newbie starting a herd, please some advice

[cookjl124]

A little bit about my husband and I

we adopted chinchillas from a Rescue in Buffalo NY about a year and a half ago. We picked two out of the four chins available. We assumed the sex by their size…. So we called the larger on gracie and the smaller one yoda. I doubt they were ever socialized by their original owners or ever let out because they don’t like to be touched or picked up… we don’t know the sex of yoda to this day because he will claw his way out of any pick up. And we don’t want to traumatize him. We found out the sex of Gracie after she had a seizure right in front of us during play time so the next day we went to the doctors and he said that her blood sugar was high according to the tests... so that may have caused the seizure... and gracie was an intacted male, we were told that the males we neutered when we adopted them. I was told they were about 8yrs old when we adopted them so that would make then 9-10 years old. We just moved into a house and they have a huge enclosure in the basement about 20’ x 12’ that yoda and gracie can enjoy. The funnies thing is yoda can squeeze though the 1” bars… it is so astonishing to see him do that… and he roams around the basement checking things out… so for now we only let them out when we are with them… but I got some mess wire that I will put along the bottom to stop the sneaky little bugger…

Anyways this is my family of chins. They are pets only and we will not breed them… I have no clue of their lineage and diseases they may have.

Im pretty sure gracie is a standard but yoda has darker coloring compared to gracie… so I think hes a dark standard.

I would like to start a herd over the next year but where do I start. They only advice ive been given is to buy the most expensive stock I can afford to start our herd. Where should I get my starting stock from?

My goal is to get a violet male and have a group of vc females… bv-vc, white-vc, beige-vc, dk ebony-vc. I have been using the chin calculator and I would like the combinations to be simple so I don’t get over my head trying to figure out what the babies are once born. What do you think the best pair would be to start out with?

I probably will get the male and one of the above females to start and add females as we can afford them. There are not many breeders in ny and I don’t think there are any shows up here either. The closes would be ohio and pa. but I would love to come to a show in the near future.

so please point me in the right direction.

 

[dcfluegel]

welcome to the forums, sis!

I am going to attempt to refrain from putting my feet too far in my mouth, as there are a number of members of this group who can give a lot better insight than myself, especially in regards to breeding and herds. I can, however, definitely identify with some of the things you said My wife and I are fairly new chin owners (although she had a chin growing up) and are in the process of beginning to build a herd. We have a couple of rescue chins that are pet quality and we do not plan to breed (since we know next to nothing about their background/ history and potential health issues/ risks) and a couple that are pedigreed (including a couple we plan to take to MCBA nationals to get some feedback on)... we are also working with a friend to help us find a strong standard male at the upcoming Ohio claim show to build our foundation herd (we have several mutations in the stables - including black velvet, homo beige and whites - and want to make sure we can maintain focus on breeding for quality/ improvement, which I am understanding involves making sure we breed back to standard consistently so we don't end up to far out on the mutation limb)

I do think there was just a show up in the NY area (Port Ewen, maybe?) as well as the upcoming claim show in Ohio in October (and a show slated for April '12 in Dover, PA - might be in your area?) Here is a link to the MCBA site with their upcoming shows http://www.mutationchinchillas.com/ (look under 'Show Info') - also check out the sub-forum here 'Chin Shows' for some good info...

If you are looking at breeding, also, you may need to take a look at your chin-housing also - there are some very specific requirements for baby-proofing chin habitats.

It has been STRONGLY suggested to me that getting to shows is one of the best ways to begin to understand how to look at/ evaluate my chins so that I can make responsible and informed decisions about breeding - understanding the positive and negative qualities of the chins...

Best advice I can give is ask questions, do your homework... and ask more questions - this forum is an amazing resource with some exceptional folks on it - and they know what they are talking about, the vast majority of the time...

Have fun, and welcome!

 

[Vyxxin]

Well, I'll have a crack at it since nobody's responded yet. First, deciding what COLOR the babies are is the least concern when deciding to breed chinchillas.

