagidium](https://www.edgepedia.org/lagidium)*) and the plains viscachas (*[Lagostomus](https://www.edgepedia.org/lagostomus)*)[1](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchillidae/) • [5](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780123809209000389). The two species were formerly considered one, and are now treated as separate based on ecological, morphological, and molecular data; cytochrome-b sequences show a mean molecular distance of 5.9 percent between them, and male hybrids of the two species are sterile[6](https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/50/960/51/5075549) • [7](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_chinchilla/).
The fur is the animal's defining trait. Each hair usually has a black tip, and as many as 60 hairs grow from one follicle, making the coat extremely dense and soft; when fluffed up the animal appears large, but the skeleton beneath is relatively small[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/) • [8](https://vetnet.ge/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Introduction-to-Veterinary-Anatomy-and-Physiology-Textbook-PDFDrive.com-.pdf). Both the incisors and the cheek teeth are open-rooted and grow continuously throughout life[8](https://vetnet.ge/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Introduction-to-Veterinary-Anatomy-and-Physiology-Textbook-PDFDrive.com-.pdf).
## Habitat and behavior
*Chinchilla lanigera* is currently found only in the mountains of northern Chile, in barren, arid areas at elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 meters, denning in crevices and holes among rocks[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/). The short-tailed *C. chinchilla* is now extremely rare in the wild and may be extirpated in much of its pre-Columbian distribution[6](https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/50/960/51/5075549).
Chinchillas are social animals, known to live in colonies of more than 100 individuals, and are primarily nocturnal with crepuscular activity peaks[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/). Females are the dominant sex and are aggressive toward one another and toward males during estrus, though serious fighting in the wild is rare[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/). In the wild they feed mainly on grass and seeds, occasionally taking insects and bird eggs[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/).
## The fur trade and near extinction
The coat that protects chinchillas in cold mountain habitat is what brought them near extinction. [Indigenous peoples](https://www.edgepedia.org/indigenous-peoples) used chinchilla hair for blankets and coverings, as [José de Acosta](https://www.edgepedia.org/jose-de-acosta) recorded in 1589, and hunting intensified through the nineteenth century alongside the expansion of mining and the destruction of habitat[9](https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/wilderness-breeding-farms-domestication-chinchilla-lanigera). Between 1898 and 1910, Chile exported about seven million chinchilla pelts per year[9](https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/wilderness-breeding-farms-domestication-chinchilla-lanigera); at the beginning of the twentieth century more than 20 million specimens were killed in Chile alone[6](https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/50/960/51/5075549). During 1900 to 1909, official exports of skins from all species exceeded half a million per year[7](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_chinchilla/).
**Domestication.** By 1919, when the mining engineer Mathias F. Chapman began collecting animals in the Atacama region, the chinchilla was almost extinct in the wild[9](https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/wilderness-breeding-farms-domestication-chinchilla-lanigera). In 1923 Chapman arrived at the [Port of Los Angeles](https://www.edgepedia.org/port-of-los-angeles) with 11 chinchillas, transported in a specially built cage with an ice compartment, after a forty-day sea voyage from Iquique during which one animal died and all lost their hair[9](https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/wilderness-breeding-farms-domestication-chinchilla-lanigera). Another account holds that all domestic chinchillas descend from 13 individuals brought to the United States in 1927[10](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/chinchilla). [Captive breeding](https://www.edgepedia.org/captive-breeding) replaced hunting: by 1946, *Life* magazine reported nearly 200,000 chinchillas raised in captivity in the United States[9](https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/wilderness-breeding-farms-domestication-chinchilla-lanigera). Domestic chinchillas are derived from *C. laniger*, though some believe they may have hybrid origins[11](https://catalogimages.wiley.com/images/db/pdf/9781394242856.excerpt.pdf).
## Conservation status
Both species are listed on Appendix I of CITES, though specimens of the domesticated form are not subject to the Convention's provisions, and have been listed there since 1977[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/) • [3](https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/sf2025-2028chinfpp.pdf) • [20](https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/app/2021/E-Appendices-2021-06-22.pdf). The IUCN Red List classifies both species as Endangered, identifying extensive historic hunting, habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation associated with mining, agriculture, and grazing as continuing threats[3](https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/sf2025-2028chinfpp.pdf). Fewer than 10,000 *C. lanigera* are thought to survive in the wild, and attempts to reintroduce chinchillas have failed[2](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/). The [United States Fish and Wildlife Service](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-fish-and-wildlife-service) has moved toward listing determinations for both species under the Endangered Species Act[12](https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?RIN=1018-BH63&pubId=202510).
## Chinchillas as pets
Domestic chinchillas are long-lived for rodents, often a 10 to 15 year commitment, and require about an hour or two of daily care[13](https://www.petmd.com/exotic/chinchilla-care-sheet). Their thick fur makes them susceptible to overheating: they develop heat stress especially when temperatures reach over 26 °C (78 °F) and should be kept in a low-humidity environment between 10 and 20 °C (50 to 68 °F)[4](https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/Beaumont%20Sainsbury%20Animal%20Hospital/EXOTICS/Animal%20Care%20Factsheets/Chinchilla-care-and-advice-Dec-2022-NS.pdf). They are very tolerant of cold but sensitive to heat[14](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/rodents/chinchillas).
