Pregnancy and childbirth of chinchillas: signs, duration, care

Chinchillas can mate at any time of the year; there are no so-called mating periods. With a life expectancy in captivity of 15-20 years, a woman can give birth to children up to 13-15 years old.

Did you know that the chinchilla has a special skeletal structure that allows it to narrow vertically and penetrate even very narrow holes and crevices.

Chinchilla birth chart

To calculate the day of expected birth from the date of conception, there is a simple pregnancy and birth table for chinchillas, which includes the average gestation period of exotic rodents with an error of up to an error.

The table has an error of 1 to 4 days due to the lack of a clear pregnancy date for female chinchillas. The table consists of oblong columns with the top row corresponding to the calendar date of mating and the bottom row corresponding to the predicted day of the upcoming birth. For example, with a successful insemination on June 1, the breeder should expect furry offspring around September 19.

How to tell if a chinchilla is pregnant

In the early stages, pregnancy in these attractive animals is almost invisible. Mating occurs at night, and there may be no mating plugs at all for the young firstborn.

For successful mating, partners must be properly mated to avoid aggression and hostility between animals. A sure sign that a woman is pregnant is that she has not been warm for a month.

CAUTION: Despite the early onset of sexual maturity, mating is not recommended for animals under 12 months of age.

Early pregnancy leads to:

Stopping the development of the female;
fetal anomalies;
difficult pregnancy;
miscarriage;
early death of calves;
general weakness and health problems in women.

Characteristic signs of pregnancy in a chinchilla

From the 8th week of pregnancy, even a novice breeder will be able to determine whether a chinchilla is pregnant. First, you should pay attention to the animal’s nipples. In non-pregnant animals they are neither visible nor felt when the fur is stroked.

But from the fifth week of pregnancy, a pregnant woman's nipples begin to swell, turn red and become accentuated. In the last weeks before giving birth, white colostrum may be discharged from the nipples.

Changing the appearance of the nipples

During pregnancy, a woman's nipples protrude from under her hair, change color, and become more sensitive. As a rule, lactation occurs from only one pair of nipples. The whitish discharge in recent weeks is called colostrum and is not dangerous.

Animal weight gain

Naturally, the chinchilla's weight increases when the embryos appear. Weekly growth can be up to 15 grams. It is recommended to check your weight weekly to monitor the progress of your pregnancy and record your weight readings on paper or electronically.

It is not recommended to grab the animal by the tail for weighing. This can lead to premature birth or miscarriage. Weighing is no longer done at a later stage to avoid additional stress on the female.

Increased urination

A pregnant animal urinates much more than before pregnancy. This happens because the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the bladder and the urge to urinate increases.

After 90 days of pregnancy, you can feel the babies in your belly.

Changes in the behavior of a pregnant female

Suckling chinchillas become less active as the gestation period lengthens. However, they will be calmer and more affectionate towards their owner.

The animal often sleeps on its side, and in later stages the female is seen sitting on her back. Before giving birth, the female becomes restless, frightened by sudden sounds and aggressive towards the male.

Loop change

Before labor begins, a woman's external genitalia becomes red and enlarged. A man may perceive this as heat and try to deal with a mating chinchilla.

And sexual intercourse while the animal is pregnant can cause miscarriage or other problems during pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended to move the male to a separate cage several weeks before the expected due date.

If the owner notices purulent discharge from the litter, changes in the behavior or appetite and activity of the pregnant chinchilla, it is advisable to immediately take the animal to a qualified veterinarian who will determine whether the animal can remain pregnant or perform an emergency caesarean section. In this case, the life of the young is no longer a problem, the mother is saved.

Ultrasound diagnostics and radiography

Ultrasound examination in early pregnancy is necessary to confirm this and exclude obvious abnormalities. X-rays are taken late in pregnancy to quantify calves once their skeletons have ossified.

The presentation of the fetus is also examined at this stage. If you have questions or concerns, contact your veterinarian immediately. Do not give your pet medications without a prescription.

Abdominal enlargement

Rounding and enlargement of the abdominal cavity is clearly visible from the 8th week of pregnancy in chinchillas. As pregnancy progresses, fetal movements can be observed with the naked eye.

After 90 days, the young man feels himself in the mother's abdominal cavity. However, this is not recommended for owners of furry animals, so as not to provoke a miscarriage.

Increased rodent appetite

A pregnant female chinchilla, like any other animal, has an increased appetite. She drinks and eats much more often because developing puppies need food, protein and micronutrients. This is also one of the signs that the animal is pregnant.

Puberty

Sexual maturity in these rodents is observed at the age of 6-7 months in females and 9 months in males. Although some females can begin mating as early as 3-4 months of age.

