Affiliate program. Breeding chinchillas for fur Sales of chinchillas

Exotic types of income attract few people, so competition in such areas is low, but profitability can be very high. Breeding chinchillas as a business: profitable or not, reviews from entrepreneurs and detailed instructions for starting a chinchilla farm.

Who are chinchillas?

Chinchillas are large rodents with valuable fur that naturally live in South America in high desert areas. They have large round ears, black eyes and long mustaches. The animals are nocturnal and feed on grass and insects.

As a result of mass catching, the chinchilla population has declined catastrophically, and they are listed in the Red Book. Long-tailed chinchillas, about half a meter long (including the tail), are bred under artificial conditions.

Life expectancy in captivity is up to 20 years. Adults weigh 600 - 800 grams, newborn cubs - 30 - 70 grams. Young females give birth to 1-2 cubs; with age, the litter increases to 5-6 babies.

The name Chinchilla comes from the Peruvian province of Chincha.

Industrial value

Chinchillas have been bred for fur, meat and offspring since the beginning of the 20th century, when Americans, with the permission of the Chilean government, took several specimens to California and adapted them to life in different climatic conditions.

Fur products are very expensive due to the unique characteristics and small size of the skins - about a hundred pieces are required to make one fur coat. The cost of chinchilla clothing is tens of thousands of dollars. In Europe, the chinchilla business is already well developed and almost all production is carried out for sale at the Copenhagen Fur Auction.

Chinchilla meat is used as a dietary food for tuberculosis, sclerosis and cancer. It is readily purchased by restaurants specializing in exotic cuisine.

You can start a chinchilla breeding business with a few individuals and gradually increase the volume. The animals do not require special care, do not take up much space, do not scream or stink, so it is quite possible to create a mini-farm at home.

You can download a free chinchilla breeding business plan at.

Step by step instructions

Breeding chinchillas as a business at home should begin with writing a business plan for the project:

Study of breeding technology.
Equipping a mini-farm with equipment.
Purchasing chinchillas.
Purchase of feed.
Registration of an enterprise.
Sales of products.
Financial calculations.

Breeding technology

In nature, chinchillas feel normal at temperatures up to +40°C, but for comfortable keeping in captivity you need to create the following conditions for them:

humidity about 50%;
temperature from +18°С to +20°С;
room lighting at the rate of 60 W per 10 sq. m.;
lack of direct sunlight;
absence of drafts;
clean water for drinking;
sand bath for bathing;
daily cleaning;
weekly change of bedding in the cage;
monthly sand change;
disinfection of the premises once every 6 months.

On an area of 1 sq. m. can accommodate up to 3 individuals. Usually there is 1 male for 1 female, but it is also possible to form a family of 1 male and several females. Chinchillas begin to reproduce at the age of 7 months; they produce 2-3 litters per year, 1-2 cubs in each.

For example, a population of 2 males and 10 females can increase to 70 individuals after 12 months. The gender split is approximately equal. All the healthiest and most beautiful females remain on the farm for breeding. The best specimens are also selected from males, but in much smaller quantities. The remaining animals are sold to pet stores. With age, the litter of females increases to 5-6 individuals, and the herd grows faster.

Thus, in a couple of years, the animals will multiply to 300-350 individuals, and then you can start selling fur and meat.

Equipment

Chinchillas are kept indoors in iron mesh cages 40-45 cm high. On the front wall there is a door, feeders and drinkers. A shelf for resting is attached to the back in the middle; the bottom is lined with pine sawdust. The cages are placed one on top of the other in several tiers and several rows in such a way that animals raised for different purposes are located separately:

For fur, meat or tribe.
Increase in livestock.

In addition to cells, you also need to purchase:

feeders;
drinking bowls;
baths for bathing;
pallets for sawdust;
heater;
air conditioner.

All equipment that comes into contact with chinchillas should not be made of wood, since these animals are rodents with very sharp front incisors. The exception is the breeding period, when a box for the young is placed in the cage.

Acquisition

The most important part of the business plan is the acquisition of the first animals. For a novice entrepreneur, it will be enough to purchase 10 females and 2 males. This will save costs on starting the project and will allow you to understand the nuances of chinchilla breeding without significant risk.

