Standard – These guys are the 'normal' chinchilla and they match their cousins that still live in the wild. They have grey fur on their back and sides, with a white tummy.

Beige – Beige chins range in color from lighter shades to darker. They will mostly have red eyes, and pink (sometimes freckled) ears. They also have white bellies.

Ebony – One of the favorites is this black chinchilla. Ebonys will range from grey to solid black. They won't have a white belly like the standard, instead it will be a grey belly, and some even have a black belly that matches their back fur.

Tans – These chins look a lot like the beige variety, except they carry the ebony gene which causes them not to have a white tummy like the beige chins do. They are usually solid brown throughout their whole body. Pastels are another variation that are just a lighter brown.

Black Velvet – This color of chinchilla will be black on the top and get lighter as their fur wraps around their sides. They have a white belly and usually have a blue hue in their fur.

White – There are a bunch of variations to the white chinchilla, but the most common is pure white, with red eyes and pink ears (sometimes with freckles)

Mosaic – This is sort of a mix between the white and a standard color chinchilla. They will have patches of grey throughout their fur and darker ears and eyes. If you find a 'reverse mosaic' that just means that there is more grey on them and the patches are white fur.

Violet – Violet colored chins are unfortunately not bright purple, but they are very soft looking and their fur will be grey with a blue hue to it. They look so soft because their fur doesn't have black tips like standard chins and they are fairly rare. There are also sapphires that lean more toward the blue end of the spectrum than violet.

Goldbars – This is one of the rarest colors of chins in the world today. They actually look gold on their back and it gets whiter as it comes down their sides. Their eyes are usually dark red and they have a white belly.

A Little More About Chinchilla Colors

If you're looking to get a chinchilla, you probably already know that they come in a ton of different colors. And some colors are much more expensive than others. This article will explain some differences in color and what it all means.

Originally in their natural habitat, all chinchillas were a dark grey with white bellies. This is known today as the standard color chinchilla. Throughout the years of being bred as pets, breeders have gotten lots of color mutations to come out and produce a huge variety of colors among chinchillas. One thing you will notice when looking at different colors of chins is that a lot of colors have hetero and homo versions. And no, this doesn't have anything to do with the sexual orientation of the little guy.

Truthfully, unless you're planning on breeding your chinchillas, whether you find one that is hetero beige or homo beige doesn't really matter all that much. The colors will be close enough to each other that it won't matter much.

If you are planning on breeding your chins and want a certain color of kits (beige for example), then it is a good idea to get two chins that are homo beige. This basically means that they both have dominant beige genes, so when they mate their kits will come out beige. If you were to get 2 hetero beige chinchillas, then chances are 50/50 that you'll get a beige or standard kit.

If price is a concern, the standard chins will usually be sold the cheapest because they are so abundant. Any chins with a dominant gene color will be less expensive than chins with recessive gene colors. For example, a beige is a dominant gene so they are much more common than the dark ebonys. So if you just want a fun pet to have and love, then go out and find a cheaper one to help you save some dough.

Find a breeder in your area that specializes in chinchillas and go visit them to see what kind of a selection they have. Chances are they won't have every color available, so don't get too attached to a certain color of chin that you won't be able to find anywhere near where you live. Read more about chinchillas as pets or chinchilla care.

Chinchilla Prices – Factors To Consider

The first thing you should factor into the price of your pet is how much all the chinchilla equipment will cost as well as the animal. You will need to buy a cage that's big enough, an exercise wheel, other cage accessories (water bottle, feeder, hay rack), a nesting hut, food (pellets and hay), chinchilla dust (to bathe in), and dust bath tubs. You'll probably also want to get a carrier so you can take him places (like to the vet). All of this, plus the chinchilla can easily cost you $350 or more (on the cheap side of things), and thats not including vet visits or getting your chin fixed (which will probably be around $150 in itself). So you can't just look at chinchilla prices and think that's all you'll have to pay.

Your chin may live up to 20 years if you take good care of it. Another cost you may not be aware of when buying a chinchilla is the time it will take to care for. You should be spending time with the little guy every day to bond and help him get enough exercise. They aren't creatures that you can just leave in a cage and look at once in awhile. To be healthy they need attention!

Chinchillas themselves can cost anywhere from $50 all the way up to $600! (on rare occasions). It all depends on the color of the chin and if they'd be a good one to breed.

If you don't want to breed your chinchillas and don't care what color they are, paying less for them is definitely the way to go, just be sure that the breeder you are buying them from raises them well and has experience. A lot of people don't even like buying them from chain stores like Petsmart because they are exotic animals and require special knowledge.

Chinchilla prices will vary depending on the color of the chin. I'm sure you know supply and demand works in all businesses, and the chinchilla market is no different. The rarer, more desired colored chins will demand a higher price than the more common colored ones. If you are looking for a certain color or marking when you're buying a chinchilla, you may pay a lot more than you would for a standard colored one.On the other side if you intend to breed your chins and want to get certain colors in the babies (or kits), then you should look for the color you want in the homo variety (i.e. homo beige, homo ebony). If you get two chins that are homo ebony, they will have homo ebony kits.

