Just a few questions for breeders.

[Takuraktty]

Hey I was just curious about a few things. And was wondering if someone could maybe at least tell me what they do/did.

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

 

[aznmexaggie]

1) You don't go on vacation. Lol, seriously, I don't normally go on trips longer than a few days. If I do have to be gone or if I were to be injured or something serious, my mother takes care of the chins. She won't ever need to clean cages because I'm never gone that long and even when I'm sick, I care for the chins. She just has to feed them and give them water until I get back. I leave a list with details and my vets if there is an emergency.

2) I think the main way my name got "out there" is by meeting other chin people through the forums and at the shows. Also, breeding competitive chins and doing well at the shows is indicative of the type of breeder I am. I breed quality animals and strive for improvement always. A lot of people find me through my website also, I suppose by searching for chinchila breeders in CA.

3) Honestly, I feel I really can contribute to the chinchilla as a species. I am not doing the species a disservice by my breeding program. Yes, there is heartbreak and it can be very tough at times but that just comes with the territory. I know I am not contributing to the unwanted pet population (I will ALWAYS take a chin back) and I also rescue as space allows. I do it because I love chinchillas and want to ensure future generations are healthy and beautiful. We can't leave all the breeding to the people who shouldn't be! If there were only backyard breeders and nobody breeding for quality, all we would have are thin-furred ratty chins with health problems (or carrying genetic health problems) since there is no documentation on their histories. Who will breed the quality? Now if only people wouldn't buy from those backyard breeders or support them!

 

[lilchinchilla]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

I either do not go on vacation or I have family/friends look after them.
2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.
I am patient. They find homes when the right home comes along. Some chins may stay a year or more before finding homes, doesn't matter. I have a website to advertise through and have for since 1998. I've been to shows and been on chin forums since 2001. I know alot of people and have known alot of people over the years involved in chinchillas, whether breeding, showing or just as owning pets.
3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?
They are my family first(call me crazy, but I do name them, and I do care about them and love each one of them!). I couldn't imagine after fourteen years of owning them, not having them a part of my life.

Heartache, bad or good times - it's like having my children, but they are furrier and smaller and I've had them in my life longer than my own children. I do agree with the above post about not leaving the breeding to all the backyard breeders and dumbs dumbs who think it is cool to breed without thinking of consequences.

As far as horror stories, you get that with your own family sometimes, and you have to deal with it no matter how awful it is, and you have good times too with them. It is the same with chins, for me. You have to go with whatever life throws at you, imo, even if it can be tough sometimes. It is the moments when you have a chin get a GSC or color section champ,etc... on the show table, or you find that perfect home for one of your babies and see the smiles and happiness on the faces of their new owners...or you hear from an owner, 8 years after they purchased a chin from you, telling you how they are doing. Telling you all about their chinchilla and how he is doing...there is alot of good things when it comes to raising chins that overshadow the bad, and I am only naming a small few of those things.

 

[Takuraktty]

Okay thanks! That answers my questions. I just find breeding really interesting.

aznmexaggie- I agree though, we need people who breed for quality. It would be horrible if only people bred for profit not caring about what happened to their offspring, with malo and genetic issues -shutters-

Thanks again both of you!

 

[starleomach]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

I am very lucky to have a lot of support. My parents have helped out when I am gone and helped out when I was in school it is a family activity. I also have my husbands help when I am sick or at a chinchilla show without him, and when we go on vacation his best friend stays here and takes care of the animals. My mom gets any that are due to deliver or need handfeeding, Dave gets the chinchillas that do not require any special treatment. But I can never be gone to long as I do not have them clean cages just feed and water. So even after a 16 hour road trip from Canada this summer I had to come home at 11pm and clean cages, go to bed and be to work in the morning as a breeder we do have to make saccrifices I have passed on many fun activities because of my responsability to the animals

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

Mostly I advertised online I have a website and you build a reptation by going to shows and being active in the chinchilla comunity. Sometimes you don't find homes for them I too have had some for sale for over a year at times. With the internet you have to be careful and you always have to remember a reputation isn't a perminant thing it goes up and it goes down depending on your actions.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

The absoulute love of the animal as a breed itself and desire to see it improve is what keeps me going. When you have a sucessful litter that goes on to do well at shows it is a wonderful thing. and there needs to be people out there breeding to improve the animals not just for cute fluffy kits. Without good breeders breeding with a purpose chinchillas will go down in quality Sapphires were once as good as the other colors then too many bad breeders trying to produce a lot brought down the quality. for example. Now there are reputable breeders working hard to improve them but it is amazing how much damage can happen in a few generations of poor breeding...it is harder to improve then to destroy.

