Chinchilla - your pet
Today we want to start a series of publications about chinchillas and their maintenance at home. Until recently, most of our compatriots associated these fluffy animals exclusively with natural luxurious fur coats. However, the time has come to throw such stereotypes aside and look at the chinchilla as pet, which, by the way, is ready to dislodge classic pets from the podium - and. It turns out that keeping a chinchilla does not require much trouble, and this animal itself has a number of advantages over other pets. But first things first…
Benefits of keeping a chinchilla at home
So, you have long been planning to have a pet, however, due to certain circumstances, cats and dogs are not suitable for this role. Well, then perhaps the perfect chinchilla is just what you need. Do you doubt how this is possible? Then what do you say to the fact that by their nature these creatures, which are usually classified as rodents, belong to the category of telepaths. After all, chinchillas are capable of sensitively responding to human emotions and even... predicting ours further actions . Some chinchilla breeders sincerely believe that there is no one living in their house. ordinary animal, but a real messenger from other worlds, such a close emotional contact can be established with him, and the owners understand their pets so well. Also, these are very energetic and active creatures that have their own character and their own habits, which you want to observe, you can, and the secrets of chinchillas - you want to unravel them.
Getting to know the chinchilla
Chinchillas belong to a genus of furry animals from the chinchilla family and from the order of rodents. The homeland of these creatures is considered to be South America, where these nimble animals live in nature at an altitude of 5000 meters above sea level in the mountain ranges.
What does a chinchilla look like?
White chinchilla
Usually, adult chinchilla reaches sizes of 22-38 centimeters, and the length of the tail of this rodent is 10-17 centimeters. The chinchilla's head is rounded, the neck is short, the body is covered with durable and thick fur, and hard guard hairs can be found on the tail. An adult chinchilla can weigh up to 800 grams. The eyes of this creature are large, black with vertical pupils; by the way, chinchillas have excellent vision in the dark. Their whiskers can reach a length of up to 10 centimeters, and their ears can grow up to 6 centimeters. As a rule, the ears have a round shape. By the way, the structure of a chinchilla’s ear is very interesting, since the auricle has special membranes with which the animal closes the ear canal while it takes sand baths and cleans its fur. The chinchilla's skeleton also has the amazing ability to shrink when pushed into vertical planes - thanks to this ability, these animals can penetrate the narrowest crevices. Their forelimbs are five-fingered, similar to small hands, while hind limbs have only 4 fingers. The standard color of a chinchilla in nature is an ashen gray-blue color, although it is also possible to have a white color in the chinchilla’s belly area...
Sexual differences in chinchillas
Peculiarities of behavior of chinchillas
We have already written that these are very affectionate and emotional creatures that very subtly and sensitively feel the mood of their owner. Moreover, chinchillas can even carry on a conversation with you. If they don't like something, they will make loud noises that look like chirping or quacks, and if the chinchilla gets very angry, it can even growl and snap its teeth. The chinchilla expresses its hurt and pain with a loud squeak. By the way, if you really drive the animal crazy, it can rise on its hind legs, start growling, let out a stream of urine and grab your hand with its teeth. But it’s better not to let it get to that point.
Despite the possibility of giving such a rebuff - chinchillas are very timid animals, and even a loud sound, a sharply turned on light or a blow to the cage can plunge them into a state of stress - the animal can, due to nervousness, begin to get sick from such a shock and even die. Therefore, remember this and take care of your chinchilla’s nerves.
Types of chinchillas
Chinchilla is a tame animal
Today, experts distinguish between 2 types of chinchillas that can be kept at home: the coastal chinchilla or small long-tailed chinchilla and the large chinchilla or short-tailed chinchilla. The appearance of these representatives different types a little different, however, as is the behavior. Thus, coastal chinchillas reach a length of up to 38 centimeters, and boast a fluffy, chic tail, the length of which can be as much as 17 centimeters. By the way, the tail of such a chinchilla is very similar to the tail of a squirrel. The eyes of such an animal are black and large, the mustache is long, the ears are round and large, and the animal itself is nocturnal. Whereas a large chinchilla is distinguished by short front legs, powerful hind legs, a short, inconspicuous tail, and a thick neck. Chinchillas of this species are larger in size, they have a wide head and small bluish ears.
