Shout Out To All You SERIOUS Ebony Breeders

[Vyxxin]

SO, I've been dabbling in ebony for about a year and a half now. I haven't got to show any because my first litter (of two) the one I wanted to show and keep got seriously mutilated by her brother. I hope to show my first ebony this year. My ebony WHITES I did show last year and took res.sec.champ. I intend to show one of those as well this season. That all said I'm looking for some input from other EBONY BREEDERS. The reason I'm asking is because I have a small ebony line (yes, ONE single line) and I'm trying to find out how to arrange it so that kits will be marketable to breeders. SO:

How do you choose ebony animals to bring into your lines?

Do you choose based solely by breeder, solely by the animals show placing, or simply by the animal right in front of you?

How much weight does the mutations in the lines have on your decision to purchase? For example, do you prefer ebony x standard every generation (or every other)? Will seeing lots of mutations in the line be a turn off? Do you give credit to the quality of said mutations within the lines? Is there a specific mutation that will automatically make you run the other way (for example, beige in an ebony line)?

I have very limited ebony, but I try to make it quality. I don't find that ebony has huge demand on the pet market in my area. Especially high quality ebony. So I'm hoping to create nice animals that other breeders would find interest in. Thanks for the input!

 

[CTChin]

If you go to Nationals or the Penn show, look for Cheryl (poetrue chinchillas). We have had a couple of long talks about ebonies and you would be surprised what she knows just from talking to ranchers over the years.

 

[Pookinaround]

I may still be considered a newbie but I was willing to drive a pretty decent distance to snatch up Lauren's ebs a while ago... One placed VERY well and the other was bred by Ritterspach... so I guess it is a mixture of both. On the other hand I like Juanita's ebs a lot too. The ones I have gotten from her have been young but her lines have a REALLY good track record and that to me speaks volumes and I am fine with buying them young from her and rolling the dice. I personally like to see light to dark and dark to standard pairings. I also agree with Brenda. I have talked to Poetrue Cheryl extensively about ebs and violets and she would be a great one to talk to about the low down nitty gritty...

 

[CTChin]

There's Wendy T also.

 

[Pookinaround]

I forgot to mention that the particular animal itself is veeeeery important to me above all... It either has that certain umph or it doesn't... So I really don't think you can pinpoint one particular thing...you have to look at the total package.

 

[Vyxxin]

IDK, for me, I look at the total package. But say I have a beautiful black velvet in front of me. She placed GSC, very pretty, good animal, good price. I have another black velvet female in front of me. She's a good looking girl, took a 1st place and is the same price. The only difference is that the GSC has ebony within the first three generations. I'd buy the 1st place bv hands down because I avoid ebony in my black velvet lines. That's what I'm looking to find out, how do OTHER breeders choose the animals to add to their herd I know what *I* look for, in any mutation. Lines, traits, etc. But, for ebony breeders, what are YOU looking for. What would make you buy MY ebony vs. other or what would make you NOT buy MY ebony vs. others?

Oh, and I know Cheryl She's actually got a few RAF animals lurking in her herd But I may have to set down with her at the banquet and talk ebonies. I just don't want to breed nice ebonies that are only marketable to the pet trade...as it'd be a huge waste IMO.

 

[Vyxxin]

Okay, so after reading my post to my other half perhaps it's a big confusing What I'm trying to find out is from ebony breeders what are YOU looking for in an ebony animal you intend to purchase or what are you NOT looking for?

I'm not asking HOW to breed a nice ebony. I'm hoping to get that one on my own, and if not THEN to work it out with other breedres. I'm simply wanting to know what could make my animal desireable to any given ebony breeder. For example, Breeder X works with ebonies. They're looking to add another run to their herd so need females. They can get ebony from three different breeders at show. What will make MY animal stand out as the right choice for their herd? I know the answer will be different for every herd. For example, if Breeder X is lacking size in their ebony lines and my ebonies have the size and the other two don't...that makes my ebonies the right choice. Or maybe they don't like to see black velvets in their ebony lines and my ebonies have been crossed with black velvets. That automatically discounts my animals use to them.

I know every time we breed any chinchilla the goal should be the overall package, but I know also there are things outside of immediate physical appearance that factors into breeding as well. If I have two mosaics in front of me, both first place animals, both the same price. One is Ryerson lines and the other Rolfe lines, I'd buy the Rolfe animal hands down. Why? Not because Ryerson doesn't have awesome animals, but because Rolfe animals cross very well into my herd. That's what I want to know. On an individual basis, what are YOU looking for when you decide to purchase an ebony animal?

 

[Pookinaround]

At the moment I would like to find one with GREAT blue/black coloring...but again that wouldn't be the only thing I would consider...

 

[Encantadora]

When I had some, I chose based on show placing and what I saw in front of me. I also picked breeders I trusted since I was new to ebs. I liked med eb to dark or ex dark but was only breeding 1 generation. I had a mosaic eb white girl in the mix to.

 

[Vyxxin]

Eb whites are beautiful, my ebony line is entirely paired to my reserve sec. champ. ebony white male right now. Like I said though, just one ebony run. Don't want to dabble too much LOL!

 

[Spoof]

YOU looking for in an ebony animal you intend to purchase or what are you NOT looking for?

I look for a fur type and it comes along with a blue/black shiny hue that when thrown on whites makes them extremely blue. This can be on any color, I am not specific to ebonies.

What I am not looking for - great tans. A tan that places well at show will do terrible in my ebony line. To get that nice brown you need red. My super dark tans/chocolates look dove grey. There is a thread on here where I show a tan white next to a white violet and they aren't too far off hue wise.

There is more money to be made here selling cute babies than keeping an animal to show. It just takes the right person wanting a specific color and they'll pay a lot to get it. When I do go to shows or other herds I buy solely based on what I see on the animal that day. I do make sure it doesn't have certain lines in it's background but otherwise that is it.

 

[Chin_Pig]

I dislike when there is a lot of 'carriers' involved especially when you find a nice dark ebony but its a possible VC, I don't want it. I only have 3 ebonies one male and 2 females and have had 1 litter, a std. eb carrier. I showed her at Heartland in January as a standard and had absolutely no remarks on her belly. With her I am in a dilemma {of sorts} because she is from two ebonies and she looks like a nice grey, and I have no male ebonies I could breed her to. I will most likely keep her (as a pet) unless I find an ebony breeder interested in her but I will be showing her next year (probably not at nationals because she is still quite young) That is the first thing I look at when looking at animals. There are so many people already breeding violets, sapphires, and now blue diamonds, that I think I need not dabble in these mutations till I feel I am confident and ready to work with them.

 

[Vyxxin]

That's actually a good point, I don't like v/c, s/c in ANY of my colors. IMO, it's unnecessary genetics if you're not actively wishing to work with them. I'm not. Can't say I won't ever but I honestly do not like those colors. Period. So very valid point! Thanks.