Husbandry Conditions and Welfare State of Pet Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) and Caretakers’ Perceptions of Stress and Emotional Closeness to Their Animals
by
, and
Elisabeth M. Gilhofer
1,
Denise V. Hebesberger
1,
Susanne Waiblinger
1,
Frank Künzel
2,
Cornelia Rouha-Mülleder
3,
Chiara Mariti
4 and
Ines Windschnurer
1,* 1
Centre for Animal Nutrition and Welfare, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
2
Clinical Centre for Small Animal Health and Research, Clinical Department for Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
3
Animal Welfare Ombudsman Office, Office of the Provincial Government of Upper Austria, Bahnhofsplatz 1, 4021 Linz, Austria
4
Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2024, 14(21), 3155; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14213155
Submission received: 2 September 2024
/
Revised: 25 October 2024
/
Accepted: 28 October 2024
/
Published: 3 November 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Welfare)
Simple Summary
For pet chinchillas, limited data are available on husbandry and the human–animal relationship despite its impact on their health, behavior, and welfare. We conducted an online survey addressing chinchilla husbandry practices, health, behavioral indicators of welfare, and the human–animal relationship. We also examined associations with caretakers’ perceptions of stress in their chinchillas and emotional closeness to their animals. Basic needs such as keeping with conspecifics, constant access to water and hay, or offering dust baths were mostly fulfilled. Potential welfare issues included individual keeping, undersized cages/enclosures, and suffering from a disease. Behavioral indicators of good welfare, such as affiliative behaviors, were observed by the majority of caretakers several times a day. Repetitive and unwanted behaviors were less commonly reported (fur biting, for instance, occurred ‘never’ in most cases). Caretakers rated their animals as generally more stressed if the animal was ill and more often showed fearful behavior toward the caretaker. Caretakers feeling closer to their animals spent more time engaging with them. Identifying such associations can help to formulate recommendations to improve pet chinchillas’ welfare.
Abstract
For pet chinchillas, limited data are available on husbandry and the human–animal relationship despite their impact on health, behavior, and welfare. We conducted an online survey with pet chinchilla caretakers (n = 336), targeting husbandry practices, health, behavioral indicators of welfare, and human–chinchilla relationships. We further investigated associations between caretakers’ perceptions of stress in their chinchillas and emotional closeness to their animals. Basic needs such as keeping with conspecifics, constant access to water and hay, or offering dust baths were mostly fulfilled. Potential welfare issues included individual keeping (14.3%), undersized cages/enclosures (reported by 27.6% of the Austrian respondents), and suffering from a disease (14.7%). Behavioral indicators of good welfare, such as playing and cuddling with conspecifics, were observed several times per day by 40.9% and 87.9% of the respondents, respectively. Repetitive and unwanted behaviors were less common (fur biting, for instance, occurred ‘never’ in 82.9%). Caretakers rated their animals as generally more stressed if the animal was ill and more often showed fearful behavior toward them. Caretakers feeling closer to their animals spent more time engaging with them. Correct identification of this kind of association could be used as guidance for recommendations to improve chinchilla welfare at home and in the veterinary setting.
Keywords:
chinchillas; housing; enrichment; feeding; health; stress; behavior; human–animal relationship; welfare