In addition to these 2 main types of chinchillas, many mutation species are also known today that arose as a result of crossing animals, however, as a rule, they differ mainly in the color scheme of their coats, while the standard parameters of the chinchilla’s body and its habits remain preserved.
The most common colors of chinchillas
As a rule, among chinchillas that live at home, you can most often find animals with a standard gray color, black velvet, white, beige, homobeige, ebony, purple and even sapphire colors. It is noteworthy that crossing these colors allows you to achieve up to 200 different color combinations of hybrids, some of them have very complex structure, and in order to obtain them, it is necessary to go through several stages of breeding.
- Gray color is usually gray color It is considered to be the standard color of a chinchilla. Crossing 2 chinchillas gray produces offspring of similar colors. However, among gray chinchillas one can distinguish light gray, medium gray and dark gray animals. Moreover, sometimes in a gray chinchilla, on the curves of the body, you can observe how the lower part of the hair, almost black, rises to the middle part and becomes white and in the upper part becomes black again.
- Black color - was first bred in 1960 in America. Distinctive Features This color consists of horizontal black stripes on the chinchilla's front legs, a white belly, and a black head and back. It is noteworthy that black chinchillas cannot be crossed with each other, as the offspring will have defects or will not be born viable at all.
- White color - like black and white chinchillas - cannot be crossed with each other.
- Beige color - was discovered in 1955, usually beige chinchillas the eyes may be pink or dark red, and the ears and nose may be pink, sometimes even covered with small black dots. The fur itself can be either light beige or dark beige. In fact, beige chinchillas can be crossed with each other.
- Purple color is considered quite rare, and animals of this color begin to reproduce only after 14-18 months.
- Sapphire color - when you see a sapphire chinchilla, it’s hard to believe that the color of the animal’s fur will not change during its life, however, this is true.
The chinchilla at home and in the wild is an animal with an extraordinary character!
Chinchilla. Appearance
Since ancient times, man has coexisted with animals, some he tames and keeps for benefit and food, others for the soul, gradually animals from the second category become full members of the family. Nowadays, you won’t surprise anyone with even the most unprecedented and exotic animals, and such a funny animal like a chinchilla lives in many houses and apartments. But this is the best thing you can’t eat wild animal, living in both Chile and Argentina.
IN wild environment the most announced real hunt, because of its valuable fur, the damage from the criminal actions of poachers is so great that the authorities have to protect the chinchilla by law, and even list it in the Red Book international organizations.
What types of chinchillas are there and where are they found?
Chinchilla belongs to the genus of rodents, and according to their appearance they are divided into two families, small long-tailed and coastal. The structure of the bones and spine allows it to stretch its torso forward, literally lengthening to the size of a narrow cleft. Therefore, it lives in rocky areas, among stones and rocks, where, using its anatomical features, can more easily hide from the threat posed by enemies. They prefer to live as high as possible in northern parts mountains
Chinchilla - pet many. Lifestyle of chinchillas in nature and in captivity
Chinchillas are wild animals that prefer rocky and mountainous area. Chinchillas live and settle in families, closely interacting with each other. The main peak of activity occurs in the evening and at night; it is after sunset that they begin to look for food. Like all rodents, they love vegetables, from potatoes to cabbage, juicy roots, all kinds of grains and nuts. They will never refuse to snack on a large cricket or night butterfly. Although, when kept in captivity, it is not recommended to give them fresh vegetables and fruits, in order to avoid diseases of the digestive tract.
Their entire image, from locator mustaches to large oval ears, was not created by nature by chance. Except external signs Adapted to a twilight lifestyle, the chinchilla has a superbly developed cerebellum, which helps it navigate the terrain.
Listen to the chinchilla's voice
Despite their small dimensions of up to 35 cm, with a weight of up to 1 kg, they can stand up for themselves and not allow themselves to be offended. If threatened, they stand on their hind legs, hiss threateningly and shoot a stream of urine at the offender. If these arguments do not work, strong teeth that grow throughout life are used, and the chinchilla has exactly 20 of them, of which 16 are molars.
