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Cheeky Chinchillas - Breeding Chinchillas
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Breeding chinchillas is a great responsibility and must not be taken on lightly.
You
may
already
have
a
chinchilla
and
think
it
would
be
lovely
to
get
him/her
a
mate.
Consider
all
the
facts
very
carefully
before
you
go
ahead.
It
is
always
wise
to
read
as
much
as
you
can
and
from
as
many
different
sources as you can. I am not a breeder and the information below is basic.
Please scroll down the page to see photographs of a chinchilla kit from 1 hour old to 100 days old
The
parentage
of
the
breeding
pair
is
very
important.
Do
you
know
sufficient
about
them?
Have
they
had
any
health
problems
i.e.
with
their
teeth?
Some
problems
are
passed
on
genetically.
The
last
thing
you
want
to
do
is
breed
from
a
pair
where
one
or
both
of
them
have
had
any
health
issues.
These
could
be
inherited
by
the
kits
and
so
would
just
increase
problems
in
the
future.
Sometimes
health
problems
don't
show
until
they
are
older, by which time you may have bred more kits. It can be come a vicious circle, so really think about it.
It can also be very expensive if you need vetinary care.
Do
you
have
plenty
of
room?
More
chinchillas,
means
more
cages.
Even
if
you
intend
selling
the
kits,
you
will
still need extra cages when it is time to separate the babies out, until they are sold.
If
you
intend
just
having
one
litter,
have
you
thought
enough
about
what
will
happen
afterwards?
If
you
leave
the
pair
together,
they
will
most
likely
produce
more
litters.
Two
litters
a
year
is
more
than
enough
for
one
female.
So
what
do
you
do?
Do
you
separate
them?
Is
this
fair
to
them?
Should
you
think
about
having
dad
neutered?
These are important questions to ask yourself, before you even think about breeding chinchillas.
Unless
you
have
bought
a
pair
of
chinchillas
already
living
together,
it
is
necessary
to
introduce
them
gradually.
A
female
should
not
be
mated
before
the
age
of
10
+
months.
Even
then,
she
will
only
breed
if
she
feels
secure
in
her
surroundings.
Just
before
she
is
ready
to
breed,
you
may
notice
the
male
acting
a
little
more
aggressively,
making
sounds
and
wagging
his
tail.
After
an
attempt
at
mating
has
taken
place
the
male
will
make
a
loud
hiccupping
noise
and
he
will
eject
a
waxy
substance
into
the
female
to
hold
the
semen
in
place.
Finding
this
wax-like
plug,
is
a
sign
that
an
attempt
at
mating
has
taken
place
but
does
not
necessarily
mean
that the female is pregnant.
The
gestation
period
for
a
chinchilla
is
111
days.
The
female
does
not
usually
look
very
different
until
a
few
weeks
before
the
babies
are
due.
She
will
probably
sleep
more
on
her
side,
eat
less
and
drink
more.
Chinchillas
have
six
teats
...
by
about
65
days
the
teats
will
be
pink
and
enlarged
-
after
about
85
days
or
so,
you
will
notice
the
nipples
getting
longer
and
redder.
They
will
eventually
be
almost
as
long
as
her
fur.
You
may also see the kits move.
During
the
last
few
weeks
it
is
best
not
to
handle
her
unless
really
necessary
and
do
not
allow
her
to
bathe
for
about
a
week
either
side
of
the
birth.
This
is
to
stop
her
getting
any
infection
and
also
to
stop
sand
clinging
to
her
teats
etc
and
causing
problems
for
the
babies.
The
kits
(babies)
are
usually
born
in
the
early
hours
of
the
morning.
She
will
give
birth
on
her
own,
clean
the
baby/babies,
clean
herself
and
eat
the
afterbirth.
Keep
her
in
a
warm
and
quiet
environment.
You
probably
won't
see
the
birth
but
should
you
suspect
that
she
is
having
problems, take her straight to the vets.
The litters are small, usually one or two babies, although they can have more.
The kits (babies) are born with teeth and are fully furred.
Before
the
babies
are
born,
make
sure
the
cage
is
‘baby
safe’.
It’s
a
good
idea
to
put
something
down
on
the
floor
if
you
have
a
wire
bottom
cage.
Some
breeders
use
newspaper
or
fleece
liners
(these
also
provides
a
nice
soft
resting
area).
This
prevents
the
kits
from
getting
their
legs
stuck
in
the
holes.
Also,
make
sure
there
are
no
parts
in
the
cage
that
would
be
dangerous
for
the
kits
-
it's
a
amazing
how
soon
they
are
moving
and
climbing around.
It
is
safe
to
keep
both
parents
with
the
new
born
kits,
BUT
it
is
possible
for
the
female
to
become
pregnant
soon
after
giving
birth,
so
you
should
remove
the
male
before
the
birth
to
prevent
a
'breed
back'.
Having
another litter so soon after is not fair on the female as it is very tiring for her.
If
you
are
not
a
breeder,
serious
consideration
should
be
given
as
to
whether
you
should
put
them
back
together. Placing mum and dad back together again, will most likely produce more kits.
The
kits
will
be
moving
about
within
a
few
hours
and
the
doe
will
have
no
objection
to
the
new
born
babies
being
held,
gently
of
course.
The
kits
can
weigh
between
25
-
60
grams
and
should
gain
about
2-4
grams
a
day
approx.
It
is
a
good
idea
to
weigh
the
kits
to
make
sure
they
are
gaining
weight.
Sometimes
the
mother
cannot produce enough milk for one reason or another and you may need to supplement.
Weaning
begins
at
about
8
weeks,
but
the
kits
can
stay
with
mum
until
they
are
10
weeks
old.
After
this
time,
they
can
be
placed
in
a
separate
cage,
where
they
should
be
monitored
to
make
sure
that
they
are
eating
and
drinking ok on their own.
They should not be sold until they are at least 12 - 14 weeks old.
Neutering
You may decide to have your male chinchilla neutered.
This is a responsible thing to do, to prevent unwanted kits, but something you must decide for yourself.
If you decide to neuter your male, he must be kept away from the female for about 8 weeks afterwards.
Pictures of a Chinchilla Kit: 1 hour old to 100 days old
Cheeky Chinchillas
For Owners of pet Chinchillas