Mating is recommended when females are one year old and weigh at least 0.5 kg, and males are 2-3 months old. By this time, the female body will be completely ready for childbirth. But getting pregnant too early won't do her any good. Firstly, she will not be able to give birth or the birth will be problematic, and secondly, she will become aggressive towards the male and his offspring.

Sexual desire in a woman lasts 28 days. During this period, she will stay warm for 3 days and produce vaginal discharge. It is at this moment that she will need to mate.

Chinchillas: breeding questions and answers (FAQ)

— How to determine the gender of a chinchilla?

Unfortunately, an inexperienced chinchilla breeder often makes mistakes when determining the sex. Call a veterinarian or a chinchilla breeder who has a lot of chinchillas and keeps them for at least two years. They will help you determine. You can, of course, write that the external genitalia of females and males are very similar in appearance, and the only difference is that in males the distance from the anus to the penis is greater than in females: But this is unlikely to help in the absence of experience in determining sex in chinchillas. Best of all, find high-quality photographs of chinchillas’ external genitalia and, when examining, compare what you actually see with the photographs. As a rule, after 3 months, the external genitalia of males look quite “convincing.”

— How many babies is born to a chinchilla on average?

According to biology, chinchillas normally have four active nipples. Hence the conclusion: four cubs is the norm. As a rule, from 1 to 3 cubs are born. Females with low milk supply, with more than 2 puppies at birth, may not have enough milk for all, so it is necessary to supplement the weakest ones. Now let's think a little. Why do captive chinchillas usually have fewer babies? There are several possible reasons: 1) All the hundreds of thousands of chinchillas living in captivity around the world are descendants of 2-3 dozen chinchillas. Those. The gene pool of this population is extremely limited. 2) Most chinchillas live in VERY cramped conditions. And ask yourself the question, who will reproduce normally in a concentration camp?! 3) Chinchillas often have an unbalanced diet: excess protein or fat leads to a decrease in fertility and survival of puppies in the first month. In good home conditions, with two litters per year, a good female regularly gives birth to 3-4 healthy puppies.

— Which mixture is suitable for feeding chinchilla puppies?

When selecting a formula for feeding (additional feeding), you should take into account the composition of chinchillas’ natural milk. Composition of chinchilla milk : fat - 14%, carbohydrates - 1.7%, protein - from 6.4% on the first day to 8% on the tenth day of lactation. It is vitally important for puppies that the female has milk for three weeks. It is best to choose a soy-based breast (human) milk replacer (this could be, for example, Similac) to avoid the danger of lactose indigestibility.

— How many times a year does a chinchilla give birth?

Chinchillas give birth infrequently (2-3 times a year) and little by little - on average 2-3 puppies. Babies born at maturity are sighted, with teeth and fur. Having dried, after 2-3 hours, they are completely ready for life and willingly “travel” around the cage.

— Until what age do chinchillas gain weight?

It is believed that animals on farms reach full size and weight by 8-9 months. According to my observations, at home, up to 8-10 months, the animal grows, so to speak, in length (increases in size), and then, up to one and a half years, “matters” (expands in breadth, gains weight), mainly due to the increase muscle mass. A prerequisite for such development is a combination of a balanced diet with sufficient exercise.

— How many grams per day should chinchillas add?

It depends on how many animals are in the litter, how large their parents are, how complete and lactogenic the female’s diet is, etc. I observed that if a large female has 4 babies, they are born weighing about 40-45 g, gain 2 g per day in the first three weeks, and add more in subsequent weeks. If the same female has 2-3 puppies in the litter, they are larger at birth (about 50-55 g) and gain 4 g in weight every day. And when 1 puppy was born, he gained 4-6 g per day almost from the day of his birth. It is dangerous if the baby not only does not gain weight, but even loses it. Or when he gains 2-4 g, he loses it again. In this case, it is necessary to supplement the diet with soy milk replacer “Similac” and find out the reasons for such weight fluctuations.

How to care for a pregnant chinchilla

A pregnant chinchilla needs the following conditions for a successful birth:

an enclosure without toys and shelves, so as not to injure newborns. Instead of an aviary, a low cage with a 10-mm gap between the bars is suitable (so that the young are not outside);
Keep noise and harsh light away from the room and keep the room quiet;
reducing the number of walks. It is not recommended to pick up the animal. If necessary, the owner can calm the female by stroking her belly. It is forbidden to lift chinchillas by the tail, as fear of this may lead to abortion;
the male descends several weeks before giving birth;
X-rays during the prenatal period (contraindicated for anxious people);
daily cleaning and laying down wood or hay to insulate the floor;
Avoid swimming three to four days before the event and for the next few weeks;
cleaning the enclosure a few days after a successful outcome.

