#FurkidFriday: Mollie The #Chinchilla Answers Two Common Questions With One Answer

Hi everyone. This is Mollie the chinchilla.

When the Mummy human is trying to avoid working, she likes to play with something called a search engine, and look up random things. One of the things she looked up recently was what people usually want to know about chinchillas. I don't know why, but I don't know why she does a lot of things she does, so... Moving on.

Anyway, she told me about it, so I decided I'm going to answer two of the most common questions for you today, and I can do both with just one answer. That answer is: it depends.

First, let me tell you what the questions were:

Do chinchillas like to cuddle?Do chinchillas bite?
There were other top questions, but these are the ones the Mummy human and I were thinking about most, because we've seen them asked about other animals too, and always wonder why people seem to think it's the same answer for all animals of a spacific species or breed. Like I said: it depends.

So, what does it depend on?

It depends on the chinchilla's temprement, since some chinchillas - like other animals, and humans too - like physical contact more than others.It depends on their mood, since - again, like with other animals, and humans too - some days even a chinchilla who usually likes to be cuddled, and doesn't bite, might feel like being left alone.It depends how they've been treated, since everyone - regardless of species - is more likely to be friendly if others have been friendly to them first.It depends on the situation, since a frightened animal - regardless of species - will often bite, or attack in some other way, if they feel they need to do so to defend themselves.
In other words, if you treat your chinchilla - or other animal - well, and he or she feels like it, chances are your chinchilla will like cuddles. At least, when he or she is in the mood to be cuddled. Also, if you treat your chinchilla well, he or she is in the right kind of mood to be handled, and you don't make him or her feel threatened, chances are your chinchilla won't bite. But, like I said: it depends.

Basically, your best bet is to treat your pet - chinchilla or otherwise - with kindness, and pay attention to his or her moods. Just like with humans. Do that, and you'll get to enjoy some cuddle time sometimes, and should avoid getting bitten.

Squeak soon,
Mollie