Chinchilla breeding. World of Chinchillas - an association of chinchilla lovers How to dump chinchillas if the female is older than the male
WARNING IMMEDIATELY: it is IMPOSSIBLE to take and just immediately put a chinchilla girl in a cage with a chinchilla boy!
Domestic chinchillas retain instincts inherited from long-standing wild ancestors. In the wild, chinchillas live in herds, matriarchy reigns within the group. The main chinchilla female (alpha female) herself chooses a male for mating and controls the mating of other females of the lower level of the hierarchy. This breeding mechanism is due to the poverty of the food supply in the Andes Mountains; it does not allow the excessive growth of the chinchilla population.
The female chinchilla will not tolerate an unexpected intrusion into the personal space of an unfamiliar male, she will expel him, bite him, and even to death.
The procedure for planting chinchillas takes time, requires attention and control. Recall that sexually mature chinchillas are suitable for creating a pair - a male and a female, at least 10 months old, and preferably a year old. Below we offer our own method of seating.
According to the method of our nursery, chinchillas are planted in stages:
Here is what is done at each stage:
Stage 1. Correspondence acquaintance
Chinchillas change by transplanting from cage to cage. The boy is put in the girl's cage and, at the same time, on the contrary, the girl is put in the boy's cage. By themselves, chinchillas do not smell, but they clearly distinguish each other's smells. Animals are left in cages for 3-6 hours. Repeat this procedure daily for one to two weeks. Pay attention to the behavior of the animals. If the female is reluctant to leave the male's cage, then most likely the male likes it and the landing will be successful. In the case when the female is nervous while in the male's cage, scatters his food and toilet tray, there is a suspicion of a possible rejection of the partner.
Stage 2. Rallying
Chinchillas meet in person, muzzle to muzzle. The male and female chinchillas are placed together in a small carrier to sit side by side. Create a stressful situation for a couple of chinchillas so that they rally. Start shaking and shaking the carrier for a few minutes. Then put the carrier on the floor and observe the behavior of the chinchillas. The male usually shows interest in the female, but the female often reacts aggressively. If you notice growling, grunting, attacking the male, immediately take the carrier and shake it again. It is impossible to allow the female to bite the male by the ears, eyes, pull out the hair. Together in a carrier, chinchillas should spend 3 to 6 hours, even if they sit still. Stay nearby all this time to control the situation and shake the carrier in case of renewed female aggression. Having survived a stressful situation together, the chinchillas get used to each other. When you are convinced that the animals have calmed down and sit quietly for a long time, release them into the cage to the male. And if the female's aggression continues, it is up to you to decide whether to refuse to sit down or continue to "persuade" the female.
In the photo: Male and female chinchillas sit down in a carrier
Stage 3. Final habituation
From the carrier, animals are planted in a cage to the male(!). Stay close and watch. If a boy and a girl sat together on the same shelf, they sit without a quarrel, they got used to each other. The aim of the boarding has been achieved. If the female continues to behave aggressively, repeat step #2. If this does not help, we will "persuade", i.e. force the female Take the carrier the couple was previously in, place it inside the male's cage, and place one recalcitrant female in the carrier. Let him sit cramped and without food for several hours. After that, release the female into the cage with the male again and observe again. Repeat the punishment for the female if she is again aggressive. In our cattery, it happened that the female fell into the carrier-isolator more than once both during the day and all night. If relapses of aggression cannot be avoided, then, apparently, another male will have to be selected. Even if you decide that the chinchillas have already got used to it, continue to monitor the situation day after day. Examine the female and male for wounds and torn fur, they may have come to blows during your absence.
In our cattery, some features of the behavior of females when sitting down were revealed:
- Some females refuse to accept too small males (by weight and age)
- Females that previously sat with a single and beloved partner do not always accept new males
- · When you plan to return the female to the male with whom she was sitting before, carry out the procedure of insertion again. Females forget their former partners.
- · The female sometimes does not want to sit down at the moment when she is sick.
- Finally, some females do not want to mate with anyone. In our practice, this amounted to 1-2% of cases.
- You can not plant a pregnant female with a new male. Let enough time pass after the previous donation to make sure that there is no pregnancy.
So, planting chinchillas happens to be successful or unsuccessful. This is a difficult task that requires time, attention and effort. It is impossible to allow the mutilation of the male, and even more so his death. You can not go too far, forcing the female to disembark, she runs the risk of falling into stress.