What to feed a pregnant chinchilla

Women who carry their calves need high quality and fresh feed.

Food products should be added to the menu:

Crushed plants (alfalfa, calendula and strawberries) plus feathers for good lactation;
Barley or oat cabbage, due to the presence of vitamin E (its deficiency causes fetal malformations or miscarriages);
apple slices 15-20 days before delivery;
special food from a veterinary store with a high protein content, for better lactation and light juiciness.

Dietary supplement with herbs, milk powder and cereal mixture, rose hips. In addition, calcium gluconate is prescribed to support the skeletal system.

Thyme and mint have a negative effect on lactation and should be avoided. Also reduce roughage (corn cobs, straw and hay) by about a quarter and increase the amount of juicy fruits, vegetables and protein (cottage cheese, yogurt, meat and bone meal, etc.).

Signs and preparation for impending birth in a chinchilla

The chinchilla breeder, once the mating day has been established, must:

Use the table to calculate your delivery day.
Put the man down.
Cover the nest with dark fabric to create a comfortable atmosphere.
Prepare hydrogen peroxide, ascorbic acid and glucose solution, gamavit, etmzilate, oxytocin, dicycline, calcium gluconate injection, wipes and diapers, disposable syringes, milk replacer, saline solution and an electric fireplace for heating.
Change the water daily.
Make arrangements with your veterinarian about possible delivery.

Signs of imminent labor

Anxiety in women. Stunning loud noises and stress that sometimes lead to premature birth and even damage to the newborn.
The animal uses belly fluff and straw a few to three days before the event to build a nest. To avoid littering, the nest box is located on the floor with the opening facing upwards. The owner can also isolate the nest.
Sedentary lifestyle: the animal prefers to lie on its back or on its side.
Within 2-4 days, the female bends and seems to fall to the floor: this helps the fetus move towards the birth canal.
A few hours before the due date, the abdominal cavity drops, the genital loop becomes pink and swollen, and the ribs retract.
Body weight drops to 25 g, rectal temperature drops from one to one and a half degrees.

Symptoms of approaching labor

It is necessary to monitor the female and know the symptoms of beginning labor. Before labor begins, it is necessary to change the bedding to fresh hay and remove the bathing suit.

The chinchilla gives birth on her own, she does not need help with this. The birth process is short and usually occurs in the morning, less often in the afternoon.

It is not difficult to determine that a female will give birth soon. If you keep an eye on your animal, you will immediately notice this change in behavior.

Symptoms of the onset of labor:

The female's genitals begin to swell
If you feel the female’s body, you will notice that the stomach seems to have sunk inward, and the ribs are sticking out.
Nipples become enlarged and swollen
The female is constantly stretching
Prefers to sleep on his side
Frequent urination
Nose wet
Cloudy discharge comes out of the vagina

How is childbirth?

Chinchillas usually give birth very quickly. A female chinchilla usually gives birth to 1 to 4 young, and the entire birth period lasts from a few minutes to 2-2.5 hours. After giving birth, the chinchilla eats it.

If there are no deviations in the process, the animal does not need help. Any unnecessary touching, examination, or attempts to encourage the puppies to move through the birth canal can cause stress in the female, which blocks the release of oxytocin and stops contractions.

Maternal distress occurs in chinchillas that are too young or injured, as well as in individuals with abnormal presentation of one or more fetuses.

Often females that were previously used for breeding and are forced to produce offspring more than twice a year have difficulty giving birth to children. If you suspect any abnormality, contact your veterinarian.

If your chinchilla has already developed maternal diseases, it is necessary to arrange a home visit with your veterinarian in advance.

Signs of approaching labor

The fact that a woman is preparing for childbirth can be judged by her behavior. The chinchilla begins to build a nest: she chews the garbage to make it softer and puts it in the most closed corner.

Some animals pluck fluff on the belly and sides, and also line the nest. Preparing the birth site usually takes 2-4 days. The woman gradually becomes less active, lies on her back most of the day, stops eating and barely moves.

This behavior is normal and should not be a cause for concern. It is worth noting that the weight of a chinchilla can decrease by 15-25 grams when weighed immediately before the birth of the child.

A few days before giving birth, the female begins to stretch or become flabby. This encourages young people to move towards the birth canal.

Not only the behavior, but also the appearance of the woman changes. As the puppies move toward the pelvic outlet, the chinchilla's abdomen lowers, the sides droop, and the genitals become more pronounced and swollen. When measuring body temperature in the rectum, a decrease of 1-1.2°C is noted.

