Chinchilla pedigree question (NOT rabbits)

[CalicoPrairie]

Is it possible to start a pedigree where there is not one?

Quick explanation---a friend is wanting to rehome her chinchilla breeding stock, but she has no information on the lines. They are healthy chins, and IIRC, they are all female from the same lines. The male she would be obtaining for me would not be from the same lines as her girls, I'm told. She is not selling them to me, mind you, but wanting to rehome them because she has over 100 animals (she has a petting zoo out here) and while she takes good care of her animals, her zoo is getting more active and she needs the time to focus on her outdoor animals.

I'm a pedigree/registering kind of person and I would like to know if it would ever be possible to eventually pedigree any of the babies from any of these chins? I'm sure I can't really register them anywhere right now, but I want to keep records of the lines for my own purposes and for anyone else who might want to have them for something beyond pet purposes. I do trust my friend, but I would feel much better knowing exactly where the chins came from and being able to provide that kind of information to those who purchase babies from me.

If I keep meticulous lines for a few generations, watch for any health issues and poor qualities (and not breed those ones, etc.), would I then be able to eventually get them papered at all? What is the procedure for beginning a pedigree? I can't imagine that EVERY herd was started with purchases from reputable breeders and papered chins, it just doesn't really make sense that without some work, we couldn't have a decent herd with decent records. Has anyone ever done this?

Please be gentle if you disagree strongly with this. In my reading, I'm seeing that it's uber controversial and very warned against to even breed chins without pedigrees, and I get that. But in order for me to provide a good home to these 5 chins, they need to be doing something on our farm or it just can't happen, and they do need a final home to be. I have the space and means to do it, but I need something back, even if it's just babies a few times per year. Being a keeper of goats, rabbits, chickens, dogs, and cats, I do try my best to study about each species and make sure I'm doing all I can to provide good homes and care to each of my 16 animals, so I'm not just all about making money. However, I do need my animals to be working animals, even if just to have babies and enjoy the rest of their lives hopping around their cages and being cute.

Thanks in advance.

 

[akane]

blah, now your confusing me between chinchilla rabbits and chinchillas which is why I often mark my posts "not rabbits" :lol:

Chinchilla pedigrees do not really matter if not showing but other breeders do not look kindly on breeding unpedigreed animals. Inbreeding is a phobia of many exotic small animal breeders. They don't want anything that doesn't have a record to avoid inbreeding or crossing related animals within a generation or 2 of each other. You can of course quietly do whatever you want if you are selling for pets.

 

[CalicoPrairie]

Alright, so maybe it's a dumb question, but nevertheless, it's one I don't know the answer to.

Thanks for your input. <br /><br /> __________ Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:38 pm __________ <br /><br />

blah, now your confusing me between chinchilla rabbits and chinchillas which is why I often mark my posts "not rabbits" :lol:

Ahh, sorry about that Akane---I've got to confess that I don't come to the forum nearly enough, so I'm sure my etiquette isn't the best.

Chinchilla pedigrees do not really matter if not showing but other breeders do not look kindly on breeding unpedigreed animals. Inbreeding is a phobia of many exotic small animal breeders. They don't want anything that doesn't have a record to avoid inbreeding or crossing related animals within a generation or 2 of each other. You can of course quietly do whatever you want if you are selling for pets.

I won't be showing, I don't think, so I wouldn't be able to offer show quality chins. I have been reading and reading and have gathered exactly what you mentioned, and have been questioning whether or not I want to give this a go or not. I would like to help my friend out, and I've got the means and space to take care of them, but I just need to be able to have them offset the cost of the supplies needed (not counting vet bills, of course, just everyday costs). My friend doesn't mind if I end up rehoming them, so if i need to do that later, I can.

I am also concerned about inbreeding and the other issues because I am working hard trying to create a decent reputation for our hobby farm and any business we decide to do in connection with it. I definitely don't want to create pets of poor health, but I am also thinking that it's not an impossible situation to make this work, I just need to know how in as responsible a way I can. However, I'm running across many (breeders, really) that are saying that it's just not possible and I should forget it.

I've got a lot of thinking to do. Thanks for your input, Akane!