Hi everyone im looking bring home a baby ebony chinchilla into our family but i am unsure of what to expect from a breeder. I have done my research and have purchased the proper equipment for a chinchilla and i also have a designated area for the little guy. Luckily there is also an exotic pet hospital 2 min away from my home if i walk (literally) the only thing missing now is the chinchilla itself. What i want to know is how the process with a breeder works. What all will i need to provide them in order to purchase a chinchilla? Will i need to provide credentials or fill out paperwork or do they just require the payment? Please reply as soon as possible. Thanks
What to expect from a breeder?
- Thread starter lesaldana
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That depends on the breeder. If you go to a large rancher you will need cash and a carrier to take your chin home. If you go to a rescue, they will make you jump through hoops and fill out forms. If you go to a hobbyist, they may or may not make you jump through hoops with forms and questionnaires. There's no way to know for sure until you choose who you are going to talk to.
greychins
NWI Chinchillas
I think Tunes pretty much said it all, but I wanted to elaborate a little. I've bought from large ranchers and I've bought from hobby breeders. With the large ranchers, it was pretty much hand over the money and you get your chin. The hobby breeders I've dealt with, some have required a simple form or two, some haven't.
As a personal example - we do rescue work, so we see our fair share of people wanting to adopt a chin. We require that our potential adoptive homes read our care packet and fill out an adoption form which asks questions about chinchilla care and the type of cage they have, type of food they plan on feeding, etc. Usually, the potential adoptive family has read the care packet and filled out the form (gets emailed to them and back) before they come to pick up a chin. The exception is when people want to come and decide if they want a chin - but then, those people still cannot leave with a chin without filling out the adoption form.
Assuming someone's emailed us and has read our care packet and filled out our adoption form to our satisfaction, they then come over, pick out their chin/supplies. They then have a pickup form they have to sign, which has the chinchilla's info on it (color, name, dob, sex, age, weight), basically agreeing that they're adopting that specific chinchilla, and we both sign the form. Then, lastly, since we're now on Petfinder, they require that we have an adoption contract that's completely separate from the adoption form, so we also have a 1 page adoption contract that basically states that the person will care for the chinchilla humanely, give it food/water, provide necessary vet care, yadda yadda, and return it to us if they cannot keep it... and they have to sign that. And THEN they can take the chinchilla home.
I prefer if people bring a carrier to bring their chinchilla home in. I really hate boxes for long car rides, and when we get people coming from 2 hours away.... they're not leaving with a chin in a box. However, the people who do live close... I will give them a box if they don't have a carrier to take their chin home in.
It sounds complicated... but in reality, I don't think it's all that bad.... I really do think that the people who really have the best interests of the chin at heart won't have a problem filling out a little paperwork.
As a personal example - we do rescue work, so we see our fair share of people wanting to adopt a chin. We require that our potential adoptive homes read our care packet and fill out an adoption form which asks questions about chinchilla care and the type of cage they have, type of food they plan on feeding, etc. Usually, the potential adoptive family has read the care packet and filled out the form (gets emailed to them and back) before they come to pick up a chin. The exception is when people want to come and decide if they want a chin - but then, those people still cannot leave with a chin without filling out the adoption form.
Assuming someone's emailed us and has read our care packet and filled out our adoption form to our satisfaction, they then come over, pick out their chin/supplies. They then have a pickup form they have to sign, which has the chinchilla's info on it (color, name, dob, sex, age, weight), basically agreeing that they're adopting that specific chinchilla, and we both sign the form. Then, lastly, since we're now on Petfinder, they require that we have an adoption contract that's completely separate from the adoption form, so we also have a 1 page adoption contract that basically states that the person will care for the chinchilla humanely, give it food/water, provide necessary vet care, yadda yadda, and return it to us if they cannot keep it... and they have to sign that. And THEN they can take the chinchilla home.
I prefer if people bring a carrier to bring their chinchilla home in. I really hate boxes for long car rides, and when we get people coming from 2 hours away.... they're not leaving with a chin in a box. However, the people who do live close... I will give them a box if they don't have a carrier to take their chin home in.
It sounds complicated... but in reality, I don't think it's all that bad.... I really do think that the people who really have the best interests of the chin at heart won't have a problem filling out a little paperwork.
ticklechin
Well-known member
I think it hurts rescues to be such roids about all the forms and third degree, JMO. People lie, period and those forms and third degree can put off a legit owner who rather than deal with all the pucky goes to a pet store. The forms are not enforceable by law in many states and those that are the rescues don't follow through other than to complain on forums about the bad adoptors.