How to prepare for giving birth to a chinchilla?

After your chinchilla is mated, mark this date on your calendar and count 105-115 days from it to prepare in advance for the expected delivery date. In a notebook, write down your weight measurements, pregnancy behavior, and any important or worrying questions. If your pet is restless, not eating well, or is gaining weight, consult your veterinarian in advance. Make sure you have his number in your phone or write it down on your laptop to keep track of your pregnant woman.

For your birthday, it is recommended to have clean diapers, hydrogen peroxide, sterile syringes, saline solution and milk replacer ready. There should be a sufficient amount of clean water in the female's cage.

Have disposable diapers or soft wipes on hand during delivery. In case of multiple pregnancy, you can help the female by gently wiping the newborn calf with them.

How to help a chinchilla during childbirth?

Childbirth in chinchillas usually begins in the morning hours, around 5-7 am. In the normal course of the process, puppies are born within 9-10 hours. About 24 hours after birth, the female begins lactation.

Before this, the colostrum is released from the nipples. It is whitish in color and is nutritious enough to provide the juveniles with essential nutrients for the first 24 hours.

If abnormalities are suspected during childbirth, the chinchilla should be assisted. Due to loss of strength, the chinchilla is restless, creaks, or reacts sluggishly to external stimuli.

If a birth lasts more than 5-6 hours, there is heavy bleeding from the genital tract, or contractions stop, you should consult a doctor. In this case, surgical intervention is necessary, i.e. C-section.

If the birth is going well, there is no need to interfere with the process.

Caring for the mother and babies in the first days

After giving birth, the chinchilla must restore lost energy and moisture; for this, the cage must have clean, cool water and hay. In the first few days, you can feed the female with thick sugar syrup and a small piece of apple. In case of a lack of water, vitamins and microelements, the female may bite the young.

After the female leaves the nest, use clean hands to inspect the chicks and remove any dead newborns from the cage. The procedure should be carried out with clean hands, washed with laundry soap; the smell of toilet soap will frighten the female, and she can kill the young man.

If some of the young chinchillas remain on the floor of the cage outside the nest, the owner must immediately resuscitate the newborn. They should be dried, warmed and fed artificial milk formula via a dropper. After these steps, the young are carefully placed in the nest under the mother.

A day after birth, the newborn puppy should be taken out with clean hands and weighed each time; the normal weight of the child should be 30-70 grams. Subsequent weighing should be carried out daily, preferably at the same time.

If there is sufficient production, puppies will receive at least one gram per day, otherwise additional infant nutrition is necessary.

If a chinchilla does not produce enough milk to feed its offspring, this manifests itself in the loss of mobility of the babies and lack of swelling in the mother's nipples. In this case, the owner should feed the newborn puppies with diluted condensed milk or cow's milk.

At 30 days of age, puppies are weaned into warm, spacious cages, forming mixed sex groups. Young puppies should be fed boiled cow's milk for up to 5-6 months.

Breast examination

The owner should examine the mammary glands of the caring chinchilla daily. Newborn puppies are born with teeth erupted and can damage the delicate skin of their teeth.

If wounds or cracks are found on the nipples, the damaged areas should be lubricated with Vaseline or lard. If the mammary glands are not efficient enough or the third pair of nipples are filled with milk, mastitis can occur. To avoid this, the remaining milk should be kept taut and a moist bandage applied to the hot, swollen glands.

If the female has hardened nipples, she will trample and open the young. The woman is taken out of the cage, her nipples are massaged, a small amount of milk is given, she is held in her arms, and the young are sucked.

Possible problems and complications

In most cases, childbirth in chinchillas occurs without complications, and young mothers themselves cope well with the birth of their babies. The average duration of the labor process is 2-3 hours. If the birth lasts up to 5 hours, the female needs help. Perhaps one of the puppies is stuck in the birth canal. To provide assistance you will need:

give the woman in labor a few drops of sweet water or syrup - this will help restore the chinchilla’s strength and give it vigor;
Gently massage the tummy - in this case you need to use soft, stroking movements and under no circumstances press;
If one of the puppies is halfway out and does not move further, you need to lubricate its body with Vaseline and try to carefully remove it in time with the contractions, twisting it slightly clockwise.

If labor has completely stopped, or if bleeding occurs, it is necessary to urgently take the chinchilla to the veterinarian. If possible, it is better to call a specialist at home. In such a situation, a caesarean section will have to be performed to save the lives of the mother and babies.

What to feed a chinchilla after giving birth

The diet of a lactating female should contain increased amounts of protein and calcium necessary to produce the required amount of milk. The chinchilla must be fed with wheat, oat and barley sprouts, nettle grass, alfalfa, vetch, rose hips, vegetables, fruits and nuts.