It is heart breaking and there have been many times I have asked myself why I do this. Many sleepless tear filled nights. and I am always worried. I haven't slept through a night in years. I always check once or twice during the night. It is the first thing I do when I get up and the last thing I do when I go to bed.

 

[Sycamore Chins]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?
My mom knows just about as much as I do when it comes to caring for the chins. She watches them while I'm at school. When she goes on business trips or vacation our neighbor watches them. We trained her from a young age, every year giving her more responsibility. Last year we finally trusted her enough to have her handfeed kits. My mom also has her help clean cages if she's not feeling well. Now, we do pay her VERY well - so that is something you have to factor in. Most people aren't going to do it for free!

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.
Website, forums, shows. When people come over and meet us and the chins they like what they see. Our cages are well maintained, the room is very bright and open. The chinchillas are beautiful, and the babies are friendly. We are more than willing to spend an hour with them, showing off the parents, showing them how we run things, and giving them our knowledge.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?
I've lost many animals, and two of my top show animals. While holding them in my arms I always tell my mom to sell all the animals. I'm done. I can't do it anymore, putting so much time, money and effort into them for things to go wrong. I feel like we do everything right and yet things still go wrong. She ignores me, waits until the next day then shows me our ribbons and tells me we are doing something right. She reminds me that I've got all these other beautiful animals to care for, that I will get more nice offspring as I'm fortunate to still have the parents or to have some kits from the one that just died. And that the reason i'm doing this is to better the species. I eventually want to become a judge and am going to be a vet so I can help better the veterinary care exotic pets get.
It's also really nice when you get an e-mail from the person that bought the very first kit you bred, almost 7 years ago, and that he is healthy and wonderful.

 

[RDZCRanch]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

When I am sick or break something, I still find a way to get in to the chins feed them/water them and clean cages. Rain or shine, pain or none...I am ultimately responsible for my chins. I've always been a healthy person though. The most I get is a cold or a flu which I've never been able to transmit to any of my animals.

I do not typically take vacations. A vacation for me is two to four days away from the chins. Once I get to day three...I start having anxiety attacks and can't even enjoy the vacation anymore. I have pet sitters, or if it is just me traveling, my boyfriend takes care of them.

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

I have a website which many people find me through, but the biggest thing that sells my babies is people knowing I produce quality and care about my chins. I started my reputation by going to shows, being seen and showing chins that I bred. I typically do not advertise widely. I am not in a hurry to move chinchillas and often times I only have a few for sale. I breed for chinchillas I can use and put back into my herd, not for making babies to sell.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

I got into breeding because I love chinchillas. I've never owned an animal I had such a strong passion for other than chinchillas. From the minute I got my first chin Jewel, I knew they were the right animal for me to own for the rest of my life. Breeding came about a year after I got my first chin. I thought babies were cute, but I had no real drive to produce them. Once the first was born, I was hooked but wanted to do it right and began researching shows. I went to my first show and I was welcomed warmly and it was a great fun environment.

Now, the show circuit in California is fairly small and we're all friends and more like family now. I love attending shows, I love the friendly competition and I love seeing my friends and seeing how well their herd is also coming along. I've taken many hours sitting in the chinchilla room and just thinking if I could really part with all of my chinchillas. The answer has always been no as I do believe I am breeding and will continue to breed to improve the species. It's gotten easier for me over the years to stay in breeding because I've worked so hard to build my herd, but in the beginning I even put up a couple advertisements for my herd when things got tough. It's hard to move past the first heartache when you lose three of your best chins within weeks of each other for completely separate and random reasons. It always makes you question the worth of what you are doing.

