I own four wonderful chinchillas. And I've owned them for quite a while. I've read up on all aspects of their care before I even got them and I constantly am researching them in my free time even now. I own 2 basic grey's(one male one female), a black and white (*male), and a homo beige (female) one. I've been thinking about breeding a pair in the last few months and I've researched it quite well in my opinion. The only thing I can't seem to find for some reason is how you would tell if they are in heat. And how many times a year. I keep finding conflicting information. Some places say they come into heat three times a year. Other places say once every two months or so. I know they only have up to 4 at most in a litter. And I've checked the females pelvic bones. They are the required size for birthing (some chins have narrow pelvic bones and birthing can kill or seriously injure them or their babies.

I am also still looking for a vet that knows chinchilla's quite well in the Nova Scotia Kings County region. They are so hard to find

I hope I am offering you some information that you haven't read yet. I have found a website for a breeder in B.C. which you could look into. I Hope this helps
Chinchilla Park Place

I hope I am offering you some information that you haven't read yet. I have found a website for a breeder in B.C. which you could look into. I Hope this helps
Chinchilla Park Place

I checked out their website. It had tons of information. Sent an e-mail to the breeder asking if they could answer a few questions. Instead I got an e-mail back that basically insulted me and the fact that I wanted to breed my chin I've been researching so carefully and all I'm doing right now is asking questions and I got some quite negative feedback. So other than that fact that they have great information on their site I'd never buy anything from them now

Thanks for the feedback, bin, I am sorry that happened, and what the heck, we are all Canadians, how could they do that ?

Can you give me a little more information in a Private message as to what they said ? Or here, if you don't mind?

Back to the drawing board !

tickle

If you want to see what my chinchilla's look like I have an album here with them in it
This is what was said.now I will admit. Its not super harsh. But as a response to someone who was just asking questions trying to learn before they did anything its just not nice in my opinion. They could have used a much more polite way to talk about genetic problems etc.. . Now I don't blame them for responding the way they did. I could see that they may get letters from people with chins that just think it's a way to earn money. To me a chinchilla is a wonderful living creature that makes a perfect pet. Can you blame me for wanting more and not wanting to dish out the crazy pet store prices (185.00 or more before taxes. Some are even 300.00) and get an animal that I know nothing about its history or genetic problems. At least I know the parents and grandparents of all my chinchillas have been free of health problems. Genetic or not.


I am not going to read all this mumble jumble.
As far breeding for pets for friends or one's self. They all say that. I don't really care. Do you think I care? Do what you will.

When you have kits or parents chew themselves so bad they chew a hole through their stomach, or they malloclude and have the spurs from their teeth go through their eye sockets and into their brain, or have the washing machine sound coming from their chest because they have such a large heart murmur or other congenital defect, You will understand . None of these issues have a cure. They are all inherited.
It's not just the health of the kits you got to worry about(yes the adults may seem perfect right now with no malo, but in many cases that doesn't show up till they are 7 years old or even older! So you really need to know the background of the chin.) , but if you plan to be breeding for any length of time, you'd be seen as a backyard breeder which is frowned upon
..

This is the e-mail I sent them.

Hello,

My name is Michelle and I own Four Wonderful chins. I have two standards, a homo beige and one that is black and white. I was wondering if you could tell me exactally what color I should call him. I have included a picture of him. He has a black spot on his tail. Black ears, and black spots on both sides of his face. I've never owned colored chins before the past year and a half. Only standards that had been bred with standards. I also have one question for you that I can't seem to get answered anywhere I go.

If you own two brothers. One being standard, one being black and white. Does the standard carry the genetics to create colored offspring? And if so. Do you know the ratio of chance of what could occur if you say bred that standard with a homo beige or any other colored chin. Plus do you know if the black and white is a resessive color or not.

Thanks for taking the time to read this e-mail. I also wanted to say that your website information has been a great help to me. Though the one thing I had hoped to see in it was... The signs that your female is in heat. Because for the life of me. I can't seem to tell. And when I owned mice and degus and rabbits I had no problems telling when they came into heat. Thanks

Michelle Hyrtle

Yes, I know, I e mailed her too. She takes the stance(her being a qualified chin breeder, and I am making a comparison) that many dog lovers here do regarding dogs and backyard breeders. If they don't know what they are doing, they breed unnecessary and sometimes dangerous traits into perfectly good dogs. The same for puppy mills.

Yes, I know, I was in contact with her. She takes the stance (and I am making a comparison here, her being a qualified certified chin breeder) the same as many here do regarding backyard dog breeders. They breed unnecessary and sometimes dangerous traits into breeds without knowing just how to do it.

These chin breeders breed to bloodlines and have vets on call to assist them. It is there livelihood, after all.

The point is, you do know there is help out there, although this one was a bad experience for you, Google anything you want to know, I am sure you will find more.

Yes, I know, I was in contact with her. She takes the stance (and I am making a comparison here, her being a qualified certified chin breeder) the same as many here do regarding backyard dog breeders. They breed unnecessary and sometimes dangerous traits into breeds without knowing just how to do it.

These chin breeders breed to bloodlines and have vets on call to assist them. It is there livelihood, after all.

The point is, you do know there is help out there, although this one was a bad experience for you, Google anything you want to know, I am sure you will find more.

Thing is. I have my special wonderful vet lined up to help me out should anything arise. I guess your right. :) I just happened to get a bad experience. Must keep going *lifts a foot and sticks it in front of the other* I'm trying to be so careful so nothing does happen to my sweet little things or any offspring they may in their lives birth. Searching for information is something I love to do . So I'm going to keep looking and asking questions and opinions.. I only wish I could have gotten my questions answered LOL