Quality in the form of good genetics is a MUST! Not only good HEALTH genetics but also good fur and body build genetics as well as reproduction.

You should START by finding out the sex of both of your chinchillas. Since you do not know their genetic background at all, breeding should be avoided at all costs. Any knowledgeable vet or breeder should be able to handle the chinchillas long enough to adequately determine sex. Don't want to take them to a vet, bring them in carriers to a chinchilla event (picnic, show, get together) and someone WILL sex them for you. SO, until you can do this, they NEED to be separated. Especially at their ages and with no known history.

NOW, where do we go from there. Proper breeding cages. A breeding cage can have wire spacing no larger than 1"x1/2" or babies will escape and inevitably die or be injured. Also, no wheels...or ledges as they can injure young kits or the mothers unborn kits. Likewise, the cage should not be very tall. I prefer no greater than 18" as newborn kits will climb the walls and can fall and injure themselves.

Once you've got a cage...don't fill it up just yet! You should have a chinchilla medical kit on hand. Some things you'd want are bluekote, styptic powder, dyne, acidopholis, benebac...a cc syringe...and a recipe for both handfeeding formula AND dry formula. PLUS a place to buy those in a pinch!

NOW you MAY be ready to start shopping for a pair of quality animals. So what COLOR do you want? Well, genetically speaking standard grays are the best choice for a beginner. They've been worked with longer than all mutations and are the easiest to "get right" The only reason a person should breed is to better the quality of the animal. Starting out with mutations when you haven't gotten the basics is a no no. It takes very little time to "ruin" a mutation to the point that you'll need to replace your whole herd and start over. So do things right to begin with!

When shopping, find a reputable breeder. The best breeding animal is NOT the most expensive. Good breeding animals will cost more than pet animals from any reputable breeder BUT that doesn't mean they have to be outrageously priced. I myself have never paid over $250 for any given animal and have placed very well at the shows I've entered my offspring in. If you need help in finding a breeder/mentor in your area just ask.

The next thing you'll want to do is attend a few shows if possible. They're a wonderful learning experience and once you start breeding they are one of the best ways to see if your breeding goals are headed in the right direction.

SO, assuming you already know chin basics for care...you need to get the appropriate cage and breeder "emergency essentials". THEN find a breeder/mentor to help you learn a bit about breeding and selecting quality animals...and maybe even getting your pair from them. THEN, once you've got kits you'll want to show them! In the meantime, read read read about breeding...it's NOT the same as owning a pet chinchilla...and go to as many chinchilla events as possible! If you have any further questions feel free to PM me. I'm here to help but I WILL tell it straight

ETA- you got a response in the time it took me to type all that!

 

[Riven]

I guess my questions is why do you want to breed?

Several things concern me about your post, first it's difficult to read.

The fact you want to start with violets is another, not that it is violets you want to start with but the array of colors you want to put with them. I have no desire to ever breed a violet and a beige...

You can some wrong information, spending the most you can will not buy you the best animals. My best standard male I paid $300 for, but one of my second best standard males I believe I paid $100 or less for... that would be "the one you call Jello" as Mr. Miller says.

And most importantly is my concern about your chins' diet. You say the vet said the seizure was caused by high glucose levels, that means you're feeding either crappy food or a ton of treats, or probably both. That is the first place I would begin, is with making sure you have proper care of you current chins.

 

[addictedtochins]

The first thing you need to do is socialize the chins you have, and learn about their nutrition and health needs. And go to shows, read this forum...lots of great info here. Oh, and it won't work to just wire the bottom few feet of your inclosure. They will climb and fall or possibly hang themselves. Welcome to CnH, you are at the right place to learn and meet people

 

[cookjl124]

ok so many replies thank you i'll go in order

dcfluegel

Ive been doing so much research looking at everyones sites about chinchillas and breeding that it feels so onesided.... when i have a question i cant always get an answer from the websites and breeder websites so thats why i am here. dover and port ewen are about a 5 hr ride for us that sounds do-able... but april not so much, having a baby in early march.

yes we will probably purchase run style cages for the chins...

yes i probably wont purchase any chins for atleast a year and by then husband and i will get to go to some shows.