 

[threewingedfury]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

I never get to go on vacation, unfortunately. Firstly, vacation money is spent in vet bills and keeping the vet fund replenished if I have a severe emergency. I have a timeshare on the OBX that I'd love to go and spend a week at least once a year, but it's not going to happen. I wouldn't be able to leave the chins with my grandparents for a week. They know how to feed them and give fresh water, but have no clue what to do in case of an emergency except to call me and if I say to take the animal to the e-vet, they know where to go. Because I live in the middle of no where, the closest chin breeder to me is about an hour and a half and I wouldn't ask them to take care of my chins for me. I do not trust anyone as a pet sitter, I do not know anyone in my town would has a clue about chinchillas much less someone that would be willing to take care of 100 of them.

The only time I really ever leave is for shows, and that's normally no more than 2 days because I own sugar gliders also and I fix their food every night for them unless I make enough for my grandparents to give them while I'm gone. I wouldn't expect them to know how to make my food, though if I get caught somewhere - I have the recipe in a cabinet as well as all of their food in a certain spots where they know where it is. When I go to shows, I drive home as soon as the show is over and try not to stay over no matter how far I am from home.

If I get sick, I still have to take care of my chins. I rarely get sick and luckily I haven't been in years, so that's a plus, but it would come down to a mask, gloves, my scrubs and probably one of my lab jackets. I normally change into scrubs before I go into the chin room to clean cages or feed and water so that whatever I have been carrying around the entire day isn't brought into their environment. Doesn't 100% prevent anything, but I'm comfortable with knowing I'm at least clean. I know that's a bit extreme, but I just don't want to take chances. As far as broken bones, etc - I guess that's something I'll have to cross when I get there. My barn is handicap accessible and if my husband has to wheel me into a barn in a wheelchair for me to clean cages, it'll get done, just may not be as fast. I get my niece and nephew to help me clean cages on occasion and I always have them to help if something dire happens.

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

I think the main way I made a name for myself was by going to shows, not by advertising. When i first started off, I had a pretty crappy herd and was known as a BYB. I didn't know any different out of all honesty, and when I heard there were shows, I started going to as many as I could. That way people knew I was attempting to change what I had messed up from the beginning. I advertised on my website, on Hoobly, Domestic Sale, and on forums. If someone contacted me wanting an animal - it didn't mean they were automatically going to get it for the right price, I quiz and make sure that the home is going to be the right place for my animal. Most of my animals go as pets as I live so far from most of the breeders on here, but there are a few breeders with some of my chins that were born here. If I don't find homes for my animals, they stay here as long as need be. I'm in no hurry to get rid of them by any means. I always keep many open cages just in case I cannot sell kits.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

I got into breeding for all the wrong reasons, but after I found the forum and started to go to shows, I completely changed my viewpoint. I want to breed and improve show quality animals. I absolutely love chinchillas as a whole - they're an amazing species and I just enjoy every second I can get with them. It's now a lifetime hobby for me. I'm not in it for the "money", for weird colors and cute babies. Yes, it's nice to have babies, but there's always heartbreak. If you get into responsible breeding, it should be for the long run and not just for the cute babies and thinking every single kit will come out perfect and every chin you own will be 20+ years old when it dies. It just does not happen. I've had one of the worst years for losing kits and complications with my females. It doesn't stop me from wanting to continuously improve the species. There have been many times that I was so disgusted with what was happening in my herd, that I just wanted to give up, but I couldn't - I had to keep going because this is part of breeding. I enjoy the competition of shows and knowing that I'm working towards a goal and meeting that goal. I feel comfortable knowing that pet owners in my area have a place to come to, to get healthy animals that weren't bred out of rescues or free animals off of Craigslist. We just don't have many responsible breeders in NC unfortunately as many have sold out, so I feel that it is my responsibility to continue what I am doing to improve the species.

 

[AZChins]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

I haven't been on vacation in over a decade. I don't go anywhere unless my husband can be here to keep tabs on everyone or monitor the temperature or make sure that mamas are doing alright with births should I not be home.

I had a car accident and got up the next day despite horrible pain and limping to clean and vacuum all the chins. Just like with human children your responsibilities do not end if you are sick or injured. When I am sick, I put on a mask and do the basic chores. When Christmas falls on a Tuesday or Friday I clean...

