Chinchillas are an adorable handful, in or out of the shelter

Native to cold mountain regions in South America, chinchillas have long been exploited for their fur. JAMESON WESTON

Acquiring a pet chinchilla? It’s a lot like falling in love.

At first, all you see is the good stuff. The big, googly eyes. The soft furball of a body. The undeniable cuteness.

But when you get them home, complications arise.

They’ll come to you, but only when they feel like it. They’re not big on cuddling. Mainly they want to run around. You discover that they’ve got some odd quirks. They bathe in dust. Their teeth never stop growing.

And they live for a long time—maybe 20 years—which can leave a potential owner wondering, “Am I really ready for this?”

In many cases, the answer is “no.” But some people don’t realize that until they’ve already gotten one.

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