Auction
Update
On the auction this week, we have a very good TOV
light hetero ebony male: 1825. This male would be a good asset to many ebony
breeding programs. He has high quality standards and blacks close up in
his pedigree, as well as being the result of a herd outcross. He was sired
by a PSK bred TOV hetero ebony male, and out of an ebony carrier female.
We also have a nice quality violet ebony carrier
male this week, for those wanting to breed their own wrap around violets,
and TOV wrap around violets. He is a triple mutation hybrid, and is only
one gene away from a wrap, and 2 genes away from a TOV wrap.
Auction
FAQ's
We have had more questions than usual about
the auction over the past month, especially concerning how it works. The
Chinchillas.com auction is a business to consumer (B2C) auction, not an
"open" consumer to consumer auction. Operating a strictly B2C
auction allows us to maintain tight control over quality, high standards
of business integrity, and active communication with the majority of the
bidders on the auction. Buyers can be assured that they are buying from
a reputable, well known business, and not from multiple sources that they
are unfamiliar with, as is the case with "open" or consumer
to consumer auctions. Chinchillas.com is not only a domain name, but it
is also our business name and an established brand name. Any and all chinchillas purchased on the
site can be shipped together. Potential bidders are welcome to arrange
a visit, by appointment, to see any chinchilla(s) they are interested
in bidding on prior to the close of the auction, or to purchase chinchillas
directly.
Show
Terminology
Below is useful judging
terminology that might help new chinchilla enthusiasts understand
US grading terminology.
Bright - The degree to which the color reflects
light. Brightness usually refers to a lustrous coat.
Clear - Having the desired color that is bright
in appearance. This quality in fur allows the fur to maintain its color
and not oxidize as quickly over time.
Dull - Fur that lacks luster. Many times the
"dull" animal has gone past prime.
Casty - This term is used then the fur is off
color, not clear blue-grey.
Muddy - Usually refers to the bar color. Not
a clear white bar.
Density - The thickness of the fur shaft and
the number of follicles per square inch.
Loft - Density plus fur strength.
Texture - Refers to the fineness or coarseness
of the individual fur fiber.
Plushy - A good loft plus a silky look.
Soft Fur - A fur that lacks strength. May be
due to lack of guard hairs.
Cottony - Fur that is very soft, which may
tend to form an uneven flow or pattern.
Guard Hair - Each follicle in the chinchilla
has as many as 100 hairs, including 1 "guard hair." The guard
hair helps the overall fur stand straight.
Bull Neck - An animal that is fully furred
in the neck.
Costina - Type of animal, which evolved at
lower elevations, that is narrow in the shoulder and wider at the hips.
Blocky - An animal with a rounded body, and
with full neck and shoulders.
Grotzen - The dark pattern down the center
of the back. The grotzen starts at the tip of the nose, and ends at the
base of the tail.
Lacks Finish - An animal that lacks eye appeal
due to not being in prime.
Halo - Usually used in judging black velvets,
to describe lack of veiling in the neck, causing a white ring.
Veiling - The darker color at the tip of the
fur.
Fur Pattern - The appearance of the surface
of the fur. Ideal is an unbroken, smooth flow.
(This terminology is courtesy of Wendell Byrd)
Standards
The most important resource for mutation hobbyist
breeders is high quality standard chinchillas. Hobbyist breeders
in the US have a tremendous resource for obtaining high quality pure standards.
Many of the best standard herds in the world are in the US. Take advantage
of them!!! Color muyayion herds cannot stay competitive over time without integrating high quality standard chinchillas.They are vital for quality,
and for reducing the incidence of inherent diseases. A hobbyist breeder
can expect to pay $300-$500 for a herd improvement quality standard
chinchilla. Standards are the backbone of quality.
Ebonies
We have received feedback from clients saying they have seen advertised
an ebony chinchilla that is, for example, "7th generation ebony."
It appears that this terms is used as a supposedly positive selling point in advertisements,
but my initial reaction is that the seller is highly misinformed about
the real negativity of such breeding, and does not understand the genetics.
Knowledge of such a breeding background would send any well informed buyer
running! Uninformed buyers are somehow misled into thinking that there
is some advantage to having an ebony that is the result of "7 generations"
of ebony to ebony breeding. This, in actuality, is a huge disadvantage,
and is, in the opinion of most respected breeders, irresponsible breeding.
Additionally, there is no difference in the color genetics present in
the homozygous ebony offspring produced by 2 ebony carriers, 2 hetero
ebonies, or 2 homo ebonies "from 7 generations of homo ebonies," except perhaps a loss of critically needed hybrid vigor. A homozygous
(meaning 2 of the same gene) ebony out of a light hetero ebony female
and a light hetero ebony male has 2 ebony genes; one inherited
from the dam, and one inherited from the sire. A homozygous ebony out
of a 7th generation homozygous ebony dam, and a 7th generation (or 20th
generation for that matter) homozygous ebony sirestill has only 2 ebony genes; one from the dam, and one from the sire. There is no
genotypic (the genetic make up) color difference, or phenotypic
(the traits you can actually see) color difference between the
2 offspring. The real difference is that one offspring has all the advantages
and strengths of the other genes that standards contribute,
as well as hybrid vigor, and the other does not (the one out
of multiple generations of ebony to ebony breeding).
* We highly encourage breeders to outcross
to high quality standards as a constant part of their ebony breeding
programs, and to acquire good outcross lines when available. This practice
should be a constant part of any ebony, violet, or sapphire breeding program,
to maintain good size and quality, and to help reduce the incidence of
teeth problems found more frequently in line-bred recessives. It is not
a good idea to constantly breed homo ebony to homo ebony, violet to violet,
or sapphire to sapphire (or to constantly breed any mutation color
to another mutation color).
E-mail
response time
We usually try to respond to our e-mail inquiries
within 24 hours of when we receive them during the business week (Monday
through Friday). We occasionally take longer. If you need to contact
us sooner, just call! We can be reached at +001 (785) 336-6833. Please limit
your calls to the hours of 10am-6pm CST unless there is an emergency.
E-mail sent on the weekends may not be responded to as quickly. If you
need weights, breeder information, or more detailed information on auction
chinchillas, it is better if you can ask those questions earlier in the
week. If you have last-minute questions on Saturdays concerning auction
chinchillas, call us!
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