*~*Sexing, Breeding Chins, & Care Of Kits*~*

Sexing
Sexing a chinchilla can be very simple once learned. Often a pet shop or inexperienced breeder will sell you the wrong sex they have told you it is, as they have not checked properly or do not actually know. Always double-check what sex you are getting don’t be foolish enough to believe their word.
To help you check for yourself, the pictures below show the difference in each sex.
*The male chinchillas genitalia, please notice there is a distinctive gap between its rectum and sheath (penis foreskin)
*Whereas in this picture of a female chinchillas, there is clearly no gap. (Pictures by www.twitch-chinchillas.com)

Pairing Just For Pets?
If you are buying a pair of chinchillas, you wish to live in the same cage together, you should be aware that one day (if they opposite sexes) there will be babies! There are two main ways in which to avoid this:
1) Castration - this is one option I strongly discourage against, unless it is for the benefit of the males health. There are many risks involved with operating on such small animals, I am sure there are success stories, but personally I would never put my chin through such an unnecessary procedure. The main risk is the aesthetic, as chins are such small animals they loose an awful lot of body heat, then there is shock which can kill instantly or days later and of course there is always the risk of infection or complications. I would seriously look at all other options before choosing this one.
2) Same Sex Pairing - This in my opinion is the best way of avoiding unwanted kits. This can be done successfully as long as the chinchillas are introduced in the correct way. There may be occasions when fights or arguments break out, usually between males if there is a female in the same room who is in heat, but generally speaking this type of pairing can be very successful.

Pairs and Polygamous Breeding
Breeding in pairs is obviously a lovely way to have chinchillas. Also Trios is a good breeding system, one male per two females. I try to trio as many of my chins as possible. The polygamous system (also called breeding runs) is were there are a row of cages with a wire tunnel running along the back joining each cage together. It is the male chinchilla who runs along the back of this tunnel, he has full access to the females who are in each cage, via a ‘pop hole’, a hole in the tunnel in each cage. The female doesn’t have access to this tunnel as she wears a small plastic collar on her neck to keep her from entering the tunnel. I personally do not choose to use this system.

Quarantining
No matter where you get new chins from… whether it be the most respectable breeder, to your best friend. Quarantine chins from any existing chins you own for 2-3 weeks. This is hard to do I know because you are so excited to have them and they may look perfectly fine, and you got them from someone you trust. STILL DO IT! I have had one bad case of ringworm/fur fungus break out in my herd due to me not quarantining. My whole herd got it, and it took me 6 months to get rid of. I recently had another bring it in from a respected breeder but fortunately at this time I had the preventative powder in their dust and one chin got one small sign of ringworm/fur fungus and it cleared up and went away.

Introducing
I do not agree with people who suggest putting one chinchilla in a smaller cage inside the larger cage where the other chinchilla lives. Chinchillas do not like being over shadowed and one shouldn’t be made to feel dominated by the other. And a smaller cage to fit into a doorway of a larger cage must be very small and inadequate for a chin to live in.
The best way in my opinion, to introduce the perspective mates is to put them in separate cages, side by side for a few days. Make sure that they can not reach each other to take a little nibble! So far I have had fairly good luck with introductions. The younger the same sexed pair is the better *Note: Never introduce two young chinchillas of the opposite sex! Do not introduce until a decent breeding age. Or do not introduce a very young female that is not ready to breed to a adult sexually mature male.
I have had luck putting chins together immediately with extreme supervision. I put the new chin in cage his future roommate already resides in. I put the new chin on a complete opposite level of where the current roommate may be. Then you watch… There will be some serious chasing, some fur flying, and some small attacks. Don’t panic until one of the chins is crying for help and up at the cage wanting out. All the listed above is normal intro behavior. Also try putting the dust bath in the cage with them. If it gets brutal and you have to remove a chin.
Then go to step two. The current roommate already has his/her scent all over the cage. This serves as making them more territorial. Try completely cleaning the cage from top to bottom and disinfecting it. Then try putting both chins in the new clean cage at the same time. If this don’t work, then back to caging them side by side until they can learn to live together.

Sexual Maturity
Female chinchillas can become sexually mature by the age of 5 months, however they should not be bred with until they are at least 6 months and over 600 grams, do NOT attempt to breed a 6 month old chinchilla is under 600 grams. If a 6 month old is not 600+ grams, then you need to wait for when and if she does get that large before attempting to breed her. Some chinchillas don’t become fully grown until 1-1 ½ years old. If a chinchilla is left longer then a year to 18 months before being bred from, then the process can take longer, in some cases up to 2 years before having their first kits. If there are still no kits after this time, one or more of the mates may be infertile or incompatible. If this occurs you should try a different paring to get results.
A male can become sexually mature from around 6 months. But have also heard cases of very young males impregnating females at 14 weeks! Any babies your chins have must be sexed, and no longer housed together after 12 weeks old if they are opposite sexes just for extra precaution. You do NOT want your chins to inbreed! ESPECIALLY inbred that young!
A female will ovulate (come into season) every 28 days, however during the summer, March to September this process usually slows down. The peak breeding time being in the cooler months of October to February. Some females may mate for a couple of years and then all of a sudden stop producing any offspring, this is usually a result of a congested uterus from either a long term infection or unborn fetus in the uterine horns, these are kits conceived but not gone the full gestation period when this happens the female re-absorbs them back into her system, unfortunately the skeleton can remain, leaving her infertile.

