Last weekend Whimsy went to a chinchilla show in Pennsylvania.  We brought some of our own chins and were very eager to see how they would be graded. Imagine our shock when three of our standard chinchillas won color phase champion, reserve color phase champion andfirst place ribbons! These were from a Shoots extra dark standard male and a sapphire female from Mish Irish's lines.

It just so happens these three were the very same kits whose mother had the uterine prolapse when they were just 6 weeks old. Unfortunately, their mother died post surgery from the complications. The kits were taken in by a surrogate mommy chin whose own kits were nearly the same age. Although she didn't nurse them, she did snuggle and groom them. 

We are all very happy to see how Zaporah, ZaraLinda and Zaine have grown!  Their mother did leave a legacy after all.

When Whimsy went to the York PA chinchilla show two weekends ago, we had the great honor of bringing back two new additions. We wanted to add the sapphire mutation to our herd since Diva passed on with a prolapse earlier this year. What a pleasant surprise to find one of our favorite fellow MCBA members (Silkrheins) had this gorgeous guy available! Whimsy had her eye on him from the very beginning of the day and laid claim to him prior to the start of the show. Wouldn't you know it, the little guy won color class champion!

Another amazing addition happened with our very first Shoots extra dark standard. The standard gray (natural) chinchilla is the backbone of any good breeding program. Our second little guy has absolutely the most amazing depth of color and clarity and a nice sharp belly line. As a matter of fact, he is so dark that several people have mistaken him for a black velvet! For this reason we acquired him to put with our Bowen's black velvet female. We're expecting amazing results for this pair by the time next year's show season starts back up.

As usual, it's been another exciting week here. First I would like to welcome x4 and Wombat back. Earlier this year one of our rescue babies went off to a new home as a same gender cagemate for another chin who had lost his buddy. Now the two of them are here for a four month visit while their chinmom completes her internship. It's been neat to see how little x4 has grown in size and personality!

We also have another new addition. Our beige and violet pair had their first litter. Z4 was born on Thursday and was followed by a sibling that didn't make it. The second in the litter turned out to be our first experience with a mummified kit. This is where the fetus dies in the womb and is reabsorbed.

Click here for pictures and commentary on the Chins-n-Hedgies forum. (Warning: not for the squeamish!)

On Saturday, Whimsy went to a chin show in Pennsylvania. We didn't show any chins this time around, but did get in touch with another long time chin owner who loves a challenge. She adopted Frida, Wallace, and Ross! I had concerns for those three. Since they are known to bite, I did not want to offer them for adoption to someone new to chins. Thankfully there is someone for everyone and this is no exception! Thank you, Ange, for offering a home for these three.

I thought that rehoming four chins this weekend would free up a lot of cage space. I was wrong. When Whimsy returned from the show we found an email from another local family who needed to rehome their fuzzfamily of 5. Mommy, Daddy, 6 month brother and sister and tiny baby sister are all settling in nicely here where they are under quarantine and evaluation. We have father and son sharing a cage and mom and her two daughters in another. The same gender split is working out nicely.

Things sure have been "hoppin'" here at the menagerie. We've had our first litter of Z babies born in our effort to work with variations of the violet mutation. As members of the Mutation Chinchilla Breeder's Association, we're very careful about breeding selection. Please keep in mind, we are NOT breeding chins to sell. Our goal is to work toward show quality/breed standard mutations in cooperation with our fellow members. With that in mind, occasionally there will be chins born who do not quite measure up in quality. Those are generally the tiny runts or those who do not have the characteristics we are working toward. While some chins will not meet certain "quality" standards, they are still deserving of love! If any babies born here are placed for adoption, they will only go in same gender pairs or as a proven buddy for another same gender chin. Ok, now that I'm off my soapbox, wanna see the new babies? :)

This weekend was an exciting one. Whimsy took six of our chins to a show in Statesville, North Carolina. We were curious to see how Judge Ralph Shoots would grade our little girls and boys. It was quite sobering going up against so many gorgeous animals. At the same time it was quite a learning experience that will help serve our growing knowledge. Our little fuzzbutts managed to bring home two second place ribbons, two third place and, just for fun we also entered two of the rescue chins (they each earned a fifth place ribbon).

Something else exciting happened this weekend. Today a nice family came over looking for a new cagemate/friend for their baby boy chin who had unfortunately lost his brother. They brought their little guy over to run a "safe intro" with two of our potential adoptables. Mr. Wilson was the lucky guy who was chosen to go home with them where I'm sure will wind up stealing all hearts who come in contact with him. Which brings up an interesting point...

The question was posed to me whether a single chin, by his very singleness, will bond with its human companion better than a paired chin. The answer: No.

Chins are herd animals by nature and need the companionship of their kind. I explained that people cannot be around to provide that same companionship 24/7. Additionally, because of this instinctual nature, paired chins tend to be more at ease in their environment, which makes for a happier chin.

If at all possible, I encourage adoptions of pairs or as a companion for another chin. (There are rare exceptions where certain chins are just too aggressive to pair off). Paired chins can still bond with their owner and people can still successfully own single chins. However, paired or same gender groups are by far a more favorable option, not to mention double or triple the fun!