Did I hear correctly?

[Chin_Up_249]

Hi everyone, I visited the Royal Bath and West Show in England last week and was amazed to see a lady with some chinchillas on show. If I’m correct there was only the one stall.

I’d only every seen chinchillas once before and they must have been babies (kits?) because they were no bigger than hamsters.

The lady had one chinchilla which was being passed around and some others in cages. The lady was being asked many questions. I asked her if the two which she had in one cage were a breading pair and she said they were mother and daughter and if I’m correct, and this is what I’d like clarification on, I thought she said that the mother allowed/accepted the breading daughter's kits and after a specified time period (let’s say 42 days – I can’t remember which) the mother/grandmother bit a hole in the kits ears and thereafter had nothing to do with them. Almost like a parting shot.

If someone has any knowledge of this behaviour I’d be interested to know.

I am hard of hearing, so I very well might have misunderstood what the lady said.

Additionally having read some posts on the forum it seems that chinchillas are separated into sexes after birth/weaning? Is this wholly to stop further breeding or do some adults commit infanticide?

At what age are chinchillas able to reproduce? Soon after weaning - could that be the reason for separation?

I thought the chinchillas were amazing and no doubt would make wonderful pets for those who have the resources and time to care for them. Unfortunately I don’t have either and it wouldn’t be fair at my time of life to take on the responsibility of owning one.

Thanx

 

[tunes]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your first question. It sounded like a mother and daughter of breeding age were in a cage together, and the daughter had kits. The mother was okay with the daughter's kits at first, then later turned on them? Is that right? The specified time period means nothing. Chins can turn on other chins after 10 minutes or 10 years. The kits might have been trying to nurse off of their grandchin and she didn't want any part of it so she turned on them. It's hard to say.

Chinchillas are separated after weaning so they don't interbreed. There are those who do line breed, but it's usually very experienced breeders who are trying to lock in a specific trait in those chinchillas. Many breeders pull the male out once they confirm pregnancy to prevent a breedback, then place the male back in with the female once the kits are weaned. Others separate them into same sex litters, leaving mom with daughters and dad with sons, so they don't breed again (if it was accidental in the first place).

There have been cases of chinchillas becoming pregnant incredibly early, even before they are weaned, though that is almost unheard of. Once they hit the two month mark though, they need to get away from the parents. Even if the female offspring wouldn't happen to get pregnant at that age, technically the male offspring are capable of impregnating their own mothers. It would just be a mess.

 

[Chin_Up_249]

Thanx very much for your reply.

I’ll attempt to clarify my first question. One cage had two adult chinchillas, no kits. The owner said they were mother and daughter and that the daughter had previously given birth to kits. I think she said that the mother accepted her daughter’s kits (in the same cage perhaps) but then after a specified period of time the mother (grandmother now) would bite the ear of the kits and then have nothing else to do with them.

The way the lady spoke, or perhaps the way I interpreted it, it seemed as if the event was more of a rite of passage throughout the chinchilla world and was certainly not an act of aggression.

Does anyone have any knowledge of such behaviour?

Would you please advise me further on your post: “”Many breeders pull the male out once they confirm pregnancy to prevent a breedback, then place the male back in with the female once the kits are weaned.””

I don’t understand what breedback is in this instance.

Thanx again for taking the time to reply

 

[lauralynne]

Thanx very much for your reply.

I’ll attempt to clarify my first question. One cage had two adult chinchillas, no kits. The owner said they were mother and daughter and that the daughter had previously given birth to kits. I think she said that the mother accepted her daughter’s kits (in the same cage perhaps) but then after a specified period of time the mother (grandmother now) would bite the ear of the kits and then have nothing else to do with them.

The way the lady spoke, or perhaps the way I interpreted it, it seemed as if the event was more of a rite of passage throughout the chinchilla world and was certainly not an act of aggression.

Does anyone have any knowledge of such behaviour?

Biting an ear IS aggression. There is no "rite of passage" in chinchillas. My guess would be that she was probably irritated by them.

Would you please advise me further on your post: “”Many breeders pull the male out once they confirm pregnancy to prevent a breedback, then place the male back in with the female once the kits are weaned.””

I don’t understand what breedback is in this instance.

Thanx again for taking the time to reply

A breedback is when a female conceives right after giving birth. If a male is not removed before she gives birth, an opportunity for breedback presents itself.