Along the way, the following questions arise:
1. How to plant two males? Males, as a rule, sit down without problems, even of different ages. It happens that at first one bullies the other, but over time, aggression passes. We wean chinchilla boys from different mothers at 3 months of age and place them together in one cage.
2. Is it possible to plant a female with a female? It is impossible to plant two adult females and do not try to experiment. As an exception, chinchilla sisters have been sitting together since childhood. We also place unrelated chinchilla girls aged 3-5 months together in one cage, they get used to each other and live without conflict. Adult sexually mature females will not tolerate each other on the same site.
Watch a video about the method of introducing chinchillas, which is slightly different from that adopted in the Happy Chinchilla Yekaterinburg nursery
To create a pair of chinchillas, the most optimal age for a female is 6 months, the male may be a little older at the age of 7 months. For a couple, a large cage will be needed, since chinchillas are very mobile and they need a lot of room to move, this will allow them to move a lot and, as a result, will be healthier.
The existing couple, as a rule, will not hesitate to reproduce. In order for the offspring to be healthy, it is impossible to allow the exhaustion of parents or vice versa obesity.
That chinchillas are preparing to become parents can be known by knowing the "biological" rhythm of the female. The readiness of the female for mating takes place in certain cycles. They repeat with a period of usually 30-50 days, and such a cycle lasts up to a week. However, it is necessary to take into account the climatic conditions and the season, the cycles may vary slightly. For example, from November to May, this is a period of especially increased sexual desire, while the maximum will be January-February. During this period, mating will be most successful.
If you notice an excessive activity of the couple, and at the time when they usually sleep cuddled up to each other, the opposite pattern is observed, then it is obvious that they are preparing to mate. The male jumps around the cage with a loud snort, the female loses her appetite during such periods, she simply scatters food.
You can hardly observe the mating process itself, so you can make sure that the female is pregnant by external signs or by increasing her weight. Pregnancy proceeds about 110 days. In the weeks leading up to the end of pregnancy, females need to be given more attention. Raise and weigh as little as possible. At such times, females are very shy, so you need to try to provide them with peace. In this case, the females are transferred to enhanced nutrition. The chinchilla feed should include the whole variety of products, milk, succulent feed, in addition to this, the female needs a lot of vitamin. Two weeks before the birth, it is recommended to remove the bathing suit from the cage.
At this time, the female becomes somewhat aggressive towards her partner, although before that they were on the best of terms. And at the first signs of aggression, they must be seated, or the cage should be divided by a partition. Then the female will calm down and be able to give birth in a calm environment.
With the approach of childbirth, the female becomes lethargic, activity decreases. She stops eating, treats all kinds of noise with particular concern. In this case, the chinchilla's nest is covered with a dark cloth, you must be careful and careful.
Childbirth in chinchillas takes place most often in the morning, during the morning round it is necessary to inspect the cage where the puppies were expected to appear, it is important as early as possible, as they may need help. Immediately before giving birth, the female's loop increases and swells, droplets of sweat appear on the nose, and before the appearance of the puppies, a dark liquid is released by the animal. Childbirth lasts from several minutes to several hours. The chinchilla recovers very quickly, having eaten the afterbirth, it switches all attention to its cubs.
If you are sure that the female is pregnant and you do not want her to become pregnant immediately after giving birth, then before giving birth, the male must be removed and returned to the female a couple of weeks after giving birth, when the puppies are already a little stronger, and the female will lose her hunting. The cage with the male should be placed as far as possible from the female, preferably in another room, otherwise both will go crazy, and the female in the hunt can crush the puppies. When the male returns to the family, it may be necessary to repeat the acquaintance procedure. Mating after childbirth does not always mean 100% pregnancy, but the female does not rage.
Chinchillas are surprisingly perky and cute animals. It is difficult to remain indifferent, looking at a small touching muzzle with a long mustache, black button eyes and a twisted ponytail.
In recent years, representatives of this family of rodents have gained incredible popularity among our compatriots. Chinchillas at home are unpretentious in feeding and maintenance, they need very little living space, and the positive received from daily communication with them is difficult to convey with words.
Where did they come from
Chinchillas are native to the mountain ranges of South America. There they settle in caves and burrows, appearing outside only after dark.
