Silver British chinchillas are real English aristocrats who are revered not only in the UK, but around the world for their luxurious color and plush coat. It is believed that British chinchillas were bred artificially, but this does not mean at all that their genetic data has been affected and they are weak in health. This is far from the case. Rather, the opposite. These animals are very hardy, they have excellent immunity, moreover, they have a fairly calm character.
Before buying a British chinchilla, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the description of the breed, the features of caring for kittens and adults, as well as other nuances.
Description
British chinchillas have more rounded body shapes compared to other colors of this breed. In silver chinchillas you can always observe a thick and large tail and rounded chubby cheeks.
The coat is thick, the undercoat is dense and frequent. The color of shorthair silver chinchillas is more pronounced than that of long-haired. Silver chinchillas according to the breed standard of the eye can have:
- green (olive);
- blue (violet).
Both eye colors go well with a silver coat. Directly coat color can be:
- silver;
- silver shaded.
A distinctive feature of the British with such a color is their bright “makeup”, which is expressed in the fact that the eyes and nose of the animals are surrounded by black eyeliner. The pads on the legs are also often dark, and the tip of the tail is often painted black, while it is not long.
Consider other breed standards.
- Medium-sized nose of a pale pink or darker shade.
- Rounded and at the same time small ears that are at a wide distance from each other.
- Short, but rather muscular limbs, due to which the animals seem a little low, especially if they are long-haired.
- On average, cats weigh up to eight kilograms, and cats weigh up to 4.5. Weight increases if animals are sterilized or neutered.
In British silver chinchillas, the main tone of the coat and undercoat is snow-white, and only at the tips a dark color prevails, creating a silver-colored overflow. The tip of each hair is painted only one eighth in black, everything else is white.
Silver shaded chinchillas have a more saturated silver color on the wool. Their hairs are dyed not one-eighth, but one-third. The undercoat is also snow-white.
Both colors do not have a pronounced pattern; all the silver transitions are very smooth and beautiful. Dark stripes may be present in small amounts on the legs or tail.
Character and habits
British chinchillas are by nature the same as any other real British. They are distinguished by special independence and a certain pride in behavior. They become attached to their master very quickly, but they don’t think that a person prevails in these “cat-human” relationships, because the British are very self-sufficient and independent.
They get along quite well with other feline representatives, only if they do not grow up since childhood, but they get along well with dogs and other animals, and even play together. Most of the time they prefer to relax, sometimes they walk around their territory and play.
At any age, the British are very playful and always do not mind driving a toy mouse around the apartment or at home, the main thing is to interest them.
The British never beg for food from the table, especially if accustomed to their own diet. They also have no habit of waking everyone up in the morning. These animals are very non-capricious, they do not get bored when they are left alone, and even completely enjoy their loneliness, they do not harm while there is no one at home.
British silver chinchillas are very non-aggressive animals, but they are extremely negative about the grip of children. Therefore, it is very important to explain to your children that cats are not toys, so as not to introduce animals to special stress.
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It’s easy to keep British chinchillas.
However, it is recommended that you study some key points.
- Plush wool of silver chinchillas has to be carefully looked after so that it remains in a beautiful form. For this, it is recommended to comb the animals 1-2 times a week, long-haired ones are combed out more often so that no tangles are formed on the wool. Britons bathe infrequently, usually several times a year. For swimming, use special shampoos for light wool.
- Claws should be cut once every two or three weeks, for this a special nail clipper is suitable. Claws need to be cut carefully so as not to injure the animal.
- Caring for your ears is only required as they become soiled. To do this, use a cotton pad and a special ear lotion for cats.
- Animals get used to the tray without problems. Therefore, if you decide to replace the filler, for them it will not be a problem.
- Wipe the eyes with a cotton pad soaked in boiled water or in a chamomile solution. Keep your hands clean.
- If the cat or cat is not kept on a specialized feed, then they should brush their teeth as often as possible to avoid the formation of tartar or other problems with the oral cavity. To brush your teeth you will need to purchase a special brush and paste with silver ions. Human hygiene products are not suitable for this.
- Once a year, British chinchillas should be given major vaccinations. In front of them, cats and cats must be given anthelmintic medicine.
When observing pus in the eyes, apathy of the animal, coughing, discharge from the nose or other changes in the behavior of the animal, it is recommended to immediately consult a veterinarian, rather than self-medicating.
You can feed the animals with ready-made food (wet or dry) or by yourself cooked food.
If the animal is sterilized or neutered, then a ready-made feed is recommended for it, which serves as a kind of diet and prevention of urolithiasis, which is so dangerous for the animal.
In general, both prepared feeds and self-prepared foods have both their pros and cons. The main thing is that any meal for the animal must be balanced and nutritious, and therefore ready-made feeds are considered leaders in this, because they have everything that animals need at different ages. In addition, finished feed does not take time to prepare it. But it’s worth understanding that British chinchillas will have to be fed premium and super premium feeds, which are quite expensive.
If you feed the animals yourself, then the diet should definitely include lean meat, namely: turkey, chicken and rabbit meat, you can also give lamb, and always boiled vegetables. It is also very important to give cereals and cereals: buckwheat and rice, you can others. You can also offer raw meat, even kittens.
The main thing is to freeze it for a day beforehand and lower it in boiling water before serving.
Meat and vegetables should be finely chopped; large pieces cannot be given that animals simply do not chew. Very small British kittens are recommended to grind food or use a blender to grind it.
Fatty meat in any form should be avoided, all fried foods are especially contraindicated. Cow milk is not recommended, it is best to replace it with dairy products: small amounts of yogurt, cottage cheese or sour cream. It is strictly forbidden to give animals meat and fish with bones that they do not digest. Sterilized animals do not recommend fish products at all. Animals are usually fed twice a day.
During the day you can give small treats. Be sure to thoroughly wash the dishes of animals after each meal.
Where to get a kitten?
Chinchilla Britons are considered quite rare, and therefore they can not be purchased from the dubious breeder, whom you found in the ad or in the first kennel that came across.
As a rule, silver and gold chinchillas are bred only in specialized nurseries that have the appropriate license. Such nurseries are mainly monobreed, other kittens are not bred in them. Moreover, it is worthwhile to understand that such kittens cannot cost several thousand rubles. The average price for a British chinchilla with documents and a pedigree (for sterilization or castration) varies from 20 to 40 thousand rubles. Animals for breeding cost many times more.
The price of a kitten may also depend on the color, possible defects on it, eye color and some other factors. Kittens, whose parents are champions and have the appropriate titles, are even more expensive.
For more information on the breed of British chinchillas, see the next video.