Standard colors are the cheapest and most available types of chinchillas, they are the 'mutts' of the chinchilla world, and usually have bland fur colors. As you go up the price scale, you'll find hetero colored chins to be from around $125 for beige or light ebony, all the way up to almost $200 for the darker ebonys and the violet mixes. Homo colored chins are even more expensive, ranging from about $150 to the mid & upper $200's.

The bottom line is just depending on what you want your chinchilla for. If you are just buying one as a playmate you can spend just a little and still have a furry, lovable friend. If you have a certain color in mind, though it will cost you to get it, especially if it's rare (or even just rare in your area). After you get your chin, you should learn all about chinchilla care to give your pet it's best life possible.

Like all of God's creatures, chinchillas need food and water to survive and stay healthy. So let's start with water because it's easy. It's best to connect a water bottle with the dripless spout to your chin's cage. Bowls can be a pain since they can get soiled easily and your chinchilla might tip it over and get himself wet, and you should never allow your chin to get water on him. Make sure you keep his drinking water clean and available at all times. It can be a good idea to give him distilled water, since some tap water contains many contaminants.

What Do Chinchillas Eat? Food Choices

Let's move on to food. In their native habitat down in South America, wild chinchillas will eat fruits, seeds, plants and even small insects as their diet. However, domestic chinchillas would not be able to survive such a varied diet. Since chins have such a sensitive digestive system, it's best to keep them on a very strict diet that is very bland (poor guys!).

Their main source of food should come from the special chinchilla pellets that you can get at your local pet store. It's important that you only feed them these pellets and don't give them rabbit pellets or anything else that looks similar. Just a small change in the nutrients of their food could disrupt their digestion. Most chinchillas will eat 1-2 tablespoons of pellets a day and this will give them their essential nutrients.

The one problem with pellets is that they don't provide much fiber for your little chin. To fix this problem, you should supplement his pellet diet with hay. You can get high quality hay for your chin from most pet stores, the most common being timothy grass. Stay away from most other hays (some chins may eat alfalfa) and any hay that is dusty can hurt his little respiratory system. Also be aware that hay can get stale and if there's any moisture it can grow mold, which is very bad for your little friend. To get enough fiber, your chin will need about a handful of hay per day. This isn't an exact amount so don't get too caught up trying to be perfect. If he gets full then he will stop eating.

If you ever have to change your chinchillas diet, it's best to do it gradually over time. Mix a little of the new food in the first week, then slowly feed him more of the new stuff combined with less of the old food. This will help his digestive system adapt to the new diet with no adverse reactions.

Since chinchillas eat such a bland diet most of the time, they will greatly appreciate any and all treats you are willing to give them. In fact, they will eat so many treats it will make them sick if you give them the chance. So it's very important to be your chinchilla's 'conscience' and only feed him treats once in awhile so he doesn't get sick.

What Do Chinchillas Eat? Best Treats For Your Chin

Since they originally ate fruits, plants, and seeds, in their native habitat, any of these usually work great as treats for your chinchilla. If you want to feed your chin vegetables stay away from the leafy ones like lettuce, cabbage and brussel sprouts. Try and stick to organic veggies or the home-grown variety to keep your chin from ingesting any pesticides that might upset his little system. Remember that veggies are not daily food for your chin, but more of a treat, so don't feed him too much too often.

Another treat you can give Chilli are a variety of herbs. They seem to love mint plants, which you can grow yourself just about anywhere. Another good one is basil, which is fairly easy to grow if you have an inside garden or even little potters. Thyme and oregano are also pretty well accepted among chinchillas. If you're into cooking, you can start a little herb garden so you have fresh herbs to cook with and also some home-grown treats for your little buddy.

There's another herb that you probably wouldn't think of giving to your chin, and that's dandelion leaves. Be sure to only feed your chin these lives if you know for sure they are pesticide free. If you just fertilized your lawn, then it's best to just throw them away since they will hurt your chinchilla. Not surprisingly, they are extremely easy to grow inside as well. Just by plucking a few and sticking them in a pot you can have fresh dandelion leaves for your chin all winter long.

Other good treat ideas are black sunflower seeds, pieces of apple, raisins, or even the store bought variety. Just be sure not to give him too many.

One of the best use for treats is to help him learn that you are his friend and how to be a social critter (and even do tricks!). But it's important to teach him these things slowly over time instead of trying to cram it all in one day. First of all, it probably won't stick in his brain but you'll also need to bribe him with treats and you'll make him sick if you feed him treats all day. A good general rule is to never give him more than 1 teaspoon of 'treat' per day.

What Is The Natural Chinchilla Habitat Like?

Chinchillas are actually native to the Andes Mountains in South America. Their natural habitat is cold, dry, and rocky. They live on the mountainside in burrows and rock crevices. They get around on the rocky surface by jumping and climbing over the terrain. They can jump extremely high for their size, up to six feet in the air!

So the first thing you should worry about is matching the landscape when you go to create your chinchilla's home. To imitate the steep, rocky mountainside, you should look for a cage that is nice and tall with ramps and shelves that your chin can climb. One rule with buying a cage is the bigger the better! And don't forget to buy an exercise wheel to keep in there so he can run whenever he wants to.

