Why must owners avoid water bathing the chinchilla due to its hyper-dense fur structure?

Answer

The undercoat traps moisture, drying slowly and creating an environment for fungal/bacterial infections or hypothermia

The chinchilla possesses the densest fur of any land mammal, meaning its coat traps moisture exceptionally well. If the animal is bathed in water, the thick undercoat becomes soaked and takes an extremely long time to dry completely. This prolonged dampness underneath the dense outer layer creates an ideal, warm, moist environment conducive to the rapid growth of fungal or bacterial skin infections. Furthermore, the moisture retention can lead to significant evaporative cooling, potentially causing the animal to suffer from hypothermia, especially given their evolutionary adaptation to dry, cold, high-altitude climates. Therefore, maintenance requires a completely dry method.

Why must owners avoid water bathing the chinchilla due to its hyper-dense fur structure?

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