Raising Chinchillas For Profit

By G. Schwab

This early work is an absorbing read for any chinchilla owner or historian of the breed, but also contains a wealth of information and anecdote that is still useful and practical today. Orientated towards the commercial chinchilla keeper. Extensively illustrated with text and full page photographs. Contents Include: Introduction; Preface; Chinchillas in History and Literature; the Wonders of a Chinchilla Hair; The Chinchilla Language; Housing Equipment; The Feeding of Chinchillas; Breeding and Reproduction; Routine Care of Chinchilla Babies; Chinchilla Diseases and Ailments; Pelting; Individuality of Species; and Where Are We Going?. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Meredith Press
• Release date: Mar 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781528762670

Book preview

Preface

FUR FARMING in Canada is a substantial business and is showing steady progress each year. Fur farming has definitely passed the experimental stage and is a firmly established business in this country where both climate and general conditions combine to develop the greatest possible perfection in fur bearing animals.

Through being a reader of Fur Trade Journal for many years, I have been interested in the raising of one animal after another. I do not think, however, any animals quite took my heart so much as the chinchilla, and I have followed with interest the articles that have appeared in the Journal from time to time dealing with the raising of this animal.

I have had in mind for a long time the writing of information as I had acquired it since 1942, based on my experience in actually raising chinchillas. I was under the impression that the reason more articles had not appeared on this subject in Fur Trade Journal was possibly because the editor was not especially interested in the development of chinchillas. On approaching him however, on this subject, I found that he was quite as interested as I was and the reason that articles had not been published extensively on the subject to date was that the editor felt that practical information along this line was not available.

Once you are started, it takes surprisingly little care to look after a herd of chinchillas. They eat practically anything that other rodents eat, including apples, nuts, hay and dried food. Another part of their diet consists of special pellets made from alfalfa leaves, cod liver oil, cereal grains and rolled oats, that are manufactured by feed companies.

I paid $2,000.00 for my first pair of chinchillas back in 1942. Both male and female are excellent parents to their young, with the father giving the baby chinchillas almost as much care and attention as the mother does. But that doesn’t stop the parents from having the occasional family quarrel.

Young ones are born about twice a year, with from one to three, usually two, being born at a time. One of the peculiarities of the baby chinchillas is that they are born with their eyes open, and with teeth and fur and a large head making them seem almost miniatures of their parents. One hour after being born they can run around, and usually nibble at food the-same day.

Chinchillas like their sand-baths. They have a pen a very fine sand, and they roll in it and kick, fluffing their fur and separating each hair from the other, giving them a radiant appearance when they are