What Colors Do Chinchillas Come In? (Plus Pricing And More)

I bet you didn’t know you had so many options to choose from when it comes to chinchilla colors.

I honestly had no clue either.

When I adopted my chinchilla, I traveled to a breeder in my state and was shocked at the options and colors.

People considering adopting a chinchilla often ask me, what colors do chinchilla come in?

Well, due to my own shock and surprise and my newfound knowledge on this topic, I thought I’d share the details with you.

So, what colors do chinchillas come in? Keep reading to find out.

 

Chinchilla Colors

Chinchillas can be bred in 30 different colors. The color of the chinchilla is known as a mutation. Out of 30 potential chinchilla colors and mutations, these 8 colors are most common:

• Standard Grey
• Ebony
• Violet
• Homozygous Beige
• Heterozygous Beige
• White
• Sapphire
• Black Velvet

Wow, talk about options.

Luckily, there is no bad color, and all chinchillas regardless of the color or mutation, are adorable and make for fantastic pets.

I currently have a standard grey. Not the most exotic color on the list by any means, but my chinchilla is awesome, so I’ll deal with it.

After finding out what color options you have when adopting a new chinchilla, you may have additional questions regarding the prices and behavior differences, if any.

Instead of just answering the one common question above for you, I figured I’d make this more of an ultimate guide and frequently asked questions type of post.

And yes, I’ll even throw in some pictures and breakdowns of the options you have when choosing which color, you want to adopt for your chinchilla.

 

Do Chinchillas Come In Different Colors? Breakdown Of All Chinchilla Colors

This question comes up frequently. Especially for those who are new to owning, or new to considering adopting, a chinchilla.

So, do chinchillas come in different colors?

Yes, chinchillas breed in different colors, also known as mutations. Over 30 colors or mutations are possible to breed with chinchillas, although ebony, white, black, and gray are the most common.

This is simply the physical appearance of your chinchilla and nothing more.

For chinchillas that have more distinguishing differences, you would be referring to the difference between a long-tailed and short-tailed chinchilla.

I discuss the primary differences between these two chinchilla breeds in my post that covers how big a chinchilla will get.

You can see that here for further information.

I know it’s a lot to throw at someone considering adopting a chinchilla that you have so many color options, but, in all honesty, don’t overthink this.

I didn’t even know about all the differences when I adopted my 2-year-old female chinchilla.

I started researching after the fact and figured I could help all of you know beforehand to understand the colors and options that you have.

Most breeders aren’t going to have this vast color array selection for you.

Or, they at least didn’t have that for me in my home state of Illinois.

My breeder had gray and black.

That’s it, and it honestly made the process easy.

If you aren’t sure where you can adopt a chinchilla in your home state, I’ve put together a post that breaks down the best chinchilla breeders near you.

You can view that guide on chinchilla breeders here.

 

Breakdown Of All Chinchilla Colors And Prices

Now, let’s dive into the actual colors.

First, directly below, you will see a quick table with all the common colors (mutations) of chinchillas and a typical price range for them.

Directly below this table, I will dive into more depth on each mutation or color.

 

Table Breakdown Of All Chinchilla Colors (Mutations) And Pricing

The table above probably isn’t perfect when it comes to chinchilla pricing.

Individual breeders will have different pricing, and even your state of residence can have an impact on those figures.

For the most part, however, these are going to be accurate ranges on what you can expect to pay for that specific chinchilla color (mutation).

If you want an angora chinchilla, you will have to pay more. Usually it is up to five times more. Read “What Is An Angora Chinchilla?” for more on this adorable type.

 

Explanation And Details On Each Chinchilla Color

Now, let’s take a quick dive into the details of each of these colors and mutations, especially the common mutations.

 

Ebony And Black Chinchillas

The ebony or black chinchilla is the darkest colored variety, but will typically have a bright white stomach or belly. Their fur almost resembles velvet.

Breeding a black velvet chinchilla with any other color creates what is known as a TOV (touch of velvet) chinchilla (see more info below on TOV chinchillas).

You can view my full guide on black and ebony chinchillas here.