According to legend, the rodents got their name from the name of the Chinchil Indian tribe, who were dressed in soft and fluffy fur. It was because of the amazing fur coats that the animals were practically exterminated.
Hunters were interested not only in skins. There is fragmentary information that chinchilla meat was used in the treatment of tuberculosis.
The hunt for chinchillas did not stop with the disappearance of the Chinchil Indians. The Spanish conquistadors, having entered South American soil in the 16th century, were fascinated by the fur of these animals. Fur coats, coats, collars were a huge success, and thousands of chinchillas were caught to meet demand. The barbaric extermination of the species continued for several hundred years.
In the end, rodents fell into the category of rare, endangered animals. Now they are listed in the Red Book and are under the protection of the law.
Breeding chinchillas in captivity
For the first time, the chinchilla was domesticated in 1895. This was done by Francisco Irrazaval, who lived at that time in Santiago. In the first year of keeping in captivity, the animals brought offspring and continued to actively breed in the future.
Chinchilla breeding became a profitable business as early as the middle of the 20th century. Thousands of farms opened across the United States and Canada. Then rodents began to be recommended as cute pets that would not cause unnecessary trouble. In advertising, they were called "fur balls" or "fur balls". And the average price of animals was
Furry namesakes
The amazing beauty of the fur of these small fluffy rodents fascinates everyone who has ever taken them in their hands. All thanks to the unique structure of the hairline. About 70 hairs grow from each bulb located on the skin of an animal. The wool is so thick that not a single insect is able to settle in it.
This unique fact has fascinated even cat lovers. About twenty years ago, the silver chinchilla breed was bred as a variety of short-haired British cats.
The namesakes of our cute rodents are extraordinarily beautiful. In cats, the coat is white, with a slight blackening at the tips, and a black veil covers the head, paws, side, back and tail of the animal. Among the feline counterparts, they stand out for their truly royal appearance.
In addition, the British chinchilla has an unusually kind and accommodating character. Such cats are well experienced their own loneliness. And if necessary, they can become a great "interlocutor" for their owner. Each "meow" uttered by these cats is endowed with special intonations and deep meaning.
Everyone who at least once got to know these cats better fell in love with them once and for all. Every year more and more fans are attracted to this amazing cat breed.
Just a couple of minutes alone with the Brit - and everyone will confidently say: this is an amazing cat breed.
Chinchilla: how to behave with a rodent
Before buying a chinchilla, carefully read the list of pet prohibitions:
- Do not wash animals in water. Chinchillas "bath" in special sand (zeolite) or volcanic dust.
- It is impossible to settle chinchillas in small-sized cages made to fit the size of other (smaller) rodents.
- The constant squeezing of chinchillas is very bad for the condition of their fur.
- Do not let the rodent walk around the apartment on its own, its curiosity can lead to tragedy.
- Never feed chinchillas formulas intended for other rodents.
- Do not leave the rodent in a room with a temperature above 25 degrees - overheating is guaranteed to lead to heat stroke.
- You can not walk a chinchilla on the street. There, the animal can become infected with dangerous infections. In addition, leashes and harnesses will irrevocably ruin the coat.
- At the moment, the immune system of chinchillas is not well understood, therefore, preventive vaccination of these rodents is not carried out.
- Parents and their offspring can live together for no more than four months, violation of this prohibition can lead to mating within the family.
- Do not feed animals with grass and leaves collected along roads and in parks. This can lead to very serious poisoning and, consequently, death.
Chinchilla at home
Reviews of rodent owners about their cute pets are always only positive. A person receives great emotional uplift, enthusiasm and tenderness from communicating with these animals.
Here are just some of the points for which chinchillas are so loved:
- Chinchillas at home do not require difficult care and high maintenance costs.
- They do not need to prepare food separately; rodents feed on dry mixtures of dried fruits and several types of grains.
- If properly cared for, rodents will live for quite a long time (about 20 years), and chinchilla couples will breed regularly.
- Rodents rarely get sick, they do not smell bad.
- The animals are funny, playful, they can be tamed and even taught simple commands.
Many will ask: "Do they really have no shortcomings?" Of course there is, because no one is perfect! However, there are very few of them:
- With the onset of darkness, all chinchillas become active (like all animals leading a nocturnal lifestyle). They can make noise almost all night, interfering with the restful sleep of the owners. In addition, if you want to play with a cute animal, you will have to do this closer to midnight.