The introduction of cottage cheese, skim or powdered milk, kefir, yogurt, sour milk, meat and bone meal, milk granules, vitamins, calcium gluconate and berries into the diet should be mandatory.

Milk production is accompanied by increased thirst of the woman, so the owner must be vigilant and take care of pouring the drink. The feeder and water bowl should be located as close to the nest as possible so that the chinchilla can easily reach the nest.

Selecting a mating pair, caring for a pregnant female and her future offspring, as well as assistance during childbirth is a serious and troublesome job, especially for novice chinchilla breeders. All efforts are compensated at first glance by tiny, touching chinchillas, which are born immediately with soft, delicate fur and open, curious eyes, unlike other mammals.

Symptoms and duration of pregnancy and childbirth in chinchillas4 (79.23%) 26 votes

What to do if your chinchilla gives birth to puppies

If your furry pet has finally given birth to a wonderful baby or one baby, you need to take care of restoring your pet's postpartum health in order to create optimal, comfortable conditions for new family members to thrive:

Some owners do not separate adult chinchillas after birth; this may result in another mating within 24 hours of birth. Gentle females may become aggressive towards males after birth and may chase males around the cage, causing injury to the delicate limbs of newborn pups;
The cage with newborn puppies should have a minimum size between the bars, and all shelves where a tired chinchilla can hide from babies should be removed;
The dog in the newborn crate should hang as low as possible so that the babies can easily reach it, fresh, dry hay with stems should be placed in the enclosure or cage daily, newborn puppies begin to eat hay from the 2nd or 3rd day of life;
Chinchillas can bathe in the sand 10-14 days after giving birth, for this they are placed in a cage for a nursing female with babies.

Postpartum period

Females who have given birth for the first time often experience postpartum stress. For them, what is happening is not entirely clear. This can be noticed by restless behavior, aggression and rejection of children. Usually the maternal instinct is still stronger and the female accepts the cubs after some time.

Therefore, do not panic if immediately after giving birth the chinchilla refuses to feed the babies.

Just a day after the chinchilla gave birth, she is already ready for another mating. However, this will lead to a lot of stress. Therefore, if the female gave birth in the same cage with the male, he must be placed in another cage for two to three days. After three days, the male can be returned home - he will help the female take care of the cubs.

The diet of a nursing chinchilla is not much different from the diet before and during pregnancy. It is recommended to feed the female with the most pure and vitamin-rich food possible. It’s good to add cottage cheese, milk (powdered) and fresh eggs to your diet. It is recommended to make an additional feeder for nettles, leaves and fruits of rose hips, hawthorn and strawberry leaves, which is placed next to the nest. An additional drinking bowl is also hung next to the nest.

The chinchilla has three pairs of nipples, but not all of them are active. Most often, the first and second pair are dairy. If babies suck nipples, then even in inactive ones milk appears over time. The breeder needs to monitor the feeding of the pups, since sometimes not all puppies have enough milk. Strong cubs often push away weak ones, which leads not only to slower growth and development, but also to death. If some puppies are stunted, they need to be artificially fed.

For feeding, use a mixture of one part unsweetened condensed milk and two parts chamomile infusion.

The mixture is heated in a water bath to room temperature and the babies are given small portions from a syringe without a needle several times a day.

Chinchilla behavior during pregnancy

The behavior of chinchillas during pregnancy directly depends on their temperament and health. If a woman is young, then pregnancy proceeds normally, and her behavior changes only in the period before childbirth.

Sudden changes in behavior may indicate

Hormonal changes are temporary and last no more than 3-4 days.
Stress or discomfort - in this case, irritability, depression, and chronic fatigue are observed. The female is constantly trying to build a canopy or hides in the far corner of the cage.

Based on the experience of owners, the following common behavioral metamorphoses can be identified:

The female not only begins to eat more, but also actively grazes, even if she was not previously inclined to such behavior.
Friendly, outgoing women may become territorial and even begin marking.
Independent women become more social and even obsessive.

Experts advise not to worry about changes in the behavior of pregnant chinchillas unless alarming symptoms are observed.

Try not to force communication and attention on expectant mothers, but be prepared to respond to her initiative.

During a normal pregnancy, a woman's weight gradually increases. Weight gain is due to the production of excess blood and fluids, the growth of embryos and the accumulation of a protective fat layer in the mother's peritoneal area.

Weight gain during pregnancy in chinchillas is 25-30 grams per month. Over the past month, this range could be 30-50 grams. Normal, gradual weight gain is a sign of a healthy pregnancy.