Healthy purebred specimens of popular coloring cost 6,000 rubles. — 9,000 rub. There are a dozen basic colors of chinchillas:

White Wilson - very light fur all over the skin and black eyes.
White velvet - the gray muzzle and paws stand out against a white background.
White-pink - a slightly darker color than Wilson's White, with pink eyes.
Beige - has several varieties, from dark to light, with pale eyes.
Sapphire - light fur with a soft blue tint. This coloration is very difficult to obtain, and the animals subsequently require increased care.
Purple is the main color closer to gray, with a slight tint.
The standard color is the natural appearance of chinchillas: dark ash back and light belly.
Black velvet (corduroy) - black top with a smooth transition to a light bottom, beige nose and black eyes.
Ebony - varies from dark gray to completely black.

In addition, there are various shades obtained by combining basic ones or as a result of mutations. The most popular are chinchillas with standard coloring or black and velvet.

When choosing adult animals (7-8 months old), you need to pay attention to the following points:

correct rounded head shape;
short rounded ears;
there is practically no neck;
smooth back without visible thickenings;
dense and elastic fur, thick over the entire surface of the body;
weight approximately 600 grams;
healthy, beautiful producers.

It is best to purchase chinchillas from farms that have been breeding animals for a long time. In a serious farm, management will provide a veterinary certificate and advise on maintenance and care.

Chinchillas naturally have strong immunity and do not need to be vaccinated.

Nutrition

Chinchillas are fed once a day in the evening, as they are nocturnal. The basis of the diet is balanced granulated food. Additionally, herbs are introduced - fresh and dried, apples, carrots. To maintain immunity and compensate for the lack of fresh air, it is necessary to give vitamin complexes weekly.

An adult animal eats about 50 g of food per day. However, it is necessary to take into account the rather large difference in the weight of animals depending on gender, species and age. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the dosage for specific individuals.

Particular attention should be paid to the nutrition of pregnant females and young animals. For the first one and a half to two months, the cubs are fed with milk, then they are removed from the mother into a separate cage and given regular food. It is extremely undesirable to change anything in the diet of females and young individuals, as they react sharply to new foods.

Mini-farm registration

At the initial stage, there is no need to officially register a chinchilla business, since it will take about six months to raise the first litter, from which several individuals can be sold.

Before implementation, you need to select one of the registration options:

Individual entrepreneur. Suitable for a single business owner.
Farming. Relatives can participate in the enterprise, but for this it is necessary to draw up an agreement.

To pay taxes, it is most profitable to choose a single agricultural tax at a rate of 6% of profit.

No license or other permits are required to raise chinchillas. It is necessary to register with the veterinary service.

Sales organization

The mini-farm begins to receive income from the very first offspring of purchased breeding animals. Individuals that are unsuitable for breeding or have poor quality fur are sold through pet stores or markets to be kept as pets.

Animals that meet all standards remain on the farm for breeding or are sold to other farms. The cost of breeding chinchillas is much higher than culled ones.

To sell chinchillas for fur, you need to have 400-500 individuals in stock. The skins are harvested mainly from male animals. Consumers are fur factories and studios in large cities. The cost of high-quality skins can reach 10,000 rubles.

Chinchilla meat is purchased by restaurants as an exotic and dietary product.

With high production volumes, it is advisable to open your own workshop for sewing fur products.

Until there are enough positive reviews about the farm, you can promote your chinchilla business using conventional advertising means:

advertise in the press and on the Internet;
place business cards and brochures in pet stores in the city;
join a specialized online community, invite those interested on excursions;
create a website;
take part in zoo exhibitions.

Financial calculations

To start a chinchilla farm and determine whether running a business at home is profitable or not, you need to plan initial and subsequent costs. The cost of renting the premises is excluded from the calculation; only minor repairs will be required. Calculations are made for keeping chinchillas on an industrial scale - per 100 individuals.

Start-up capital:

№	*expenditures*	*Amount, rub.*
1	Indoor renovation	10 000
2	Purchase of equipment and consumables	220 000
3	Purchasing breeding specimens at wholesale prices	300 000
4	Purchase of food and supplements for 1 month	10 000
5	Business registration	1 000
6	Advertising	10 000
7	Other	20 000
Total		571 000

Fixed monthly costs for maintaining animals are:

Breeding chinchillas as a business at home, judging by reviews, brings up to 500% profit. Despite the fact that the most valuable thing in animals is fur, the main part of the income comes from the sale of live animals for personal use or breeding.

