Genetic Traits Besides Color

[EBB]

I am very curious as to what traits besides color people have noticed being passed from generation to generation and with what frequency?Do females tend to pass specific traits? Do males?

Wen it does come to colors, I wonder what is too off color to breed? how do you decide which animals are worth working on and which you sell off as pets?

 

[Dreamlite]

The best way to learn is to go to a show. There is no set rule as to what you can or can't use in your herd but everything is genetic. Color, density, veiling, size, malo, personality, and much more. Its always best to start with the best animals you can find. The less faults it has the better your chances of getting a quality kit out of them.

 

[Vyxxin]

As mentioned, everything is genetic. I see fur type, veiling and size the most readily passed next to color of course. I personally don't think one gender passes any genetic trait more readily than the other with the exception to think about this:

In general, males are "sharper" than females. Considering that a males are also responsible for gender, it might be concluded that fathers are more responsible for sharpness (or lack thereof).

As far as who to work with, I'm sure a LOT of people work with their best looking animals...a certain "top" percent of their offspring. Not me, I work with what I can use. For instance, I have one cage to fill...I have two mosaic females born to the same parents, one is slightly clearer and larger from an early age...guess who's staying? Even if the other one is not BAD quality, I don't have a place for her so I will sell her. This happens moreso with males...I've gotten rid of SO many males over the years that I just didn't have a spot for.

But after some thought, your question may be in reference to who's good enough to breed? Well, for that purpose...first, I won't breed an animal that's taken lower than a 2nd on the show table. Period. I'm not going to try and repair THAT many faults. Otherwise, if you have a spot for an animal...one with mates that can offset faults...why not work with it? There is no genetic trait that by itself cannot be worked on. There are traits, such as clarity, that are harder to work on...but any measureable trait can be worked on.


*NOTE- some traits such as malo should never be "worked on" the amount of animals that would suffer in the "breeding out" process would be an unjust, immoral use of breeding

 

[lilchinchilla]

As mentioned, going to a show is best. A field day is the best show to go to for those who want to learn what to look for in quality. You have a more hands on experience at field days and the judges will explain why they chose which chinchilla for which placing and compare for you the differences between chinchillas they are judging.
If you are unable to make a field day, you can also learn by visiting judges or graders and having them show you under show lights, what to look for in qualities. Fur strength and resiliency are extremely important as well as other traits mentioned previously in this thread.

For someone who does not know what to look for, an easy way of finding out fur strength and resiliency is to blow on your chinchilla's fur. If it bounces back quick and stands up straight, that is what you want.

If it lays down or does not bounce back completely, it would show weakness of the fur. If you want to learn more about density, using two fingers, you can squish together the fur, and it should be thick and plush between your fingers. The thicker the fur is, the denser is it. Fur that is wavy/weak, lays down, thin, or cottony in appearance, and off color, are all traits you don't want to breed for among others.

Basically, when you look down at your chinchilla's fur coat, you want it to look like millions of tiny needles are staring back up at you.

Conformation is equally as important to other traits mentioned. Chinchillas that are well rounded, with thick necks, not wedgy in appearance, are what you look for when you look at conformation.
Clarity is a trait that is easily lost and harder to maintain because it is recessive. Size is perhaps the easiest of traits to breed.

Putting two top show chinchillas together will not always guarantee you great offspring. Try to pair animals that compliment one another, and one that may improve what the other lacks in quality is what you want to further improve upon what you produce in your herd.

 

[Zoaea]

Are some of the genetic traits you want to avoid recessive (and therefore harder to see in carried lines)? Like malo or heart murmurs, are there any research into these traits heredity?

 

[Vyxxin]

I think the big problem with the nasties, especially in the case of malo, is that it CAN be environmental. For that matter, other traits such as clarity and size can be as well. This makes things a bit more difficult to pinpoint unless you're very familiar with the lines you're working with.

For example, you've got a chinchilla that was dropped as kit. Sustained facial damage, and eventually has malo. Was it genetic or from the drop? Clarity, you've got an animal that is off color...have the cages been been kept clean? Does this chin constantly lay in a soiled spot in the cage? Has the weather been more humid than normal? Has ventilation in your chinchilla unit been good? Those are ALL environmental factors that can and do affect clarity. You've got a chinchilla from large lines, all the chins average 700g or better. At 12mos, when most from this line are normally 700g this chin is only 600g...did you switch feed during the growing period? Did your feed switch formulas? Was the animal sick during growing? These are all environmental factors that can affect size as an adult. Just something to think about you REALLY have to know your lines...that way when you DO have one of these things occur you can identify them as more likely to be genetic or environmental AND can correct the problem accordingly.