A question for breeders

[beccajean220]

I was just wondering how you breeders handle your kits? Are all of your kits handled daily? Or I guess the question is with so many chins how do you have time to get the babies used to people? Is it a different process with show quality kits compared to pet quality kits? I hope I worded the question right lol

 

[Riven]

I think that a lot of it is simply temperment of the chins, which is something you breed for. I have some chins that have never been handled a lot, but meet you at the door and love scritches, and I have some that are kind of crazy no matter what you do.

I handle my to check them about each day for the first week or so, then every so often, maybe once a week or what not, to just check them. Overall on my herd, I'll randomly pull chins out just to make sure they're okay, check them over, feel them to make sure they're not too thin or something that I can't readily see when looking at them.

All of my kits get handled the same, you don't know when they are born what will be better quality than others. Some will have more potential, but you can't really tell until they get older.

 

[tunes]

I try to handle my kits each day, but there are some days I just don't have time. I don't handle them for 20 minutes, but I take them out, do a quick well check and then put them back.

Other than that, I'm right behind Nicole and what she said. I do think though that a smaller breeder, regardless of whether they show or not, tends to try and handle their kits a bit more often than a large rancher. If I had 2000 chins I wouldn't even begin to have time to handle all the little cute fuzzy offspring.

 

[AZChins]

I hold them everyday. Normally it isn't for too long...BUT, I use my pouches quite a bit for little babies. When I had a couple dozen babies at a time the pouches were necessary for teaching the chins to be sweet...now with just a few it isn't a problem to hold them and take them around with me. I think it's important to have chins used to being held when they go to their new home. They probably won't be lap pets just because they are accustomed to humans handling them, but they are calmer when they are held and it takes much less time for them to acclimate to new homes when they leave.

 

[Riven]

I don't have a "pouch" I have a hoodie though! It's not too unusual to find a kit in there with me. I actually went out the other morning and found an escapee... of course I had to track down it's mother, which included going in and getting the herd book ( I've been rearranging and don't have everyone new spots down yet, lol ) she we got along just fine for about two hours will I feed and watered and went into the house and go distracted, then back out, lol.

 

[AZChins]

LOL I don't have a pouch...I have four. hehehe

Escapee babies drive me insane! Luckily all my cages have the right latches now. WOO HOO!! Laverne is the only escapee now. She never needs actual playtime with me letting her out because she's out so much on her own. I have been unsuccessful in teaching her to stay in the cage when I open the door. All the other chins get it, but she doesn't...

 

[Riven]

Wow, like a kangaroo on steriods!

Mine like to push the pans out and escape that way, I'm hoping to do minor renovations this spring and that will probably include putting "pan locks" on so they can't push them out. Naughty, naughty chins!

 

[arf2184]

I recruit babysitters!

Genetics and temperament play a big role, but socializing is also important, especially for the chins that are a bit shy of new experiences. Me or someone in my family holds the babies often (not always daily, but nearly). I've been known to walk into a room and distribute babies to whomever happens to be sitting there (all animal people in this house). I prefer to have kits handled by several different people so they're good with anyone holding them. I have a couple adults who are fine with me, but freak when my dad or sister tried to handle them. I try to avoid that with the babies, though in the end its really up to the chins.

 

[AZChins]

I would love to have someone that is willing to come over and hold babies. Just have them sit and hold babies for a few hours every day. Not that I don't like doing it, it would just free up so much time that I could use to...hold adult chins!

They really do benefit from being held by as many people as possible. I hate to admit it, but my chins are only used to me holding them...and that can cause problems because the chins only trust me.

 

[Bethany2386]

Susan, if I lived closer to you, I would be there everyday to help out. I don't want to be a breeder, but I love being around them. It's so neat to see the cages and the chins. I love to learn and I asked a ton of questions to my breeder that I go to, but she recently sold her herd out. So, now I have to go to a different breeder to learn.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

I hold kits as often as I can but don't have time for every day. All my moms are friendly and love scritches. The moms teach their kits that I'm OK. Most kits here want to be held by the time they are 3 weeks old.