She is definately not to old to have kits ... I have a 12 year old that still gives me a kit here and there.
My chinchilla is about three and a half and i have had my male in her cage for a while now and she was suppose to have her kits in June.
In saying "she was
suppose to" ... is she still pregnant?
Why do you think she was suppose to have a litter in June?
Most of the ranchers prefer to start breeding females at 9 months to a year old ... basically because they only keep them in breeding 4 or 5 years, because this is their healthiest years, as a rule, then they retire them or sell them. Usually they are retired because after they have had 2 or more litters a year ... year after year and are just not up to having any more. It is often said by the ranchers that once they pass a year or year and a half old, they tend not to be as likely to breed ... I can not say yea or nae ... they have more experience than I. I do, as a general rule, put mine in breeding at 12 to 18 months of age ... if they are the quality I want in my herd. (Keep in mind ... no matter how perfect two chinchillas may appear, even if they are both champions, this is no guarantee that they will produce all champion kits or any champion kits for that matter ... even though it would be more likely to produce a few champions because of their blood lines ... they can still produce a few 'duds' too.)
Then, there are breeders like myself who will knowingly only allow one litter per year ... and on rare occasions 2 litters a year ... therefore the moms are still healthy enough to continue breeding past the age of 5 and still enjoy it. She usually still seems to live longer than one who has 2 or more litters year after year after year. Chin moms, like human moms, need a chance between little ones to rebuild their own strength and health without having to share their resources with an unborn litter.
Jamie and I have been swapping/passing chinchillas back and forth over the years ... this year, we lost 2 ... one was 23 and the other one was 24. The one that was 24 gave me a kit this past fall and the kit is healthy and going strong.
So ... how old is to old ... they are to old when the quality of the kits goes down hill, and/or the health of momma and/or kits in each litter seem to go down hill, and/or she quits breeding and prefers to be left alone, and/or she begins to have still births and/or only one kit time after time. When they reach this point in their life ... a retirement of rest, relaxation and fun should be in store for them.
Some of these "retired" moms also make great foster moms.
Sorry about getting off the subject a bit, but I thought it was also somewhat relative.
Jo Ann
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Topic: can my female be overaged to have kits (Read 3073 times)