The annual revenue of a mini-farm can be calculated based on the expected sale of 300 bred individuals:

Profit for the first year of operation will be: RUB 1,800,000. - 54,000 rub. x 12 months - 571,000 rub. = 581,000 rub. In the future - 1,152,000 rubles.

With good care, chinchillas retain the ability to reproduce for up to 15 years. Therefore, this type of business is one of the most stable, long-term and profitable.

Video: chinchilla breeding as a business - profitable or not?

Opening a mini-farm for breeding chinchillas is a win-win option for business. The fur of this fur-bearing animal is very valuable, surpassing mink, sable and arctic fox in quality and cost. In Russia, this industry is in its infancy. Sufficient demand and a small number of offers are fertile ground for obtaining high profits.

Is it profitable to breed chinchillas and why?

When a person plans to start any business, he looks for the least occupied niche. Chinchilla farming belongs to such an industry. This is confirmed by the fact that 92% of Russian workshops for sewing fur products use imported chinchilla fur.

The main arguments indicating the advisability of engaging in this type of business:

there is no competition within the country;
broad prospects are likely due to high demand - every large atelier or fur salon needs such products;
profitability is quite high: the cost is low, the selling price is several times higher, raising one animal requires several tens of rubles, and the cost of an animal that has grown up to 2 months reaches 14-15 thousand rubles;
accessibility of business for people without special education - there is no need for expensive equipment and work skills.

Chinchilla fur is recognized as the most expensive in the world. Its high quality is due to its high density: about a hundred fine hairs grow from one hair follicle.

Chinchilla breeding goals

In any business, all means and methods are used to extract maximum profit from it. When breeding chinchillas, it is advisable to define specific goals. It is most rational to set yourself three tasks:

Breeding stock breeding.
Production of chinchilla fur and meat.
For keeping as pets.

Each litter contains animals of different physical states. The stronger ones are selected for breeding. Those with the best fur (males) are sold for fur and meat. The rest are for pet stores. Thus, the business will not incur losses and damages.

How to start a chinchilla breeding business?

There is a convenient model for gradually increasing production, starting with minimal volumes. This option does not require large investments, and during the period of business formation a person gains practical experience.

A beginning farmer does not have to immediately register a mini-farm as a KFK or individual entrepreneur. It is possible to register a personal subsidiary plot, which is not taxed, but this is impossible if the owner of the farm does not lease or own a plot of arable land with an area of 2 hectares or more.

Business registration

After a certain time, when the farm begins to produce the first tangible results (the volumes go beyond the limits of private household plots), you can begin to register a business with registration of individual entrepreneurship with the Federal Tax Service.

Next, the farmer chooses a favorable type of taxation - with a rate of 6%, which is calculated from net profit using the formula: income minus expenses, 6% is calculated from the result obtained. The businessman should also register with the local veterinary office.

As a result, running a chinchilla breeding business requires two documents:

ownership of the farm, which is issued after registration of an individual entrepreneur, for which it is necessary to indicate the KVED code - “01.25.2 Breeding fur-bearing animals on a farm”;
document confirming registration with the veterinary service.

Special licenses and permits for chinchilla breeding as a business activity are not required.

Necessary equipment

At the initial stage, you can get by with a few cages adapted for breeding a small number of chinchillas. When switching to an official business, you need a full set of farm equipment:

cages for keeping animals;
bunker feeders;
automatic drinkers;
bathing equipment.

Selection and equipment of premises

A room of about 20 square meters. m can accommodate 100 chinchillas. In accordance with this ratio, the construction or equipment of the finished utility room is carried out.

temperature regime is not lower than 18 degrees Celsius and not higher than 20 (for this you need an electric heater in winter, and air conditioning in summer);
air humidity from 50 to 60%;
drafts are unacceptable;
direct sunlight is undesirable;
the premises must be separate from other buildings;
electric lighting with conventional lamps up to 60 W (1 lamp for every 10 square meters of area).

Some people keep chinchillas as pets, but large farms raise the furry animals for profit. Breeding chinchillas as a business does not require large investments, quickly pays for itself, and even brings pleasure to those who like to communicate with animals.

Today we will tell you in more detail about the structure of a chinchilla farm, about costs and organizational issues, about how to select the first animals, equip them and achieve offspring.

In Russia, the chinchilla breeding business is just developing, and not many people breed these animals, but every year the number of chinchilla farms in the country is growing. Individuals are raised both for the purpose of producing cubs, valuable fur, and for meat. Meat products are especially popular due to their healing properties.

