Friends...with no benefits?

[Georgey]

I have a male and female chinchilla (the male is a year and a half and the female is a year and a few months old). Introducing them was fairly easy, they were in separate cages beside each other for a week (max) with supervised playing time in the bathroom until they were able to live in the same cage just fine together. I never saw any signs of aggressiveness or fighting ever. I'll hear the occasional bark every so often when they are grooming each other, but that's about it. Other than that every time they sleep, they are always cuddled together or right next to one another.
They have now been together for about 5-6 months. I first thought the female was pregnant a couple months ago because she would start to lay on her side all the time, and when I felt her belly it felt a little bigger but I still wasn't sure. It has been well over 3 months since then, and no signs of kits or anything. Is it possible they just don't like each other enough to mate or what is possibly going on with them?

 

[tunes]

Mating doesn't take place the first second they are together. It can take a long time for them to finally get it together. You can also have a slower male, a slower female, or chins that aren't ever going to breed. So, you do like the rest of us and have patience and see what happens. I breed in pairs and trios. I figure if it hasn't happened in a year or so, then I move chins around and see what happens with the next grouping.

 

[Riven]

Ha, ha, ha, ha... Please do more research on breeding. Chins can be together for years before breeding.

 

[Vyxxin]

Only if you let them Riven I am a bit impatient, I give around 10-12months to show signs of pregnancy before moving to a new male. But that's me, and I may honestly be too hasty and missing out on some nice kits from it. Just the same, I've had good success this way on getting animals to mate. Then again, I have "get 'er done" males as well as "easy girls"...so it's usually pretty easy to figure out who's the dud. If it were just one pair, you just have to ride it out. If they don't produce in a year and a half...may want to try a different male or female.

 

[jags]

And sometimes will never breed.

 

[Riven]

Still, 12 months is a bit different than expecting kits within 5 months, especially when 111 days months of it is gestation!

I have a female who will litter once every 1 1/2 - 2 years. But every litter is reserve champion or better, so to me, it's worth it. Out of all of my animals, she is one I kept.

 

[Vyxxin]

Well, breeding history does help I have a male, got 3 of 4 females pregnant within two months...after he was put in breeding at 7.5months of age very proud of him. Have a few females that no matter who I pair them with...they get pregnant within 2-3months. NOW, I have others...been around 4-5yrs and I get maybe a litter every year and a half...regardless of who I pair them with...really helps knowing your animals too.