Q 01/05

Wild chinchillas clean their dense coats by rolling in which fine material instead of water?

A) River clay

B) Dry sawdust

C) Volcanic ash

D) Powdered snow

Answer · why

C) Volcanic ash

Volcanic ash soaks up oil and dirt from the coat, which is why pet chinchillas get a dust bath rather than a wash. If the fur gets wet, mould and matt...

Q 02/05

Chinchillas have the densest fur of any land mammal, but which marine mammal's coat is denser?

A) Sea otter

B) Harp seal

C) Walrus

D) Polar bear

Answer · why

A) Sea otter

The sea otter packs up to 150,000 hairs into a square centimetre, against roughly 20,000 for a chinchilla, which still beats every other mammal living...

Q 03/05

Pet chinchillas jump so well that owners have reported them leaping onto the top of which appliance?

A) A washing machine

B) A dishwasher

C) A microwave oven

D) A refrigerator

Answer · why

D) A refrigerator

A refrigerator is within range because a chinchilla can jump more than six feet high, using long hind legs built for leaping between mountain rocks.

Q 04/05

A human hair follicle grows one to three hairs; roughly how many can sprout from one chinchilla follicle?

A) About 6

B) About 60

C) About 600

D) About 6,000

Answer · why

B) About 60

About 60 hairs can share a single follicle, which is what makes the coat feel so plush and leaves fleas and lice little room to live in it.

Q 05/05

Chinchillas cannot sweat, so which body part do they pump blood through to cool down?

A) Tail

B) Feet

C) Ears

D) Nose

Answer · why

C) Ears

Ears are a chinchilla's only radiator: they are large and thinly haired, unlike the rest of a body wrapped in an extremely thick coat.