If you were to travel to South America to study the colors of chinchillas, you would be surprised to learn that all of these animals, in their native land, are roughly the same color. But once man started breeding them, all that changed.
If you are choosing a chinchilla for a pet, or even for display, you have a wide variety to choose from. When talking about chinchilla colors, it’s always best to start with what breeders call standard. This is what is considered the desired coloration. And the standard is probably closer to animals still found in the mountains. They are essentially gray on the back and sides with a crisp white belly.
Beige chinchillas come in a spectrum of shades from light to dark. Of course, they are beige and also have the characteristic white belly of the standard. Additionally, you can identify a fawn chinchilla by its red eyes and pink ears, which may even have freckles.
The Ebony version of the chinchilla colors range from a gray to a solid black. These guys don’t have white bellies, but gray ones. You will even find some animals that have black bellies.
Upon a quick glance, tan chinchillas can resemble fawns. But you will notice that they do not have white bellies. Instead, they are solid brown. You may find what some call “pastels” which are just a lighter version of tan.
The black velvet chinchilla is shiny black on the back and transitions to a lighter shade as the color falls down the sides. A notable feature is the white underbelly and overall blue hue of the coat.
When it comes to white chinchillas, they come in many variations. But what you are sure to see most often is a pure white coat (even the belly is white) along with red eyes and pink ears. Sometimes you will see that the ears are freckled.
That brings us to a color called mosaic. And this is exactly what you would expect from this description. It is a combination of white and the standard color. This variation wears patches of gray on its fur. His eyes and ears, by the way, are dark. You can also find a reverse mosaic. This simply means that the chinchilla has more gray than white.
Violet chinchillas are not actually violets. But they are a striking, soft-looking gray with a beautiful shade of blue. You can also find a variation of violet called sapphire. The coloration of this animal is more blue than the standard violet.
One of the rarer chinchilla colors is what is known as a gold bar. The fur of this animal really does look golden, especially on its back. It will turn white as it cascades down your sides and moves into a white belly. And the eyes of this animal are usually dark red.
Regardless of the color you choose, you can be sure that all chinchilla colors are stunningly beautiful. It is one of the traits that gives them their reputation. You can be a bit more serious about choosing a chinchilla if you plan on showing it. But rest assured that you will love your pet no matter what color it is.