**Diet.** Hay is the most important part of the diet. It encourages chewing that grinds down the constantly growing teeth and provides fiber for digestion; commercial pellets supplement but do not replace it, and fruits should make up less than 10 percent of the diet[15](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/chinchillas/diet-for-a-chinchilla). Without enough hay and chewing, teeth can become misaligned and painful, preventing the animal from eating[16](https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/mouth/overgrown-chinchilla-teeth).
**Husbandry.** Enclosures need vertical space for climbing, solid flooring to prevent bumblefoot, hiding places, and a dust bath offered daily or several times a week to keep the fur in good condition[4](https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/Beaumont%20Sainsbury%20Animal%20Hospital/EXOTICS/Animal%20Care%20Factsheets/Chinchilla-care-and-advice-Dec-2022-NS.pdf) • [17](https://www.pets.gov.hk/english/proper_care_of_pets/chinchillas.html). Chinchillas are social and should ideally be housed with other chinchillas of the same sex[18](https://avs.nparks.gov.sg/pets/caring-for-a-pet/chinchilla/). Signs requiring veterinary attention include lethargy, inappetence, abnormal breathing, abnormal or absent droppings, a bloated abdomen, head tilt, and overgrown teeth or nails[18](https://avs.nparks.gov.sg/pets/caring-for-a-pet/chinchilla/). WWF's responsible pet guide assesses that the care, diet, and housing needs of this species are extremely difficult to meet for its lifetime[19](https://www.worldwildlife.org/our-work/wildlife/wildlife-crime/responsible-pet-guide/assessed-exotic-species/chinchilla/).
## Chinchillas in research
Chinchillas have become an important model in acoustic research, reflected in a rapid increase in published studies involving their use; only *C. laniger* has been widely used in research[5](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780123809209000389). Their greatly expanded auditory bullae, the large bony structures around the middle ear, are a distinctive feature of the genus[10](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/chinchilla).
## References
1. [Chinchillidae (chinchillas and viscachas), Animal Diversity Web](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchillidae/)
2. [Chinchilla lanigera (chinchilla), Animal Diversity Web](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_lanigera/)
3. [SAFE Chinchilla Program Plan 2025–2028](https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2332/sf2025-2028chinfpp.pdf)
4. [Chinchilla care and advice, Royal Veterinary College](https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/Beaumont%20Sainsbury%20Animal%20Hospital/EXOTICS/Animal%20Care%20Factsheets/Chinchilla-care-and-advice-Dec-2022-NS.pdf)
5. [Taxonomy and History, The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster, and Other Rodents (ScienceDirect)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780123809209000389)
6. [Chinchilla chinchilla (Rodentia: Chinchillidae), Mammalian Species, Oxford Academic](https://academic.oup.com/mspecies/article/50/960/51/5075549)
7. [Chinchilla chinchilla (short-tailed chinchilla), Animal Diversity Web](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chinchilla_chinchilla/)
8. [Introduction to Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology Textbook, 3rd Edition](https://vetnet.ge/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Introduction-to-Veterinary-Anatomy-and-Physiology-Textbook-PDFDrive.com-.pdf)
9. [From Wilderness to Breeding Farms: The Domestication of the Chinchilla lanigera, Environment & Society Portal](https://www.environmentandsociety.org/arcadia/wilderness-breeding-farms-domestication-chinchilla-lanigera)
10. [chinchilla - an overview | sciencedirect topics](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/chinchilla)
11. [Chinchilla (book excerpt), Wiley](https://catalogimages.wiley.com/images/db/pdf/9781394242856.excerpt.pdf)
12. [Listing Determination for Long-Tailed Chinchilla and Short-Tailed Chinchilla, reginfo.gov](https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?RIN=1018-BH63&pubId=202510)
13. [Chinchilla Care Guide, PetMD](https://www.petmd.com/exotic/chinchilla-care-sheet)
14. [Chinchillas, Merck Veterinary Manual](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/rodents/chinchillas)
15. [Diet for a Chinchilla, Merck Veterinary Manual](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets/chinchillas/diet-for-a-chinchilla)
16. [Overgrown Chinchilla Teeth, PetMD](https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/mouth/overgrown-chinchilla-teeth)
17. [Animal Management (Chinchillas), AFCD Hong Kong](https://www.pets.gov.hk/english/proper_care_of_pets/chinchillas.html)
18. [Caring for a chinchilla, Animal and Veterinary Service, Singapore](https://avs.nparks.gov.sg/pets/caring-for-a-pet/chinchilla/)
19. [Do Chinchillas Make Good Pets, WWF](https://www.worldwildlife.org/our-work/wildlife/wildlife-crime/responsible-pet-guide/assessed-exotic-species/chinchilla/)
20. [E Appendices 2021 06 22.pdf, cites.org](https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/app/2021/E-Appendices-2021-06-22.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Animals › Vertebrates › Mammals › Rodents and lagomorphs*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license