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

When I started the chin community was very small and people helped each other a lot more. I was helped by other breeders and ranchers because they would refer people to me. Over time I built up a customer base and ended up with a lot of word of mouth. People know that I will take a lot of time with new owners and go over everything...as well as be truthful when I know that chins are not a good fit for people. Building a name takes a lot of time and you have to deal with a lot of criticism and garbage along the way. The only way to build a name is to be honest, kind and helpful to others - those three things sometimes require you to say NO to certain people and sometimes not be perceived as being nice.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

I don't know what to think of this question. What keeps me going is that I started out doing something and I intend to not just stop because things get hard. It's heartbreaking and horrible with what can happen, but breeding (and rescuing) is what I do. Lately I haven't been breeding much at all because there are so many rescues coming in lately. The last few years I have been taking in over 100 rescues a year just by myself.

I know that a lot of breeders hold back on breeding when it is hard to find homes for babies. Not all breeders just pump out the babies just for the sake of making more babies. I've got some really awesome chins that are on deck for breeding, but they may never actually be placed in breeding because I don't feel right breeding for more than a few babies. I want the rescues to find homes first even if people want CUTE babies for Christmas.

My losses are so great at this point that I never hope to ever break even. Money is just something I need to give to the vet and to pay for food for the chins (and electricity and water and cleaner and shavings....) Money is not the reason why any of us do what we do! Ask anyone with over 100 chins if they would be able to make more money with their time doing ANYTHING besides caring for chins! I would be so much better off not doing what I do and taking a job out in the workforce even as a entry level worker in my field.

 

[ticklechin]

I have 8 chins and a small business to run, I don't know what a vacation is unless I read the description in the dictionary.

 

[arf2184]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?

My family takes care of the chins when I'm gone. If I'm gone over a week, I pay my sister to clean cages for me. She's had plenty of experience with chins. If my family all goes on vacation together, I have a neighbor (who I grew up with and trust) that comes by twice a day to take care of all the animals but I don't have her clean cages. I make sure that I'm gone no longer than a week for family vacations, even if that means I have to come home before everyone else.

I still take care of the animals if I'm sick. There was a time when I was really sick for a a few months and I was not able to stand up for very long. My sister helped clean cages a few times...I hated it. Cleaning cages is like my 'meditation' time; I may not always looks forward to it, but I always feel good afterward. As I got better and was able to do a bit more, I borrowed my cousin's kids and we cleaned cages together...they loved it.

2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

Both now and years ago when finding chin homes was easier, I advertised here (well, CnQ) and on my website. I've also advertised on Kijiji and Hoobly, but most people find me through my website. Some chinchillas have taken me over a year to find the right home for. I don't mind one bit. I'd rather have them spend the rest of their life with me than end up in a home where it's not going to work out.

Building a reputation takes time, but mostly all it takes is being kind, honest, helpful, and knowledgeable, as well as striving to raise healthy, gorgeous chins of course. Like Susan said, it also takes knowing when to say no to certain people.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

I love the chins. I love getting to know their personalities and quirks. I like taking care of them, making toys for them, and just being around them. You don't have to breed chins for that though...you get the same from pets. I breed because I enjoy chins, I enjoy showing chins, and I enjoy knowing that the chinchillas that leave my house are socialized, healthy animals that can bring joy to someone else. I breed in part because of the horror stories...not the ones that can come with breeding...the ones that I hear from people who fell in love with a pet store chin (or craigslist chin, etc) only to have him die within a week of bringing him home.

That's what happened to the last family I sold a chin to. The pet store had told them that their chin was just a really mellow guy. In truth he was lethargic and very ill. They took him to a good vet, but he was too far gone. He had a bad respiratory infection.They had read books and done research prior to buying a chin, but didn't know enough to sort out the bad info from the good. They were naive in trusting the pet store employees in both choosing a chinchilla and choosing good food and toys for their chin. (The pet store in this case denied that the chinchilla was ever sick. I don't think they were able to get a refund, not that it really mattered to them.)