Vyxxin,

ok i went down to the cage with a hand towel and mr sleepy head. I let him clam down in the knook of my arm.... now weve definately have picked them up before... its just yoda squirms hes way out and scratches.... but seeing that hes been exscaping mor often he has been picked a lot recently... so i sat down and flipped him over and there is a definate gap between the penis and the anus. I had very few doubts that these two would breed because they had been cage for 8 yrs without babies.... but they are both males so im certain now...

we will definately start to come to nearby shows and i will get up to date with all the qualities that are important to better the quality of the animals. I have seen many bueatiful animals, adults on an auction site, i dont know if im allowed to list websites on the forum or not... but from that site the chinchillas are all 500 on up with a few below that #. And i know im not ready to start breeding yet. Thats why im here learning from people who have been there.

Riven,

Im not exactly sure why i want to breed. Its not for the money if thats what your implying because ive heard countless times that your lucky to break even.

I can see why you would be concerned that I want to breed violets and violet combinations and that it might be over my head. But i am truely hear to learn. I think i want to breed them because i want to have them. they are beautiful and i would like to have a violet wrap or a white violet mosaic myself, so why not breed for them... that is my logic i guess.

And I dont understand why a beige violet is bad to breed for... is there a genetic issue that i dont know about. Ive seen beige vc for sale?
So please if you would explain the problem.

well thats good to know... I doubt my husband would let me buy a 750 dollar chin. i really do look forward to going to some shows. maybe one before i have the baby.

well i give the boys oxbow eccentials chinchilla pellets, orchard grass and timathy hay tunnels.... gracie will not eat the hay and he tends to hord the pellets. but hes gotten better. i find if i possition the bowl in the center of the shelf he will allow yoda to eat at the same tim as he eat. yoda loves his hay.... and does eat the pellets... the chinchilla treats we use are in a mix... of mostly raisins, and some papaya and rose hips. gracie gets a small raisin every other day. and rose hips once in awhile. i tried giving them a small peice of carrot but neither of them liked or ate it.. i believe gracie threw his piece... lol.. we have never seen gracie have a seizure since. the rescue told us we could give them two treats a day... that stopped after gracies seizure.

gracie loves to chew threw apple wood branches.... yoda prefers lava rocks
and perches to chew threw...

addictedtochins

I never new about chins before two years ago. But i love my boys and we have come very far with them... they will come and sit on our laps or crawl all over us if we are laying down and they never would have done that when we first got them. yoda wouldnt come out in the begining.... now hes the more curious one... yoda doesnt like loud noises and it spooks him but now that his new home is quite he thinks hes king of the hill.... the funniest think happened a few weeks ago... i had put my fingures through the bar and yoda was smelling it and i tried to scratch his belly and he grabbed my fingure with his two front paws so i would stay put and he could continue to smell it... he normally would push my hand away. they just dont seem to like to be scratched... they look at me like what are you doing...


thank you all for your advice.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Hello and welcome

I have a major concern about yoda squeezing out of the bars. I dont think I have ever seen a full grown chinchilla that could squeeze out of a 1" bar spacing...That concerns me that either you have a kit and were misinformed about the age, or your cage isn't safe for chin care. It's not a good thing he can squeeze out of there - he could get stuck and break his neck.

Can you post some pics of your cage set up and we can help sex your chins - it's not going to be traumatic - all you need to do is gently lift their back legs off the floor holding by the base of the tail and take a picture. Post those on here also and we can give you an answer.

Now on to your other questions, agreed with the above. I can understand why you might be drawn to the violets but I would definately not start out there. You need lots of space to work with a newer mutation such as violets and sapphires, and frankly the mutation needs a lot of work and is still being brought up to the level of other more established mutations by the really experienced breeders themselves. Not a good starting place.

