1) I have 100+ chinchillas (at one time I had 200+)
2) Each has it's own name from Adam to Zeus
3) What do I love about chinchillas? They've given me a purpose in life, they need me and I need them.
After my accident, I could no longer work and felt useless. I had my right shoulder rebuilt, 9" rods in my back and brain surgery ... followed a few years later by eye cancer.
Between my husband and my chins, they would never let me get down or depressed.
How can you feel bad or depressed when you have these soft, fluffy, furry little clowns popcorning all over the place?
And those eyes ... looking at you with those big round dark eyes that twinkled with mischief.
Some will dance and some will do back flips for me.
One likes to scare me by playing dead, then when I come running, she jumps up and looks like the picture of innocence.
Another likes to have long 'conversations' with me ... I talk ... she listens ... she chatters her chinchilla talk ... I listen ... this can go on for as much as 15 minutes ... we are very polite and never interrupt each other or blab our secrets to others.
The nurturing sounds the kits and momma chins make when they snuggle and nurse, reminds you of a time you held your little ones humming and rocking them to sleep.
They are always glad to see you and run to the cage door for a nose rub, or a scratch, or a treat ... or to show off their new kit.
Chinchillas are a little bit of heaven on earth.
Jo Ann