Avoiding Breed Backing

[Lolaris]

I raise and breed chinchillas on a hobby level. I have been cautious to avoid breed backing, and house my females is separate cages than male when I am not breeding them. One of my female chinchillas was separated from the male the same day she had her 2 little kits, but alas, she ended up with 2 new babies today. Unexpected and troubling. I know that breed backing is no good for the female and I tend to give several months between pairing my females with males. How do other people ensure breed backing does not happen. It is often difficult to tell if your female is pregnant. Just looking for good solid advise to avoid this situation in the future.

Thank you

 

[Becky]

The only way to do it is to remove the male at least 3 days before birth. Since you can't usually tell when a female will deliver, it can be a problem.

When a female is fairly far along in her pregnancy, you can tell if you look for her nipples. They will be larger and begin to fill with milk. Remove the male as soon as you have a pretty good idea that she is pregnant.

One breed back shouldn't hurt her, as long as she is healthy to begin with.

 

[shuboyje]

Agreed, it is good that you are concerned about responsible breeding practices, but a otherwise healthy female can handle one breed back no problem. Don't beat yourself up over it.

 

[chinsNdobermans]

As long as she is healthy she will be okay with just this one breed back. Don't beat yourself up over it, just try to separate sooner if you can to avoid it in the future. Doing it when you are reasonably sure she is pregnant (like, when you feel kits kicking etc) is a good method, like Becky mentioned.

 

[saphire]

I separate them approx. 3-4 weeks before labour.
When I see that she is gaining weight on a regular basis, I cup my hand under her stomach and I notice/feel the change in the size and roundness. I start feeling tiny heads... I check regularly say 2-3 days at that point and eventually you feel the head close to her genitals. Thats a definite sign that it's going to be their soon. (2-3 days approx depending on the female)

 

[Ippo456]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is "breed backing"?
A female chin can get pregnant again after she has given birth AND the male has been removed right before the female goes into labor?

 

[Bethany]

It is when he is left in there and she gets bred right back.

 

[saphire]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is "breed backing"?
A female chin can get pregnant again after she has given birth AND the male has been removed right before the female goes into labor?

Breed backing, is a female who has just gotten her kits can get impregnanted by the male if not separated (which good breeders do not want) but things happen, we don't always have control.
It has been seen for a male to impregnante a female thru cage bars. A gap between cages is a good idea, but that all depends on how the breeder is settled it is not always possible.