Riven
Bad Chin
It may be. I know that Valley View has not shown chins in many years, if not decades, and are actually selling their herd. I don't believe they sell a lot of breeding stock, just pet sales.
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- Thread starter GinChin
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Dreamlite
Well-known member
I have seen some very bad genetics out of valley view. And if you talk to them they will opwnly amit they don't bother with pedigrees. So if she got a 'pedigreed' male from them its a lie. Please do your research.
I apologize if my tone came off that way Riven. I'm just a very direct person and don't like to beat around the bush. I'm just trying to understand how this whole thing works, and find that you get passionate and correct answers from sources if you don't just fall over agreeing with everything everyone says.
I'm still going to breed my two chins. Simply because they're my first. However, if/when I do go into breeding as a passion, all of the advice I've been getting on here will be in my deciding factors.
However, I just don't get how quality is determined. To me, just because 3 judges have to be used to "agree" means that quality is an average of perceptions by judges at a show. If they got trained to be experts in quality, why do they need 3? That's my major hanging point in this discussion.
I did do my research on Valley View. However, not among other breeders because I wasn't privy to that circle at the time. So, all of my research came from pet owners, and I got nothing but good from them.
Does anyone know of any reputable breeders in the SoCal area that I could maybe visit to see how they do things, and possibly judge the quality of my animals?
I'm still going to breed my two chins. Simply because they're my first. However, if/when I do go into breeding as a passion, all of the advice I've been getting on here will be in my deciding factors.
However, I just don't get how quality is determined. To me, just because 3 judges have to be used to "agree" means that quality is an average of perceptions by judges at a show. If they got trained to be experts in quality, why do they need 3? That's my major hanging point in this discussion.
I did do my research on Valley View. However, not among other breeders because I wasn't privy to that circle at the time. So, all of my research came from pet owners, and I got nothing but good from them.
Does anyone know of any reputable breeders in the SoCal area that I could maybe visit to see how they do things, and possibly judge the quality of my animals?
Dreamlite
Well-known member
If you aren't breeding as a passion now you houldntbe breeding at all. That's the only reason to bother. If you don't have a passion for what you are doing you won't do it right and won't care what our replies are (which you already have claimed doesn't matter, my own person experiances with valley view are horrible but they can edit their website to exclude any bad reports. A friend of mine bought 16ish animals from them and in less than a year all but 2 showed signs of genetic issues (fur chewing and malo). If it had been only 1 or 2 fine, but that many just shows what their breeding practices are. You will do what you want but I would suggest stepping back and doing research before jumping in.
I do have a passion for it now. However, I don't have the money to make it a full passion as of yet. That's why I'm starting with what I have, and trying to find some of the intricacies out as I go.
I was mostly going off of what I learned from VVC, but since I'm now being told by multiple people that they're not good, obviously I'm going to be looking for a new source. So, again, can anyone point me to a reputable breeder in SoCal?
I was mostly going off of what I learned from VVC, but since I'm now being told by multiple people that they're not good, obviously I'm going to be looking for a new source. So, again, can anyone point me to a reputable breeder in SoCal?
Riven
Bad Chin
I'm not good with geography, but I do know that there are a lot of good breeders in California!
My concern for you is that if you don't have the resources to buy "good chins", which really don't cost much more than "lesser chins" (meaning unknown backgrounds and such) then do you have money for illness? Extra cages for kits? C-Section? Vet visit for a momma who didn't pass a kit and is toxic? Usually a pet store chin costs $150, and for that you can get a nice quality female from a show line usually.
I think it sounds like you really want to do good by the chins, and I understand. I had about a dozen animal when I found out that all I was doing was being a BYB and needed to change things. It was a bitter pill, but I'm glad I swallowed it down and started over!
My concern for you is that if you don't have the resources to buy "good chins", which really don't cost much more than "lesser chins" (meaning unknown backgrounds and such) then do you have money for illness? Extra cages for kits? C-Section? Vet visit for a momma who didn't pass a kit and is toxic? Usually a pet store chin costs $150, and for that you can get a nice quality female from a show line usually.
I think it sounds like you really want to do good by the chins, and I understand. I had about a dozen animal when I found out that all I was doing was being a BYB and needed to change things. It was a bitter pill, but I'm glad I swallowed it down and started over!
It's not that I don't have money to buy "good chins" it's that if I go out and buy a bunch of good chins I'm not going to have money for anything that may pop up (vet bills, etc). Is why I'm sticking with my two pets for now, and as I save I'll look around for show lines. I must ask though, if I didn't exactly plan on showing my chins, what then? Are they not quality because I didn't show them? Is there some other way to get their "quality" appraised?
