Photos of 1st Place Winning Chin Found On Craigslist

[Spoof]

OP - congrats for standing up for yourself. Nice to see it and hope you hang around for awhile, the chin community needs someone in the PNW that is actually online and has some guts. Lost so many it almost isn't worth doing a show any more.

The rest of you - good lord get a life. Everyone starts somewhere and we need people to get into quality breeding or there isn't going to be anyone left. Who cares how they start? They're here, they're learning, and they made an attempt at quality. Honestly the only way to learn about genetics is to do it and fail, rise up and whoop some *** in the show ring.

Breed your chins, see what happens, and learn. I think the lesson new people have to learn in the online chin world is to not post pictures of your breeders because someone is always going to have seen something better. For what you can get to that may be an awesome ebony, it's hard to tell with older animals because they oxidize.

Just like two champions don't guarantee a champion, two less than desirable chins can - it's the way genetics work. Especially with ebony and violet.

Anywho... have fun. )

 

[tunes]

Tara - Don't self police. If you want to complain about someone's post, use the warn button. Telling people to get a life is going to do nothing but cause the other posters to fire back at you, and the staff here are not interested in babysitting this thread because of it.

 

[Andrea]

Spoof, just wondering, why did you say "especially with ebony and violet"? It seems every breeder says something different so maybe it is just up to personal preference and experience...

 

[ticklechin]

Those of us that rescue do not appreciate the attitude of breed what you want and see what happens, we KNOW what happens.

 

[Brittany]

Those of us that rescue do not appreciate the attitude of breed what you want and see what happens, we KNOW what happens.

:clap:

 

[Caroline]

I tried to get to know you by asking questions, so I could help you out. I've also read your previous threads and have weighed in before and helped you out. However, you don't answer a fundamental question, which makes me nervous. Naturally I'm going to be apprehensive about you breeding if you refuse to say why you want to. My point isn't to attack but rather to impart advice and make sure that the right thing is being done for the animals. Breeding just because you can isn't a good reason. I just wonder what you're gaining from breeding, and if you can't be equally satisfied with having them as pets and merely purchasing quality chinchillas rather than breeding them.

Just a thought.

The main reason I have not answered your question is because, and I believe I have said this already, I am not prepared to open myself up again to interrogation and criticisms. I have as of yet not heard back from anyone regarding why they first started breeding. Could it be because they had a nice male and a nice female and decided they wanted babies so that their kids could experience it, or did they take the time right from the start to get a good breeding pair?

 

[Andrea]

I think most people start breeding because they want the experience of raising kits, without really being concerned of quality...not that everyone breeds because of that but I think it's a common reason. I'm sorry that you feel interrogated, I do think most on here were trying to be helpful even if it came across as rude (myself included). I look forward to hearing how your chins do in show during September.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Spoof, just wondering, why did you say "especially with ebony and violet"? It seems every breeder says something different so maybe it is just up to personal preference and experience...

Tara has her own idea of genetics and breeding. I'd just leave it at that.

 

[Jenn]

I'm not a breeder and have no idea what goes into it. I have heard a lot of horror stories, though. No one has the right to tell you not to breed. Just make sure you have learned as much as you can, about breeding chins specifically, so that you will have minimal surprises. I know you have stated that you have already learned a lot and have a mentor, but don't stop there.

Is there a high demand for chins in the Seattle area? I live just north of you, (I think) north of Bellingham, and I'm definitely seeing an increase in popularity. I know that I would love to have a breeder closer to home. I know there is one in eastern WA, but that is farther than I would want to travel. Maybe if you become established, I can buy from you in the future...

 

[tunes]

I got started with a breeding pair from a rancher, not for my kids, for me. We had talked about qualities in chins, what to look for, etc. He's a judge for Empress, so he told me about the shows and what to expect. He told me to join the organizations (MCBA and/or Empress) and he sponsored me for MCBA because at the time Empress was very much anti-hobbyist. They wanted nothing but ranchers in their membership. He took me through all of his animals and taught me what he could. I got my first pair from him a couple months later and I continued to learn from him for 2 years. Following the purchase of the first pair, I went to Ryerson's and Ouderkirk's and got the beginning's of my breeding herd.

That's how I started out. Does that answer your question?

 

[AZChins]

I started breeding because I found some people that got me excited about keeping chinchillas and caring for them. Back in the old days there weren't many bad breeders, it was mostly ranchers and super serious hobby breeders. All of whom had very nice breeding stock and took the breeding of chinchillas very seriously. They kept records of pedigrees for generations possibly decades back.

Every mentor that I had told me of all the risks involved with breeding and made sure that I was willing to take on those risks. Every rancher or breeder that I spoke to wanted my animals to be healthy and beautiful. Back then quality chinchillas were expensive and were considered to be well worth the money. It was frowned on to breed petstore animals and chins from classifieds because it was considered to be a step back since there was no pedigree information.

