my girl might be pregnant.

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Easterpiggy

Easterpiggy

Master of the Fuzzies
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Messages
302
Location
St. Paul, MN
I have read all the F.A.Q's n breeding and babies. I have been told that the male that I introduced her to is sterile, but it didn't look that way when he was mounting her. My girl might be pregnant. Just in case I would like all the info. how do I tell?? what do I do now??:wacko: I have marked the calendar and I am going out tomorrow and getting a scale. I need the guidence of the forum please help me.:)
 
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Sterility is different from desire. An animal can still mount and go through the motions even if sterile. Sometimes they are trying to show dominance. However, what did the person mean when he/she said the chin was sterile? That he was neutered or that he just hasn't gotten a female pregnant? Some chins may spend a long time with one chin and never get her pregnant and then, when put with another chin, get that one pregnant.
 
I agree, how did that person know he was sterile? Did they have him neutered? If not, and he just didn't make kits with a female he was in with, could mean that he just did make any kits with that female. It's happened plenty of times with breeders, they get rid of a male for not performing, and then the change of scenery gets them to produce.

I would never introduce a male to a female unless I knew with 110% certainty that he was neutered.
 
I agree with chinniecrew - unless with multiple females, sterility isn't proven!
Shooting "blanks" doesn't mean no shooting!
Guess you'll find out in 111 days!
 
Sterility is never proven, as far as I am concerned, without castration. I had a boy who was with 8 different females over a 5 year period. Never did a single thing. I sent him to T's, along with a female who had been in breeding for 8 years with not a single kit, and guess what? I had this female with THE most prolific males in my herd and nothing. These are the guys I use when nobody else can get the job done. Put her with Jinx and apparently the chemistry was just right.

Never assume an animal is sterile unless he's been castrated or, at the very least, has been palpated to see if he has testicles. I have had that before. No testicles means nothings going to be happening.
 
Even a neutered male will still mount a female. Can you ask the previous owner if he was actually neutered, or if he just didnt produce any babies.... I have a male here I got for a low price because he was supposedly sterile. He's produced 3 litters since coming here.
~Barb~
 
Until you're certain the male has been neutered, I'd seperate the pair. Make sure the female is in a baby safe cage (preferrably a one level, with no more than 1x1/2" mesh on the walls & ceiling of the cage). If you dont already have a gram scale, pick one up soon. You can usually find them in the kitchen or office sections of places like Walmart, Target, even Office Max & Radio Shack. (I got a very accurate digital scale for around $20-25).

Weigh your gal every week, and keep track to see if she's got a steady weight gain. As with any chinchilla, make sure she has a supply of pellets & hay at all times, and fresh water. From here on, its just a waiting game to see if she has kits or not. Count forward on your calendar 120 days (to allow in case she goes past her due date), then just sit back and wait. There isnt really much else you can do at this point.
~Barb~
 
I was prepared for the possibility of kits just in case he was not sterile. the owner told me that he was in breeding for a long time and never produced a kit. the females he was with had all had litters before meeting him. so it was presumed he was sterile. I dont think he was castrated, because he has testicles (big ones) I met the previous owner through a friend and me and the friend arent that close any more. (we lost contact) so I don't have the previous owners number to call her. I think that covers all I have been asked. Unless I am wrong which I frequently am apperently.
 
Gosh don't be suceptible ;)

You got complety of good advice. Just make sure the environement is safe and you can start hand feed anytime as it can go wrong anytime. Have an emergency vet's phone number ready for C section or other just in case. Separate male and female NOW.
 
Ditto the sterility comments. I had received a bonded m/f pair that were together for five years without a kit. The female gave birth to a stillborn a few months after being here. Sometimes all it takes is a change of environment to "get the job done."

Just read over the other information you've been given and be ready. Get a baby-safe cage just in case, and keep them seperated unless you get the male neutered.
 
Very true just diff sex here but just had a female litter for me that never littered for the previous owner..
 
I have another question. How fast does a pregnant chinchilla gain weight?? I am just curious because Hera is about 7 months old so she is still growing. when I weighed her on the 23rd she was 497g. and today the 28th she is 500g. Is that normal weight gain for a growing girl or a pregnant one??:hmm:
 
I don't think that that would indicate anything. Chins can go up and down a few grams just naturally. Most of the time the weight gain doesn't occur until the last six weeks or so of the pregnancy. They will gain during the first couple of months, but it's very slow but still steady. One day they just start gaining weight like crazy, usually 5 to 6 weeks or so before the babies come. Of course, there are some mama chins that never seem to change and have their little surprise babies out of nowhere.
 
She's still a relatively young chin so she could also just be growing. I hope for her sake she's not pregnant, so she can use her energy for growing herself, not nurturing kits.
 
If your chin is only 7 months old, I would deffinetly seporate them. She is too young to be in with a male. All that energy needs to be put to growing, not babies.
 
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