How Chinchillas Mate and Reproduce

1 Chinchilla Mating and Reproduction

1. When can chinchillas breed?

Males mature earlier, becoming sexually mature at about 4-6 months; a mature male may self-stimulate with his mouth. With a female present he will often attempt to mate. The catch is that although a female can release eggs at around 4 months, she is still small and physically underdeveloped then, and early breeding harms both mother and young. It is generally advised to wait until 8 months of age and 500 g of body weight before breeding, which lowers the risks, so co-caging before 8 months is not recommended.

2. The female’s estrous cycle

Males have no fixed cycle and are in season year-round; females cycle about every 20-45 days, each estrus lasting 2-6 days (usually around 3). The female’s vagina lies between the urethra and the anus; outside estrus it is sealed by a membrane that ruptures during estrus and leaves the vagina open. During this window the female may court the male to prompt mating.

3. How chinchillas mate

Mating usually happens at dusk and is very brief — the male ejaculates within seconds. Within 1-2 hours the female expels a copulatory plug, the key proof of a successful mating. The success rate is very high; after mating she stops ovulating and refuses the male, so to avoid fighting (and miscarriage) from his continued advances, separate the pair once pregnancy is confirmed. Note that she may eat the plug, so record the time the moment you see it to estimate the due date.

During pregnancy keep the female relaxed and avoid anything that stresses or frightens her, to prevent miscarriage. Adjust her diet toward more nutritious food, but control the amount so she does not become overweight and risk a difficult birth.

4. The breeding cycle

Gestation is about 111 days, lactation 45-60 days, and a litter is usually 2-3 kits (sometimes just one). The female has three pairs of nipples but usually only two produce milk, so if more than three kits are born, watch them closely to confirm each one nurses. If the mother abandons a kit, hand-rear it or foster it to another lactating female.