Pre-breeding Questions

[lauralynne]

I've searched through the threads but still have some questions, and will have many more during this possible journey.
I'm interested in breeding, but not anytime soon (by that I mean a minimum of 2 years). What interests me about breeding? These beautiful animals and how individuals do their very best to produce the best quality, beautiful, and good tempered chins.
Why don't I want to do it now? I'm a bit of an anal perfectionist and want to have 5 figures saved in the bank, I want my human kids to be older and not as dependent on me, and I want PLENTY of time to have things ready, do more research, attend lots of shows and obtain many friends, contacts, and mentors in the chin-world. I'd also like to be able to take in rescue chins if needed. I don't want to only be breeding, I want to be able to provide a safe place for unwanted chins so they're not being put-down or other horrible things.
I have a great job where if I do breed and the kits require hand-feeding, taking them with me isn't a problem...however I'm not sure toting them back and forth to work is a good option either. I can work from home occasionally, but it couldn't be an "all the time" thing.
Here are my main questions:
I'd like to find out from those who breed how/why they got started...
Do you also work outside the home or are you available to your chins all the time (if you did work full-time, do you still)?
What is the best advice for planning your breeding herd (male to female ratio, colors, etc)?
Like I said, I'm anal when it comes to organization, and I want to have as much info as possible and make informed decisions.
Thanks!

 

[tunes]

I'd like to find out from those who breed how/why they got started...

I had always wanted a chinchilla, ever since I first saw them in a pet store many, many moons ago. I am not a fan of buying pets from a pet store, so I never did. My exhusband started working for a man who had chinchillas (he was a blacksmith and did his horses). He remembered that I had always wanted a chin and took me along with him one time so I could visit the ranch. It was pretty much all downhill from there.

Do you also work outside the home or are you available to your chins all the time (if you did work full-time, do you still)?

I work full-time, but I work from my home, so yes I'm available 24/7 for the chins when and if they need me. I'm lucky my job allows that.

What is the best advice for planning your breeding herd (male to female ratio, colors, etc)?

Buy the very best breeding stock you can to start out with. If you can only afford two superior animals or 6 mediocre animals, go with the two superior animals, then build from there. Start with standards. Don't buy PW/ec/vc/sc mutated junk and throw it with more mutated junk. If you want to work with mosaics, buy an outstanding standard and an outstanding white.

The other advice would be go to shows and find a mentor. Find someone experienced you can ask questions of. It doesn't have to be a rancher who has been in the biz for 40 years, because they aren't always easy to get access to. It can also be a hobby breeder who breeds responsibly and has a good breeding program. Try and attend shows in your area (or drive if you have to) so you can see what a good quality chin is. It's also a good place to pick up the start of your breeding herd. Shows are wonderful for learning all about what to look for in a chin quality wise, and some shows you can assist the judge and really get in there and learn. When I first started I went to every show I could. Sadly now, because of our wonderful economy, it's not an option anymore. I get to go to maybe two a year.

One of these days, when I win the lotto............

 

[lauralynne]

Thanks, Peggy!
The economy is another reason I want to wait. I want things to even out before I take out on this adventure!
I have always loved animals, but have been soooo limited because I have severe allergies and asthma. I can't even be in my sister's house, who has 2 Yorkies for more than 10 minutes. Before I got my 2 chinnie girls I spent alot of time with our daycare provider's chin, then at the breeder's house where I got mine to see how things were going to go. So far, I've had NO bad effects with my allergies or asthma. But, that's another reason I want to go slow. I know the more chins I introduce, the more chances I may have for those problems so I don't want to get too many too fast.
I know alot of allergy sufferers have said the chins are worse for them than cats or other animals, but it's been the opposite for me. (YAY!)
Can't wait to hear what everyone else has to say. Oh - can I add one more question... When/where are shows in the KS vicinity?

 

[tunes]

Usually your neck of the woods is Empress showing. You can find out what shows are nearby by going to http://www.empresschinchilla.com/ and check the show page. Show season doesn't gear up again until September/October, so just keep checking back and see what they have coming up.

I believe Empress Nationals will be in Oklahoma.