I haven't paid more than $250 for a chin either and that was for a Shoots standard. Quality does not always mean shelling out a fortune. I have seen animals I wouldn't touch for $300. You always want to invest and get as high of quality males as you can find, especially if you breed in colonies/run settings since that male is passing along a ton of genes. Females also need to be quality but you really need to invest in the quaility of your males. Depending on where you get your chin (some breeders charge more) or the circumstances (some breeders just simply have too many males/or a certain color) that could cost you anywhere from $75-$300 or more.

Before you buy or pair any chinchillas, I highly suggest getting a mentor. Even if they aren't neccessarily geographically close, although you might have some in your area if you post where you are located. Go to shows. Ask questions. Then start thinking about building your herd. Start slowly, with a pair or two. Show those offspring. Show the next offspring. You should be evaluating how are you doing at this point. If your offspring aren't doing well, those pairs aren't working. It takes constant evaluation to determine if you are on the right track. You might have to "cull" animals meaning take them out of breeding to either keep them as a pet or sell them, not an always easy thing to do. What if you have to keep offspring because you can't place them? Do you have the space to keep kits for years if need be?

Lots of things to consider and going to a show should be number one on your priority. You are in the right place. Lots of information here and experience.

 

[mishalaa]

I can think of several good breeders in NY. Paul K. is right near Buffalo, I think Dee (chinsndobermans) is nearby as well. The NY show was two weeks ago, but it's south eastern NY, Port Ewen.

The next Ohio show is 4 weeks away in Plymouth - it is a claim show which means all the animals entered will be for sale and no more than $200. That would be a very good place to learn about overall quality and the qualities to breed for/improve on, meet and mingle with breeders, and pick up some breeding stock. It's also very near the Ryerson chinchilla ranch so you can pick up supplies. If you want breeding cages, though, you should order them nowish as they make them to order and often there is a wait on them. That is, if you wish to use breeding runs.

The PA show is being moved to State College on April 14th. It will no longer be in Dover.

Here are a few steps I suggest for starting out:
1) Go to a show. See what a quality chin looks like, learn about breeding for quality, and meet other breeders who have been at it a while. Shows can be really confusing if you don't know what's going on, and/or really boring if you're not participating - so pick out a few chins before the show starts and watch to see how they do during the judging. It'll give you something to "root" for and also give you an idea of how the judging works.

2) Decide what you want to breed. Looks like you've got your heart set on violets. Violets are a recessive so they are a little trickier to breed and slower to improve than your simple dominants, but it's not impossible to start out with them. I started with sapphires and still focus on them. I do suggest not mucking around with hybrids (white violets, violets wraps, TOV violets, beige violets - beige violets will never do well at a show since they are not quite beige nor violet so they will get the comment "off color" in either section they're classed in, so unless you really think the color pretty there is no reason to breed for them and no reason to use them in breeding when a plain violet or beige would do) until you get plain violet down first. Breeding recessives is also a commitment as it takes two generations to produce them, thus a lot of breeding animals/space to maintain a line, so make sure you're thinking long-term if you really want to work with violets. If you're not all that committed to breeding and only want a pair or two, don't start with violets. (Violets and sapphires have both been around for 50+ years, they are not new mutations. It’s just that because they are recessive they take longer to improve than the dominants – and also they had limited demand in the fur markets, so they were never given priority in ranching herds, which makes them that much further behind in quality.)

3) Decide HOW you want to breed. Colonies or runs? Or pairs? Will you allow breedbacks? What will you do with the kits? What if mom dies or can't raise them? What if you can't take care of your chins for a bit? You can ask breeders how they do things and what works for them, but ultimately you'll have to figure out what works for you.

4) Set some goals. My first goal was to breed a first place animal. When I did that, I decided I wanted to breed a section champ. Then a first place at Nationals animal. Then win first place Bob Myers breeder award at the PA show. As I meet my goals, I set new ones. My next goal is to win the sapphire breeder award at Nationals, but that won't be anytime soon. My long-term goal is to put size into sapphires as that is something that mutation generally lacks.

