When you live with a bunch of different exotic animals from all different climates around the world, you argue a lot about where to set the thermostat. Here at Animal Rentals we have temperature wars all year long. A lot of my friends and I are from warm or tropical climates, so like it nice and toasty warm at home and we love the summertime. But one of my friends likes it so cool that the rest of us think it is downright chilly! I’m talking about my friend Chi-Chi the Chinchilla – who should have been named Chilly Willy!
Chi-Chi is a really nice guy with a great big family that he supports by working with us doing our Exotic Animal Shows, Petting Zoos, College Entertainment shows and Animal Displays. Chi-Chi, his wife Camille, and all of his kids have the most beautiful fur coats I have ever seen. And they are so soft! Chinchilla fur is the softest fur of any animal. But it is also really thick – which means Chi-Chi gets hot easily – which means Chi-Chi likes it cool outside – which is just the opposite of what I like!
Chinchillas are originally from high up in the Andes Mountains, where it is pretty cool all year round. That’s why they need that thick, soft coat – to keep them warm. People also like to stay warm with Chinchilla fur, and Chi-Chi’s ancient relatives almost became extinct because of it. I’m glad they are still around – because they are really cool animals and Chi-Chi is a really good friend. Chinchilla fur belongs on Chinchillas, not people! Some people still raise Chinchillas for fur, but at least it is illegal to hunt them in the wild now.
Chi-Chi is looking forward to traveling around to colleges, parties, festivals and other events with us this fall as the weather cools down. In the mean time, we help him out by cranking the air conditioning up whenever he gets too warm. Helping each other be happy is what friends do, after all!