Despite the fact that such a business is considered profitable and requires minimal investment, you will first have to purchase all the necessary equipment for the farm. Contrary to some opinions, animals cannot be kept in basements or attics.

A farm can be maintained if you have a private house and a small subsidiary plot. It is impossible to breed many animals in an apartment, because under such conditions it will be difficult to keep more than 4-5 animals. This farm will not bring the desired profit.

How to create a farm?

It is not always clear to a beginning farmer where to start. There are several stages in creating a business:

Registration of a farming association or personal farm. This depends on the planned production volumes.
Raising chinchillas requires purchasing the appropriate license.
It is necessary to prepare premises for raising rodents.
Buy young stock.
Prepare food.

Table 1. Approximate costs of creating a small farm

It is necessary to start any business with preliminary calculations for purchases and profits. This will allow you to assess the scale of investment.

How to register a business?

Chinchillas can be kept at home (for example, to sell their offspring as pets), and for such a small farm it is not necessary to purchase a separate plot of land outside the city. Compared to other rodents, such animals have virtually no odor.

Individuals reproduce over a long period. Therefore, some entrepreneurs create a home farm and do not immediately register the business. However, in the future, when the need arises to sell products, documentation will have to be completed.

To register a business, you will need the following documents:

an application that should be written in a prepared form;
if a farm is created with the participation of several people, then such an agreement will need to be certified by a notary;
copies of passports of all business participants;
a document confirming payment of the state duty for opening a farm.

In the future, the entrepreneur will be able not only to sell chinchillas, but also other related products. On a farm, you can organize a workshop for the production of fur products.

Staff

The need to attract workers arises when a farm expands, but sometimes the organizer himself copes with feeding and care.

On average, one worker is required for every 400-500 individuals. It is extremely rare to hire a veterinarian on staff. If necessary, you can invite a doctor to examine your pets.

Table 2. Basic requirements for the finished cage

Parameter	Description
Size	Chinchillas are active animals, so they are kept only in spacious cages. Otherwise, their productivity will suffer greatly. It is necessary to choose a cage with a width of about 110 cm and a height of up to 85 cm.
Material	The best solution would be to make cages from metal. Such structures are much easier to maintain. Metal is not allowed to be painted with any paint.
Arrangement	It is advisable to provide metal pull-out trays in the cages. This way, it will be easier to clean them from dirt. It is recommended to build a small house inside the cage in which rodents usually sleep. Feeders and drinkers are fixed to the wall. For greater mobility of the animals in the cage, stairs are built in the form of shelves, which chinchillas love to climb.
Location	The cages must be placed in a dry, dry and well-lit room. The optimal temperature for keeping animals is 19-22 degrees. In one room you can arrange a large number of cells in several tiers. However, lighting will have to be provided for each tier.

Principles of caring for individuals:

cages should be cleaned of excrement at least once every 7 days;
every day for 20-40 minutes, containers with volcanic clay are placed in the cells for bathing;
It is advisable to install an air conditioner in the room to control the temperature;
complete disinfection of cells should be carried out several times over 12 months using antiseptic agents;
it is important to provide ventilation in the room or to ventilate it periodically;
as it gets dirty, you should replace the sawdust in the cage, which is used as bedding;
Animals should have free access to fresh water.

To breed animals on an industrial scale, small families should be formed: four females and one male are placed in each cage. The male should be slightly older than the female. This will allow them to optimally organize their living together.

Sometimes conflicts can arise between individuals, which leads to fights and injuries, so the cages are arranged in such a way that animals of different sexes live nearby, but separately. The male has a separate entrance to the females on each side.

Not every entrepreneur can afford to purchase a large number of individuals. To begin with, you can organize a mini-farm, which will gradually begin to grow.

Optional equipment

You will need to purchase equipment for keeping individuals:

drinking bowls and feeders;
fine sand for swimming;
toys for animals;
disinfectants.

Not all farmers have the opportunity to purchase cages, and in this situation the animals are kept in spacious enclosures. Chinchillas have a high degree of endurance and live well in flocks.

Preparing the premises

The premises for breeding chinchillas are selected according to the following criteria:

Soundproofing. Individuals require comfort and silence.
Air temperature. If necessary, heaters are installed in the room.
No direct sun rays. Such exposure adversely affects the condition of pets.
Normal level of air humidity. The optimal figure is about 58-60%.
No dampness. Fungi contribute to respiratory diseases.