Mandy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2010
- Messages
- 352
GinChin, one point they're trying to make is that pet store chinchillas should never be bred. Period.
A decent breeder isn't only going to give you a good quality animal, but they are also going to be able to tell you their background. Their parents (excellent for knowing color genes of course), the health, etc.
When you bought your female from the pet store, they probably did not give you the breeder info, right?
The female has an unknown background. She could have anything in her lines, and pop up with problems at anytime. Not saying any chin couldn't pop up with something horrible like malo, but we take a greater risk with those with an unknown history.
Not only are you risking her, but it's also not fair to put future families of the future kits in a position to take on whatever problems you may breed on. If she passed on disease that could have been avoided, that's going to reflect on you as well. What if you become that 'byb' that sells sick animals? What if you can't recover your name when you do 'get serious' or 'get passionate'?
This is the same reason we don't breed dogs, cats, or other animals when we adopt them from the shelter or rescues.
If you're worried about the money you just spent on the female, could you find a pet home for her and then get a good breeding animal to start fresh - and correctly?
Find a good breeder in your area (I'm sure someone could make a recommendation) that could mentor you? Maybe pick out a good female for you? Show you the fur, shape, size, and colors of their show/quality/breeding animals?
You need to learn basics like pairing animals that compliment one anothers faults in order to hopefully produce better offspring. Just because two animals 'look nice', doesn't mean they would make a productive pair.
I'm not a breeder...I've only done a lot of research.
I got sucked into the rescue side of the chin world, but
we have some amazing breeders on this board that are talking to you right now. They know their stuff, and I would listen to them.
No one is being ugly, and I hope you never take it such a manner.
We all care about the animals - everyone here has strong passion that they will show.
A decent breeder isn't only going to give you a good quality animal, but they are also going to be able to tell you their background. Their parents (excellent for knowing color genes of course), the health, etc.
When you bought your female from the pet store, they probably did not give you the breeder info, right?
The female has an unknown background. She could have anything in her lines, and pop up with problems at anytime. Not saying any chin couldn't pop up with something horrible like malo, but we take a greater risk with those with an unknown history.
Not only are you risking her, but it's also not fair to put future families of the future kits in a position to take on whatever problems you may breed on. If she passed on disease that could have been avoided, that's going to reflect on you as well. What if you become that 'byb' that sells sick animals? What if you can't recover your name when you do 'get serious' or 'get passionate'?
This is the same reason we don't breed dogs, cats, or other animals when we adopt them from the shelter or rescues.
If you're worried about the money you just spent on the female, could you find a pet home for her and then get a good breeding animal to start fresh - and correctly?
Find a good breeder in your area (I'm sure someone could make a recommendation) that could mentor you? Maybe pick out a good female for you? Show you the fur, shape, size, and colors of their show/quality/breeding animals?
You need to learn basics like pairing animals that compliment one anothers faults in order to hopefully produce better offspring. Just because two animals 'look nice', doesn't mean they would make a productive pair.
I'm not a breeder...I've only done a lot of research.
I got sucked into the rescue side of the chin world, but
we have some amazing breeders on this board that are talking to you right now. They know their stuff, and I would listen to them.
No one is being ugly, and I hope you never take it such a manner.
We all care about the animals - everyone here has strong passion that they will show.
As far as my female, the tautness in her stomach isn't as bad as it was, but there has been no change in the past 24hrs as to how taut it is, and I've continued giving her the Simethicone. She lays on her side more often now, and is constantly cleaning herself. Is that indicative of her already being pregnant?
becky12883
Well-known member
It sounds like she may be very very pregnant and close to labor. I would suggest reading through the entire breeding and babies faq's. Make sure you have her in a baby safe cage separate from the male. Good luck.
EMSChins
Hendryx Chinchillas
There are no hard and fast indicators of when littering is imminent to be honest. There are signs but very few chins actually follow the rules - I have 32 breeding females and to be honest, I have only felt nipples change size prior to littering once or twice.
No one here can tell you if your chin is pregnant or when she will litter. It is best to be prepared and watch and wait. Hopefully she is not pregnant and you will have time to devote to further research into breeding.
No one here can tell you if your chin is pregnant or when she will litter. It is best to be prepared and watch and wait. Hopefully she is not pregnant and you will have time to devote to further research into breeding.
Dreamlite
Well-known member
If your male is from valley view I really doubt if he is even quality to start the base of your herd. There is no sure wa to know if she is pregnant or when she would be due until you see kits. Some female are obvious and others are not.