- Chinchillas are extremely sneaky and curious. At the slightest opportunity, they tend to escape from the cage and rush to explore the territory. However, they are very fast. Catching a rodent, if he does not want to, is not so easy. Therefore, the owners should carefully ensure that the cage door is always locked.
- Animals are very demanding on the climate. They do not tolerate high humidity and a sharp temperature drop. Therefore, to keep a chinchilla at home in the southern regions, the room with the cage must be equipped with air conditioning.
We buy a chinchilla
Just ten years ago, buying a chinchilla was quite problematic. For the sale of rodents, a few specialists bred, and the prices for them were extremely high. However, now they are sold in most pet stores and available to everyone.
When choosing a furry friend, you need to be extremely careful. It is worth buying only those chinchillas that have been properly cared for. Otherwise, the animal will have to be treated after purchase.
Take the rodent in your hands and inspect. Pay attention to how well-fed the animal is. To do this, feel all parts of the body, also examine the quality of the coat.
Never buy a skinny animal. The coat should not be dull, falling out in fragments. Sedentary rodents with signs of obesity should also not be purchased.
The eyes of the animal can tell about the presence of health problems. Purulent discharge is a sure sign of a bacterial infection in the body. However, this statement is true when both eyes are affected. If there is only one sour, most likely this is a consequence of mechanical damage by sand, or the animal was in a draft, and it was simply blown away.
A healthy rodent should be active, react sharply to the approach of a stranger. His coat is shiny, smooth and close to the body.
Cohabitation
Animals living alone require a lot of attention from their owners. They love company and without proper care they become very sad.
Chinchillas at home feel much more comfortable living in pairs. And it is not necessary to populate a boy and a girl together. Chinchillas are very prolific. The owners of such a family will automatically take care of numerous fluffy babies. Therefore, if you are not ready for this turn of events, consider buying a same-sex company.
furry family
Puberty in chinchillas occurs at the age of 6-7 months. From this moment on, they can be safely planted.
The issue of breeding animals must be approached very seriously. In families of chinchillas, total matriarchy is observed. Therefore, never put a male in an already inhabited female's cage. She's guaranteed to beat him up and kick him out.
It is desirable that the boy was older than his girlfriend. This will help him feel more confident.
Before being in the same territory, future spouses need to get to know each other at a distance. To do this, cages with animals are placed side by side and give them the opportunity to get used to the smell of each other. Only after that they can be planted, but under the close attention of the owner.
If everything is done correctly, the reproduction of chinchillas at home will pass without any difficulties.
Waiting for babies
The gestation period for chinchillas lasts 100-115 days. At the first stages, it is quite difficult to determine whether the “lady” is really pregnant. The embryos are small, and it is unrealistic to feel them. The easiest way to detect the very moment of mating. At the eighth week of pregnancy for a future mother, this will serve as a sure sign of an imminent replenishment in the family.
Birth of a new life
Usually childbirth in chinchillas begins in the morning. Most often, the female does not need anyone's help. Babies are born quickly. They are already covered with hair, their eyes are open, and there is a full set of teeth in their mouths.
After giving birth, the mother eats the placenta. It contains all the useful substances necessary for the body of a chinchilla during breastfeeding.
It is simply impossible to hold a chinchilla in your hands, play with it for at least a couple of minutes and not fall in love with this exotic rodent. They make perfect pets and are the best furry friends for kids.
And if, after reading about all the benefits of keeping these animals, you have not yet made a decision, go to the pet store right now and look into the small black eyes. The answer will come by itself!
The chinchilla has recently become a very popular pet, often the owners of exotic rodents want to get offspring from a wonderful rodent. Breeding chinchillas at home for beginner chinchilla breeders is an interesting, but quite serious task that requires patience and increased care of the owner. If the rules for breeding animals are not followed, an attempt to mate can end in a fight and even death of pets. Therefore, before meeting animals, it is necessary to study the physiological characteristics and subtleties of the behavior of furry animals.
Under natural habitat conditions, the mating season for exotic rodents begins in the spring and can last until autumn, so chinchilla breeders also try to breed chinchillas from March to November.
Reproduction of chinchillas at home should be carried out with enhanced balanced feeding and a microclimate that is comfortable for the animals, an increase in the air temperature in the room above +20 degrees and dry air, malnutrition or rodent diseases have an extremely negative effect on the cultivation of chinchillas.