A chinchilla in the snow is a rare sight for South America. Chinchilla breeding
It is not possible to scientifically monitor the relationship between a male and a female in the wild, so the whole idea comes down to observing them at home. A female chinchilla can give birth up to 3 times a year. From the moment of conception to birth, 110 days pass. The older and more experienced the female, the large quantity she will bear cubs. For the first time it is 1-2 cubs, in subsequent births up to 5-6 little fluffies. The animals are born with teeth and covered with short hair, and feed on milk for about 2 months. Although already at the age of one month, chinchilla puppies are quite independent and independent. And at the age of 7 months they reach sexual maturity.
There is nothing surprising in the popularity of chinchillas - this cute animal lives for about 20 years, loves active games and does not need special maintenance (except in a large, spacious cage). And he also looks very funny! To make it easier for you to choose the ideal friend for yourself, we have collected photos of all types of chinchillas in one article.
Two main types of chinchillas
Found in the wild:
- Lesser long-tailed, she is also a coastal chinchilla. The body size is 22-40 cm, and the luxurious fluffy tail reaches 17 cm in length, giving the animal a resemblance to a squirrel. The ears are large and round, the eyes are dark and expressive.
- Large or short-tailed chinchilla. Larger, has a thick neck, short powerful legs and a short tail.
For home breeding The first type, long-tailed chinchillas, is most often used.
The natural color of wild animals is gray-blue, the abdomen is lighter. It is thanks to this color of fur that rodents manage to hide between stones, hiding from the watchful gaze of predators.
As a result of natural mutations and the painstaking work of breeders, about 200 species of chinchillas were obtained. Some of them have a uniform coat color, while others have spots. We will tell you about the main and most interesting ones.
Basic colors of chinchillas
There are 8 basic colors:
- Natural grey.
- White.
- Heterozygous beige.
- Homozygous beige.
- Sapphire.
- Ebony.
- Violet.
- Carbonic.
Standard gray or natural- natural wild color, from which all others descend. The hair is very colored in an interesting way: The root part has a bluish-gray tint, the middle is white and the top is dark.
White chinchillas are divided into several subspecies - here are albinos with perfectly snow-white skin and bright red eyes, and white recessive, among which there is a spotted color, and white dominant with a beautiful silver or yellowish tint.
Heterozygousbeige. The fur color is dark beige, with a lavender or chocolate tint and a pronounced veil.
Homozygous beige. The coat is lighter, with a white or almost white underside. Representatives of both beige colors have red eyes.
Sapphire. Deep gray-blue coat color and light belly. The eyes are pale pink. Sapphire chinchillas are usually noticeably smaller than others.
Ebony. There are homozygous and heterozygous. The former have very dark fur, the color of a raven wing, while the latter’s sides and belly may be a little lighter.
Violet. Very beautiful view with a dark purple back, gray sides and a light belly.
Carbonic. Deep black color, no light stripe, and a brownish tint is considered unacceptable. The eyes of representatives of this species are also completely black.
And other interesting colors
Unfortunately, we will not be able to talk about all 200 species in one material, so we will limit ourselves to a few more beautiful colors of chinchillas.
Black velvet. One of the most popular options is that the back, head and neck are jet black, and the belly is white. The fur is very soft and elastic. The color of these unusual animals is also called artillery velvet or corduroy.
Brownvelvet. Obtained as a result of crossing black velvet and homozygous beige. These animals have long fluffy fur of a rich brown hue.
White-pink. Very interesting view- snow-white fur with a soft pink veil. They are also called apple trees.
The peculiarity of all chinchillas, regardless of coat color, is their amazingly charming appearance, playfulness and soft, thick fur. And which view did you like best?
Among the variety of pets, chinchillas in many ways have a number of advantages. Firstly, their fur does not have unpleasant odor, and molting. Secondly, they do not make noise, are clean, affectionate and friendly. Thirdly, chinchillas are very beautiful.
