This cute pet rodent has a whale of a time with a simple floor chair, and we do too just from watching it!

One thing that surprises many people when they first come to Japan is how much time you can spend just seated on the floor. Traditional Japanese decoration features lots of low tables, which necessitate low seats to go with them. While you can opt for simple cushions, those can leave you without adequate cushioning for your back! Thank goodness for what Japan calls zaisu (literally meaning “floor seats“), legless furniture that sits directly on the floor with plush backs and soft seats.

Twitter user @soccerchu58’s pet chinchilla had other ideas for his owner’s floor seat. Why just perch on furniture when you can truly experience it to the max?

“My chinchilla is such a cutie…”

https://twitter.com/soccerchu58/status/1053622428121817088

In the video, the chinchilla (a strapping young lad called Marimo) expertly leaps from the seat of the chair to the back of it, sending the other side bobbing up into the air. That’s right, this acrobatic little pet has figured out a way to bring the joys of a playground see-saw to his own home!

The video rocketed through the social media sphere, earning coos of “Too adorable!” and “I didn’t know chinchillas could jump that far!”. @soccerchu58 demonstrated his deserved pride in Marimo by sharing even more of his super-cute shenanigans.

“Here’s Marimo chittering while he eats!”

“Super Marimo: the moment he broke across the kitchen barrier (we’ve expanded it up another 30 centimetres (11.8 inches) since then)”

“Starting to get jealous of how chinchillas can jump so many times higher than their own height…”

https://twitter.com/soccerchu58/status/1054141601180610560

@soccerchu58 even included a shoutout to English speakers, with a tweet illustrating just where Marimo’s name came from. These spherical sea plants are a common plant pet in Japanese homes due to their small size and easy upkeep. They’re also the model for a brand of fluffy floor cleaner.

Of course, if you’d rather perch on a huge, fluffy chinchilla than watch one misuse your furniture, there’s always this dubious knock-off item from China.

Source: Twitter/@soccerchu58 via Hamusoku
Featured image: Twitter/@soccerchu58