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AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
Most people, who really should be adopting a chinchilla, appreciate that breeders or rescues care enough to ask questions and be thorough. As far as I know it's never put off anyone wanting a chin from me. In fact, I've had more people say that they were happy to answer questions than people that were displeased in someway. That's the good people. The people who shouldn't have them get angry and yell and tell me they don't like air conditioning or refuse to use it. It's my choice where those chinchillas end up.
Contracts people sign are actually enforceable because they show an agreement between two parties. Just like any other contract that people agree to in life. In my state verbal contracts are enforceable up to $300 or $400 in a small claims court. People do lie and that's why a contract is necessary usually. If they weren't enforceable, neither would any other contract between two parties for the sale of anything else.
Contracts people sign are actually enforceable because they show an agreement between two parties. Just like any other contract that people agree to in life. In my state verbal contracts are enforceable up to $300 or $400 in a small claims court. People do lie and that's why a contract is necessary usually. If they weren't enforceable, neither would any other contract between two parties for the sale of anything else.
ticklechin
Well-known member
In California like alot of states, in small claimes court you cannot sue for specific performance, only monitary damages-meaning you can't sue to get the chinchilla back nor can you sue for a person breeding a chinchilla, only money can you sue for. That is why here its useless to have someone sign a contract they need to bring the chinchilla back or cannot breed the chinchilla.
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
If that's the case, assign a monetary value to the chin and if the contract is broken sue for the money.
ticklechin
Well-known member
Not sure how that helps the chin, that is why these contracts don't work. If you assign a value of say 75.00 for the chin, how many rescues are going to spend a 1/2 day in court during the week to collect on that small amount of money and the chin is still sold on CL or bred. Make it more money and the person can just go to the pet store without all the hassles.
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AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
Most people would rather give up the chin than give up the money. If they are told that it will be x amount of dollars should they break the contract, they may think twice and return the animals.
I would spend the day in court. Just like I would spend the day in the car going to pick up chinchillas that need to come back. It's not about the money or anything else, it's that I want the chins to be safe.
I've had many people call me wanting chins because they don't want to go to the petstores. Anyone else is free to do what they want. My chins go to where I want them to go. If people want to lie and be stupid with the chins, that is their problem. This may mean that I end up having to keep chins here for longer until I can find the right person to take them.
My contract has been very effective, actually. I'm glad that I have some agreement with people or I would be completely out of luck and the chins would die in bad homes. At this point I am not giving up on doing a good job and I am going to give up on the chins! If people lie, that's their problem and it won't be because I didn't give it my all. I spend time with new customers, I ask questions, I have an agreement with them and I stay in contact with them. I don't just wash my hands of the chins once they are gone.
I would spend the day in court. Just like I would spend the day in the car going to pick up chinchillas that need to come back. It's not about the money or anything else, it's that I want the chins to be safe.
I've had many people call me wanting chins because they don't want to go to the petstores. Anyone else is free to do what they want. My chins go to where I want them to go. If people want to lie and be stupid with the chins, that is their problem. This may mean that I end up having to keep chins here for longer until I can find the right person to take them.
My contract has been very effective, actually. I'm glad that I have some agreement with people or I would be completely out of luck and the chins would die in bad homes. At this point I am not giving up on doing a good job and I am going to give up on the chins! If people lie, that's their problem and it won't be because I didn't give it my all. I spend time with new customers, I ask questions, I have an agreement with them and I stay in contact with them. I don't just wash my hands of the chins once they are gone.
Spoof
Kung Fu Chinny!
Tunes covered it, but I'd like to add a very important consideration for a pet owner.
Make sure you play with the chins, handle them like you would expect one that you owned to be handled. Don't be afraid to touch for fear they won't like you or that they "aren't supposed to be held". They come in a rainbow of personalities, likes and dislikes. The worst thing you can do is take the first cute one you see and not be 100% happy. Mine run the gamut from being lazy lap chins to supersonic ricocheting balls of fur. Some can be carried around and cuddled the first day, will love you and beg like they've known you their entire lives. Others are more standoffish and some people like that. As a breeder I can usually tell who wants one they can hold over someone who wants entertainment and not so much interaction. More often than not the chin picks the person - I've had chins that hide in the tubes when people are around come sit on stranger's laps. They really are quite picky.
) Good luck!