Along with a big cage, chinchillas need plenty of exercise. The tall cage will definitely help with this, but you should also be prepared to let them out of their cage at least once a day to run around a closed room that you have "chilla proofed." Keep an eye on him at all times when he's running around the room, and don't let him get ahold of any wires or tear up your furniture.

These little creatures are among the softest in the world because of their super-thick coat. Their fur is so dense that common pests like fleas will suffocate if they try to live on a chinchilla. This fur coat keeps them nice and warm in their native habitat, but can pose a bit of a problem for anyone that wants to have a chinchilla as a pet. Chins don't sweat so the only way for them to cool down is by pumping blood into their thin ears to cool. If your chinchillas ears get red, he's probably over heating!

So if you take your chin and put him in your house in a warm room, he can easily overheat since he won't have any way to cool himself. It's very important that you have at least one room in your house that always stays at 70 degrees F or lower. Too long at 75 degrees F can make him overheat, and anything above 80 can give your little guy heatstroke.

How Chins Clean Themselves In The Natural Chinchilla Habitats

Because of their thick coat and need to stay dry, chinchilla's clean themselves in quite an odd sort of way. Instead of dipping in a pond, they will actually roll around in volcanic rock dust or ash that is fine enough to penetrate their dense fur. This dust will absorb oils, dirt, and moisture to keep the chinchillas clean, dry and healthy. If a chinchilla stays wet for long enough, they will likely develop ringworm or another fungus on their skin.

To imitate this odd cleaning behavior you will need to buy specially made chinchilla dust that he can roll around in. Find a container that won't tip over, put some dust in, then put your chinchilla in and he will have a fun time rolling around and taking a funny chinchilla dust bath.

One area where you won't want to match their natural habitat is in their diet. Wild chins can eat plants, fruit, seeds, and insects, but a diet like that will irritate your domestic chinchillas digestive system. Instead you should feed him mostly special chinchilla pellets, with some hay mixed in there for fiber. Treats are OK once in a while too.

The sort of predators that would go after these small furry creatures include birds of prey, various canines, some felines, even skunks and snakes. To get away from their hunters, chinchillas have several defensive mechanisms like releasing fur if they get bit, and spraying urine. They are also social creatures that live in herds so they can watch out for each other and give warnings of potential danger.

Fortunately for your chinchilla, he won't have any of these threats to his life, but that doesn't make him any less scared! So be gentle with him and build his trust so he knows that you are not actually a predator out to get him. If you follow this guide, you'll be able to make the perfect chinchilla habitat that will make him feel at home and make sure he has a healthy, happy life for years to come. Read more about chinchillas as pets and more chinchilla care tips here.

All chinchillas are different and have a unique voice that you will be able to tell apart from other chins with practice and over time. The best way to learn what your little guy wants when he makes certain noises is to spend lots of time with him and get to know his mannerisms and what he's thinking. Part of learning about chinchilla care is being able to tell what he's trying to communicate.

Here's A Short List Of The 4 Most Common Vocal Chinchilla Noises

1. Barking – You chinchilla may make a noise that sounds like a really small dog barking. When he does this, it usually means that he is upset, warning you, or scared about something. If he barks when you reach in his cage to pick him up, he's probably telling you to back off and that he's not in the mood, or just not ready to be handled.

When you hear this noise, it's usually a good idea to check on him to make sure he's not caught in his cage somehow, or if you have other pets that they aren't bothering him. However, if they bark every night and wake you up, your chin may be doing that just to get attention. As long as he's safe and comfortable, you should probably just ignore it so he will stop waking you up at night.

2. The Chinchilla Cry – If you ever hear this sound out of your little guys mouth, you'll know something bad happened. It is usually a shrill, piercing squeak that indicates your chin is freaked out or has injured himself. If you have cats and hear this noise be sure to check on him immediately and make sure your cat hasn't clawed him. If you take good care of your chin and make sure he's well protected, you may not ever hear this sound. But things do happen, and if he hurts himself or you step on his tail he may yelp in pain.

3. Cooing Noises – This is probably the most enjoyable sound that your chinchilla will make. He may make this sound when he sees you come in the door to say "Hi" or if he is greeting or communicating with another chin. As you spend time and get to know your chinchilla you will begin to recognize that this sound means he is happy. Another common occurence of this noise is when you walk up to his cage and he knows it's time to get out of his cage and play.

Chinchillas are definitely creatures of habit, and once they see an action enough and relate it to an event, they will start to learn what's going on. For example, you might notice that your chinchilla will make a certain cooing sound whenever you walk by the cabinet that contains his treats. This is his way of telling you that he's excited to get a snack, whether or not you were planning on giving him one.

4. Teeth Chattering – They do this for a variety of reasons, after you get to know your chin you'll probably be able to tell what the occasion is. They may chatter their teeth if they are in pain or anxious about something. Then on the other hand, they have also been observed doing this when they are happy, so this noise will be up to you to figure out for your specific chinchilla.

Learn about more chinchilla facts here.