Question:
I know it sounds like a stupid Question, but how do you know for sure whether or not you have a male or a female?
We got our chinchilla a couple of months ago and the kid at the pet shop couldn't tell us for sure if it was male or female or exactly how old it was(approx. 3 months he said).Also we are thinking about getting another and aren't sure whether or not to get the same or opposite sex?If we even Knew what we had?


Answer:
Hi Randy!
A female will have no space between the cone and the anus. A male has a space between the cone (which is generally a bit pointy at the end whereas the female's tends to be more rounded) and the anus.
I don't have any pics... I hope that helps.


Answer:
http://www.huggablepets.com/huggablepets/sexing.html


Answer:
Once you figure out what sex it is, there are a few things you need to think about when deciding on a second one.
Do you want to breed? Breeding is a tremendous added responsibility. You will need to do tons of research before you begin and be willing and able to spend a lot of time and effort. For example, if a mother does not produce milk for some reason, you will need to be up every 2 hours to feed a baby for several weeks! Also, a female chin should not be with a male until she is old enough to safely have babies. If you have a 3 month old female, she can not be in with a male for quite some time! Some people say 9 months, but I don't breed until they are a year old. Chins need an introduction...so you will need two seperate cages for them for the first few weeks. It is also possible that they will never learn to get along and live together and you will always need to keep them in seperate cages.
Basically, get on the internet and do some research...there are tons of very informative sites out there!


Answer:
I remember trying to figure that out and the only way I was 100% sure is when someone told me to push the skin back. If you pull back and something pop's out ... well it's a boy, LOL. If not it's a girl.


Answer:
That's what I was going to suggest Courtney. That is a sure fire way to tell the sex. If the sheath doesn't pull back, it's a girl.


Answer:
After quite a struggle trying to get her to sit still we determined that it's definitly a girl.
Thank you everyone for your help in finnaly figuring this out, we always thought she was a girl but wern't quite sure.
I don't think we are interested in breeding at all so we are probably going to end up getting another female. Hopefuly they will like each other and be the best of friends because right now she looks a little lonely.


Answer:
In general, it is easier to introduce them when they are young, so if she is 3 months, she may take to a friend quickly and easily. But, like outback said, they may never get along so you need to be willing to have two cages.
Further, I would recommend finding a good breeder in your area. Usually they have a variety of colors and also provide a background on the chinchilla. In addition, they can be an invaluable resource if you need help. There is nothing "wrong" with pet store chins (I have 2) but they do not make good breeding stock and may not come from healthy ancestors. There are many genetic defects that can be passed to offspring (malocclusion and heart murmurs) and a good breeder will not only pull those animals from breeding but will also provide some sort of health guarantee. Anyway, I think I've babbled enough. If you are looking for a breeder in your area, check out our directory.
http://www.pets-on-the-net.com/breeders.html