Trying to get Non-proven Females to Breed

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mark miller

mark miller

Miller Chinchillas
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
249
Location
Seward, Nebraska
I was recently lucky enough to get back several of my original breeding stock females from another breeder. The problem is there are 5 or 6 that are between 2-4 years old and have not yet produced. They are completely healthy as far as appearance and diet. I have tried using both GNRH (Cystorelin) and Lutalyse injections to induce ovulation and coordinate cycles. But, even that has not worked on these 5 or 6. I am working with a vet friend that has also raised chinchillas for many years like me. I was just wondering if anyone had any success with older non-proven females getting them to breed and what they've used. Peggy, Amanda, Becky I'd like to hear your input as well as anyone else who has researched or had luck in challenging cases with chinchilla reproduction.
 
Not one of the ones you asked for specifically, but so far I have had really good luck getting older non-breeding/non-proven females to breed. So far what has worked best for me is to put them in a colony with a fast breeding male and at least one female that is proven. After their first litter I can then move them to a male that better suits their strengths and weaknesses and they do just fine. Sometimes I can get them going just being paired with a fast male, but a larger colony cage with shelves and other company seems to work the best. I have gotten a number of older non-proven females or ones that stopped producing from Rod Read and Bowen's and have had good luck. The oldest I have gotten started so far was 6 when I got her and she had been with 3 different males and never produced. She is just now weaning her 3rd litter from me. In December I got an older non-proven girl from Gary that was in the Shoots herd, she is 10 and no litters to date, hopefully I will get a litter or two out of her. She may be pregnant now, little bit early to tell though. Good luck with your girls, hopefully they get going easily and give you some nice kits.
 
I have been considering trying a colony set up with these girls. We used to take all of our non-producing females and put them in colony cages with proven males and females. We had very limited success with them though. Usually, it was only the proven female that got bred. I forgot to mention that I also am currently using a seaweed pellet supplement with all my breeders. I did get 1 2006 female non-producer to have her first litter since I started with the supplement.
 
I've had very good luck with non producers in large colony cages with a good proven male. I think the exercise and the other females hormones might give the heat cycle a kick start. I've had 4 out of 5 produce before a year like this. With the last one pregnant just over a year, still yet to produce but pregnant.

Melanie
 
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I pair them up. I get slow breeders from other folks who haven't produced in a year and sometimes 2 or 3 years, put them in a cage with a male, and they produce for me. I've also had gotten some older gals from Ryerson's, 5-6 years old who have never produced, put them in pairs with males and had the same results. I have males who can produce with darn near any female. They may not be the perfect match for the nonbreeding female, but generally once you get them started you put them with the male you want them to breed with.

Swab them out and leave them with a male and see if that works for you. I think with the male only focusing on the one female, they go at it like bunnies. :)
 
Back in the 1970's there was a feed called seafeed that a couple of large chinchilla ranchers started using. Within one years time their production doubled and the mothers were producing and raising more multiples in their litters. The company went under and the feed disappeared. A couple years ago a few chinchilla breeders came across a seaweed micro-nutrient pellet sold by a company called Source. They started feeding it as a suppliment in small quantity to their breeders and all reported a increase in baby production and females raising triplets on their own. I started using it daily in November with 21 breeding females and by March had found breeding plugs on 14 of them.
 
Mark, I do about what Peg does with reasonable success. I get a "get 'em done" male...even if he doesn't compliment them he'll get them started breeding. I then put them in a short run (no more than 3 females) and swab them out before putting them in breeding. I've noticed on some of the older "virgins" their vaginas are darn near sealed shut...and if I were a male chin I'd have bent my male parts trying to breed them. So the swabbing also helps to open them up in a manner. I've never had a problem getting an older "non-producer" to breed really. Which is why, while hesitant, I do not shy away from the scenario.
 
I have quite a few older girls in my herd that I've gotten from Furball, Bowen and even a few from the Shoots herd. I've had no problem getting them started as I have a couple males here that will breed anything that comes close enough to them. Heck, my one male knocked up all three of his unproven females in a month and all but one had multiples. I've done colonies but just using a male that can produce like wildfire has gotten a lot of non-breeding females started here. Most of what I get has not bred for 3 or more years.
 
I started using Source 3 years ago, and with 15 females produced 45 kits. Overwhelmed with youngsters in my small herd, I took the breeders off the Source. Down to 28 kits. Demand for show animals has been high, the herd is back on Source! :)

Another technique that has been effective in many instances is the nutritional flushing idea from one of the old chinchilla fur farming books. I'd have to look up the specifc title & page at home. I envision the group of females going through the nutritional flushing process, being placed on Source, then being place in a colony with a VERY proven male. Those girls could be waddling around pregnant in no time, LOL!
 
I put my slower girls into colonies, I also have doen the sea weed. this year I am already at 53 babies, only 10 lost and 15 females still to go. All of last year I had 93 for the year.
 
The Source is a well known horse supplement, so look for it at some of the horse supply stores.
 
how much do you give per chin?? Also since my chins are either in pairs or colonies what happens if the male eats it?? Do you stop feeding it once the female delivers??
 
VolunteerChin22 said:
What is the seaweed pellet supposed to do?
Click to expand...
ticklechin said:
I second this!
Click to expand...

It is supposed to increase number of kits born and number of kits in each litter.

Caution must be taken when feeding chins any supplemental nutrition. If given too much seaweed a female may deliver more kits than her body can nutritionally care for. She may be more prone to breedback and after being exposed to a male she may become pregnant again before her body is ready for another pregnancy.

Only very small amounts of the seaweed should be given. I encourage anyone considering using it to do some research prior to using it.
 
I'm going to back up Cathy on this and say that people should be cautious before jumping on board. I have a mental picture of every backyard breeder in the country rubbing their hands together saying "GOODIE, MORE KITS LESS CHINS!" As with anything you offer your chins, be SURE of what you're giving before you just throw it in the cage willy nilly.
 
It's also necessary to be careful with seaweed due to the iodine content. I give one pellet per animal per day by hand. Unlike some breeders, I have not had larger litters just more consistent conception & I do not allow breed backs. However, I do not select for females that seem genetically predisposed to large litters which may contribute to my consistent litters of twins. One breeder did mention to me more triplets & quads, though the moms were raising the litters well. I shudder at triplets & quads! Bring on the singles & twins! I like how they grow & show! ;)

Definitely do your own research & consider carefully whether a kelp or seaweed product is appropriate for your own chins!
 
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