The small mouse-like mammals, Chinchillas, are the natives of South America. However, they are kept as pets in many countries. Though they prefer living in the burrows, and rock crevices, inside the tunnels, they are hunted for their densest far.
While this species is almost near to its extinction, you might want to know if they are just another form of rats or not. So, is a chinchilla a rodent or a rat? Yes, chinchillas are rodents. They look like rats or mice because they are from the same family.
We will briefly talk about the major facts about chinchillas along with their connection to the rodents family here. Skim through it, they are interesting animals!
Is a Chinchilla a Rodent?
Yes, chinchillas are rodents. All the rodents are in the order of Rodentia and the same goes for Chinchilla. They too are in the order of Rodentia.
The characteristics of the Chinchilla clearly match with the rodents. These species are popular as pets these days while in the wild, they are almost gone. They prefer living on the rocky slopes and they have high demand in the market for their fur.
While there are only two types of chinchillas- one with a long tail and the other with a short tail, they both are endangered. The short-tailed one is almost extinct.
Chinchillas as Rodents
Chinchillas have the mouse face, don’t you agree? It’s tough for a lot of people to tell if it’s a rat, mouse, or chinchilla in some cases because of their identical facial structure. Let’s know why they are rodents and how well they maintain their order!
Diet
As they belong to the same biological order, their diet is almost similar too. The rodents are most herbivorous and depend on vegetation, fruits, seeds, etc. for survival.
Though some rodents are omnivores, most of them are herbivorous. The case is the same for the Chinchillas. They rely on herbivores and rely on vegetation as their basic food preference.
Body Type
If you look at a rat or mouse, you can easily tell that they are rodents. Almost all rodents have a similar body type. They have got rounded bodies.
Although the smaller rodents look petite, they have robust bodies. The chinchillas, too have a rounded body shape. They look almost like a round balls!
Coat
Rodents have fur or hair all over their body and only a few like the naked mole don’t have hair on their body. Just like any other rodents, chinchillas have hair all over their round body. The fur is soft.
The interesting fact is they have the densest fur of any mammal living on earth! Their dense fur covers their tail too. No matter if it’s a short-tailed chinchilla or a long-tailed one, they have bushy tails.
Teeth
The rodents have unique incisor teeth inside their mouth and these teeth are ever-growing. The incisor teeth of the chinchillas are the same, they never stop growing.
Also, as rodents are herbivores, they don’t have canine teeth. As a rodent, chinchillas don’t have canine teeth too.
Wrap Up
While chinchillas are as cute as any other rodents, they are hunted for their fur. Sadly, both types of chinchillas are endangered and if necessary steps are not taken, they can be extinct soon.
This is why we always encourage getting rodents as your pets. Though they are hunted in the wild, they can be safer in your home!
