When to start breeding

[VolunteerChin22]

Grace only the first three replies were actually directed to the op...he was given straight forward advice and help...

 

[RDZCRanch]

Grace, if you notice, the members that responded to your thread are not the same people that responded in the beginning of this thread. Please don't lump us all into one category when Christy(Volunteer) and I were both trying to help on your thread. We gave you straightforward advice as well.:thumbsup:

Also, in all fairness to the members who did reply to your thread, there was no mention of your chinchillas being quality or your intentions to breed them as such. Without that knowledge they can't tell you from Adam and with the experiences we've had with new members asking that same question, you really can't blame them for their initial response. Usually when that question is asked it's by someone who has two pet store chins that they put together for "cute" babies and they want to hurry up and get more babies ASAP!:wacko: So don't get frustrated with that thread...it was in response to the question asked and the way it was asked rather than who was asking it.

 

[tunes]

Grace, seriously, you can't believe any of this was directed at the OP. Did you even read the thread? If you did, you'll see that it started AFTER Kristen posted her "wisdom" about breeding. And even then, it was after reading her completely off base remarks in another thread. This has nothing to do with the OP. They got their question answered and nobody "verbally abused" them. The thread turned south after Kristen posted her expert breeding advice and I questioned her on it.

 

[slunder4]

I am a veterinary technician I know first hand what defects can happen to any mom and baby. I also have quite reliable access to vets.

 

[Essentia]

I am a veterinary technician I know first hand what defects can happen to any mom and baby. I also have quite reliable access to vets.

More than that, I am worried about your current animals and your current "breeding practices". Do you have pedigrees for any of these chins? Do you have any idea of their background? There are rescues and shelters filled with chins with malo and fur chewing, both of which are considered genetic, and most which have come from pet stores and "backyard breeders". If you don't know where these chins came from you don't have any idea what they may have in their genetic background.

Trust me, as someone who runs a chinchilla rescue, we have enough chinchillas with unknown backgrounds and genetic disorders. The last thing we need is someone else blindly breeding more chinchillas.

Breeders and ranchers have worked their butts off to better the chinchilla as a whole. What you are doing is belittling the work they have done by not doing that same thing. Get a mentor and do it right, or why bother doing it at all? Oh yeah, for cute babies. :banghead:

 

[slunder4]

Yes I do know the genetics, background and there historys I have done all my research and believe I know enough about them that I can do this safely. If I didn't I wouldn't be doing it.

I worked at the rescue center and have seen way more unwanted animals and have had to put down way more unwanted animals that I could ever bare to imagine. I am fully aware what I am getting myself into and fully prepared to cope with the consequences.

I am breeding because I would like to expand my chin populations and I have a few close family and relatives that want one but are reluctant to get pet store chin with genetic faults. Which im not blaming them as I too would not get a pet store chin. I rescued both my dogs from the shelter and although they are thankfully sound and have no faults I have seen way too many dogs and cats with health issues because of careless breeding. I am not a careless person and just because I am new to this does not mean I have not done my research.
I only ask my questions because online resources can be unreliable, and who better to learn from than the people who live and breath chinchillas.
So instead of fighting with eachother and instead of questioning my reasons and ethics for doing this help me out and answer my question... that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ash]

Why not buy from a reputable breeder for additional pets? Obviously there is one near by, otherwise you wouldn't have chins to breed.

 

[slunder4]

I have suggested that too them too but as my sister in law is worried that it may not work out and is reluctant to make the big jump. Where as if she got a baby from us and it was not a correct fit I would be willing to take it back as we would be willing to have a few more Chins.


And as for my original question. It is no longer applicable as the owner of the two I was interested in didn't have enough background info and genetics. I went with different chins with more info about their familys. My new girls are 8 months old and just settling in to there new cage as I type

 

[Ash]

Any reputable breeder is going to take the animal back if it's not a "correct fit" and chins aren't like cats and dogs. Yeah, they all have different personalities, but for the most part they're the same. You don't have different "breeds" that have different characteristics. You said in your other thread you don't want to "breed for the wrong reasons". Well, because your family wants one or because you want more is definitely one of the wrong reasons.

 

[tunes]

Any reputable breeder is going to take the animal back if it's not a "correct fit" and chins aren't like cats and dogs.

I'm just going to throw this out there, but no, they won't. SOME breeders will take animals back if it doesn't work out, many won't.

Slunder, I just want to say this because I would prefer you stick around and keep learning about breeding, etc. rather than leave in a huff if people keep commenting on your intentions: What relatives and friends say today compared to what they say later are two very different things. What looks cute and fuzzy at YOUR house, isn't going to be so much fun when they are the ones cleaning up after him/her, picking up shavings, poop, feed, hay, dust all over the house after bath time, vet trips, escapes with chewed cords, wood, etc. That all looks easy peasy at YOUR house, but when it's at their house? People quickly change their minds. They also can't seem to grasp that chins can live 25 years. I think people tend to think of chins as hamsters. A couple years and then gone.

So don't rely on friends and family taking the offspring of your breeding efforts. It rarely works out that way. Then you need to think to yourself, what am I going to do with them? Do you want to keep breeding chins and having to provide more cages, more food, more vet care?

Just something to think about.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Why not make the same offer of taking the chin off their hands if it's not the correct fit? Would you love a chin you bred more than a chin from a reputable breeder?

I also wanted to add to what Tunes said. When I first got into chins I had a LOT of family members and friends BEGGING me for chinchillas. Once I started breeding and actually had babies I found that all those people that were practically crying to have a chinchilla were suddenly not so interested anymore. The ones that WERE still interested and did end up getting chins...I've gotten all of those chinchillas back and had to rehome them. I wasn't even breeding for my family and friends to have pets but every now and then you produce babies that you don't need to keep and those are the babies they got.

People may express deep interest in chinchillas but people also express deep interest in hedgehogs, ferrets, sugar gliders and anything else they think is an "exotic" pet. They think it would be cool to own one...but when they realize it takes work and devotion to keep even one chinchilla and that they really DO live long lives, they want out fast.