Its something we see all to often. I breed to give people a better option and I help anyone who is willing to listen (and some who aren't) learn how to properly care for chinchillas. Many times I find myself talking people out of getting a chinchilla for a pet.

I will take one of my chinchillas back at any point in that animals life for any reason. While I don't actively seek out rescue chins, I will take in any chinchilla or at least help find a good home for them. I hate to see chins end up at the local shelters...the volunteers and staff try their best, but they aren't really set up to handle chins. Fortunately, we don't see too many homeless chins around here.

 

[Takuraktty]

I know that a lot of breeders hold back on breeding when it is hard to find homes for babies. Not all breeders just pump out the babies just for the sake of making more babies. I've got some really awesome chins that are on deck for breeding, but they may never actually be placed in breeding because I don't feel right breeding for more than a few babies. I want the rescues to find homes first even if people want CUTE babies for Christmas.

My losses are so great at this point that I never hope to ever break even. Money is just something I need to give to the vet and to pay for food for the chins (and electricity and water and cleaner and shavings....) Money is not the reason why any of us do what we do! Ask anyone with over 100 chins if they would be able to make more money with their time doing ANYTHING besides caring for chins! I would be so much better off not doing what I do and taking a job out in the workforce even as a entry level worker in my field.

I didn't mean money wise. I meant heart break such as losing a favorite chin, to birthing complications or having one get hurt from a cage mate. Finding a cannibalized kit that was stillborn. Things like that, I understand that money is not the reason that REPUTABLE breeders do what they do.

Thanks everyone for answering this!

 

[Spoof]

1. If you have 20+ chins what do you do when you go on vacation? I know some people on here have close to or over 100, what do you all do when you leave town, do you hire a pet sitter? Or what if, god forbid you get sick such as the flu, or break a bone, who takes care of your pets if you are unable to?
I go on vacation and am away with work fairly frequently. My setup allows me to be gone for a week without them needing anything provided nobody escapes or eats a water line. I have my neighbor poke her head in and check on them.


2. When you were first starting off (before the economy was shot) how did you advertise and make a name for yourself, I mean get known and find good homes for your chins. How does everyone still find homes for their kits.

A lot of it is due to staying in the industry, most "breeders" come and go in cycles of 2-4 years. I've always had a website, but I also moved across the country. Most of my sales come locally by word of mouth - that's the wonderful thing about being in the south. Even in a good economy it can take up to a year to find the right home for a chin.

3. I've read quite a few or the horror stories and seen quite some heart ache through losing chins. What makes you continue to breed? What got you into breeding or keeps you in it?

I got a sterile female chin from the pound as a companion for my first male chin. Two litters of three babies later I was on my way to being an unintentional breeder. I stay in it because I love seeing each progressive generation improve and carry on the traits I select for. There are times every breeder goes through where you just want out, you have death or sickness in the herd, rough times, or financial issues. The fuzzy babies just keep drawing you back.

 

[ticklechin]

You leave your chins for a week with only someone poking the head in? What if one got sick or hurt, does the "poking in" look for that?

 

[Pikaia]

You leave your chins for a week with only someone poking the head in? What if one got sick or hurt, does the "poking in" look for that?

That was probably just a figure of speech. I am sure the neighbor makes sure everything is okay.

 

[ticklechin]

She keeps chins in 80 deg+ heat, so I would not be suprised.

 

[mishellyshel]

I have 8 chins and a small business to run, I don't know what a vacation is unless I read the description in the dictionary.

i was pretty much going to say the same thing. i dont breed, i have 9 boys (and 1 piggie) and i have take 1 vacation for 4 days, 3 nights and let me tell you, i was kinda stressed! i had chinchilla training with my x husband & 10 year old son and still checked every day. my one chin had to go to a breeder friends home about 30 minutes away to make sure there were no problems with his teeth issues.
you pretty much resolve yourself to a different kind of life. some can handle. some can not. the fact that you are doing lots of research is a good thing. just dont jump into it.
cause nothing is fun about cleaning cages and running to bathroom to puke! or having a 102 fever & sick with exhaustion and handfeeding a chin who cant eat. its a 15 - 20 year commitment at minimum.