Signs of Pregnancy
Usually mating will not be seen as it is done late at night or early hours of the morning. If you do see mating occurring you should be thorough in checking for a ‘plug’, if you find one you should make a note on a calendar, of 111 days from the date of finding the plug. The kits should be born plus or minus 5 days from this date. If you examine the females’ genitals you will notice that the slit between the anus and the urethra cone will be open and moist. If the female is not in heat this will be tightly closed. Sometimes the only indication that mating has occurred will be small tufts of fur on the bottom of the pairs cage.
Also a lot of successful matings are followed by the male making a “hiccup” sound. This is like he is telling other chins “yes, I have succeeded”. Finding a 'stopper’ or ‘plug’ is the best indication of mating NOT pregnancy. Often more then one will be found; the last to be found should be the date you count the 111 days from. A 'stopper’ or ‘plug’ is the male's ejaculation of a waxy substance that sets in the female's vagina to seal the opening and keep his sperm within. After a couple of hours when the sperm is safely high up the female's uterus and conception begins the 'stopper’ or ‘plug’ drops out of the female's vagina. It is usually found in the debris below the cage the following morning, when fresh, it is white, waxy mucus in a cone-like shape, it is quite bendy and flexible, about an inch to an inch and a half long. If it's older when you find it, it will have dried into a off white hazy opaque colors and will be solid. Often only parts of the 'stopper’ or ‘plug’ are found, as the female will eat it. (Yuk!) I have yet to see a plug!
*This is an example of a mate plug. (picture from www.chincare.com)
In the last few weeks of pregnancy you can sometimes see the babies moving, the female will appear larger then usually, her belly will be firm/tight feeling at this point she should only be handled when absolutely necessary and never by the tail. During the last few weeks she may appear a little withdrawn, quiet and even aggressive towards her mate, if she has a nest box, she will spend more and more time inside it. It is also in the last stages were you will find her lying on her side more frequently.
Constipation may occur, and they urinate more then usual, this is due to the pressure of the babies on her bowels and bladder. Usually after 60 days of pregnancy a females teats will become pink and enlarged. If you suspect or know when kit(s) are due it is a good idea to lay paper on the bottom of the cage so the kit(s) do not get their legs stuck through the wire, if you have a wire bottomed cage and they have no bedding to birth in. Also the female shouldn’t be given a bath 10 days before and 10 days after the birth. In the first instance this is to avoid the babies being killed by the mother rolling about in the dust and in case she decides to litter in the bath, which can kill the kit(s) if their airways are blocked from the sand and; in the second instance it is to avoid sand collecting around the teats causing difficulty for the babies to suckle and also because the female becomes open and in season again, the sand can cause infection.

Separation
The only time you should need to separate two breeding chinchillas is when a female gives birth, when this occurs the male should be removed for a period of 10 days into a separate cage, again side-by-side. This is done to avoid a ‘breed back’. When a female gives birth she comes back into heat and risks getting pregnant again. If this happens she can become worn out, and it is not good for her health. The male should pose no problems when put back in with the female and her kits, however it can happen and if it does, don’t panic! Just remove the male until the kits have been weaned at 8-10 weeks and try re-introducing him again.

Difficult Births
If the female is experiencing difficulties during birth there are unfortunately few things you can do to help. If you feel a caesarean is needed then she should be taken immediately to a vet. It is very rare you will see a birth, although so far I have seen most of mine. Mine tend to have babies around 9pm to early afternoon, but most chins tend to have their kit(s) early hours of the morning. If a breach birth occurs (tail and back feet out first) and the female is having difficulty pushing, you can help her by using a small pipette full off warm water for lubrication and very gently pulling the babies base of the tail towards the mothers nose in an upwards movement, ONLY do this when the mother pushes.
It is very important for the female to eat her afterbirth once she has finished delivering, I know it seems yucky but it contains lots of vitamins and minerals and is good for helping her strength back up. When a female is in labor, if she looks to be having no difficulties; she should be left alone quietly for a few hours. After she has eaten her after birth and cleaned herself and her babies, she should be gently inspected, checking her nipples and genitals for a tears, sores and discomfort. If all appears well you should give mother and kit(s) a little time to settle.

