I recently heard a story about a chin owner that I think we need to talk more about, dealing with chinchilla unexpected pregnancy. I’m going to call the hooman Chris (it’s not his real name, but it’s my husband’s… so I’ll remember what I named him throughout his story. Hopefully.)
Chris’s Story
Chris had adopted a bonded pair years earlier, and because of his love for them (who doesn’t love those adorable fuzzy fur babies?), wanted to add more to his family. He decided to purchase two… a now happy family of five. The first, Chris adopted from Craigslist and the other he bought from a pet store. This was last year.
After spending countless hours bonding the pair, they seemed to really get along. Two cages, two pairs of chins.
Chris had made a recent move, and he had some clutter and storage boxes still laying around, so visibility was a little lacking in the designated chinchilla room. The next day, he went in to clean cages, continue organizing his new pad, and install a second air condition for his beloved little pets (what a good chin parent!). He lifted a box off of the floor and saw a dead ebony kit. Seriously, this happened.
His love for these small pets is just over the moon. He was devastated. Confused. Angry. He instantly started rechecking genitals, and what do you know… one of his female chins, well… wasn’t a female.
While this story isn’t happy-go-lucky by any means, it’s important that we talk about what happened. Chris took what the breeder said at face value: “here’s a female chinchilla available for adoption.” While he did do a quick glance at the genitals before adoption, he wasn’t experienced enough to know the difference. He said that he’d thought the genitals looked a little different, but he’d figured it was because “she” was just a bigger chinchilla. Not so.
But, the good news? This is 100 million billion percent preventable. If you’re not 100% sure about the sex of the chinchilla you’re adopting, especially if you’re planning to bond with another, consult with your exotic vet. Find an expert to take with you and guide you through the process. Do anything and everything necessary to make sure you’re protecting your small pets and providing them a safe environment to live in.
Chinchillas breed very quickly, so if you find yourself in this situation, number 1: separate them. Number 2: take your pet to your vet and get them checked out to make sure there are no other kits on the way.
Be alert. Don’t take anyone’s word for it that a girl is a girl and a boy is a boy. Do your research. Know what you’re looking for. Talk to an expert. Heck, invite your exotic vet over for dinner and have a little chat (okay… would that be awkward?).
Either way, chinchillas deserve for us, as their hoomans, to take care of them and to keep them safe and sound. And snuggled if they’ll allow it.
I really wanted to share Chris’s story so that others realize this happens. More often then I’d probably care to know. And now, like chinchillas rely on us as their owners, I’m relying on you to help spread the word and prevent these situations. Hopefully for good.
