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[Butters]

I have a male chinchilla who is now 6months old he is my baby, as far as I know I take very good care of him and just recently took him to his first vet check up which turned out just fine. However something has been bothering me, he seems so small... I didn't notice it until I went to a local pet store and seen two other chinchillas one male one female who were both younger than my chin and in size they are much larger. I would have never questioned his size if I hadn't seen those two chins at the store and Ive tried looking up what could cause this, I will be contacting the breeder I got my chin from just to ask if maybe his parents were small as well, but I don't want to sound silly so id like to find out if this is normal first. The only thing I can think of that might had some effect was his hay eating habits, I keep his hay full at all times but he doesn't even seem to notice it and when I try to give it to him he grabs it an throws it down. Perhaps I'm being over cautious and I hope this is normal, any advice would be great thanks!

[AnnieHank]

What does he weigh? If the vet says he's okay, I wouldn't be too worried. I presume he's a normal active chin and his poohs are normal?
I had two kits born at the same time. One is quite big and the other is quite small. Mother is average size, father was a hulk of a chinchilla! I don't know if it makes a difference but the large one was nursing for a few weeks longer than the smaller one.

[chinclub]

Can you send a picture of it in your hands for reference?  Genetics do play a large part in the size of a chinchilla, however, premature chinchillas and birth defects can also play a part.  It wouldn't hurt to contact the breeder.  That is a great plus to buying from a breeder over a pet store (so you can get histories on your chinchillas). 

[lilchinchilla]

Genetics will play a part in how big or little a chinchilla is. Being he is only 6 months old, just because he may be small now, does not mean he won't become much bigger later. Some mutations or certain lines, I guess you could say, I find are or can be slow growers too. I've had some not even start to really round out till a year to a year and a half in age. What was 600 grams at 9 months old, can and at least for me - has ended up to be as much as 900 - 1170 grams in size by age two... not with every chin, mind you, but certain ones, yes. Just depends on their genetics.

Some chins just don't stop growing even after 2 years of age. If you aren't feeling bony bones sticking out or seeing hunchback(which from the photos he looks fine for his age, but they are not the best photos), and he is given a good diet, he should be fine.

On the other end of it, although your baby does not appear to be this, sometimes you can get a dwarf chinchilla(which is a recessive mutation and all it takes is for each parent to carry one gene for to produce a dwarf.).

Sometimes people don't know it is a dwarf till full grown, because to an average person they appear like every other baby their age...till they get older and stop growing like every other baby their age. The dwarves I have seen are usually between 300 - 450 grams when full grown, and look like a 4 - 6 month old kit even as adults.

I however don't feel your baby is a dwarf, provided by the photos as the face and nose do not look like one. I am just using an example  however as to one of the many reasons a baby may not grow like other babies around them that are the same age.

[Butters]

I've been weighing him hes stayed around 365-370 grams for about a week now, I am quite revealed to see your responses and It made me contact my breeder. She told me that my chins father was quite small as well and was a slow grower, and even his mother isn't a very large chin. Thank you all for your quick responses this website has been so very helpful to this first time chin owner 

[Jo Ann]

   What were the colors of the chins in the pet store? 
What color/colors are the parents of your little chin?
Remember, mutations (any color other than a standard gray) is very often smaller than the original standard gray chinchillas, due to the genetics involved.  Some mutations tend to be smaller than other mutations, as a general rule, especially those that are produced from breeding two mutations to each other.  A pure standard gray  (one with only standard gray in it's family history) that is healthy is usually larger than a standard gray that has some mutation parents or grandparents in it's family background.  There should be a standard (pure standard, if possible) bred back into the mutation line every 2ND or 3rd generation to keep the basic genes strong and healthy.
There are so very many things that can effect the growth and size of a chinchilla!   
Even two kits born to the same parents (within the same litter or in different litters) can be different due to the genetics passed on from the parents with each kit in the litter. 
The time the kits are consieved in the same litter can also make a difference.
The female has two uterus ... if she is carrying 1 kit in one and 2 kits in the other, the one kit being developed by itself is probably getting more nutrition than the two kits developing in the other uterus.
Unknown genetics that can skip a generation or two can effect the kit's development.
Knowing as much of the background of a chinchilla as possible and proper note keeping is essential to produce the best you can produce ... then when you think you have it down pat ... something will pop in and surprise you!  LOL
Let us know what information the breeder has for you.  (IE. size and color of parents and all grandparents, etc)

   Jo Ann

[Butters]

I found out some info on the my chins parents, his father is homo beige( his parents being homo beige & hetro beige) and mother is standard ( her parents both being standard).
My breeder also told my that my chin stems from a long line of small male chins, which is father is small, his father was small and so on but she did tell me that around 1 year was
when they were fully grown and did not grow anymore. My chin was also in a litter of 3, him and two females the breeder told me that he was the smallest at birth and remained
smaller then the girls. This has all been very interesting finding out, she even told me I could supplement his diet to increase his growth but it really doesn't bother me I love my
little chin ill let him grow at his own pace Oh and the chins I seen at the pet store were a ebony male and a standard female.