Description and features of chinchillas
Beautiful, furry little lumps that came to us from the south of America are chinchillas. Although they live in the southern part of the continent, hot weather tolerated very poorly. At home, animals live in the mountains, in gorges and rocks. Moreover, their skeleton is so complex that they can easily, in case of danger, fit into any narrow crevice.
Anyone who has seen a chinchilla in person at least once will not remain indifferent. Her neatly folded body, with beautiful soft fur. When you touch it, you want to touch it, stroke it, how pleasant it is to the touch.
At the same time, it is so thick that in its natural habitat, the animal never freezes. After all, the optimal temperature for a chinchilla’s life is fifteen degrees Celsius. Interestingly, many hairs grow from one hair follicle.
photo of a chinchilla in nature
Chinchillas come from the rodent family. But presumably, porcupines in general are considered their ancestors. These small animals grow up to half a kilogram. The body length is no more than thirty centimeters, and one third of it is a beautiful squirrel tail. Females are slightly larger than their male counterparts.
Chinchillas have short fur, slightly longer on the tail. As standard, they are gray. There are also white and black colors obtained by crossing.
The animals have a very beautiful, small and neat muzzle, with dark small eyes. A small nose, and a constantly moving mustache. Chinchillas' ears, almost round, like two locators, are located on the sides of the head.
The body is neat, round, soft. The hind legs are much larger than the front ones. With their help, a chinchilla can jump very high from a standing position. They always sit on hind legs.
Their forelimbs, much smaller in size, are tucked in front, towards each other, with well-defined toes. The chinchilla eats with the help of its front paws, carefully taking with its fingers what you offer.
Domestic chinchillas are very kind, vulnerable animals, with an easy-going character. They quickly get used to their owner, and even wait for him to come home from work, demanding attention.
Therefore, anyone who buys such a miracle should be prepared to pay a lot of attention to their pet. They have one weak organ, the heart. That's why animals can't stand it loud sounds, sudden movements. They can simply die in fright, from a broken heart.
Chinchilla price
If you decide buy a chinchilla, there will be no problems with this. There are a lot of breeders now. There are also entire chinchilla farms. When purchasing, be sure to request a chinchilla card. It records the number of crossings and with whom. Because, having acquired a brother and sister, do not expect healthy offspring.
Price on chinchillas different, the most inexpensive, these are gray standards. They cost three, four thousand rubles. Next come the beige ones, a little more expensive. A white Wilson can be bought for 5-7 thousand.
Well, the most expensive and rare ones are black Wilsons. They sell from seven thousand and above. Since Wilsons are bred by crossing, it is not a fact that if you take a white or black chinchilla, you will have the same offspring.
Chinchillas at home
You need to immediately decide why you are getting a pet. For different purposes, different ones are needed chinchilla cages. If, as a friend for yourself, you need a cage, large sizes. Chinchillas need space. And it is desirable, even a two-story one, for the animal to run and jump, since at night it is very active. With many stairs, playhouses.
If you buy an animal for breeding offspring, you will need a dorm cage. After all, one male needs three or even four girlfriends. The structure must be built in such a way that the male can safely move to each female. And under no circumstances should they meet in the same room, otherwise fights and injuries cannot be avoided.
Chinchilla care generally minimal. They are fed once a day, in the evening. Since chinchillas are nocturnal animals, they sleep all day. There must be a drinking bowl in the cage, only with boiled water.
Food plate - make sure it is ceramic and not plastic. Since your pet can easily chew through the plastic, swallow it and die. Hay feeder. Edible chalk is a must for their body.
A pebble for grinding down teeth, because chinchillas’ teeth grow constantly. And if you don’t grind them down, they will grow to such a size that the animal won’t even be able to eat. Also, a small birch or aspen log.
The chinchilla will happily chew on it. A sand bath, but it needs to be placed in the cage once a week, where the fluffy will bathe. Then remove. And the filler, it is sold at any pet store, wood pellets or large sawdust. The litter is changed once a week. The chinchilla is very neat and goes to the toilet in one place.
Home chinchilla eats more grass feed. Her diet consists of eighty percent grass, and twenty percent grain. Do not feed your chinchillas leaves or fruits from stone fruit trees as this will kill them.
