Chinchillas have long been known for their unique fur. Chinchilla fur coats used to be in fashion.
But somehow it’s wrong to kill cute rodents for the sake of fur. Moreover, now there are many options for replacing natural fur. And chinchillas are increasingly known as popular pets.
What are they good at? And if they’re as good as they are said, why not make a couple? How to identify a chinchilla: a boy or a girl in front of you? We will talk about this in the article.
Who are chinchillas?
These are charming rodents, somewhat similar to a squirrel. Their color is usually gray. But there are both white and black rodents.
Big rounded ears and half-face eyes give these animals a special charm. Due to their beauty and lack of smell, chinchillas are taking root more and more as pets. Someone holds one rodent, and someone - several.
How to distinguish chinchillas - boys from girls? We will consider this in the next subsection.
Gender differences
Have you decided to have two rodents? But you don’t know whether it is possible to keep two males together, or two females? And what is the difference between a chinchilla - a boy from a girl?
Everything is simple. In boys, the distance between the penis and the anus is very significant.
As for their girlfriends, the distance between the vagina and anus in females is almost absent.
Pros of Chinchillas
How to find out if chinchilla is a boy or a girl, we found out. Now let's talk about which chinchillas are good.
What is their appeal? As already mentioned, in appearance, first of all. But not only thanks to the touching appearance of the rodents gained wild popularity.
Lack of smell. Chinchillas do not smell, unlike other rodents. A cage with a pet can be cleaned twice a month and there will be no smell.
An easygoing character. Experienced breeders are advised to take a small chinchilla. These pets are easily tamed, they are happy to make contact. But the only thing is, they do not like sharp and loud sounds. Therefore, in a family with very young children, these animals are not suitable.
Unpretentiousness. Pets eat only dry chinchilla food. You can pamper them with branches of currant or hazel. And that's it, the diet ends here. These rodents can not do anything that is usually given to hamsters, rats and guinea pigs. The exception is hay. His chinchillas are very fond of and eat with great pleasure.
Negative sides
Do such charming animals have flaws? Like all other animals, it was not without them.
Chinchillas are shy. Fright can lead to cardiac arrest. Therefore, they need silence, these animals do not tolerate loud sounds, as mentioned above.
If a pet is allowed to walk, then do it only accompanied by the owners. Otherwise, he will cut through everything that is in the reach of the rodent. It does not disdain and sofa lining, and wires.
They bite very painfully. If you grossly and abruptly grab a pet, you will have to get acquainted with its sharp teeth.
They like to swim in the sand. Special sand for swimming chinchillas can be purchased at the pet store. And a bathing suit with high sides to it. Otherwise, the entire area around the cell will be strewn with this sand.
We found out the difference between a boy’s chinchilla and a girl’s. It will be needed to avoid buying two males. These comrades hardly get along in one cage. Constant fights and clarification of relations are provided in case of their joint residence. It is better to keep two females, they are much more calm and loyal to their own kind.
Breeding
For those who decide to breed chinchillas, you need to know how to distinguish a chinchilla boy from a girl. Now we know this and it's time to talk about the reproduction of these rodents.
Chinchilla pregnancy lasts almost 4 months, namely 110 days. In the first two months there are no changes in the appearance of the pet. Unless the nipples become larger and acquire a red color and appetite increases. During this period, the lady should be fed balanced feed, increased portions.
Before giving birth, the male is planted if he lives in the same cage with the expectant mother. And they do not return him to the family until the kids are removed from the mother. There are usually two cubs in a litter. Babies are born "in a fur coat", with open eyes, have teeth. Mother feeds them for 45-60 days, despite the fact that the kids are already eating full-grown adult food.
Upon reaching two months, children are seated by gender. How to distinguish boys from chinchilla girls, we remember.
It is important to know
What to remember when buying a pair of chinchillas? It is better to take two females, because the male and female will arrange a continuous process of procreation. The female body is not a maternity machine. From frequent childbirth, it weakens, as a result, everything can end in the death of the animal.
After giving birth, the female cannot be disturbed. The first two weeks in the life of babies are the most difficult for both them and the mother. A frightened female is able to eat offspring, so the litter is not changed during this period. Just pour food and pour water into the bowl.
It is mandatory to plant a baby after two months. Girls to girls, boys to boys. How to distinguish chinchilla boys from girls, we now know. The sex of the cubs can be determined at the age of 45 days.
How to feed young animals? As well as adults. Food, sticks or treats for chinchillas and all. Like parents, babies need sand for swimming.
General recommendations
How to determine the chinchilla - boy or girl - we figured out. Recall that in boys the distance from the external genital to the anus is much greater than in girls. In females, it is almost imperceptible.
How to keep pets?
A large cage is needed. The minimum cell size per individual is 80 * 80 * 50. Can you imagine the size of housing for a couple of rodents?
In the cage they make a house. You can buy it or make it yourself. The house should be wooden, for these pets are lovers of gnawing everything they see. There will be no big disaster from the tree, and if they are full of plastics, then it’s a disaster.
Corn is used as a filler. He is the safest for these voracious animals, who love to try everything on the tooth.
Feeding troughs are better to buy iron, which can be hung on a cage. Or heavy ceramic so that the chinchilla could not turn them over.
A drinking bowl is purchased suspended and large. Chinchillas drink little, but if they fall to the drinker, then this will be a long time.
There must be hay in the cage; its animals adore.
And do not forget about the bathing with sand. Watching chinchillas bathe is one sheer pleasure.
Conclusion
The purpose of the article is to tell readers how to find out if a chinchilla is a boy or a girl. The goal is achieved, the reader now knows not only the answer to this question, but also what are the pros and cons of these rodents, how to contain them, what is necessary for this. And most importantly - how to distinguish chinchillas - boys from girls. We also examined how long the pregnancy lasts in females and how to keep it along with the litter.