 

[Anne-Lise]

I have a full time job too but work away from home. However, as I am high school teacher, I do have the opportunity to bring the 'future' babies if they were to be handfed. I actually had to handfeed baby mouse and I let them in the science department where I went every 2 hours to check on them and feed them. I don't know how I would manage if I didn't have that chance to bring chins with me if there were to be a problem.

 

[starleomach]

I'd like to find out from those who breed how/why they got started...

I got a chinchilla, then a same sex friend, then went to a show and got bit by the bug. First I had my two standards, then I got one beige female...then I bought 2 pairs from good breeders. I slowly grew like that over the course of the nest few years. I was and am involved in showing.

Do you also work outside the home or are you available to your chins all the time (if you did work full-time, do you still)?

I work outside the home at them moment but that may change as my husband would like me to stay home. But I am a substitute teacher so when needed I could just stay home for the day, or I have taken babies needing feeding with me to work.

What is the best advice for planning your breeding herd (male to female ratio, colors, etc)?

start with a great standard male and if you do mutations pick one to start. it is much better to start small. Stick to the basics, beige, black, white etc. Like Peggy said don't get dragged into the tov pink white ebc/vc/sc start simple when you mix a lot of mutation together you lose quality quickly. And if you don't know what colors your animals are producing you really shouldn't be breeding yet (somehting I have seen a lot of lately on forums).

 

[arf2184]

I'd like to find out from those who breed how/why they got started...

It was purely by accident that I got into breeding. Long story short, about 12 years ago I wanted a pet chinchilla...didn't go looking to get into breeding. My moms co-workers had chins they no longer wanted and I ended up with 2 breeding pairs, 2 older offspring, and 3 young kits. About three months later we had more kits (dad was in with mom and babies when they arrived). We didn't have Internet yet at that time so everything I knew I learned from the books at the pet store and the library. Needless to say, I did a lot of things wrong, a few things right, and made a lot of changes once I finally was able to come into contact with other chin people online and at shows.

Do you also work outside the home or are you available to your chins all the time (if you did work full-time, do you still)?

I work part time outside the home....sometimes full time when we're super busy or my co-workers go on vacation. I live with my parents and my younger sister (21) and with all of out work schedules it usually works out that there is someone home at all times. I have my family trained in hand feeding kits and checking on chins. They can reach me at work at any time if they need to.

What is the best advice for planning your breeding herd (male to female ratio, colors, etc)?

Find the most awesome standard(s) you can, choose one mutation you'd like to work with (if any), and go from there. How many chins you start with kind of depends on how you want to breed (pairs, trios, runs). I'd start small regardless either with 1-2 pairs or 1 run.

Know your goals and don't loose sight of them. They will probably change over time, but that's ok.

 

[lauralynne]

Thanks! I'm soakin' up this info and always welcome more.

 

[ABBY W.]

I had a "male" chinchilla, the vet said so, and so did the breeder. So I got "him" a male cagemate. 111 days later we had a baby. It was really interesting trying to figure out which of my males was the mommy! Now that I am much better educated I can honestly say that female does look very masculine "down there". But she's definitely a girl. Anyway, we had so much fun with the baby that I got addicted, and here I am.

I do work outside the home, but my job is near home, has a very informal atmosphere, and a flexible schedule (I work with my family) So, I am not above bringing handfed babies, or injured adults with me to work, or to take off to go to the vet when needed.

As far as breeding practices, first you would need to decide whether you want to breed in runs or regular cages, because that will decide how many, and of what gender you should get. I highly recommend breeding in monogamous pairs to start, as trios and colony settings can get pretty tricky. It would be easy to make a mistake and end up with injuries or deaths if you are inexperienced. I don't have runs, so I can't offer an opinion on their ease of use, or what the pitfalls might be.

As others have said, start with good quality standards and work from there. My mentor told me "If breeding is like baking, then standards are the flour." I make it my practice to always breed back to standard every three generations, no matter what. Choose a mutation you particularly like, learn what is desirable and not before you breed it. Then concentrate on that color for a while until you feel you've done all you can with it.

If you have an experienced breeder you trust nearby, ask for their help in evaluating your first possible picks, and go to shows, if you can. That way, you can start to learn what a quality chin looks like.