Folded ears- genetic?

[Subeta]

We bought our two chinchillas in July of last year, and being new parents, we were trying to find an easy way to tell them apart. We noticed pretty early on that one of them has normal chinchilla ears, and one of them has ears that are folded and crumpled. At first, we thought she might be overheating, but the thermostat never went above 68 degrees, and her sister never had problems with the heat. A year and 3 months later, I finally decide to ask- is this normal, just a genetic "flaw" kind of thing? The lady we bought them from is a breeder, and we got these two girls for a steal- I was thinking maybe we got them for a discount because the ears on her are "undesirable," but I have no idea why the other would have been included for so cheap.

http://imageshack.us/a/img30/6647/htjb.jpg

Bijou, on the left, is perfectly happy and healthy, dispite her unusual ears. Luna, her litter-mate sister on the right, has normal-shaped ears, and is just as happy and healthy as her sister.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

It's very possible that her ears were crumpled during the birthing process, particularly if she was a breach. I have seen other chins who have a crumpled ear or part of their tail missing or a toe or two missing as a result of a more difficult birth and the mom pulling the baby out.

 

[Subeta]

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/8510/68cr.jpg

 

[Subeta]

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/8510/68cr.jpg

 

[Dreamlite]

That can be due to birthing like already said or a fight with a cagemate. That doesn't affect the pricing on chins usually.

 

[Subeta]

Right, but the breeder we bought them from raises them specifically for show. If you run a show chinchilla ranch, what use would you have for one with a physical "flaw" that would be noticed by a judge right away?
Either way, the way we see it, we got a great price on two wonderful additions to our family, and they got to take each other into a big step into a new life. Maybe Bijou's ears were the reason for getting rid of her, and she bonded with Luna, or the breeder thought it would be unfair to have her taken away and be all alone. Whatever the reasons, I'm just glad we got the two most wonderful chinchillas we could have asked for.

 

[threewingedfury]

Right, but the breeder we bought them from raises them specifically for show. If you run a show chinchilla ranch, what use would you have for one with a physical "flaw" that would be noticed by a judge right away?

Ears don't matter for show. Doesn't matter if they're tattered, torn or missing, as long as it doesn't disrupt the fur.

 

[ljiayi]

First of all I don't think it is of any health concerned. Secondly, I also had a chin that had folded ears, but I soon realise that it was probably because of the new environment that caused it. After she got used to us perhaps 1-2 months in, she was comfortable and both her ears were standing again. Below are the two pictures, before and after

 

[kickster]

First of all I don't think it is of any health concerned. Secondly, I also had a chin that had folded ears, but I soon realise that it was probably because of the new environment that caused it. After she got used to us perhaps 1-2 months in, she was comfortable and both her ears were standing again. Below are the two pictures, before and after

Hate I get off track, but I see some kind of plexi glass cage??

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

Ears don't matter for show. Doesn't matter if they're tattered, torn or missing, as long as it doesn't disrupt the fur.

This is true.

 

[Zoaea]

If they were really bonded well I know some people rather sell a pair at discount than break them up. =) I think folded ears are cute. Mine do that usually when they are sleepy and all snuggled together. ^.^

 

[ljiayi]

It's acrylic apparently. But those are old pictures. I'm currently using a wired cage...

GARY'S CAGE

 

[Chinluvah101]

My chin often has folded ears in the morning because he tends to sleep on them funny. It usually goes away by midday but maybe something similar happened when the chin was born

 

[nikkik0720]

My boys will get 'lazy ears'. Depending on the way they lay when they sleep, they almost always wake up with at least 1 lazy ear. It's pretty cute to see one (sometimes even both) with both ears flopped, sometimes more 'lazy' than the other.
This only ever lasts a few minutes, and the ears 'wake up' after the chins are up and moving more.
Willow only gets a lazy ear if she sleeps with her head hanging off the side of her one wood ledge.