The little animal will eat it with pleasure, but only one piece of the apple. You can give one nut or a handful once a week roasted sunflower seeds. She will also like a piece of bread. They should always have hay in their cage.
At home, chinchilla very quickly gets used to its owner. When you see him, stand at the edge of the cage, take hold of the bars with your front fingers and look to be picked up. If you don't give them maximum attention, they can become sad and die.
Fluffies happily sit in their arms, not even thinking about biting their breadwinner. Their fur has no odor and does not fall out. Let your pet go for a walk. But be sure to be careful not to go to electrical wires.
The animal’s diet should contain vitamins:
- Vitamin A (retinol) - Important for maintaining good vision in chinchillas, mucous membranes and immune system. Found in bananas, pumpkin and raw carrots.
- B vitamins in legumes and cereals are necessary for good metabolism, growth and development of the animal.
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is one of the most important vitamins necessary for maintaining and promoting health. IN large quantities it is found in rose hips and sorrel.
- Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and gonads. Contained in almonds and walnuts.
Minerals and trace elements are also very important for chinchillas.
Calcium useful for strengthening teeth and bones. It also helps the body resist infections and diseases. It is found in large quantities in nuts, dried fruits, and seeds.
Potassium – essential element for the cells of the body, and also normalizes the functioning of the liver, heart muscles, strengthens blood vessels and capillaries. Contained in dried apricots, sunflower, dandelion leaves.
Zinc necessary to maintain strong immunity. Ensures normal development and functioning of the gonads. Contained in sprouted wheat grains, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and legumes.
Iron
Primarily required for the production of red and white blood cells.
Found in beans, peas and green leafy vegetables.
Magnesium affects energy processes in all organs and tissues. Sources include nuts, oatmeal, buckwheat.
Folic acid for chinchillas it is important for the formation of milk in lactating females. Contained in beans, wheat, vegetables, dried fruits, oatmeal.
Baby chinchilla
Chinchilla fur
Of course, it is considered the most beautiful, warm and one of the most expensive chinchilla fur. It serves as a canvas for various fur products - hats, mittens, chinchilla fur coats.
Since wool does not fall out and does not cause allergies, the skins are in high demand and products made from them have high price.
Some types of chinchilla coloring
At home, chinchillas are mainly bred with the following colors:
- standard gray, the most common color of chinchillas, in nature, by the way, the animals are exactly this color. Color saturation varies from light to dark gray.
- black velvet. This color is characterized by black diagonal stripes on the front legs, black back and head, and white belly. It is not recommended to cross animals of this color with each other.
- white, distinguished by white fur, a dark “mask” on the head, dark gray diagonal stripes on the front legs
- beige. Fur color varies from light to dark beige. pink to dark red eyes and pink ears, sometimes with black dots.
- homobeige, light cream fur with a pinkish tint, light pink ears, eyes with a light blue or white circle around the pupil.
- ebony, the resulting individuals can be light, medium, dark, very dark. Chinchillas of this color are distinguished by a beautiful shine and particularly silky fur.
- purple color is quite rare. The animal's fur is dark lilac, its belly is white, and diagonal dark stripes are located on its paws.
- sapphire has a soft blue tint of fur with the presence of ripples.
Chinchilla diseases
Gastrointestinal tract disorder. The reason for this is inappropriate feeding. Its symptoms are diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. This disease occurs as a result of feeding moldy food, poor quality food, or poor quality water.
Cages on a chinchilla farm
Urolithiasis is most often observed in adult males. The symptom is bleeding inflammation Bladder.
Conjunctivitis in animals can occur due to mechanical damage, exposure to various foreign bodies, dust), chemical (disinfectants, smoke) or bacteriological.
Dental diseases. It has been established that as animals age, they develop dental problems, especially tooth growth and periodontal disease. Since chinchillas’ teeth grow throughout their lives, they must be able to grind them down on a hard surface; the absence of “grinding” elements leads to gum wounds and difficulty in feeding.
Many people keep chinchillas as pets, others breed them en masse, and when crossed, get either the color of one of the main breeds, or unique color. This article provides information about appearance chinchillas, main breeds and rules for breeding rodents.