Purchasing individuals

The success of the chosen activity directly depends on the quality of the breeding stock. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase individuals only from trusted breeders on specialized farms.

Young animals should be selected according to the following parameters:

pedigree;
genetics;
color;
medical certificate from a veterinarian;
correct structure of the skull;
absence of any curvature on the back;
the presence of uniform fur throughout the body;
optimal weight in relation to age.

The most famous colors of chinchillas:

ebony;
violet;
black velvet;
white Wilson;
white-pink;
white velvet;
sapphire;
beige.

Skins of such colors are in demand among consumers. However, you should not keep individuals of different colors in the same cage - you must immediately decide on the color.

Feeding

The diet of chinchillas is practically no different from the diet of rabbits. Since the animals do not receive direct sunlight, they quickly develop vitamin D deficiency. This deficiency can be compensated for with the following diet:

bone flour;
dry herbs;
fresh vegetables;
dried fruits.

Individuals come in different sizes from 280 to 850 g. Therefore, the daily norm is calculated depending on body weight.

Animals grow front incisors throughout their lives, which they will have to grind down on their own. For such purposes, it is recommended to buy a block of wood so that chinchillas can chew on it and grind down their teeth.

It is extremely contraindicated for individuals to be given large amounts of fatty foods (sunflower seeds and nuts fall into this category). Animals willingly consume such food, but this is fraught with negative consequences for digestion.

The following types of feed are used to feed animals:

grain mixtures;
concentrated feed;
hay.

It is not recommended to feed animals with tap water. Some farmers prefer to prepare settling liquid in advance, leaving tap water in large containers for a couple of days. The minimum water temperature should be 16-17 degrees.

Table 3. Approximate diet for a chinchilla

Excessive consumption of various delicacies by individuals contributes to rapid weight gain. As a result of obesity, chinchillas' productive qualities are reduced, so such food should be given with extreme caution. You can purchase ready-made food for feeding individuals in the form of granules. Such diets contain all the necessary nutritional components.

Each individual will need to spend about 12 kilograms of feed per year. It is not recommended to suddenly change the diet of pets, so adult chinchillas are fed one type of food, and if it needs to be changed, they gradually mix the new and old diet.

Relevance of keeping chinchillas

The main advantages of maintaining such a farm:

Lack of high competition. Most workshops for sewing fur clothing and accessories purchase products from foreign manufacturers. Therefore, if you have the funds, you can organize a profitable business.
There is high demand for finished products, which so far significantly exceeds supply. Chinchilla fur has a high value, like sable and mink skins.
The number of ateliers for sewing fur products is increasing, which means that demand is growing every year.
The farmer does not require any special education or skills; he will only have to learn some of the nuances of keeping and breeding animals.

The only downside is that individuals do not actively reproduce. You will have to spend a considerable amount of money to purchase a large number of animals.

Diseases in animals

Basically, all diseases of rodents are associated with a violation of the feeding regime. Diseases also begin to appear when pets are not kept properly.

The main symptoms observed in sick individuals:

diarrhea or constipation;
copious amounts of saliva;
low activity;
change in behavior.

First of all, the liver and kidneys suffer in pets. In addition, in healthy chinchillas, the teeth have a rich orange color; in sick chinchillas, the teeth become pale yellow. Some diseases appear during inbreeding of individuals. Also, poor nutrition quickly affects the health of the animal and the quality of its fur. It loses its shine and becomes less thick.

It is worth understanding that with any negative change in the animal’s health, you need to invite a veterinarian.

Selling products

Table 4. Sales of farm products

Products	Description
Selling chinchillas after culling	For various reasons, such individuals are not suitable for obtaining valuable fur. They are sold to pet stores and pet lovers.
Selling fur	It is profitable to sell furs at auctions. However, for such purposes it is necessary to organize large-scale production. Only the skins of males are of great value. Female fur is sold much cheaper.
Sales of breeding individuals	Breeding chinchillas are sold when there is an excess number of animals on the farm. And some farmers initially breed pets for similar purposes. They are most often purchased by beginning farmers.

Nuances of breeding individuals

Sexual maturity in males and females occurs closer to 8 months. The total lifespan is about 16-18 years, but reproductive functions are maintained only for 10-11 years.

