Breeding Question!!

[ScarlettSugoi]

I own a 6-7 month old black velvet male

And my best friend has a 10 month old TOV Pink/White female

We want to breed them but are not sure if we can.

Some sites we researched said no, some said it was okay, some said you could do it but it is bad.

Help me out, fill me in.



Thank you!

 

[aznmexaggie]

Firstly, why do you want to breed?

If both animals are not pedigreed and you don't know what qualities they possess or how to assess quality in a chinchilla, they should not be bred.

Also, FYI, the TOV gene has a lethal factor meaning if a sperm and egg both carrying the TOV gene united, that kit would not be born. It amounts to an average 25% decrease in the number of offspring.

The only chinchilla that should be bred should have a pedigree, be free of malo, fur chewing or other genetic defects in its lines, is of good quality (good density, clarity, veiling, conformation, etc.), and is paired with a mate that will complement it and have the potential to produce quality offspring. Anything other than that is irresponsible breeding.

 

[CTChin]

I checked your little guy out and it was a bit hard to tell from the one pic I saw but he looks pet quality. But he is still young. Please don't be insulted...I have several pet quality chins myself and I love them

My recommendation if you are intent on breeding is to stick around, find a mentor, attend chins shows (if you can) and then slowly choose some breeding quality chinchillas. Have someone help you and explain the difference between pet and show quality. A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of showing someone the difference between the two and I could see the lightbulb go off in her head as they figured it out by comparing the two.

Along with beauty, a good breeder will strive for temperament, sturdiness and health.

 

[saphire]

I agree with sumiko and brenda.
You don't want to breed TOV due to the lethal factor and without a pedigree. You are taking a big chance at having kits that may or will have health issues. So, not worth the heartachs it will bring YOU. That is besides the complications you may have during pregnancy and delivery.
Therefore, enjoy the chance we have of having knowledgable people on this forum that guide us towards a serious and responsable breeding experience.

Hope you will take the advice from all into consideration. ;0)

 

[alli713]

Another thing is, how do you know your chins will get along? One of them could seriously get hurt while breeding. And the girl chin could potentially end up dying during labor, or due to a complication from labor.

Many people say not to breed your pet chins because of how much you love them. Would you or your friend want to loose your pet just because you wanted them to have a couple babies? I don't think it's worth it. Might as well just buy a baby chin if you want a young chin..

 

[sublime5981]

Just to add to what has already been said, I think that 10 months is too young to be bred. Also, didn't your chin have a problem with fur chewing? It isn't recommended to breed chins that fur chew as it could be genetic.

The process of breeding isn't quick either. One of you would be without a chin for quite some time. For example, I bought two chins in late April. In late May (after quarantine) I moved them into a split cage so they were side by side. I switched them back and forth each week for a month. In late June they were successfully introduced. The female didn't get pregnant until early Sept. In my case it took about 4 1/2 months and even though I saw the mating I still couldn't be sure the female was pregnant until sometime in Nov. Sometimes you can't tell until you find a kit walking around. For me that would have been an 8 month wait.