5) Pick out your animals. Let the journey begin.

Lastly, you will have to modify how you care for them. Hammocks and wheels and treats and play time are fine and dandy for pet chins, but hazards for breeders. Raisins shouldn't be given, ever, not even to pet chins. They are too high in sugar.

 

[cookjl124]

VolunteerChin22

he cant get out of his cage. the bars are 1/2" or less apart but he has a large enclousure that yoda and gracie can play in and thats where he squeezes out of. if i could find my camera.... we just moved and somethings have not been unpacked and i dont remember which tote i put it in... i will look for my camera and post pics. actually i would like to get it on camera...
i dont know his size because all i have to compare him too is gracie but he is smaller.

when my husband told me he saw him do it he couldnt beleive it and that same day after work i let him play and sure enough he did it infront of me.... he starts by biting at the fence bars and and sticking his nose through... then he starts to put his head through and turns his head and his shoulders... and then he stretches his hind legs and pops out... this feat is definately youtube worthy...

i will post pictures as soon as i can locate that camera.

 

[Anfsurfer]

A chinchillas diet should be 70% Hay and 30% High Quality Pellets.
Snacks should not consist of fruits, and snacks should be given 2-3 times a week, not 2-3 times a day. My vet told me snacks should only be given at all if the chin is maintaining it's 70/30 diet. So that fact that Gracie wasn't eating any hay, and getting snacks 2-3 times a day, I can understand the sezeire from the high glucose levels. Have you tried all different types of hay and maybe even hay cubes? It's extremely important Gracie eat his Hay.

Can't help with the breeding tips. If you're REALLY serious about getting into breeding, I would say find a nearby Empress Breeder and see if you can visit and possibly be mentored. I have three pet chins that I purchased from three different Empress Breeders. Not one of those breeders was shy on discussing and educating me about Chinchilla standards. My chins are all high quality, and i'm anxious to attend the Colorado show and have them judged to see how well I did picking my boys out. These are my pets and it's all in good fun and being educated on my boys. However, the breeding responsibility is just a huge commitment. Seeing a breeders setup and hearing their advice on acquisitions, pairings, and the horror stories that sometime go along with breeding, I feel all of this could be invaluable to your decision to go forward.

 

[Riven]

Before moving forward I would decide why you want to breed. I love my chins don't get me wrong, but I breed for the competition factor of it, the trying to produce a high quality better animal.

On my site there is a breeding gone wrong section which shows just a fraction of what can happen in photos. If you can't look at it, then you shouldn't breed, because unless you're extremely lucky you will see some of it.

I don't feed treats. The closest thing I feed to a treat is a supplement occasionally with probiotics. If you feel the desire to give treats find a healthy treat such as unfrosted mini wheats or slow cook oatmeal.

The fact that you're still here and have replied without telling us how we're all mean and we just don't want other people to breed, shows a lot. You've gotten a lot of great insight on where to start, follow it.

As for violets, if you're expecting a good violet, plan to spend at least $300.

As for beige violets, yes you can find them, by why? What advantage are you getting? It's doubtful that a beige is going to improve your violet line more than a standard would, it's basically a case of let's see what we can make IMO. Violets are getting better, but still have a ways to go. Even most white violets I've seen are questionable. I have one that I really like, he's a nice male, I didn't breed him, and I don't have any females available for him right now, but I have him here hoping I may find some eventually, lol.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

If you're near Buffalo, you're very close to Paul K (an excellent breeder), as well as myself (I'm about 1.5 hours from Buffalo).

Additionally, there are a few shows not too far from you - the Port Ewen show was last month but is in Port Ewen, NY, the Atlantic Chapter show is being held in State College, Pa this year, which would make it about 4.5 hours from Buffalo (not a bad trip) and there are shows in Ohio that are not too long a trip for you.