When developing such a business, the following nuances should be taken into account:

The duration of pregnancy for females is 105-115 days. During this period, she requires special nutrition and rest. In addition, contact with the male should not be allowed, because females can behave aggressively.
When born, the offspring already have teeth and open eyes.
Feed mixtures are given to the cubs only for 4-5 days.
Wood is placed in the cage with the babies so that they can sharpen their teeth on their own.
Females feed their offspring with milk. However, some individuals refuse to do this. Breeders have to feed their babies formula.
Young animals need to be examined at different stages of maturation for the purpose of further culling.
Females feed their young for 60 days. During this time they should gain weight and get stronger. After which the young animals are removed.

By the way! If this is your first time encountering them, then an article on how to care for them at home may be useful to you.

Table 5. The process of artificial feeding of a baby

Illustration	Description
	Step one: you will need to prepare the mixture, simethicone, an insulin syringe without a needle, a container and a towel.
	Step two: add simethicone, artificial nutrition to the container and mix thoroughly.
	Step three: draw the mixture into a syringe, wrap the baby in a towel and feed it. Give a few drops at a time.

Such rodents do not show aggression towards the owner, so the likelihood of bites is minimized. But caution still doesn’t hurt!

Chinchillas are cute and affectionate animals, it is pleasant to work with them in all respects, because they have a friendly character and do not require special care. To keep them comfortable, little is needed: feeding once a day and periodically cleaning the cage.

Chinchilla skins or live weight are readily purchased by fur auctions and fur farms in quantities of 10 or more pieces. and more. For example, for 1 live chinchilla at slaughter age 7-8 months they give from $20. This price can be much higher in the case of breeding whites or other purebred species. Skins are more expensive, some craftsmen can earn more in this business. Moreover, chinchilla meat is dietary. It is used to treat tuberculosis, and for sclerosis it is simply irreplaceable.

The high cost of chinchilla products is due to the physiological characteristics of fur. In ordinary fur, only one hair grows from one hair follicle, but in chinchillas there are 60-80 very fine (12-14 microns) web-like hairs. This design is an ideal wind barrier on the outside and an excellent heat insulator on the inside.

Is breeding chinchillas as a business profitable or not?

Initial investment for the purchase of animals. One chinchilla per brood costs on average from $30 to $50. We multiply this amount by the number of animals with which you plan to start, and we get the amount of the initial investment.
Arrangement of their habitat. On 2 square meters you can keep 20 individuals, and this includes the corridors between the cells. Each chinchilla over three years old will need its own cage to ensure the well-being of the individual and excellent quality of fur, because this is the key to your successful business. You can make the cages yourself, then they will cost a symbolic amount.
Regular expenses for maintenance and food. Considering the small weight of the animal, the cost of food also does not look scary. The chinchilla eats once a day (mostly plant and dry food). Some farmers add special feed to the diet to increase nutritional value and improve the quality of fur. On average, feeding one chinchilla per year costs about $240, during which time it will produce offspring that will not only pay for all the maintenance, but will also give you the opportunity to make a tangible profit.

Chinchillas reproduce much worse than rabbits. There are usually 2-3 babies in one litter. But this fact makes a chinchilla fur coat significantly more expensive with lower maintenance costs. 1 chinchilla coat requires an average of 100 skins. The female's pregnancy lasts from 110 to 115 days, while the babies will need another 7 weeks to grow up and become independent. All this time, the cubs remain with their mother. Afterwards you can sit down. And at the age of 7-8 months you can remove the skins.

Helpful advice! 1-2 months before slaughter age, it is advisable to reduce the temperature to +5 degrees in the room where the chinchillas live and increase the intensity of their feeding. This will significantly affect the thickness and commercial quality of the skin.

How many chinchillas do you need to breed? You can determine the size of your farm and the number of animals yourself, depending on the area of the premises you have and your capabilities. One person is able to serve up to 500 chinchillas. If you want a larger number of individuals, you will have to take care of attracting additional employees.

Conditions for polygamous breeding of chinchillas

Chinchillas are unpretentious creatures, but this does not mean that they do not require attention at all. The basic rules for household chinchilla care are as follows:

feeding, changing water and cleaning the cage occurs daily (once a day is enough);
weekly you need to change the sawdust, which is the bedding of the cage;
Once a month it is necessary to sift and calcinate the sand, which is very important. The animals bathe in the sand and clean their fur.
Every six months it is worth performing general disinfection and cleaning of the premises where chinchillas are kept.

