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[babychi]

tonite i was playing with my chin and he tried to hump my hand i'm looking for a female but still had some questions first

what can i do for him until i get a female?
can male and female chins share a cage?
how many litters can the female have before she's too old?
and he's gray with a little bit of white so what color female should i get him?

i know these are dumb questions but i really need to know before i get a female.

[Stacy]

Yes this is normal. My male does it all the time. I just snatch my hand back and tell him no but it don't seem to help any. I also would not getting a female to go with him unless you have done a lot of research. I'm sure some one else will post and help you out more.

[BrightEyed]

thats very normal. thats what animals do- they don't mean anything by it.

You need to learn a lot about them before thinking about things like that. It's a lot of responsibility and not just as simple as buying a female and coming home to a litter of beautiful, healthy kits.

If you don't want him to be lonely you can always buy a male chinchilla to be his cage mate.

He's not doing that because he's lonely tho- its just by nature.

Male and female chins can't share a cage without the outcome of a family.

[Abby W.]

Babychi,

Unfortunately, some chinchillas, particularly males, will do what you are describing.  This is, of course, a mating behavior, but also a dominance behavior.  I have not yet heard anyone describe an effective technique for changing this behavior.  Getting him a cage mate MAY lessen it, or it may not.  However, I would not recommend getting him a female mate unless you are prepared to breed chins.  Remember, these are rodents, and breeding is what rodents do best   

There are a lot of things to think about when talking about breeding chinchillas.  It is a lot of fun, but it can also be VERY expensive and heartbreaking.  A lot of things can go wrong with a chin pregnancy and you have to be prepared to handle them financially, emotionally, and time-wise.  Do you have a minimum of $500 to spend on a veterinary emergency?  Are you prepared to hand feed kits every two hours round the clock for weeks at a time?  Can you deal with a still-born kit?  All of these things are possibilities in breeding, and if you are not prepared for them you shouldn't do it.

I am not trying to discourage you, if you feel like breeding is something you could be passionate about and enjoy.  But it is crucial that new breeders go into things with their eyes wide open and fully aware of the possible negative aspects of breeding.  Even if everything goes perfectly, as it most often does, there is still the responsibility of ensuring good homes for the kits.  If you can't find suitable homes for them are you prepared to keep them and care for them for as long as it takes to find them a home? 

If you can honestly answer yes to all of the questions I have posed, then you may be emotionally ready for breeding and I would encourage you to start doing some serious research about chinchilla husbandry and genetics.  There is a lot to learn about breeding quality chinchillas.  I am sure any of the breeders on this site would be happy to answer any questions you have about the breeding experience and what you need to know before you begin breeding.

[Jo Ann]

   "humping" is natural for males and even some females ... it is not always a sexual thing, but can also be a show of dominance ... many animals, including the chinchilla, do this.

Breeding is a huge responsibility and a big life-style-cange.  Do lots of reasearch on all aspects of breeding!

Check out "Breeding 101" at: http://www.luvnchins.com/Breeding101forBreeders.html   &
"The Title "Breeder" Carries With it a Great Responsibility" at: http://www.luvnchins.com/Breeders.html

There are many other articles that appear in the on-line Chinchilla Magazine put out by the Chinchilla Club and paper copies that can be purchased in the Chinchilla Club Store.
 
Any time you put a male and a female together, you are putting them in 'a breeding situation', therefore becomming a "breeder", but not necessairly a responsible breeder or a good breeder.

Think long and hard and do a ton of research!

   Jo Ann

P.S.  The more you learn the more you find there is to learn ...
      ...   until you realize you know only a 'drop in the bucket' of what you need to know ...
           ....    you don't know nearly enough yet.