I have a question...

[DramaMama]

Just one more thought to consider about breeding your one boy. Say he is a easy going chin and you love him for that. Who's to say that he won't end up killed should the female turn on him while you are trying to have them mate? That's one thing you need to consider. There are some people who don't breed specific animals just because they do love them too much to risk their lives.

This is one reason I don't try to pair one of my girls, Chibi, up with another of my females. I love her too much to risk her life should they decide to turn on each other. It's a chance you take with any pairing.

I actually never thought of this. This was the type of thing I was wondering about when I initally asked. Now that I think of things this way I'm definitely not planning on breeding him.

 

[DramaMama]

Drama, a better way to go about asking an opinion of a male for breeding is to groom him up, take some good photos (side, top, bottom) under natural lighting and ask people's opinions of the male as a breeder. I have seen some amazing things come out of pet stores. Tabitha, if you've bought from Gary you've bought mine and Ronda's lines and we aren't shy about scooping up an amazing find. Pedigrees are all numbers, unless you've asked.... he does renumber them. He's bought mosaics, pinkwhites and violets, so has Furball.

I meant what I said earlier. There are ways to ask the same questions and come out ahead. The way it was worded I'd say you were seeking emotional approval, if you really want to know about the animal, you seek approval of it only - leaving out all the hooplah of anything but photos. Your name did give me a chuckle though, this is a nice ironic thread.

I actually didn't even think to take photos. Like I've stated earlier, everything I know I know from reading off the internet (which has been a lot, but still...not as good as witnessing or getting first hand experience). I'll admit that I was partially seeking emotional support, but my ultimate goal in breeding is to produce quality chins. As I outlined in my question, I thought about maybe breeding him ONCE and keeping the offspring for my own pet purposes and wanted other peoples opinions. I would not anticipate ever selling the kits. But my mind has been changed for several reasons and unless I can track down a history or solid paperwork proving to me that he is of breeding quality I do not ever plan on breeding with him.
And I'm not quite sure you mean about my name being ironic. My name is what it is because I'm a drama student...

I also agree with Peggy breeding with no AC bad idea you shouldn't even own a chinchilla with no AC.

Again, like I said earlier, I am living in a temporary solution right now (I would never ever plan on staying in this place), never ever planned on breeding in my current living conditions, and I go to great measures to keep my chins cool (and I do keep a thermometer in the room and monitor the temperature on a regular basis). You also have to consider that I'm living hundreds of miles north from most of you and the temperature here does not get nearly as hot during the summer as it does there. I've also gone to great measures to make sure that if the temperature was ever to reach a level that I was uncomfortable with keeping my chins in I have arranged several places where I could take them (the main being my boyfriend's place, my second home, less than a 5 minute drive away and I could stay for quite a length of time) that do have air conditioning.

With the economy being the way it is and the way its going to be for a LONG while, with rescues coming out of the ears of the rescue groups, I would hope people who want to start breeding think long and hard about the mouths we already have to feed and not just make more for cute pets. We have enough pet chinchillas without homes and its just getting worse every day. Look on this forum in the classifieds, the CC ads and the rescue ads, there are alot of chins just here who need homes.

I'm a foster mom to several rodents from the shelter. I've started to regularly scavenge kijiji/craigslist for chins that I can take in (I just took my first in the other day) as pets. I don't plan on starting to breed until I feel that I am ready, and I am in the process of working stupid amounts of hours in jobs that I hate in order to ensure that I am able to have a reserve amount of money to cover any medical expenses that I may need to cover, and as I mentioned earlier (I think it was in this thread, but it may have been in another), I don't plan on selling chins to people that I don't feel are in it for a long term commitment. I'd rather take up the extra expense of having another chin then see someone take it knowing that it's just likely to end up in the hands of a shelter later. Saying this, at first (while I'm still in school) I have no anticipation of breeding like mad. The first couple of years I just plan on learning about it and experimenting with it with a couple of chins (a couple being not more than 2 breeding females, and definitely not breeding to maximum capacity or anything) and learning about it.


Oh, and I do plan on getting high quality, traceable chins in order to actually breed with.

Thank you everyone who's given me their advice thus far. I really just wanted to know what you guys thought because I don't know about this kind of stuff, and I sought out this forum because I feel a lot more comfortable asking people with experience than I do just reading information put down like some textbook. You guys are my most valuable resource at this point.

 

[mishalaa]

But my mind has been changed for several reasons and unless I can track down a history or solid paperwork proving to me that he is of breeding quality

Just want to point out, even if you can get his paperwork - or just because a chin has a pedigree - does not prove they are of breeding quality.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

Can I ask you a question? I have spent tons of money on standards from some of the best ranchers in this country. Standards that have proven themselves on the show table and in every respect worthy of breeding. You have them a year-maybe not even that long, put them in breeding (these are young animals-no more than 2 yrs), they litter, then mom or dad mallocludes. Have you thought about what you are going to do with all those babies that are now, in the very least, carriers of this aweful disease? Regardless if you breed your pet store male or buy the best of the best-things like this are going to happen.

I don't take breeding lightly. Every breeder and rancher has had this or other things happen at their ranch. It's a fact of life and it is what you do with it that will define you as a breeder.