When you’re considering an addition to the family, it’s good to know their routine and when they will be up and at ‘em. Are chinchillas nocturnal? They’re actually not! But they are close, so it's not too far off to describe them as nocturnal.
There are more terms to describe an animal’s sleep pattern than you may realize. Crepuscular actually describes chinchillas better than nocturnal.
Crepuscular means they are most active at dawn or dusk. Crepuscular comes from the Latin word crepusculum which means twilight!
Nocturnal describes animals that are active at night. And you will see a chinchilla active at night. It’s just that they’re most active at twilight so crepuscular is often used to describe them. However, they’re usually more active at night than during the middle of the day which is why many people describe their behavior as nocturnal.
Another term to describe sleeping patterns is diurnal which describes animals that are most active during the day. Yes, us humans are diurnal!
Why Are Chinchillas Crepuscular?
Nocturnal describes other small pets such as hamsters, you’ll likely see your chinchilla more active during your wake hours than nocturnal pets!
To Stay Safe From Predators
Chinchillas are prey animals which means the characteristics they’ve evolved to have are based on survival. Predators are usually most active at night or during the day, which means those hours in between (dawn and dusk) are the perfect time for a chinchilla to be out on the town.
To Avoid Extreme Temperature Changes
Chinchillas also have large thick coats they wear around all day. They can’t sweat if they’re too hot! So it’s important that they stay out of direct sunlight on warmer days. For this reason, a wild chinchilla will be out more during the day when it’s cloudy but it’s another reason they avoid exploring too much during daylight hours.
Chinchillas come from the Andes mountains where temperatures are extreme and wide-ranging. Meaning, it gets very cold at night and hot during the day.
Domesticated animals have more consistent temperatures to work with but their instincts are still to avoid those extreme temperatures and to venture from their burrows when the temperature is more ideal and they’re safest from predators.
The Schedule Of A Busy Chinchilla
Even though our domesticated chinchillas don’t have predators or extreme temperatures to deal with, it’s still important to encourage their natural behavior. Being forced to abandon their natural instincts, leads to unnecessary stress!
Chinchillas wake up early for breakfast. You’ll likely hear your chinchilla getting to it before you’re ready to embrace the day. It’s important to have hay available for your chinchilla 24/7 which is what they have in the wild! They can leave their burrow and forage whenever they please.
Wild chinchillas create their routines around their job of foraging and keeping themselves fed. Domesticated chinchillas have a better chance of becoming lazy. This is why it’s important to stock your chinchilla’s cage with plenty of toys that encourage forage and exploration.
Platforms in your chinchilla’s cage encourage them to jump and move about their space vertically. In a similar way to their wild counterparts in the mountains!
A bored chinchilla can sometimes look like a sleepy chinchilla. Play is very important for a chinchilla’s physical health as well as mental health. So keep your chin's body and mind busy. Make those naps well deserved!
The Importance of Sleep
Play and sleep are both equally as important for your chinchilla’s health. So while you need to provide enough toys to stimulate their mind, you also need to provide a calm, quiet, and comfortable environment for them to catch their Zs!
Chinchillas love predictability and consistent routines. This helps them feel safe and in control. Sudden loud noises interrupt their afternoon naps and can really stress them out.
Make sure you have your chinchilla’s enclosure in a low-traffic area where they will be protected from sudden bursts of energy coming in the front door or overzealous movie watchers.
Try and visit your chinchilla for interactions around the same time every day. This way they’ll be expecting guests and not thrown off-guard. And they’ll anticipate their time with you!
Where Do Chinchillas Sleep?
In the wild, chinchillas sleep in burrows or rock crevices. Tight spaces that provide safety and comfort. It’s important that your chinchilla has a place in their enclosure that provides that same feeling of safety and comfort.
An enclosed tunnel or hideaway is a must for chinchillas. Not only for sleeping but also as a place to go if they need some alone time. Some domesticated chinchillas enjoy sleeping in a hammock! It’s best to have both a hideaway and a hammock in your chinchilla’s space. Let them decide where they want to sleep.
Are Chinchillas Nocturnal Sometimes?
Nocturnal simply means active at night and chinchillas are certainly active at night. I mean, if you love 2 AM movies you could consider calling yourself nocturnal!
A chinchilla won’t have the same schedule as you but there’s nothing wrong with that. Seeing a sweet napping chin during the day would make practically anyone’s day better. And there are plenty of times in the day when both your and your chinchilla’s schedule will overlap.
If you’re gone during the day at work then those evening hours are the best time to interact with your chin anyways.
Sleep well, play well little chins!
Chinchilla research is continuously growing! If you have any doubts or concerns contact your exotic vet.
We are not veterinarians, and none of our information should be construed as veterinary advice.