 

White Chinchillas

White chinchillas are exactly how they sound. They are white and typically have no yellow tint or casting. White chinchillas typically have a darker ear cast. Two white chinchillas of opposite sexes should not be bred together.

 

Heterozygous Beige Chinchillas

These chinchillas have a blend of violet and beige. This breed of chinchillas is unique, due to a purple tint color to their eyes. Pretty cool.

 

Violet Chinchillas

The violet chinchilla can also be referred to as a purple chinchilla. These chinchillas have a combination of a violet gene as well as an ebony gene.

 

Dark Grey Chinchilla

This is a subset of a color blend of the standard grey chinchilla.

 

Pink And White Chinchilla

The pink and white is a nice blend and cross between a beige-colored chinchilla and a white chinchilla.

These chinchillas also typically have bright pink inner ears and are often referred to as the albino chinchilla.

 

Standard Grey Chinchillas

The standard grey chinchilla is the most common color for a chinchilla and the color of my chinchilla.

The standard grey chinchilla will also have a white belly, and the shades of grey can vary from either a light shade of grey or a darker shade of grey.

 

Other Options For Chinchilla Colors And Mutations

In addition to those colors and mutations listed above, you also have a few other mutations and colors you may come across, including the following:

• Blue Diamond Chinchilla
• Sapphire Chinchillas
• Wilson White Chinchilla
• Pastel Chinchilla
• Blue Chinchilla
• Fading White Chinchilla
• Black Pearl Chinchilla
• Mosaic Chinchilla

The mutations and colors listed above aren’t necessarily difficult to find or adopt but they are less common then the colors and mutations discussed previously in this post.

And if you are considering dyeing or painting your chinchilla so that it is a more interesting color, don’t. It should be obvious, but paint can be harmful. If you do get some on your pet (accidentally, I hope), make sure you know how to get paint off a chinchilla safely.

 

What Is the Rarest Chinchilla Color?

The Goldbar is the rarest color and mutation of a chinchilla. Gold bar chinchillas were first bred in 1995. Compared to other chinchilla mutations and colors, a gold bar chinchilla will be much more difficult to adopt or find at a local breeder.

 

Are White Chinchillas Rare?

No, white chinchillas are not rare. They are a common color and mutation of a chinchilla that you can often find with local breeders to adopt. However, breeding a white homozygous sapphire chinchilla can often produce more rare mutations for baby chinchillas or kits.

 

How Much Are White Chinchillas

In case you missed my table above, let’s cover this common question one more time.

How much are white chinchillas?

Most breeders will have white chinchillas for sale in the price range between $200.00 to $250.00. The price of a white chinchilla may be lower if you adopt your chinchilla from a rescue.

Of course, depending on the breeder and where you live, it’s possible you can purchase and adopt a white chinchilla for cheaper or slightly more expensive, but overall, the $200.00 to $250.00 range should be very accurate.

 

Can Chinchillas Be Brown?

Yes, chinchillas can be brown. Brown chinchillas are usually bred by a black and beige chinchilla. A brown chinchilla has a white belly and light-colored ears.

Overall, brown isn’t as common of color for a chinchilla compared to a standard grey or even a black velvet, but brown chinchillas are still one of the more common colors or mutations.

 

What Is A TOV Chinchilla?

TOV stands for a touch of velvet. A TOV chinchilla is a black velvet chinchilla or a black chinchilla. This doesn’t mean that a chinchilla will always resemble this color entirely. TOV means that the chinchilla has a black velvet gene regardless of the color of the chinchilla.

 

Don’t Stress About Color: Chinchillas Are Awesome

Clearly, it’s easy to see that you have tons of options when it comes to choosing a color for your chinchilla at the adoption time.

In all honesty, it’s not going to be the color of the chinchilla that changes much with the enjoyment and bond you build over the course of time.

Chinchillas are great family pets to own and have unique personalities and behaviors.

Regardless of the color, chinchillas will act in a similar fashion and will not disappoint.

Share Your Thoughts on This Topic Below

What are your thoughts on this topic? What color chinchilla did you adopt?

Be sure to share your stories, thoughts, and concerns by dropping a comment below.

As always, Chili and I appreciate you stopping by. We will see you next time.