Post by princessjes on Nov 16, 2011 17:36:12 GMT -5
I'm always looking for an excuse to show off my adorable chinchilla family!
Their story: Soot (male, standard (dark grey)) and Ash (female, mosaic (white)) were rescued from a hoarding situation.
My husband and I had been looking around for a while for a couple chinchillas to adopt. We knew we wanted two because chinchillas, like many other rodents, are social.
We finally found Soot and Ashes up for adoption in a town not too far from ours and we drove out to adopt them after some arrangements were made. This was in March 2011.
We were told by the person adopting them out that they were both male. After we got them home, I researched them a bit more and discovered that Ash was female, not male! Since the two had already been living together since before we bought them, I assumed that Ash was pregnant. I didn't know for sure, but I think it was a just assumption since we'd just adopted two cohabiting rodents of opposite sexes!
We waited for months for the litter to be born (chinchilla gestation is 90 days), but Ash never delivered. I gave up hope that they would ever have a baby. Oftentimes, chinchillas who've lived together for a long time assume that they're related and will not mate with one another, so I figured that's what happened.
Then one day in August, I came downstairs to see a tiny baby chinchilla by Ash at the bottom of the cage!! I quickly separated Ash and Soot (chinchillas go into heat right after they give birth!) and baby-proofed the cage. I hope I was fast enough and that Ash and Soot didn't mate again, but I guess we'll see (if Ash is pregnant again, she'll deliver at the end of this month). Chinchillas are very fluffy and the females are naturally chubby so it can be extremely difficult to tell if they're pregnant.
Needless to say, I went out and got Soot neutered shortly after I discovered the baby!
I originally named the baby chinchilla Cinders, to go with her parents' name theme but it just didn't stick. I renamed her Baby because she is so precious!! I am keeping Baby. If there is another litter, I will adopt the babies out to responsible families.
Phew! That's the whole story! Now onto the pics!
Soot and Ash:
Newborn Baby:
Baby, several weeks older:
Annnnd older:
Holding Baby by the scruff. She's all "I don't wike dis..."
Baby is quite demanding when it comes to kisses! Here she is begging Ash for one:
Toldja! Now it's time for kisses from Daddy. Look at her adorable fuzzy bum!!
The whole family! They are NOT cooperative when it comes to staying still for pics! XD
The whole family again:
I hope you enjoyed getting to know my chinchillas! I can always update this thread with more pics later. :3
Their story: Soot (male, standard (dark grey)) and Ash (female, mosaic (white)) were rescued from a hoarding situation.
My husband and I had been looking around for a while for a couple chinchillas to adopt. We knew we wanted two because chinchillas, like many other rodents, are social.
We finally found Soot and Ashes up for adoption in a town not too far from ours and we drove out to adopt them after some arrangements were made. This was in March 2011.
We were told by the person adopting them out that they were both male. After we got them home, I researched them a bit more and discovered that Ash was female, not male! Since the two had already been living together since before we bought them, I assumed that Ash was pregnant. I didn't know for sure, but I think it was a just assumption since we'd just adopted two cohabiting rodents of opposite sexes!
We waited for months for the litter to be born (chinchilla gestation is 90 days), but Ash never delivered. I gave up hope that they would ever have a baby. Oftentimes, chinchillas who've lived together for a long time assume that they're related and will not mate with one another, so I figured that's what happened.
Then one day in August, I came downstairs to see a tiny baby chinchilla by Ash at the bottom of the cage!! I quickly separated Ash and Soot (chinchillas go into heat right after they give birth!) and baby-proofed the cage. I hope I was fast enough and that Ash and Soot didn't mate again, but I guess we'll see (if Ash is pregnant again, she'll deliver at the end of this month). Chinchillas are very fluffy and the females are naturally chubby so it can be extremely difficult to tell if they're pregnant.
Needless to say, I went out and got Soot neutered shortly after I discovered the baby!
I originally named the baby chinchilla Cinders, to go with her parents' name theme but it just didn't stick. I renamed her Baby because she is so precious!! I am keeping Baby. If there is another litter, I will adopt the babies out to responsible families.
Phew! That's the whole story! Now onto the pics!
Soot and Ash:
Newborn Baby:
Baby, several weeks older:
Annnnd older:
Holding Baby by the scruff. She's all "I don't wike dis..."
Baby is quite demanding when it comes to kisses! Here she is begging Ash for one:
Toldja! Now it's time for kisses from Daddy. Look at her adorable fuzzy bum!!
The whole family! They are NOT cooperative when it comes to staying still for pics! XD
The whole family again:
I hope you enjoyed getting to know my chinchillas! I can always update this thread with more pics later. :3