If you're serious about wanting to breed - go to these shows. Meet good breeders. Get in touch with Paul K and talk to him. I'd be willing to talk to you as well, although I'm a pretty small-scale breeder.

Breeding chinchillas is my hobby, but if I didn't enjoy the shows and the company of the people at the shows so much, I would probably get out of it. It is a lot of work and can be full of heartbreak. I love it, so I keep doing it, but a lot of people get into it and realize that they aren't cut out for it. Before you invest the money on a good herd (and you need to do that), take the time to learn the industry and make sure that you want to get into it.

You've gotten a ton of information but because you're nearby (or I'm assuming you are because you adopted from a rescue in Buffalo) I wanted to let you know that there are a lot of resources nearby for you to learn from.

 

[cookjl124]

Well i work in the city of rochester and my husband and i live in gates, ny.

aaahh i would love to go to the ohio show... but my husband has to ask atleast a month ahead of time for a day off... and i am having a baby in march so we will have to play it by ear for the spring shows... starting a herd is a long term goal for me so if i dont start tis herd a year or more from now im ok with that. I know i need to be ready and understand all the in's, out's and bad things that can happen when breeding chins.

well riven i posted my original post on two chinchilla forums and i did tell someone on the other forum that they were rude. she told me that if i could figure out how to sex my chinchilla then i shouldnt be allow to breed them... well someone said on this forum that i wouldnt tramatize yoda so i went down and turned him over and looked online for what i should look for... from the photos online im pretty sure hes a boy. he has a large smooth separation between the penis and the anus. I tried to get a pic with my camera phone but i couldnt get a clear pic.... and i still cant find my camera... and now he wont come near me... while i was trying to get the pic... lol.. gracie was trying to save him by runing back and forth between the legs of the chair...

I basically know nothing and everyone here has been giving me honest clear advice and i truely do appreciate it.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

I know Paul is located between Buffalo and Rochester. I am 2 hours from Rochester myself. So you're still not far from either of us.

If you're having a baby, I recommend waiting until you see how your life changes after he/she is born before getting into breeding at all. I just had my first in February and she has changed how I do everything - I had been breeding for ~6 years when she arrived. Set times and days for certain chinchilla-related chores had to be changed because of the schedule she demanded; because my husband doesn't always work the same days/times, my cage cleaning has to be organized around his work schedule or my ability to find a sitter for the afternoon because obviously I can't just leave her to clean cages. I make sure they're taken care of but it isn't as scheduled as it once was (and I thrive on routine) and although we're planning to expand our herd, I can't do so until she is a little more independent.

Babies change your life in ways you never expected so definitely be patient. Stay on this forum and learn, attend shows, visit breeders and ranches and prepare yourself before you make the leap. The market for chinchillas in WNY is not fabulous - that's another thing you have to be prepared for. There are all sorts of cheap chins on Craigslist and most people want the instant gratification of a pet store.

Best of luck.

 

[ticklechin]

Well i work in the city of rochester and my husband and i live in gates, ny.

aaahh i would love to go to the ohio show... but my husband has to ask atleast a month ahead of time for a day off... and i am having a baby in march so we will have to play it by ear for the spring shows... starting a herd is a long term goal for me so if i dont start tis herd a year or more from now im ok with that. I know i need to be ready and understand all the in's, out's and bad things that can happen when breeding chins.

well riven i posted my original post on two chinchilla forums and i did tell someone on the other forum that they were rude. she told me that if i could figure out how to sex my chinchilla then i shouldnt be allow to breed them... well someone said on this forum that i wouldnt tramatize yoda so i went down and turned him over and looked online for what i should look for... from the photos online im pretty sure hes a boy. he has a large smooth separation between the penis and the anus. I tried to get a pic with my camera phone but i couldnt get a clear pic.... and i still cant find my camera... and now he wont come near me... while i was trying to get the pic... lol.. gracie was trying to save him by runing back and forth between the legs of the chair...

I basically know nothing and everyone here has been giving me honest clear advice and i truely do appreciate it.

