Anyone know a good place to get a chinchilla?

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
425
Location
Upstate New York
I want to get a female chinchilla for my male...
He always had a cage mate and since i bought him ive felt bad
I live in NY upstate near 12754
Does anyone know a good place to buy them?
I got upgrayedd(my male) From a petsmart and i heard its not good to buy them from petstores
 
I just wanted to say you should get a male not a female cagemate. Check out the breeding section, you'll learn that breeding chinchillas shouldn't be done by beginners or with just any chin. They have a lot of problems with malo and gestate 111 days coming out with large and fully developed kits so they can easily get stuck in the birth canal. Male and female chins both have equipment that resembles a penis and many people incl. pet stores don't sex them correctly. First I'd like to make sure you have a boy. Have you done a hair ring check? Have you seen his testes? You are right you can get a healthier chin from a good breeder in your area
 
Do you plan on putting them in the same cage? Are you planning on breeding them? because if you put a female in with your male ( and he is not neutered ) they will mate and you will end up with not only 2 chins but their babies as well. And if you got your male from a pet store, you should not breed them either by accident or on purpose, as you do not know his genetic background or health background.
You can go to the breeding section on here and look at the stories of people who had a female give birth and thing went horribly wrong with the birth and they lost both mother and kits or just the kits. Males and females can mate even when they are in separate cages if not separated a good distance apart. And you can not let them have play time together as they will mate then, as well.
If you must, and this is a BIG must, get him a cage mate from what I have read on here it is best to go with a younger same sex chin. But with this comes introductions and the possibility they will not, or ever, get along and will have to be separated anyway. This means you would have to have another cage, toys, accessories etc on hand for the other chin. And if you put the female in with the male you would need to buy a kit safe age for the kits, as cages meant for bigger chins are not meant for the kits to live in as they can escape.
How long have you had Upgrayyed? Have you had him a while or he a new chin? Chins do just fine on their own and although they are of a pack mentality, they do just as good by themselves. If he seems lonely and you have only had him a few weeks, he may still be getting used to you and his new surroundings and adding any cage mate could possibly stress him even further.
I know there are others on here that are more knowledgeable than I, and I am sure they will give you even more advice, but this is just my opinion and my knowledge on the subject.
 
A male and a female should never be put together if you do not intend to breed. Even if you intend to breed, a chin from a pet store should NEVER be bred. He could harbor genetic diseases such as maloclussion which could be passed on to his offspring. This is a slow painful disease that causes the chinchilla's teeth to grow into the jaw and eye sockets. It is a very slow and painful death sentence.

Please get your chinchilla a same sex cage mate if you feel he needs a friend. Just read through this section to get an idea of all the horrible things that can go wrong wtih breeding: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=117
 
If you do get your chin a cage mate (male hopefully) make sure you are prepared for quarantine and for the possibility of the chins not getting along. Any new chin should be quarantined in a separate area for 30 days. After the 30 days you can introduce them. Be prepared for them to not get along. This would mean 2 separate cages and 2 separate playtimes.
 
I got upgrayedd a few weeks ago and he just seems off ever since ive had him he was alot happier seeming when he was with another chin and i know you have to keep the two separate for awhile than gradually introduce them and before i get another one i plan on taking him to a vet and making sure hes ok to breed... I already know what ill do with all the babies that i end up with if i get the female
 
The vet can not tell you if he should be bred. Coming from a pet store, he should not be bred, period. If you want to breed, find a reputable breeder who can set you up with two quality chinchillas and mentor you. Keep your pet store chin as that ONLY- a pet. If you feel he needs a cagemate, he will be just as happy with a male.
 
You should never breed a pet store chin since you don't know his genetic background and neither could a vet. He could be a carrier of many genetic illnesses even if he exhibits no signs.
 
Healthy, quality chins can ALWAYS be obtained from a breeder for FAR less than you will pay at Petsmart or any other pet store.

My first chinchilla, Mr. Whiskers, was from a pet store before I knew better. He was $139.95 in 2005. Two years later, I got a gorgeous, fat, healthy chin for only $75 from a breeder.

Please listen to people about NOT breeding pet store chins. The outcomes are not usually good. There is NO reason to breed unknown quality animals even to pedigreed animals -- if the pet store chin has any hereditary diseases, you won't know about them until it's too late and you've sentenced your darling kits to an early death from Malo or something else.

Chinchillas can be very happy as an "Only Child", especially if you spend lots of time interacting with them. I was almost sorry that I got Mr. Whiskers a friend, since then he spent all of his time with the other chinnie and I was not as important. He has remained very loving and affectionate with me, but not like when he was a youngster and the only chin.
 
all your vet is going to tell you is if he is healthy or unhealthy to breed, you need to focus on quality and history...i advise that you please listen to these people...i have made my mistakes and regret putting my chinnies threw what happened
 
It may take some time for your chin to get used to you- mine took about a year!- and it will pay off to wait a while and let him settle and be happy with you around. Until he has had a few months to get used to the new home and you, I wouldn't worry about introductions just yet. Give it time...it will pay off!

Also, when the time comes to get him a buddy, things will probably go best if you get one that is the same sex. Healthier for all involved, less work, and often you end up with just as good a pair as you would if it were male-female. When you do want to get one, though, check your area for reputable breeders..you can do a search on this forum for members in the area and I recommend looking through the chins for sale section to find some close to you. They will be a better choice than looking at pet stores or (god forbid!) craigslist...and they'll come better equipped and at a better price from a breeder!
 
Lee, I know what you mean. I considered breeding my petstore chin once, and the thread I made about it exploded with "DON'T DO IT"s. I was taken aback at first, but now I'm really glad I got the reaction I did. It really demonstrated the seriousness of the matter and gave me the tools to educate many other chin owners I've met considering the same option...

An idea: If you're seriously thinking about breeding in the future, why don't you get a quality male from a breeder as a cage mate as your current male. Then, if you decide breeding is what you want to do, you just have to go to the breeder and get a good female (in addition to mentoring, educating yourself, etc of course.) That way, if you decide you want to breed, you're already halfway there!

I got my chin from petsmart. I love her to death and wouldn't switch her for any other chin, but I really wish she were raised by a breeder. I would love to breed her (but can't, cause she's from a pet store) and wish she were a little more open to being held (chins bred by breeders usually are.) All around, it's the better choice.
 
Don't forget to do a 30-day quarantine away from your current chin if/when you get him a friend, and be prepared for the fact that they may not get along and could end up needing to be housed separately permanently.
 
Back
Top