Hand Rearing and Baby Saving
The biggest problem new born babies face when they are born is more than two per litter because the mother has a hard time keeping the other babies warm while trying to deliver the others. If you know what the due date of your female is; it is a good idea to have a heating pad ready. These are placed under the cage on a low temperature and help dry mum and the babies but more importantly keep them all nice and warm. If babies are found to be strong and healthy but still very wet, a quick brisk rubbing with a soft towel will save time in drying and cut the chances of the baby’s chilling.
If babies are found wet and chilled, or even if they appear dead or stiff, you can do wonders by quickly immersing them in hot water and massaging them briskly with only the tips of their noses being out of the water. Take the baby in one hand, lay it on its back, with your thumb on its abdomen and immerse it until only its nose is above the hot water. Massage by pressing the thumb into the abdomen and arch the back by bringing your index and little finger to a closing position toward the thumb. This action of pressing on the chest and flexing the body will pump a heavy mucous out of the baby’s lungs. As soon as you have done this a few times, blow quickly and hard into the baby’s mouth to expand the lungs. (Or use oxygen). Or you can cup the kit in your hands and VERY briskly thrust your hands down and up again a couple times, this encourages the baby to gasp for air. It is done by many vets. Using either technique, the baby will usually start to gasp; in a few minutes you can have it going and as soon as it seems warmed up it can be dried with a hot towel or hair dryer and placed in a warm box that has a heating pad or light bulb in it.
Check the babies every few hours to see if their stomachs are full and warm. If a baby’s stomach is not filled and warm, it needs milk. Note to see if babies are fighting. Hungry babies fight over the mother’s nipples and injure them, making them so sore that when the babies attempt to nurse the mother bites them by the head or nose to pull them away. A bite to the head can be fatal and a bite to the nose can cause swelling, aspiration of milk into the lungs when babies try to nurse and then death by pneumonia. I recommend rotation if this happens. Say you have three kits born to a mother… Take two out of the cage and put into another with a heating pad under it. You may hand feed them during this time. Do this every two hours. When the two hours is up, take the two you removed and fed, and place them in with mother and take baby that has been nursing mom for two hours out, and repeat procedure. It is very important that babies take the first lot of milk from their mother as it contains colostrums (vital antibodies to fight off infection or disease).
If the kits tummies don’t feel full you may have to help mom by hand feeding them, if she is aggressive or oblivious to her kit(s), if she is not producing any milk, or if she dies during birth, then you may have to hand rear them fully. Before doing this you should look for a foster/surrogate mother, they usually take well and may look at bit odd with one large baby and one small, but the chinchilla can look after it’s own far better than us!
For hand rearing you will need: A pipette or small syringe Good hand-feeding recipe! As a good rule of thumb it is always best to have these things in if you own chinchillas and have them breeding as sometimes it can be totally unexpected, it’s always better to be prepared. 1) Cows Milk - If you are caught off guard with any births you can use ordinary milk you have in the fridge.
2) 2 tbsp Milk to 1tbsp Boiled Water Pinch of Glucose Goats Milk. This is the formula I use… It is a really good belly filler! Depending on how much you make depends on how much ingredients to use. Always use about 75% milk to 25% cereal.
3) Canned Goat’s Milk Baby Rice Cereal Mix - Whichever you decide to use it should be warmed up, before being put in the pipette or syringe and as you would with our babies milk you should first check this is not too hot by putting a little on your wrist before feeding the kit(s).
To feed the kit(s) you should hold it in one hand around the legs and arms of the kit, it will wriggle like mad, and if you are like me you will think you are hurting it, but believe me you’re not. When it stops moving, place a tiny drop on its lip, take it away and let it lick it off, never keep squeezing the pipette or pushing the syringe as it will fill the chins lungs with fluid and lead to death. Once they’ve licked it off you can add another drop, don’t be alarmed if it only takes 4-5 drops at first, this will gradually increase the more it feeds. It will start to fight and push you away when it is full. It is best to try to feed through the sides of their mouths to avoid them biting the pipette or syringe and you can get more in without teeth in the way.
For the first 2 weeks this should be done every 2 hours, the next week every 4 hours. At the beginning of the 4th week the kit(s) can be placed in a regular cage, given a little hay and water and hand fed 3 times a day and in the 5th and 6th week, just twice a day. The youngster(s) should be able to maintain itself after this time but be careful when the milk stops to watch and see it doesn’t gorge itself on pellets.

Weaning
If a mother has been fine and brought up her chins, they will need to be weaned off. This is done at the age of 8 weeks. If this is not done and the mother has more then one kit she can become quite drained and worn out by them. This can lead to her fur chewing herself or her babies. Also if you are planning on showing the youngsters you need to have each one separate to ensure their fur is immaculate.

Always know that breeding is a huge responsibility. Sometimes you may lose a baby and it can be as heartbreaking as losing a chin you've had forever, but seeing a healthy baby born makes it all worth while. Also know there is always the slim chance that you can lose the mom too. Please take in each of the things mentioned above and use them to your best advantage. Good luck and love your babies.