Puberty in chinchillas
Puberty of chinchillas occurs at 6-8 months for females and at 7-9 months for males.
Sexual maturity in females can occur at 3-4 months, and males can cover the female by the age of 5 months. Early mating of a chinchilla causes a weakening of the body of the female, the pathology of pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, healthy animals with a body weight of at least 500 g are selected for mating at the age of 7-9 months for females and from 6 months for males. Although chinchillas are ready to breed at 6-8 months of age, veterinarians do not recommend covering females until they are one year old. Pregnancy up to 12 months causes a halt in the growth of the skeleton and muscle mass of the female, this negatively affects the general condition of the fluffy animal and its offspring.
Without harm to their own health, females can bring 2 broods annually. A week before giving birth, it is recommended to transplant the male for six months so that the chinchilla can recover from a long pregnancy and feeding babies. The male is able to fertilize the female a day after giving birth, which can result in the death of newborns and pathological pregnancy of the female.
Mating chinchillas in the wild
For successful breeding of chinchillas at home, beginners need to know how chinchillas breed in nature. Chinchillas live in numerous flocks in which matriarchy reigns. It is females who behave aggressively towards males, hissing, biting and shooting urine. Unusual rodents zealously guard their territory; the appearance of any stranger on their possessions is perceived by fluffy animals quite belligerently. Therefore, mating chinchillas at home sometimes ends in fights or the death of pets.
Chinchillas can be aggressive when sitting down. Sometimes chinchillas do not breed because the animals do not develop relationships when changing a partner and following the processes of acquaintance and planting in animals.
If a couple is picked up, then chinchillas breed 2-3 times a year, live a peaceful family all their lives, kiss, play and sleep together. In natural habitat, a flock of unusual rodents consists of married couples, males and females help each other to gently grow chinchillas and actively protect their homes from strangers. In nature, a male chinchilla can live with one female and simultaneously fertilize other females. This feature of American rodents is used in polygamous breeding, when one male fertilizes 4 females.
If a couple gets close, then they live together all their lives Mating relatives of chinchillas is highly discouraged in order to avoid getting a weak litter, aggravated by congenital developmental anomalies.
How to select and prepare chinchillas for mating
Breeding and keeping chinchillas is based on the competent selection of a pair, the correct observance of the processes of acquaintance and planting, the creation of optimal conditions for a pregnant and lactating female, as well as newborn offspring.
To obtain healthy viable chinchillas, healthy, active, well-fed individuals obtained from dairy females are allowed, with a body weight of at least 500 g, a calm, friendly character, with thick and uniform fur, and the absence of acute and chronic diseases.
Breeding chinchillas with hereditary diseases, addictions, quarrelsome nature and anatomical abnormalities is highly discouraged.
Partner Acquisition
Breeding at home begins with the purchase of a partner and a monthly quarantine of a new tenant. An animal can be contagious or get sick due to stress after a change of scenery, so quarantine measures are essential.
After a month of quarantine, the acquaintance stage begins, in order to successfully bring the female and male together, it is necessary to carefully monitor the behavior of animals in this period. Depending on the establishment of relations, chinchillas can get acquainted from a week to a month. The owners of fluffy animals are highly discouraged from rushing and starting to sit down until the unusual rodents get used to each other. At this stage, it is necessary to accustom an exotic rodent to someone else's smell of a partner. Otherwise, at the first meeting there will be a bloody battle for their rightful territory.
Acquaintance of partners
For acquaintance, you can place two small cages with chinchillas next to each other so that they can see and smell someone else's without harming each other. The disadvantage of this method may be the wetting of the male's hair from the shots with the urine of the female. The cages must be placed at such a distance that the animals can see and smell, but not have the opportunity to bite off the fingers, mustache or nose of the partner through the gaps between the bars.
Chinchillas need time to get to know each other It has a good effect, to which the powdered feces of a female are added and vice versa. You can take turns bathing the animals in the same sand bath immediately before placing a row of cages with emotional animals.
Swimming together helps the animals to make friends Sometimes chinchillas change cages, when they are in a foreign territory, rodents get used to the smell of a neighbor without causing damage to each other. An aggressive hungry partner can be placed directly in an aviary with a calm individual, someone else's smell, hunger and confined space make the fighter calm down and get used to the smell of a neighbor.