If a woman is healthy at the time of conception, then theoretically the pregnancy should proceed without complications. Temporary problems may arise if the female does not receive the necessary nutrition because the owner does not know that his pet is pregnant. Other possible complications may be related to the quality of care and the environment:

Miscarriage. Most often this is caused by circulatory problems or a so-called blood conflict. Spontaneous miscarriage can occur at any gestational age. Women who are undernourished are at particular risk. Severe or prolonged stress can also be a factor in causing miscarriage.

Injuries, fights, jumping and falling can lead to spontaneous miscarriage. If a woman has a miscarriage, she eats premature embryos and placenta. Quite often, traces of blood remain in the cell (dilution).

Calcium deficiency. If there is a lack of calcium, a woman will have poor quality hair, claws and may have problems with her teeth. The embryos are severely damaged. Puppies do not develop their skeleton and internal organs properly, which can lead to intrauterine death or the birth of offspring with physical disabilities.

Repeated pregnancy immediately after birth. Due to physiological characteristics, a female chinchilla can become sexually active within 36 hours immediately after giving birth. Repeated pregnancy while nursing newborns can lead to the death of the female and puppies.

Formation of a couple

Before mating, you need to select a pair, paying attention to the following points:

the animals must match each other according to breeding data;
have good pedigrees;
have good health;
have similar color and quality of fur;
the couple should not consist of close relatives up to the third generation of kinship.

When forming couples, it is also necessary to take into account the age of the partners. Females reach sexual maturity at 6-9 months. It is advisable to choose a male that is 2-3 months older for her. If the female is older than a year, on the contrary, it is recommended to choose a male 2-3 months younger for her. But this condition is not mandatory.

To give birth to viable offspring, the female and male must be in excellent physical shape. You need to know that emaciated or, on the contrary, obese animals can produce sick or weakened puppies. It is quite possible that the female will not become pregnant at all.

Before mating, you should determine the relationship of the partners to each other. To do this, they are first placed in different cages, but placed at a close distance. This way the animals will be able to get somewhat used to each other. Then an attempt is made to place the couple together. If a calm relationship has been established between the animals, they do not quarrel or fight, then the replanting was successful.

Females are generally larger, stronger and more aggressive than males. If there is no peaceful life between the animals, on the contrary, there is aggression, then the failed pair should be separated and other options for mating should be selected.

Chinchillas recognize each other by smell, and if one animal has already been living in a cage for some time, then it may try to drive the newcomer out of it. If this happens, there are several ways to reduce the old-timer's aggressiveness. For example, placing a cage with a new animal next to an old cage. In 2-3 days, the animals will get used to each other’s smell, after which you can try to place them together, and if unsuccessful, place them again, changing places. After a few days, you can try again.

You can try placing a small (transport) cage with a newcomer inside a large cage with an old resident for 4-5 hours. The animals will make contact, but will not be able to fight.

A successful option may be to lock the old resident for 3-4 hours in a small cage located inside the large one into which the newcomer is released. The latter, moving freely, will leave its smell in all corners of the cage and accustom the “owner” to it. When the old-timer is finally released from the small cage, he will treat the newcomer with “respect.”

Usually fewer problems arise when forming a pair of young individuals. Animals most easily get used to each other at the age of six months, immediately after reaching sexual maturity, and they can be used for breeding until they reach the age of ten.

The time for active mating of animals in natural conditions is from November to May, in captivity – from November to April. By changing the behavior of animals, one can determine their readiness to reproduce. The male begins to actively court the female, running after her around the cage, snorting loudly, and wagging his tail. The female is restless, eats poorly, and scatters food around the cage. All these signs indicate that the couple has formed, and it will not delay the start of reproduction.

Chinchillas rut approximately every 40-41 days. This period can vary from 30 to 50 days. The duration of the rut is from two to seven days. The female accepts the male’s “signs of attention”; during estrus, she lifts up the back of her body and seems to stretch out in front of her suitor, indicating her readiness to mate.

Is it possible to touch newborn chinchillas?

To examine babies after birth, wash your hands thoroughly with laundry soap to avoid infection. Any other agent will leave an odor that the mother perceives as foreign, and there is a risk that she will stop feeding or even bite the babies.

At first, try to handle the babies as little as possible, and don’t forget to wash them. It is best if only the owner does this to avoid odors and the possibility of infection or injury to the tiny animal. When the cubs are a month old, interaction with people will benefit them: in the future they will become social and affectionate.

How to Handle Cubs

When the female leaves the nest after giving birth, the owner needs to remove the puppies with disinfected hands and remove the dead ones (if any). Hand washing is only allowed with laundry soap; perfumed soap will leave a smell on the cubs and scare away the female.

