Breeding Chinchillas
A Guide to Chinchilla Pairing and Mating
When breeding chinchillas it is vitally important that the breeder knows all about how to care for them, and has a responsible home ready for the baby kits.
When starting out in animal breeding it is always best to start with the best stock that can be obtained.
The chinchillas should have no medical or dental problems, be extremely healthy and active, and not be related. They should be of similar ages and sizes. You should be able to run a hand over their coat and it should feel smooth and even, and the tail should be visibly fluffy.
The chinchilla should have no signs that it has been chewed or harassed by another animal. Also take into account the colour of the chinchillas, they can be black, white, beige, grey, violet, brown, tan, or blue (with different variations of colour in between).
You should never breed a white chinchilla with another white chinchilla, or a black with a black, or a velvet (which has a shiny coat) with another velvet. These combinations can cause defects and complications.
Chinchillas can mate up to three times a year.
Pairing Up and Mating Chinchillas
It is best to wait until the chinchillas are at least eight months old before breeding. It is possible to breed with younger chinchillas, however this can cause complications as the animals will have not reached full sexual maturity.
Put the two chinchillas in separate cages side by side, to introduce them to each other, and allow them to get to know each others scent. Leave them in this way for one to two weeks.
Then put the female into the male chinchillas cage (never the other way around). Watch them closely. If they start to fight remove him immediately, and place then side by side for another week, and try again. Be patient, each chinchilla is an individual, some may like each other quite quickly, others may take 3 - 4 months to get used to each other.
Most female chinchillas come into season every 30 - 40 days. When the female is in season, the male will attempt to mate her. The male will make lots of noise and wag his tail frequently, whilst chasing the female around the cage. She will resist him, and seem very grumpy at times, but will eventually submit.
When mating is occurring, the male will mount the female repeatedly for several hours and will pull out clumps of her fur. They are not gentle when they are mating, but they are not to be separated during the process.
When a mating has taken place the male will insert a waxy plug into the female. This is a sign that mating has occurred.
Pregnancy and Gestation
Do not continually pick up a pregnant chinchilla, as this can cause undue stress. Chinchillas are pregnant for 111 days, and usually have between 1 and 4 babies - known as kits.
Towards the end of the pregnancy it is a good idea to put newspaper or carpet on the cage floor, as this makes it easier for the babies to walk (little feet get stuck in cage bars easily). Litters are normally born during the night, or very early in the morning, and there is usually an interval of approximately 2 hours between kits.
If a female chinchilla has been in labour for over 4 hours without producing a baby, then seek immediate veterinary attention.
Baby chinchillas are born with all of their fur, their eyes open and can walk around immediately after they are born, which makes them fascinating and a pleasure to look after. Breeding them can be highly enjoyable.
Breeding Chinchilla
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