Joint walks
When fluffy rodents begin to react calmly to each other, it is recommended to arrange a joint walk for a couple in an unfamiliar territory for animals under the careful supervision of the owner. In order to breed chinchillas at home, it is necessary to study and apply all methods of acquaintance, carefully controlling the situation.
Most often, chinchillas have tender true love for life, if the acquaintance stage is maintained correctly, you can proceed to planting animals. Successfully breed chinchillas with a calm temperament over the age of a year, provided that the female is slightly older than the male.
Video: breeding chinchillas at home
Planting chinchillas
The owner should always be nearby at the initial stage of planting. Friendly and gentle to each other, rodents, when placed in one cage, can arrange a serious fight. In such battles, the male most often suffers, the female beats and bites the scruff and lower back of the male, the consequences of aggression turn into large purulent wounds.
How to plant chinchillas
When planting the owner of exotic rodents, it is recommended to follow some rules:
- immediately before planting, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the cage where chinchillas will be mated, the cage must be at least 1 m in height and 0.75 m in width;
- the cage should be freed as much as possible from shelves, ladders and accessories in order to avoid injury during a possible fight, it is advisable to install a labyrinth - a box with several exits through which the male can escape with the aggressive behavior of the female;
- before planting, the female must be bathed for a long time in the sand with male feces, the male is placed in an uncleaned female enclosure to soak in the smell of the female's urine;
- it is desirable to launch the male first into your cage, at the end they send the female;
- within 3-4 hours from the moment of planting, the owner must always be nearby. In the event of a fierce battle, it is necessary to immediately seat the animals and provide urgent veterinary care to the victim;
- it is recommended to put a sufficient amount of coarse hay on the floor of the cage. Both chinchillas will be interested in eating and sorting out grass, which will distract partners from a showdown;
Eating hay distracts from fights - until the end of the day, it is necessary to control relations in the enclosure, an imaginary truce can instantly turn into a bloody fight. Males try to care for the female even in the absence of estrus, which can provoke even a calm female to a violent display of aggression;
- it is advisable to install a large bathing bath in the aviary, joint sand procedures soothe and bring partners very close;
- even in a pair for a long time, fights may arise at any time, which should not be left without the attention of the owner;
- a successfully placed couple begins to bathe, eat and sleep together, kiss and play, causing tenderness of the owners;
- a pair of heavily planted with the addition of vitamin supplements, fresh fruits and berries, dried hay and herbs;
- the owner needs to be patient, sometimes planting lasts for months, even with peaceful coexistence, chinchillas do not want to have offspring;
- in rare cases, it is not possible to transplant the selected individuals, then it is necessary to replace one partner with another individual in compliance with all the terms and rules of quarantine, acquaintance and introduction.
Chinchillas in heat
You can mate exotic rodents only during estrus in a female chinchilla, which is repeated every 30 to 45 days. The frequency of this phase of the sexual process depends on the individual characteristics of the female, the minimum cycles consist of 20 days, with the maximum cycle, estrus is repeated after 60 days. The sexual cycle of a female chinchilla consists of three stages, which can be determined by the behavior of partners towards each other.
The stage of excitation of the sexual cycle
Duration 1-3 days, consists of sexual arousal, estrus, estrus and ovulation. The female's loop opens, the male is actively interested in the female, the female accepts courtship, and the animals mate. Ovulation occurs 12-24 hours after estrus, the outcome of this stage will be conception with successful mating or the inhibition stage.
Deceleration stage
The female's loop closes, the female shows indifference to the male, in this period it is necessary to diagnose the female's pregnancy by weighing and detecting vaginal plugs in the form of white paraffin flagella 2-3 cm in size. In the absence of conception, the balancing stage begins.
Balancing stage
Lasts until the next stage of excitation of the sexual cycle, the female's loop is closed, both partners are in a balanced relationship with each other.
Chinchillas are in heat at the age of 4-8 months. With early maturation, the first estrus can be observed in a 3-month-old female, with late maturation - after 12 months. It is highly not recommended to plant furry animals at the first estrus in a female. The body of the female needs to get stronger and prepare for the reproduction of offspring, so it is better to wait out the first estrus.
