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Breeding chinchilla rabbits

Rabbits are mammalian rodents that belong to a family known as the rabbit family, as this family includes 29 different types of rabbits. These types of rabbits live in many environments such as deserts, tropical forests, and wetlands.

Chinchilla rabbits

Rabbits are also distinguished by their long ears that help detect wild animals. The length of the rabbits' ears can reach approximately 6 inches, and the rabbits also have long and strong hind legs and a short tail, and the lengths of the rabbits range from 20 to 50 cm, while their weights range from 0.4 to 2 kg, and in the following will be Specializing in talking about chinchilla rabbits, the types of these rabbits, their behaviors, and how to take care of them.

Chinchilla rabbits are one of the types of rodents that inhabit the Andes mountains, and these rabbits are often kept as pets, as chinchillas are characterized by short front legs and long and strong hind legs, as they are known for their wide black eyes and bushy tails, and these rabbits also have four toes on each foot, Where all the toes are surrounded by hard bristles, and the length of the chinchilla ranges from 9 to 15 inches, and the tail can add about 3 to 6 more inches to its length, while its weight ranges between 1.1 and 1.8 pounds, and these rabbits adapt to live in low temperatures It reaches -5 ° C, but it cannot survive in temperatures exceeding 27 ° C. Higher temperatures can cause sunstrokes in chinchillas.

Chinchilla rabbits are distinguished by their soft and luxurious fur, and usually the color of chinchilla fur is either white, black, beige, silver, yellowish gray, or bluish gray, but these different colors must end with black tips, and as a result of hunting these rabbits because of their fur, they are close to extinction by In 1900 AD, and since then Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru have banned chinchilla hunting.

Types of chinchilla rabbits

Chinchilla rabbits include three different breeds and are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, where these breeds differ in terms of weight, body formation and many others, and these three breeds are:

The standard or usual chinchilla, the American chinchilla, and the giant chinchilla, and in the following we will talk about these breeds:

Standard Chinchilla:

It is one of the original breeds of chinchillas. The weight of this type ranges between 5.5 and 13 pounds, as it has a compact body and relatively light fur.

American Chinchilla:

The weight of the American chinchilla ranges between 9 and 12 pounds, and although it is called the American chinchilla, it originated in France, but was introduced to the United States in 1919 AD, and this strain is characterized by its full, curved bodies and erect, straight ears.

Giant chinchilla:

It is the largest type of chinchilla breed, with giant chinchilla weights ranging between 12 and 16 pounds. This strain originated in the United States, and this chinchilla is usually used as a source of commercial meat. Behaviors and reproduction of chinchilla rabbits Chinchilla rabbits are social animals that exist in groups called herds, where the herd includes between 14 to 100 individuals, and they are known to a large extent as nocturnal animals, and the reason for being nocturnal animals is due to their need to avoid high temperatures during daylight hours, These rabbits also take dust baths to keep their fur dry and clean, and when chinchilla rabbits feel in danger they may bite or spray urine to defend themselves, and chinchillas can communicate using a wide range of sounds, which include both hums, squeaks, and other sounds.

Chinchilla rabbits mate at any time of the year, but the pregnancy period of these rabbits is somewhat long, as it lasts 111 days, and usually one or two individuals are born in one pregnancy, as it is possible to open the eyes of the young at birth directly, and the weaning process takes place For young chinchillas between the sixth and eighth week after birth, as these rabbits become sexually mature when they reach the age of 8 months, wild chinchilla rabbits can live about 10 years, while domesticated chinchillas can live more than 20 years.

How to care for chinchilla rabbits

Chinchilla rabbits need care for their correct growth during breeding. When raising one of these rabbits, it is necessary to provide them with appropriate care, such as providing them with the appropriate diet, maintaining their cleanliness, and giving them opportunities to exercise. In the following, we will talk about the appropriate way to care for these rabbits:

Get a suitable cage:

provide a cage made of metal wire, and the larger the cage, the better. Ensure that the floor of the cage is made of a solid material such as wood or hard plastic. Ensure that the cage wires are close to each other, to ensure that the chinchilla cannot escape. Provide a suitable place inside the cage for the rabbit to sleep and rest. Put the cage in a high and quiet place.

Providing the appropriate environment: Keeping the rabbit cool, the temperature should not exceed 27 degrees Celsius. Provide healthy bedding. Clean the cage daily of dirty straw and bedding. Washing the cage with hot water once a week to kill bacteria that can cause diseases in the rabbit. Feeding: Provide a steady supply of timothy hay. Provide a variety of vitamins and nutrients on a daily basis. Provide snacks only once or twice each week. Providing clean water on a daily basis and replacing old water.

Maintaining the health of the rabbit:

Provide some special materials for the rabbit to bite on, in order to avoid excessive growth of his teeth. Provide special chinchilla dust so that he can take a dust bath instead of a water bath. Providing opportunities to exercise on a daily basis, such as jogging inside the cage.