There was a lot more trust back then between breeders and people, and there seemed to be more people willing to help without being defensive. Fast forward a decade and a half and it's totally changed because there have been so many people, who have not done the right thing and have been dishonest. I think that when we hear that a chin is off of Craig's List and there is an intention to breed it we tend to jump to conclusions. Whether or not those conclusions are correct is up to interpretation, I suppose.

We all have to start somewhere, but no one should assume that he or she knows everything upon starting out. Take all the information given and actually consider it before getting insulted and defensive.

 

[Ash]

From my understanding, you don't look at bloodlines to pair chins up. You look at the traits of an individual chin and find another that can strengthen its weaknesses and vice versa... So buying a young chin because the bloodlines "suit" isn't the greatest idea. The mosaic kit you buy could be from two GSC's and still grow be the weakest and rattiest chin alive, and then you've wasted your money.

 

[Caroline]

I'm not a breeder and have no idea what goes into it. I have heard a lot of horror stories, though. No one has the right to tell you not to breed. Just make sure you have learned as much as you can, about breeding chins specifically, so that you will have minimal surprises. I know you have stated that you have already learned a lot and have a mentor, but don't stop there.

Is there a high demand for chins in the Seattle area? I live just north of you, (I think) north of Bellingham, and I'm definitely seeing an increase in popularity. I know that I would love to have a breeder closer to home. I know there is one in eastern WA, but that is farther than I would want to travel. Maybe if you become established, I can buy from you in the future...

Hi Jenn, PM me if you like and we can get to know one another. I am down in Renton, you are up by the border eh? I will be attending the show in September, but my 11 year old daughter and I will be going there to learn and not to compete. My youngest daughter has been enjoying learning about chinchillas and all of my kids that are still at home love them. There are a few breeders here in the South Puget Sound area.

 

[GorillaJTA]

Whether or not any of the breeders on here started with two pet store chins with no pedigree or whether they bought a champion herd from an established breeder is of no consequence. That was then, this is now. To say that other people started out with poor quality chins and then acquired better does not negate the fact that you know better and can heed the experience of those who have gone before you. How do you know quality unless you have seen it? Do you take one breeder's word or do you attend a show that is sanctioned to choose what is highest quality? When you bred your dogs, did you start out with a champion bloodline, or did you buy a pet quality and then decide to match her with champion studs?

 

[addictedtochins]

How is Gracie doing? Is she settling in well, eating and drinking?

 

[Caroline]

Whether or not any of the breeders on here started with two pet store chins with no pedigree or whether they bought a champion herd from an established breeder is of no consequence. That was then, this is now. To say that other people started out with poor quality chins and then acquired better does not negate the fact that you know better and can heed the experience of those who have gone before you. How do you know quality unless you have seen it? Do you take one breeder's word or do you attend a show that is sanctioned to choose what is highest quality? When you bred your dogs, did you start out with a champion bloodline, or did you buy a pet quality and then decide to match her with champion studs?

No, as a matter of fact I did not. At age 15 my mother bought an unregistered female German Shepherd who was spayed. I trained her to do agility work. At age 17 I saved up my money and bought a female from champion bloodlines. At age 19 I once again saved my money and bred her to a male who had placed at the U.S. German Shepherd nationals. At age 23 I purchased a mini longhaired dachshund who was the daughter of the top mini lh dachshund for 5 years.

The first GS that I bred produced a male that became one of the top winning in Canada.

 

[Caroline]

And if you really want me to go all out and buy top of the line chins right from the start then you are welcome to purchase my beautiful ocean view lot on the Washington coast that I can't sell because of the economy. Or rent out my wonderful beach cabin for an extended period that hardly rents out anymore either That way I can spend more of my income on more expensive chins etc..and not on mortgages

 

[Caroline]

How is Gracie doing? Is she settling in well, eating and drinking?

Thank you for asking, she is eating and drinking. She has already rearranged the furniture in her cage. I took her out for loves and she cuddled under my chin.

 

[ticklechin]

And if you really want me to go all out and buy top of the line chins right from the start then you are welcome to purchase my beautiful ocean view lot on the Washington coast that I can't sell because of the economy. Or rent out my wonderful beach cabin for an extended period that hardly rents out anymore either That way I can spend more of my income on more expensive chins etc..and not on mortgages

So if the economy is so bad in your area, how are you going to sell those kits you make?

 

[Gabby88]

If you have so many mortgages, how will you afford to breed chinchillas if you can't afford to even spend $100 extra tops to get high quality chins? Breeding is very expensive. Plus, there's always the chance of something going wrong and ending up with hundreds or thousands in vet bills.

Not attacking you at all or trying to be rude whatsoever. I'm just honestly curious. I don't breed or don't intend to breed, so I won't even try to sound like I'm experienced by giving you advice.