Introduction to Chinchilla Domestication
Chinchillas, zoŵetsa zoyera, zofewa kwambiri zokhala ndi ubweya wofewa ngati velvety ndi maso akulu, okondera, zili ndi mbiri yochititsa chidwi ya kuwatulutsa m’nyumba kuyambira zaka zoposa zana limodzi lapo. Zoyambirira ku mapiri a Andes ku South America, makamaka m’mayiko ngati Chile, Bolivia, Peru, ndi Argentina, chinchillas zinafakiridwa koyamba ndi anthu a ku Europe m’zaka za m’ma 16. Dzina lawo limachokera kwa anthu a Chincha, gulu la anthu akale m’deralo omwe ankawathamangitsa chinchillas chifukwa cha ubweya wawo wofewa kwambiri. Kwa eni nyama, kumvetsetsa nthawi iyi sikukulitsa chidwi cha izi nyama zapadera zokhazikika koma zimathandizanso kupereka chisamaliro chomwe chimalemekeza miyambo yawo yachilengedwe ndi zofunika.
Early History: Wild Chinchillas and Fur Trade (16th-19th Century)
Chinchillas, makamaka mtundu wa Chinchilla lanigera (mchimbu wautali) ndi Chinchilla chinchilla (mchimbu wamfupi), zinali zikuyendeka bwino m’thangu kwa nthawi yoyitali isanafike anthu. Pofika zaka za m’ma 1500s, ofufuza a ku Spain adandikumbutsa kuti anthu a Chincha ankagwiritsa ntchito ubweya wa chinchilla pa zovalazo chifukwa cha ubweya wawo wandiwiriwiri—bulu lililonse limatha kunyamula mpaka ubweya 60, ndikupangitsa kukhala imodzi mwa ubweya wofewa kwambiri padziko lapansi. Kuzindikira kumeneku kunayambitsa malonda a ubweya omwe pafupifupi anawonongera chinchillas kufika kumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1800s. Mamiliyoni a ubweya anatumizidwa kunja, ndipo pofika koyambirira kwa zaka za m’ma 1900s, anthu akuthanzi anali pangozi yayikulu. Kuwonongeka kobadwako kumeneku ndi chikumbutso kwa eni nyama amasiku ano kuti akhazikitse kujambula koyenera pakutenga chinchilla—yese mukasankha oweta odziwika bwino kapena opulumuka kuposa nyama zakuthanzi.
The Start of Domestication (1920s)
Kuwatulutsa m’nyumba chinchillas mwalamulo kunayamba m’zaka za m’ma 1920s, koyendetsedwa ndi malonda a ubweya osati kukhala ndi nyama zanyumba. Mu 1923, injiniya wamigodi waku America dzina lake Mathias F. Chapman analandira chilolezo kuchokera boma la Chile kuti abweretse chinchillas 11 zakuthanzi ku United States. Chinchillas izi, makamaka Chinchilla lanigera, zinakhala maziko a pafupifupi zonse chinchillas zowatidwa m’nyumba masiku ano. Cholinga cha Chapman chinali kuzizizira ubweya, ndipo m’zaka zotsatira zochepa, mafamu a chinchilla anatuluka ku North America ndi Europe. Kwa eni nyama, mbiri iyi imafotokozera chifukwa chake chinchillas zowatidwa m’nyumba zimafanana kwambiri pa majini—kudzalidwa kumeneku kungathandize pakuganizira zaziso za thanzi, popeza kusiyana kwa majini kungayambitse mavuto apadera a majini ngati malocclusion (mano osungunulidwa).
Transition to Pets (1950s-1980s)
Pofika pakati pa zaka za m’ma 20, pamene malonda a ubweya anayamba kudzudzulidwa chifukwa cha malibu, chinchillas zidayamba kusinthidwa kuchoka pa nyama za mafamu kupita ku nyama zanyumba. M’zaka za m’ma 1950s ndi 1960s, oweta anayamba kuyang’ana mtima, kusankha chinchillas zofewa, zotha kusiyana bwino zoyenera kukhala ndi wonayo. Kusinthaku sikunachitike m’nthawi yomweyo—chinchillas zimasunga miyambo yambiri yakuthanzi, ngati chikhalidwe chawo chosayerekezeka ndi kufunika kwa dust baths kuti zitsanzire kuguragula mu lvui ngati zimachitira ku Andes. Kwa eni nyama, izi zikutanthauza kupanga malo omwe amalemekeza miyambo iyi: pangani keke yayikulu (osachepera mamita 3 m’kutalika kwa kulumpha), malo owomereka otetezeka, ndi dust baths nthawi zonse (miniti 10-15, ka 2-3 pa sabata) kuti musunge ubweya wawo wathanzi.
Modern Era: Chinchillas as Beloved Companions (1990s-Present)
Kuchokera m’zaka za m’ma 1990s, chinchillas zatsimikizira udindo wawo ngati nyama zapadera, zokhala ndi magulu odzipereka a eni nyama ndi oweta padziko lonse lapansi. Masiku ano, pali mitundu ya kupitilira khumi ndi iwiri yodziwika ya mitundu ya utoto, kuchokera pa imvi yokhazikika kupita ku violet ndi sapphire, chifukwa cha kusankha kwabwino. Moyo wawo mu ukapolo— zaka 10 kupita ku 20—umuzikika wa nthawi yaitali, nthawi zambiri kupitirira nyama zazing’ono zina ngati hamsters. Eni nyama amasiku ano amapindula ndi chidziwitso cha zaka makumi ambiri; mwachitsanzo, tsopano tili kudziwa kuti chinchillas zimafunika chakudya chokhala ndi fiber yayikulu (ngati timothy hay) ndi shuga ochepa kuti mupewe mavuto a mathumbo. Upangiri wothandzilla ndikuyang’anira kunenepa kwawo—chinchillas zachikulu zikuyenera kukhala ndi kg 400-600 grams—ndipo mukafunsa dotolo wa nyama ngati zatsika kapena kukwera kwambiri, popeza izi zingasonyeze mavuto a thanzi.
Practical Takeaways for Chinchilla Owners
Kumvetsetsa nthawi ya kuwatidwa m’nyumba kumathandiza eni nyama kukwanitsa zofunika zapadera za chinchilla yawo zomwe zili muzu wa mbiri. Apa pali upangiri wachitatu wothandzilla:
- Lemekeza Mizu Yao Yakuthanzi: Chinchillas ndi nocturnal zachilengedwe ndi zamanyazi. Sungani keke lawo m’malo ogwira mtima, opanda kuchuluka kwa anthu ndipo gwiritsani ntchito nao nthawi yawo yothalaka (madzulo mpaka usiku).
- Kuzindikira ThanZi: Chifukwa cha kusiyana kwa majini koyambirira, mavuto a mano ndi mtima amatha kuchitika. Sungani kuyendera kwa dotolo wa nyama chaka chilichonse ndi katswiri wa nyama zapadera.
- Kukhala ndi Nyama Moyenera: Thandizani ntchito zoteteza pochokera ku nyumba zosungirako kapena oweta oyenera, kuti muwonetsetse kuti simukuwonongera kuchuluka kwa anthu akuthanzi.