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Posted by on May 30, 2016 in TellMeWhy |

How Does the Chinchilla Protect Itself?

How Does the Chinchilla Protect Itself?

How Does the Chinchilla Protect Itself? Chinchillas have been hunted to near extinction in the wild for their fur, but are now protected in their natural habitat. In the wild, snakes, owls, hawks, foxes and cougars prey on the chinchilla.

Like most prey animals, the chinchilla will flee if it senses danger. In its natural habitat of the Andes Mountains, it will hide in rocky crevices, under bushes and logs or burrow underground, depending on what is chasing it. Chinchillas are agile and athletic, and can jump up to 6 feet high and cling to rocks and tree trunks to escape predators.

If a predator does manage to catch a chinchilla, it might still be able to escape by means of a fur slip. When this happens, a large patch of fur is released at the point of contact, leaving the predator with a mouthful of fur but no chinchilla. This is harmless to the chin, and the fur grows back. Tame chinchillas that are handled improperly might also exhibit this behavior.

Female chinchillas also spray urine when they are frightened or annoyed. They stand on their hind legs to do this, and the spray can reach 6 to 8 feet upwards. Both males and females release an odor from the anal gland. This tactic is often used as a warning that the chinchilla is about to spray urine or bite.

Biting occurs in extreme stress or fear and is usually a chinchilla’s last line of defense. The animal’s long front teeth are quite sharp, and its bite can be painful. Tame chinchillas will usually give you plenty of warning before resorting to a bite, including fleeing, fur slips, urine spray and even soft nips before they bite.

Content for this question contributed by Michele Mazanec, resident of Sagamore Hills, Summit County, Ohio, USA