The following is only a brief introduction to the basics of chinchilla breeding.  If you decide to become a breeder it is a good idea to join an association, club or some type of organization that is dedicated solely to the chinchilla.  Within such organizations you can meet other breeders, find new friends, and have access to volumes of information on the chinchilla including proper breeding practices.  Through our membership in the Mutation Chinchilla Breeders Association and the Chinchilla Breeders Organization we have met many wonderful people and tapped into years of experience.  We highly recommend these to anyone thinking of chinchilla ownership or breeding.

Chinchillas are capable of breeding as early as 3 months of age, but females should NOT be bred until they are at least 8 months old. If a chinchilla is bred too early she may not be large enough to safely deliver the babies (called kits). For this reason, keep females away from males until they are the correct breeding age. Sons should be removed their Mothers by 3 months of age to prevent inbreeding.

Females are pregnant for about 111 days and can have anywhere from 1-6 kits. It is very hard to tell if a female is pregnant until she is within a week or two of delivering. You may notice that she is getting fatter, and if you weigh her regularly you will notice a weight gain. During the last weeks of pregnancy, her nipples will begin to get very long to allow the new babies to find them in all that fur. This is a sure sign that delivery isn't far away. To prepare for the birth, make sure the cage is out of drafts and give Mom a box to have her babies in. (Pine wood, large coffee can, etc.) If you have a wire bottom cage it may be a good idea to cover the cage floor with newspaper so the babies won't be chilled. Mom can birth all by herself. Chances are you won't even know when she is in labor. If you do happen to catch the miracle don't interfere. Stay back from the cage so she will feel comfortable. Mother will bend down and pull the babies out with her teeth. Siblings can be born as much as 45 minutes apart or more. It is possible that mom could accidentally bite off a toe, a piece of ear, and in a breech birth part of the tail. Don't get upset about it, it's more common than you might think. Just put pressure on the wound if it is bleeding badly, and then give the baby back to Mom. Keep an eye on the area for infection.