Chinchillas are in heat for 2-3 days. During this period, ovulation occurs in the body of the female, accompanied by the production of thick mucus to improve the advancement of spermatozoa and the final attachment of fertilized eggs to the uterine wall. The loop of the female opens only during estrus and childbirth, it is during these periods that the female can be covered by the male. The rest of the time, the female's genitals are closed to prevent external infections. The owner of a chinchilla needs to be able to determine the onset of the next estrus in a female in order to successfully plan the introduction of furry animals.
Signs of estrus in a female
Male behavior
The characteristic behavior of the male can suggest that the female is in heat: the animal is actively interested in and cares for the female, makes loud mating sounds, twitches its fluffy tail, bites the female's fur and often makes attempts to jump on the female for mating.
Inspection of the loop of the female
They swell and open, acquire a pink color, white discharge from the loop is observed, the female's nipples become long and red.
How chinchillas mate
Courtships to males can be observed during the day and at night, and mating acts occur most often at night. Evidence of mating that has occurred will be tufts of wool on the floor of the cage and the dried seminal fluid of the male in the form of a white tourniquet. The sexual intercourse lasts for several seconds, the male jumps on the female, bites the fur on his back with his teeth and the process of intercourse takes place. When conception occurs, a vaginal plug is formed in the body of the female, which protects the body of the pregnant female from the penetration of infection from the outside and prevents repeated mating.
Breeding chinchillas at home: how rodents mate and breed
5 (100%) 1 voteChinchilla breeding
Chinchillas reach sexual maturity at about 6-8 months of age. Sexually mature females can bring offspring two to three times a year. Although the female chinchilla after childbirth is better to give rest for at least six months. To do this, it is imperative to put the male in another cage a few days before the birth or on the day of birth, so that he cannot re-cover the female, who, on the very first day after birth, again comes into the hunt and therefore can become pregnant.
For breeding, it is important to choose the right pair. Some experts believe that during the initial selection of pairs, young females should be paired with a male of any but older age, and young males should be paired with females only older than they are. All this is desirable, but not necessary, but following this rule allows you to get healthier offspring.
When choosing pairs, another condition is also important - namely, the relationship between partners. Therefore, before mating, it is desirable to determine how the relationship between the male and female develops with each other. To do this, it is recommended to introduce them in advance and keep them in the same cage. In the event of prolonged mutual aggression and irreconcilability, one of the partners must be replaced by a new candidate. The least problems and the best mating are young animals that are kept together for a long time. Chinchillas living alone for a long time are not always willing to accept strangers into their territory, where they feel like a master. Therefore, it is better to introduce chinchillas on neutral territory.
The mating season for chinchillas is weakly expressed and can sometimes last from February-March, until November. During this period, animals are very active, especially males. They constantly pursue the female, while making rather loud snorting sounds. In female chinchillas, the duration of the sexual cycle, according to different authors, can vary from at least 28 days to 3-4 months. And successful covering of the female is possible only for three days, when the estrus is actively passing, and the vaginal secret begins to stand out from the opened vagina. In addition, in female chinchillas ready for mating, the external genitalia become more visible, swell and turn pink.
The peak of sexual activity of animals falls at this time. The behavior of chinchillas noticeably changes, they become more active and playful. The male can even chase the female during the day, chasing her around the cage, wagging his tail and making snorting sounds.
As a result, the male's courtship ends in mating, which most often occurs at night. After successful fertilization, the female develops a vaginal plug approximately 12 hours after mating, which further prevents repeated mating.
Pregnancy in chinchillas lasts approximately 105-120 days, but averages 111 days. During pregnancy, the female needs an enhanced and varied diet, she does not like at this time and unnecessary anxiety and fuss. Therefore, in the second half of pregnancy, it is better to separate the male from the female, and in order to protect the female chinchilla from unnecessary unrest and stress and preserve the offspring, the nest must be darkened (for example, covered with a dark coverlet).
In the diet of a pregnant female chinchilla, you must additionally include a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals (in particular calcium gluconate), as well as greens (nettle leaves, dandelions, etc.), rose hips, hawthorn, etc.
If during the first two months of pregnancy, the female gains weight slowly, then during the last third of pregnancy, the development of the fetus proceeds very quickly, which is reflected in the female's significant weight gain. Therefore, in the second half of pregnancy, females prefer to sleep on their side. Around the end of the ninth week of pregnancy, the female has a strong swelling of the nipples, which indicates an imminent birth.