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Breeding chinchillas can be fun and exciting!
And, there's nothing quite as addictive as baby chinchillas!!! But
breeding any animals is not something that should be entered into lightly.
There are many factors to consider. It's not nearly all fun and fuzzy
babies. Breeding should only be done in a responsible manner!
To find chins' due dates, check the Gestation
Calendar to your left.
Before you decide to breed, these are some
things you need to take into consideration:
- Do you understand how to breed to
improve the species?
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Breeding any two chins together will probably produce precious little fuzzy
babies. However, breeding chins that you do not know the background
on, such as chins purchased from a pet store, could produce undesirable
traits and even pass on hereditary disorders. |
- Are you aware of all of the
potential hazards in breeding certain colors or traits together.
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It
is very important to understand which chins should not be bred to each
other. Such as two chins that when bred together carry what is
referred to as a "lethal factor". Here is a wonderful site
that explains this in detail
SilverFalls |
- Are you aware of all of the
potential risks involved in breeding, pregnancy, delivery and kit raising?
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There are any number of risks involved in the breeding process. From
fights between the breeding pair, to breach births. Any new breeder
should study as much as they can on all aspects of breeding and be ready and
able to handle any situation that should arise. |
- Are you prepared to screen potential
buyers of your kits?
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As
much as we would all love to, we can't keep every kit born in our home!
There is nothing more heartbreaking then raising and loving a kit, only to
find out that shortly after your beautiful kits leaves your home that he/she
has died due to the negligence of a new owner. Screening of potential
owners is tough, especially long distance, but it is very necessary. |
- Are you prepared to care for kits 24
hours a day, 7 days a week for a minimum of 6 weeks?
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There are times when situations arise that make it impossible for the mother
to totally care for her kits. Whether it is because the mother died
during birth, or because she had a large litter and cannot care for all of
them. In these situations, it is up to the breeder to care for those
kits around the clock. This can include hand feeding every two hours
around the clock for weeks. Having a litter of kits, and then deciding
that you are unable to take off from work to care for them is irresponsible
breeding! If you are unable to commit to this kind of time, please do
not breed! |
- Do you have enough space to house
all of the kits, and the parents.
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Extra cages are always required when breeding. Responsible breeders remove the fathers for 10 days to prevent breed backs and give the mother a break.
You cannot count on all kits selling right at 8 weeks, and they can't be
left with the parents, depending on their sex, so extra cages will be
needed. If you do not have extra cages, or the space for them, do not
consider breeding. |
If you have taken all of the above into
consideration, and you feel you are able to handle it, welcome to the wonderful
world of chinchilla breeding!
While, I certainly do not know everything
about breeding and baby care, I will share with you what I do know and hope that
helps you in your endeavors.
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