Babies left outside the nest need to be dried, warmed, given a drink from a pipette and placed with their mother.

After 24 hours, all newborns need to be weighed: the weight norm is from 30 to 70 g. The procedure is carried out every day at the same hour. Usually puppies gain one gram at a time. If it is less, additional feeding will help, or switching to artificial feeding (if the chinchilla has a small amount of milk).

Children are separated from their mother after 30 days, grouping heterosexual flocks. Young animals are fed with boiled and warm cow's milk for up to six months.

Baby care

The weight of newborn chinchillas varies from 30 to 70 grams and depends on heredity, litter size and the mother's feeding during pregnancy. Premature puppies are born teethed, sighted, covered in fur, and able to move independently. A week after birth, the puppy tried to feed, but continued to eat milk until 1.5-2 months.

Chinchillas tend to lose weight while nursing, so they need very good nutrition. Milk can be included in the diet.

The first 2 weeks are critical for calves. The room temperature should be maintained at around 20°C.

Young chinchillas are weaned at the age of two months, weighing 200-250 grams. Healthy children are energetic, calm, and wag their tails. Weak children have no appetite and are lethargic.

The reason for this may be a lack of milk from the mother. In this case, the young are fed artificially. Unfortunately, there are also situations where puppies become orphans due to the death of the mother or lack of milk (this can be caused by stress or illness), and hungry puppies squeal a lot and become weak. If this happens, then the puppies need to be fed on their own - for this you need to prepare a mixture with a fat content, similar to chinchilla milk.

To do this, it is better to choose dry milk or powdered milk for kittens, which does not contain lactose. You can also feed your chinchillas boiled cow's milk or even the best goat's milk, adding a drop of butter. If your tummy is swollen, a light massage is recommended.

Feed chinchillas from a dropper or syringe without a needle; it is more convenient to use an insulin syringe. The mixture is calculated as follows: 10 ml per 50 grams of child’s weight. So, when feeding every two hours, a chinchilla weighing 50 grams should receive about 0.8-0.9 ml of the mixture at a time. If the formula is appropriate, babies will begin to gain weight and should not have diarrhea or constipation.

During the first week, puppies should be fed every two hours; in the second week, feeding intervals can be increased to three hours. If the puppies are orphaned, they will need extra warmth using a heating element or a hot water bottle.

Should the male be removed from the female after giving birth? Men are different from each other and can be aggressive towards children.

And even the most polite male can accidentally, simply be unlucky, jump, run over or injure a chinchilla. In addition, almost after giving birth, the male may recolor the female, and this is obviously not good for her at all. Allowing a woman to give birth multiple times is undesirable because frequent childbirth exhausts the body.

Of course, the female is capable of giving birth three times a year, but the young may be born weak and unable to live.

How babies are born

Chinchilla offspring are born weighing 30–60 g with open eyes and teeth and can almost immediately move independently over a short distance. Usually after some time they hide under their mother to dry out and warm up.

At first, babies eat mother's milk. Lactation begins one day after birth. Newborns feed on colostrum for 24 hours.

If for some reason they miss him, the owner will have to feed the kids. To do this, prepare a mixture of condensed milk without sugar and chamomile infusion in a 1:2 ratio. It is warmed to room temperature. Feeding is done with a syringe without a needle for the first 7 days every 2 hours, the second 7 - at an interval of 4 hours, the third week - at an interval of 6 hours.

At 2 months, small chinchillas will weigh about 80-90 g, at 12 months - 120-130 g. They are ready for independent life from 3 months.

So, if you are planning to breed chinchillas, then you need to prepare for this process, namely: create the required conditions (for example, purchase an additional cage for the male, who will need to be placed during pregnancy and the first time of feeding the babies); find a veterinarian who could provide assistance if necessary; decide whether you can provide the female with high-quality nutrition, care and observation during pregnancy, as well as provide artificial supplementary feeding to the babies, if necessary.

Diseases in female chinchillas

Firstly, it is men who often infect women with sexually transmitted diseases because they are carriers of viruses.

Although breeders will tell you what to look for when purchasing a chinchilla, be sure to quarantine it and if you don't have a veterinarian's note, check with your doctor to see if it has any medical conditions.

The following diseases do not occur and cannot be detected in men except through laboratory tests: endometrial cystic gland hyperplasia, vaginitis, endometritis (including chronic), pyometra

After childbirth, women sometimes experience uterine prolapse. If this happens, call your veterinarian immediately.

Reproduction

When breeding chinchillas at home, you need to take into account that the animal is nocturnal and they like to mate at night. It is very difficult to catch them during the process. Mating lasts a few seconds, so you can skip it if you just go to the kitchen for a drink of water.

