Chinchilla's at a zoo

[minrex]

Chapman brought chins here less than 100 years ago... there are people who are still alive that were alive when that happened. Are they wild? No, but like wise they haven't been domesticated for centuries. If you figure a chin lives 20 years, that is only 5 generations removed from a wild chin.

That's kind of like saying that, if you figure a human lives for 80 years, then we're only 5 generations removed from the days of Shakespeare, or from the Pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock.

 

[moon]

Mish that's great! I would definitely take them up on that offer Kelly!

 

[Riven]

Didn't Chapman keep his chins outside in earthen shelters and at some people didn't he have some sort of cooling (and maybe heating system) that worked with the outdoor cages? I don't think they were every really outside like we think of just a cage standing alone under a tree outside. But, I could be very wrong about that.

He had underground burrows for them. There was no cooling available at that time other than ice really.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

Just wondering how all this worked out.
Did you end up setting up the exhibit? How did it go? I would love to see some pictures of the end result!

 

[SamiJami]

Where in MD are you? I'd love to come see them if you're near me

 

[Chintastic!]

Im curious on what a real "wild chinchilla" looks like then. In the pictures on "Save the chinchillas" site they show mutations as well as caged animals. These are obvioulsy not what they saving. I thought that the first pictures looked like a viscacha to me but hey what do I know?

I tried to do a search for wild chins, but there are so many different looking ones. Which is the real thing?

Are any of these real wild chins? Has anyone seen one in person? I'm not trying to doubt anyone, I just really want a clear answer. As we can all attest, much of the information out there on the web is not legit. Does anyone know whats real and what not? All the pictures below "claim" to be wild chins, whether they are or not, your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Riven]

The first pic is a wild chin, the second is not even a chin, which is what you kind of expect from someone who finds chin pics in a place called "stockpile pro" which is water marked on the photos.

The last pics are of chins at a zoo, I recall seeing them before and seeing how someone said they were at a zoo and took them. Probably not even on this forum, just a random search deal.

There is a clear difference in the condition of the coats between the first and last pic. As for the organization it's possible that they had some pets there, etc. but the first pic is pretty clearly a chin sitting in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Isabella Whateva]

The second picture is of a Viscacha, which are super adorable relatives of chinchillas who live in the same area.

 

[Chintastic!]

The first pic is a wild chin, the second is not even a chin, which is what you kind of expect from someone who finds chin pics in a place called "stockpile pro" which is water marked on the photos..

I just did a yahoo seach, its only on that one photo. Im not trying to be rude or demanding, Im just very confused. Some people say that "wild" chins look nothing like domesticated ones while other people say they look just the same. I'm not trying to discredit anyone, but being as I have never been to Chile and seen a real wild chin I am asking a question.

There is a clear difference in the condition of the coats between the first and last pic. As for the organization it's possible that they had some pets there, etc. but the first pic is pretty clearly a chin sitting in the middle of nowhere.

The first is from the wild chin website. The others are just from a simple internet search. With the first one something just didnt seem right. Why would a chin be out in the middle of nowhere in the sun no less, on a rock? It just seems staged. With the last one its caption said it was one of the last wild herds.

Like I said, it is so darn hard to tell what is real and what isnt with the internet. I knew the second one was a viscacha, but the caption said "wild chinchilla."

 

[moon]

The zoo in MD decided to rehome the chinchillas.

 

[sheri7]

Kelly, I also live in MD and would love to visit your zoo. What is it called and where are you located?

Not sure where you are, but considering that the typical temp in the Baltimore area is probably close to 90 and above and very humid from June-September, I think the indoor enclosure is best.