Chinchillas are seasonal breeders. This means they do not breed throughout the year. This seasonality is due to the zeal of the female, because males remain fertile throughout the year. In the southern hemisphere, where the chinchillas, originated live from May to November. In the northern hemisphere, their reproductive cycle is displaced persons six months to adapt to the difference of seasons, cycle of light and weather, and are reproduced from November to may. Although the chinchillas ovulate (release of eggs from the ovaries) about once a month (every 38 days) usually produce two litters a year.
Females are generally classified into two groups. Spontaneous Ovulators are animals who ovulate spontaneously, whether they support or not. (Example: hamsters and mice). Induced Ovulators are animals who ovulate in response to mating. (Examples include rabbits, cats and ferrets). Chinchillas are unusual in that are a mixture of both. Most chinchillas ovulate spontaneously, but also ovulate in response to be supported.
Estro
Oestrus is the time during the breeding season, just before and just after ovulation, during which the female allows the male to mate with her. Zeal in the chinchilla lasts usually 12 hours to two days.
It is characterized by a change of color around the perineal area of pink to dark red. Swelling of the vulva has no place normally, although the reddened tissue may appear as well.
As a breeder of chinchilla, it is necessary to observe their animals closely, especially during the breeding season. This will allow you to know when to the female and male arm and make plans for the litter before birth.
Puberty
Unlike many of the rodents, chinchillas take a long time to reach sexual maturity. You can reach puberty in five and a half months of age, but the average is around eight months of age. Chinchillas males are generally smaller than females and need additional time to achieve the size and physical development to be able to play properly. However, it can produce sperm already in two months of age.
Courtship behavior
During the breeding season, the male chinchilla begin courtship by the cleanliness of the female. Follows the ritual of courtship, the male will try to mount the female. If you are not yet receptive, their behavior can be unpredictable. Women can be very aggressive towards humans, even during the mating season. It is extremely rare, however, for a male to defend themselves or even attempt to protect itself than fleeing terrified of the female. So should closely monitor the animals to ensure that the female does not not to damage the male. Some women are much more big, strong and aggressive than males have been known to kill the males, especially if the males have no way to escape them.
Several foals can take place at intervals, but all take place quickly, probably as a defense mechanism antipredator. If breeding was too slow, chinchillas would be vulnerable to predators in the area.
Ovulation
Ovulation is the release of eggs from the ovaries. Assuming that the male is fertile, the number of young people conceived depends on the number of eggs (alive and well) feasible during ovulation. Litters range in size from one to six, with an average of two.
Introduction
Implantation, the attachment of the embryo in the uterus, takes place in the chinchilla in five days after mating. The placenta is a body which forms part of the baby and not from the mother. Each individual fetus has an own placenta. The placenta gives each kit into the uterus of the mother that can receive nutrition through the blood supply. Different animal species have different types of placentation. Chinchillas have a corioalantoideas type establishment.
Although embryos may join the uterus, things can go wrong and cannot be pregnancies to term or completion. Fetal resorption is common in chinchillas at any stage of your pregnancy and is seen more often than fetal mummification or abortion.
Pregnancy
The time during which the woman is pregnant, i.e. from conception to birth is called gestation. 111 Days (range of 105 to 118 days) of gestation in the chinchilla very long compared to most rodents. Chinchilla babies grow more slowly than most rodents fetuses of closely related species.
A long gestation period usually means the pups are born early, in other words, well developed and able to defend themselves. Although chinchillas are born with skin and eyes open, you need your mother for protection and nutrition for at least six to eight weeks.
An interesting theory postulated to account for long periods of gestation in some hystricomorph rodents as chinchilla. He suggested that the species with long life expectancy and reproductive time periods have big brains at birth and adulthood and that pregnancy is determined by the weight of the brain and development at birth.
If your chinchilla is carrying out several young, likely detects it an increase in the size of its abdomen during the last month of her pregnancy, and when you wake up can see you that much heavier feels. You should weigh him weekly to keep track of any unusual fluctuations in body weight that could indicate a problem.
Manage your chinchilla pregnant carefully and carefully so that unborn babies are not crushed or wounded. Not to understand the future too firmly around your abdomen. I support his body where he remains. Do not make changes in his cage that might interfere. Make sure that the newspaper or soft bedding is on the floor of the cage so that when hatch kits can not catch their small feet and floor of the limbs in the wire mesh cage.
Birth (Partuition)
Birth usually takes place in the morning. Chinchillas give birth to sitting and leaning above or squatting. Kits are usually born a few minutes, although the time interval between kits can be as long as an hour. Some kits are born head first, others may be born breech (hind limbs and first rump). The placenta happens shortly after the kits. There must be a placenta for each kit. It is normal for the mother to eat the placenta.
If your chinchilla has been at work for more than one hour, if the kit is started by the birth canal and the mother can not pass it, or if they have not passed the placentas, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Kits weigh about 2 ounces (60 g) at birth, although they can be as small as 1 ounce (30 g). During the process of birth and later, the mother and her baby can be gently feet to each other. If you listen closely, recognize these tender sounds such as the announcement of the birth of a new litter!
Chinchilla parents are very protective of their offspring. It is little likely, but possible, that mother will bite if you arrive at the cage, so be careful! Be sensitive to their feelings. If she is upset, her Growl and growl. If she is very fearful, she will make the cry of eek eek. During the first hours after birth, it is better to leave the new family alone.
Mortality can be up to a 10% at birth. When it doubt, do not hesitate to get in touch with your veterinarian.
Shortly after birth, the female chinchilla goes into estrus again. This is called a Postpartum Estrus. This early zeal is not uncommon in rodents. If your chinchilla are not reproduced and conceive in Postpartum Estrus, she can return to heat again (postlactation zeal) when the kits are weaned. If race, she could think of at that time.
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