When Can Chinchillas Have Kids Again
Or are you thinking of breeding these cute little rodents?
Whichever the case may be, you probably have a number of questions. You should have a number of questions.
And how many babies a chinchilla gives birth to in a single litter is likely first on the list.
Keep reading for the answer to that question, along with 6 other important, and commonly asked, questions surrounding chinchilla pregnancy and breeding.
Contents
- 1 How Many Babies Do Chinchillas Have?
- 2 How Many Chinchillas Are In A Litter?
- 2.1 How Do Chinchillas Reproduce?
- 3 6 Facts About Chinchilla Breeding And Pregnancy
- 3.1 How Often Can Chinchillas Get Pregnant?
- 3.2 How Long Are Chinchillas Pregnant?
- 3.3 How Long Does A Baby Chinchilla Have To Stay With Its Mother?
- 3.4 Can Brother And Sister Chinchillas Mate?
- 3.5 Do Chinchillas Eat Their Babies?
- 3.6 What Are Baby Chinchillas Called?
- 4 How Many Kits Chinchillas Have: Final Thoughts
How Many Babies Do Chinchillas Have?
The average chinchillas has two baby chinchillas, also known as "kits", per litter. But they can have up to four kits in a single litter.
Chinchillas typically have 1 to 3 litters per year, depending on the breeder and the health and reproduction capabilities of the mother.
As touched on earlier, there are a number of reasons you might be asking this question.
Perhaps you plan to begin breeding chinchillas yourself, or perhaps you even have a pregnant female chinchilla that got pregnant unintentionally.
Or maybe you are just curious in general.
Either way, there is a lot of additional information you need to have on chinchilla pregnancy and what to expect. That's what we'll get into below.
How Many Chinchillas Are In A Litter?
To begin, let's take another look at the original question. Think of it as a quick summary before diving deeper into the topic.
As mentioned, the most common chinchilla litter size is two. If you have a pregnant female chinchilla, you should expect one or two kits most of the time.
But it is very possible she could give birth to three or four kits as well. So be prepared for that eventuality.
If you plan on breeding chinchillas, it is also important to know that a chinchilla can reproduce up to three times per year. But not every mother can have three litters. Some can only birth one per year.
It completely depends on the chinchilla breeder and the situation. It also depends on the overall health of the mother chinchilla.
A healthy mother chinchilla may be capable of having three litters per year every year, and having two baby chinchillas each time. At the same time, another mother may only have one litter per year, but may birth four kits.
How Do Chinchillas Reproduce?
At this point, you might be wondering how chinchillas reproduce. To be frank, It's relatively straightforward.
Most breeders go through introduction phases with male and female chinchillas for a few days, before attempting the mating and breeding process.
At that point, the male will begin grooming the female, as long as she doesn't get aggressive towards the male.
You will want to supervise and pay close attention at this point, to ensure that the attempt to mate the two chinchillas doesn't result in any injuries for one of them.
Following the grooming, the male will attempt to mount the female, beginning the mating process.
If the pregnancy takes, you are in for a long pregnancy and gestation period, which we will cover a bit further down in this article.
It is one of the six commonly asked questions about chinchilla reproduction and breeding we will cover next. The answers lead us to six important facts.
6 Facts About Chinchilla Breeding And Pregnancy
There is a good chance you have some of these questions yourself. But even if you don't, the answers provide important information about chinchilla pregnancy and breeding.
How Often Can Chinchillas Get Pregnant?
Chinchillas are warriors when it comes to the frequency with which they can carry a litter. They can get pregnant more often than you think.
As stated above, most chinchillas can have a litter of kits 3 times per year.
Pretty crazy, right?
But they do need to be roughly one year old before reproducing for the first time to ensure the best chance at a healthy pregnancy and to avoid potential health concerns for the mother and baby chinchillas.
How Long Are Chinchillas Pregnant?
Chinchillas have a long gestation period compared to other rodents: it is 111 days.
After giving birth, a female chinchilla can become pregnant with a new litter of chinchillas within 72 hours.
This means that you need to remove the male chinchilla after the pregnancy, if you don't plan on breeding them again.
Otherwise, you will likely end up with a second pregnancy immediately following the first. There is also a chance of your female chinchilla becoming aggressive towards the male chinchilla following birth.
How Long Does A Baby Chinchilla Have To Stay With Its Mother?
This is a critical aspect of chinchilla breeding and reproduction. The baby chinchillas need time with their mother after they are born.
While the babies are delivered relatively fast and often in the morning hours of the day, the time following birth is quite a bit more extensive.
Baby chinchillas need to remain with their mother for six weeks at a minimum, although most breeders wait a minimum of eight weeks before separating them.
This is the time it takes for the baby chinchilla to transition to pellets and a regular chinchilla diet.
On average, kits have a survival rate of 70 to 80%. It is a good idea to weigh your kits regularly to ensure they are in optimal health.
If you need more information read my article on how much a full-grown chinchilla should weigh.
During this period of 6 to 8 weeks with the mother, don't be alarmed if it takes a few days for the mother's milk to arrive in the beginning. It is completely normal for this to take 48 hours.
After the first litter, you will learn the ins and outs of the mother's capabilities of producing enough milk and caring for her babies.
If the mother struggles to produce enough milk and nutrients for her kits, avoid breeding this female chinchilla in the future.
Can Brother And Sister Chinchillas Mate?
Yes, but it is not a good idea. And don't think that your chinchilla understands who its mother, father, brothers, or sisters are.
They don't act or think like humans in this sense. Although chinchillas are smart, they don't pick up on this at all.
Leaving these chinchillas together after birth could easily result in family members crossbreeding and inbreeding.
After the babies have had adequate time with their family, it's time to remove them and separate them into their own cages.
Do Chinchillas Eat Their Babies?
No, chinchillas do not eat their babies in the manner you may be thinking. But it is possible that a kit is born incorrectly and stuck in the birth canal.
If this happens, the mother chinchilla may still discharge the baby chinchilla into small pieces that you may notice in the cage.
However, mother chinchillas do not purposely kill and eat their babies. They are good mothers and very caring with their litters.
What Are Baby Chinchillas Called?
You have seen this word several times in this post, so you should know the answer to this question. Quick, what is it?.
If you missed it or have forgotten, baby chinchillas are referred to as kits.
How Many Kits Chinchillas Have: Final Thoughts
While you may not have needed all the information presented in this post, I hope I was able to answer the questions you did have.
Owning a chinchilla is a fantastic experience.
Perhaps you wound up with a pregnant female chinchilla by accident, or perhaps you are gearing up to begin breeding your own chinchillas.
Whatever the case may be, I hope this post provided some insight into what you can expect along the way.
Now it's your turn to chip in!
As usual, I encourage you to chime in on the topic presented.
Have you ever dealt with a pregnant chinchilla?
What further information can you provide about chinchilla reproduction?
How many babies did your chinchilla have?
Be sure to share your thoughts, concerns, and stories by dropping a comment below.
As always, Chili and I appreciate you stopping by and reading and we will see you again next time.
Source: https://planetchinchilla.com/how-many-babies-do-chinchillas-have/