You need to check the males penis for hair rings on occasion, so you need to tame him.

 

[starleomach]

I agree with Dee I had my first child this year too and it has made it a lot harder with a herd of chinchillas. Adjust to your child before starting up a whole herd, I have had to hand feed several babies, on top of round the clock care of my daughter and If you work as well that doesn't leave much time. Sometimes I have a hard time staying on top of it all and I am a stay at home mom.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Dawn is right you need to get more comfortable holding him - you might have to handfeed or give medication or check for hair rings and you would need to be confident you can do so. They don't like it, but they can become acclimated to it. I give my adults a safe treat after I have to hold them for whatever "mean" reason, like checking a breeding collar or moving them to a new cage. That seems to make it less awful for them because they begin associating it with a treat. I don't do these things multiple times a day so no overdosing on treats.

Also, you want to make sure you are holding them properly - he may be freaking out if you are attempting to hold him around his rib cage. Chins are prey animals and something holding them tightly around their middle invites panic. The proper way is to hold by the base of the tail (you can even hold them upside down it doesn't hurt them if you do it by the base) about 1" from their backside. Too close and you will cause him to slip fur and if you aren't paying attention they can kick out of your hands and too far down the tail and you can cause damage to the tail.

Now that you have them by the base of the tail with one hand, take your other hand/arm and support them flat from below. if they get squirmy just lift them up by the base of the tail and reposition them.

I think there is a video somewhere if you do a search...

You will also want to practice burritoing him in a hand towel in case you need to give medication or handfeed. It's similar to swaddling an infant.

I think there is a video for this also...

 

[Ash]

I agree with Kristy on waiting until after you have the baby and adjust to live with him/her before starting up a breeding program. I only had 8 chins, but it was still difficult and unfair to my guys that I spent so much less time with them than before. Good luck if you do decide to start up your herd and take the time now to learn about quality so you start off on the right foot and enjoy your two boys for now.

 

[chechinchillas]

I got into breeding after falling in love and fascination with the species. They are so beautiful, intelligent and comical. I love to watch them interact with each other. I love how they all have different personalites, how their paws are more like little hands with fingers. My advice is take it slow. Learn what quality is first before buying anything else. When you are ready to buy be super picky. It is very easy to be just be so excited when going to buy a chin that you overlook breeding flaws. Go to a reputable breeder and have a list of qualities to look for. Do they have the blue hue color?, dense fur?, are they blocky including their neck?, do they have good size?, is the veiling on their back solid from rump to nose?, is their belly white? (except anything with the ebony gene will have a darker belly), etc. Also of course make sure they have clear eyes that do not water and no drooling from the jaw. Check their neck all around to make sure there are not any lumps too. Check the jaw underneath to make sure the tooth roots are not growing down past the jaw bone. Take your time and really look the animal over before buying. There is so much involved in breeding, so much time. The babies are wonderful, but deliveries that go wrong where you lose the mother or babies or both are heart breaking. I truly love it, but honestly there are days that can be devestating. You can give them the best quality of everything and things can still go wrong. Be prepared and have money set aside for vet bills too. It is a very big step, really think it over and educate yourself before deciding. Visit a breeder and have them go over all of the ins and outs too. The shows are definitely a great learning tool. I am not trying to discourage you, there is just alot more to it than it seems and I want to be honest. I do love it.

 

[cookjl124]

I dont have a problem holding gracie he doesnt like it but he forgives easily. and ever since i held yoda to check his goods he wont come to me. hes just pouting i guess. I actually didnt know i could pick him up by the tail... that was a definate first. but i will change how i hold them. I would love to hold them all the time but i can tell they dont really like it. they really prefer to walk on us when we are laying in their enclousure. yeah there front paws are like hands.... the way the pick up their pellets... then put them down to choose another... i kinda think gracie is misses the tv... he use to watch it when we had them in the living room with us in our previous place. maybe ill get a small cage and put it upstairs so they can hang with me in the living room. ok speaking of chins time to go let them out to play