There are only two types of chinchillas: the small long-tailed and the large, they differ from each other in the size of their body parts. Long-tailed chinchillas are the most common species, so further external descriptions will refer specifically to them. Historical area their habitat is the Andes.
The incisors of rodents have the function of biting off food particles. Molars, as in humans, are usually divided into molars and premolars. Their sizes can reach 12 mm. The first are large teeth, and they are located on the back side of the jaw. Perform a function machining food, grinding. There is also a special gap between the incisors and premolars - the diastema. Chinchillas only have one set of teeth for their entire lives.
In you will find out what early signs pregnancy in a chinchilla, rules of nutrition for females during this period, how to prepare the cage for the birth of babies and help the chinchilla herself during childbirth.
Chinchilla colors
The color of an ordinary individual is gray-blue with white splashes in the belly area. Moreover, among long-tailed representatives of this family, the color intensity and length of the colored part may vary by nature. There are only 9 main colors of chinchilla fur, and as a result of selection, this number grows to 150 different new shades. The usual gray color can vary from darkish to light shade. Naturally, crossing gray individuals with each other will not give you a new, unique shade, but this hybrid is no less important and valuable than the others. Ordinary grayish chinchillas allow you to breed new level fur properties and body dimensions of other individuals. Their number from good breeders is about 10%.
Main breeds
Fur color black (dark) velvet was developed back in the sixties of the last century. The main color of these animals is black. In addition, there are distinguishable lines on the paws. The darker the fur color, the better quality it is.
Chinchilla color "black velvet"
Also, when selecting an animal of this subspecies for breeding, it is worth paying special attention to the shape of the muzzle and ears. For the first, it is better to choose a semicircular shape, for the second - small, round ones. This does not affect the quality of the fur in any way, but it will add aesthetic beauty a given individual and its selected offspring.
Wilson's white (Wilson's snow-white) was originally a coffee-cream color, but over time acquired various colors from snow-white to silver. Yellowness reduces the demand for products made from this fur.
Color white velvet is obtained by crossing a pair of representatives of the above described colors. This type has dull spots on the head and a white back.
White velvet chinchilla
Beige color saw the world thanks to a random mutation. A skillful breeder managed not only to preserve the resulting individual, but also to distribute it among chinchilla lovers. Distinctive feature for them is coral-colored ears and reddish irises.
For homobeige color characterized by the presence of exclusively beige type genes. They are distinguished from heterobeiges by a very shiny back color with a light coral tint, with creamy-lilac ears and lavender eyes. Both subspecies have a white abdomen.
Color brown (brown) velvet appears to be a product of hybridization between beige and black velvet. Characterized by the presence of a pair of dominant genes belonging to the parents. The color of the eyes and ears is from the beige representative, the line of the paws is black. The fur color varies from woody to chocolate.
Chinchilla brown velvet color
White and pink chinchillas also have two dominant traits and a lethal allele, that is, a recessive deadly gene. The color can be pinkish or smoky. Eye color ranges from light coral to brick. There is a possibility of them having brown spots, which is very much appreciated.
Velvet white-pink- quite a valuable and unique color scheme. The color of the back is white, there are brown stripes on the paws, purple ears, and burgundy eyes.
Male color “white-pink velvet”
Video - Examples of chinchilla colors
The nuances of crossing chinchillas of the main breeds
In this section we will describe the features of crossing chinchillas. It must be remembered that family ties between chinchillas should be avoided, as this will lead to degeneration of the breed. The results of most known crosses are presented in the table.
When breeding, gray chinchillas are used to improve the physical parameters of other individuals: fur density, body weight. Breeders are recommended to keep 7-10% of the entire population of high-quality representatives of this species.
Black velvet chinchilla having breakfast
Hybridization of a pair of chinchillas with the velvet gene should be abandoned, since it is not necessary to cross two representatives of the black velvet color, because there is a high probability of the absence of offspring or their non-viability. Hybridization with snow-white Wilson gives a shade of snow-white velvet, with heterobeige - coffee velvet, with violet in 2 steps - purple velvet, with sapphire, also in 2 steps - sapphire velvet.