In order for mating to be successful, it is necessary to place the male only during the female’s hunting period, otherwise the female may refuse her lover.

Sometimes, to make sure that mating was successful, you need to look into the cage. Usually, after mating, there are scraps of fur lying around in the cage, which are not observed during normal times.

After mating, it is necessary to place the female in another cage and monitor whether it is replenished or not. If a chinchilla becomes pregnant, she usually gains 30-50 in the first two weeks. In this case, you need to feed with regular food and standard portions, otherwise it may turn out that you simply overfed the female.

When you are convinced that the female is pregnant, you need to make her diet more varied. In the diet you need to increase the amount of vitamins and microelements that are necessary for the proper growth of the cubs. We have a separate article about the diet of pregnant chinchillas.

How to breed chinchillas: timing of mating, maturation, estrus, pregnancy

How to breed chinchillas? Chinchillas reach sexual maturity at the age of 6-9 months (women are usually 1-2 months earlier than men) and retain their reproductive abilities up to 8-10 years.
At older ages, the use of females for breeding is not recommended, since older females often have difficult births, and the young are born weak.
However, it is also dangerous to breed chinchillas that are too young - this can lead to fetal abnormalities and difficult births. Please note that some females may reach sexual maturity earlier, but there is no need to rush. The weight of the finished chinchilla is more than 500 g! Tip: Females must be mated from the second heat, before the age of one year the male must be 2 months older. After one year of life, on the contrary, it is advisable to be 2-3 months younger. A man is ready for copulation when nature calls.

Estrus in a female queen occurs approximately once a month (on average 30-40 days, minimum 20, maximum 60) and lasts 3-7 days. Pink color and slight swelling of the female genital organs indicate its occurrence. White mucus can also be found near lice.
According to animal behavior. Tip: If a woman loses interest in her partner, it means she is ovulating and pregnant. Ovulation itself occurs 12-24 hours after the onset of heat. - They begin to show active interest in each other, the woman raises her hind legs, and the man tries to hug the woman. At the same time, he becomes active, wagging his tail and cooing. However, observations are complicated by the fact that this usually occurs at night.
If fertilization is successful, the female's pregnancy lasts about four months (110-115 days), but due to the female's rounded shape, it may be difficult to notice until the last minute. Regular weighing, which begins every day 2-3 weeks after planned mating, helps. A gradual increase in weight indicates that pregnancy has occurred.
The appearance of white paraffin plugs in the vagina measuring about 2-3 cm may also indicate that white paraffin plugs have been installed in the vagina.

When weight gain becomes apparent and there are several weeks left before giving birth, the female should be moved to a separate cage. She should not be left with a man to avoid re-mating after birth.

If your pet is 7 months old, weighs at least 500 grams, and the male is 6 months old, then mating is possible. In order to correctly and timely help a pregnant chinchilla, it is necessary to keep records of the mating date, heat and actual mating of the animals.

Animals' weight should also be monitored throughout the adoption and pregnancy period. This monitoring will help you better determine your stop date. Gestation in chinchillas usually lasts from 105 to 125 days.

Symptoms that can help determine if your chinchilla is in trouble are:

Changing nipples. If the chinchilla is not pregnant, then its nipples are white and almost invisible. In pregnant women, the nipples become enlarged and pink.
Weight change. During the initial period, weight gain may occur, but it is not rapid. After 2.5 months, the chinchilla quickly gains weight, approximately 12-35 grams per week. These changes are considered normal and indicate that the animal is pregnant. Weigh her once a week to track weight changes.
Fetal movements. 3 weeks before the birth you will be able to feel the baby's movements in the mother's belly, 2 weeks before the birth the movements will become noticeable.
Opening the hinges. From 2 to 14 days the loop opens.
Behavioral changes. A week and a half before giving birth, you may notice that the female begins to “nest.” The day before birth, the chinchilla sag and begins to stretch and flabby.

How long does pregnancy last

Depending on the individual characteristics of the female’s body and the number of puppies being carried, a chinchilla’s pregnancy can last from 105 to 120 days. In young females, gestation is longer. This is due to the fact that the fewer babies a chinchilla has, the longer it bears them. And in the first litter, as a rule, there are no more than 2 puppies. Then the chinchilla mother is pregnant for 115-120 days.

Older females can give birth to 5-6 babies at once. And their gestation period is only 100-105 days. It is worth noting that during multiple pregnancies, newborns are born with closed eyes and a small amount of fur. While chinchillas from a small litter, as a rule, are immediately sighted, stronger and covered with thick fur coats.