The chinchilla now is widely perceived
as a pet. Its large eyes and ears, incredibly soft fur, and sociable
personality have made it into an extremely popular and relatively rare
companion animal. There are numerous forums online dedicated to the proper care
and handling for pet chinchillas. Because of this standing as a companion
animal, the continued use in the fur trade is widely frowned upon by animal
lovers. There are however, many who still farm domesticated chinchillas for
their fur.
The softness and long strands make their fur
extremely popular to those who enjoy fur garments, and can be very expensive.
Coats made from wild chinchilla pelts have sold for up to $100,000. This is a
demonstration of how some people view chinchillas raised as pets differently
than chinchillas raised on a farm. A chinchilla owner could never imagine their
companion being killed and skinned to make a coat, but someone who values a
chinchilla fur coat would be in support of fur farmers.
Some
chinchillas are exhibited at chinchilla shows, where they are judged on the
quality and color of their fur, their temperament, and their overall
appearance. Show chinchillas are typically kept in good conditions, but that
really depends on the owner of the particular chinchilla. The focus for those
animals is more on keeping the fur quality nice, as opposed to pet chinchillas
being kept happy and healthy to make good companions.
Chinchillas
have also been used for research on the auditory system, because they have a
very large range of hearing and their cochlea is similar in size to that of a
human.
Pet Chinchilla Habitat
Chinchilla Fur
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