Wilson's snow-white chinchillas are equally likely to produce snow-white, silver, and mosaic chinchillas. Representatives of this species, like dark velvet, have a lethal gene, therefore it is not recommended to cross two individuals of the same species. Snow-white velvet is not suitable for further selection because it has inherited 2 lethal genes from its parents. The best choice for crossing would be a homo- or hetero-beige chinchilla.
Individuals of beige color are successful for selection. They produce offspring with 2 dominant genes. Hybridization with black velvet produces brown velvet , and with Wilson's snow-white - pink and white. Beige chinchillas can be crossed with any other. Moreover, it is possible to obtain a chocolate or smoky color by crossing them with representatives endowed with the ebony gene. One of the manifestations of this gene is a colored abdomen. The degree of color of the abdomen is proportional to the degree of dominance of this gene, so the less colored the abdomen, the weaker the gene in a given individual. It also adds shine to the fur. It is better to combine individuals with the ebony gene with carriers of the same gene to preserve the quality of fur in the offspring (the ebony gene tends to reduce its influence when crossed).
Homobeige individuals are obtained by crossing two homobeige, two heterobeige, or hetero- and homobeige. This color is highly valued by breeders because it makes it possible to avoid the appearance of ordinary gray cubs. When hybridizing homobeige individuals with ordinary ones, heterobeige ones are obtained, with black velvet - brown velvet or heterobeige, with heterobeige - homo- or heterobeige.
Brown velvet, when hybridized with individuals having the ebony gene, makes it possible to obtain velvet pastel. It is noticeable in the color of the fur of the cubs in the form of a coffee or smoky shade with a colored belly. Also, the result of crossing these subspecies can be the production of rare younger generation with the presence of beige and velvet genes.
Fur shade - velvet pastel
When combining white-pink and beige chinchillas, homozygous white-pink chinchillas are obtained. Their characteristic feature There are soft brown ears and clear eyes. The lethal gene is present. Can be crossed with regular or dark velvet. In case of hybridization with the second one, up to 8 different combinations can be obtained!
Velvety white-pink has 4 sets of genes from its white, beige, gray and velvet counterparts. However, when looking for a pair to cross, it is worth considering the presence of a pair of lethal genes at once. Homo- and hetero-beige individuals can be a good choice.
The nuances of crossing non-mainstream breeds
Individuals snow-white ebony have white and black fur color. The degree of saturation of a particular color varies, for example, the main color is white, and black represents only partial inclusions in the fur, color of the eyes, and ears. Snow-white ebony has a lethal gene. This color is developed by crossing white hetero- and homo-ebony. It is not recommended to hybridize it with representatives of white flowers.
In representatives of color velvet pastel the color of the back is bronze-brown, velvety lines on the paws. The eyes are mostly brick-colored or a similar shade. This color is developed by crossing pastel with brown velvet or velvet ebony. When hybridizing a velvet pastel and a pastel, there is a chance of obtaining rare and valuable cubs with a beautiful chocolate-velvet shade of fur.
Homoebony is now considered the most interesting of the breeding colors. Its color is completely black, but perfectly black specimens are very rare and are very expensive. Homoebony is usually bred together with hetero. The cubs come out with beautiful fur. There is also a chance of getting a homobeige, chocolate brown, or purple individual.
Chinchilla color "homoebony"
Heteroebony in turn, they reproduce better than homos. The coat color can vary from light to dark. The light hybrid has additional white hair on the tail. You can get it by crossing a homoebony with a gray chinchilla.
Chinchilla color "heteroebony"
Purple (lilac) fur color. The back shimmers with purple tones. Breeders add standard gray animals to these animals, who are carriers of the purple gene. This method allows you to not lose the quality of the fur.
To obtain purple velvet color you need to go through 2 steps:
- Hybridization of representatives of black velvet and lilac.
- After this, the resulting individuals are re-crossed with the purple one.
The fur of this subspecies is purple, darker than that of the common purple chinchilla.
At the end I would like to mention sapphire color. Fur in this case comes in different shades of blue. Crossing one or a pair of sapphire representatives results in cubs of the same color.
Video - Features of breeding diamond chinchillas
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