When creating a chinchilla farm, you should pay attention to ensuring that the premises are always clean, warm and dry. It is also necessary to take care of access to fresh air for the animals, but avoid drafts.

A cage is also important for polygamous breeding of chinchillas. This is a whole system in which everything must be thought out. For example, sand baths should not be connected to each other and should be placed separately in each section. It is better to buy such a cage system on wheels to make it easier to clean outside the breeding room.

Even schoolchildren can take care of chinchillas. You can also keep them in a city apartment if you do not plan on a large number of individuals. On the good side, it is also worth noting that chinchillas do not shed depending on the season, their fur is always of excellent quality. It is always ready for implementation at any time of the year.

For polygamous breeding of chinchillas, the following ratio is usually taken: from 2 to 4 females are purchased per male.

Important! You can’t destroy a “working” family. The animals endure this painfully, and you may not get the desired result. It is also highly undesirable to cross-breed related animals. This leads to their inevitable degeneration.

Collar for polygamous chinchilla breeding

When breeding chinchillas polygamously, it is important to observe one more condition: a special ring-collar is put on the neck of each female. This way the female will not leave the cage, and the male, in turn, will be able to move freely from female to female.

The cost of such a collar is in the range of $1-1.5. It is made of plastic. The collar can be used many times without causing any discomfort to the animals.

Interesting fact! In nature, chinchillas usually form monogamous pairs. They can be bred in the same way at home, although this is quite difficult to do in an industrial environment, since the number of females usually exceeds the number of males. In this regard, it can be quite difficult to find a mate for every bored male.

In the Middle Ages, only kings were allowed to wear chinchilla fur. Over time, these furs became available to the middle class. At the end of the 19th century, this led to the complete extermination of animals in Latin America. Today, chinchillas are very rarely found in the wild, but they are well bred in captivity.

As you can see, breeding chinchillas is an easy and uncomplicated process. The demand for their fur is constantly increasing, so you will not have problems selling finished skins. The Internet is full of buyer advertisements. In a few months you will not only get back all your invested funds, but also make a significant profit, so we wish you success, as well as good sales of beautiful individuals!

Chinchilla fur is one of the most sought-after and prestigious materials in the global fashion fur industry. But these are not all the advantages of these animals. Their dietary meat is recommended for the treatment of tuberculosis and sclerosis. It has been proven that its properties have a beneficial effect on the condition of patients with cancer.

Not everyone knows about the uniqueness of chinchillas. Even the ancient Indians noticed that these fur-bearing animals lived in areas where gold or precious stones were deposited. Therefore, if it is customary to take a dog to hunt, and a pig to search for truffles, then treasure hunters use chinchillas for their work.

Many treasure hunters today have changed their status to entrepreneurs and receive high income from breeding these animals at home.

Breeding chinchillas as a business at home

Breeding chinchillas at home is a promising area that is just beginning to develop in our country.

Advice: According to experts, there will never be high competition in this business. This is due to the increased demand for fur and the long breeding season of chinchillas.

The profitability of this type of business is explained by the following factors:

absence of competing organizations;
high demand for fur in the world market;
relatively small financial costs for organizing a business;
high prices for fur, the possibility of selling meat;
quick payback of the project (with proper planning, start-up costs are recouped in 18 months);
Caring for animals is simple and does not require much labor.

Today it is fashionable to choose exotic animals as pets. Therefore, the chinchilla business receives new sales channels - pet stores, which are happy to take animals for sale.

Business registration

Chinchillas are undemanding animals, so they are easy to breed at home. If the volume is small, you may not need to register your business at the start. The fact is that the breeding period for animals at home is quite long. Therefore, paying taxes while expecting offspring is inappropriate.

After promoting the business, when searching for distribution channels and selling products to private firms, registration will be required. To do this, you must select one of the organizational and legal forms:

peasant farming (KFK);
individual entrepreneur;
limited liability company.

LLC is suitable for a large farm. Beginners are recommended to register, which will make it possible to sell not only animals, but also related products - skins, meat and even finished fur products.

To register a farm, the following package of documents is required:

application in form P21002;
an agreement to create a farm, certified by a notary (if there are two or more applicants);
a copy of the passport of each farm founder;
receipt of payment of state duty (800 rubles).

Sometimes additional documents may be required, for example.

Room equipment

The main product when breeding chinchillas at home is fur, but some manage to establish meat sales channels. The quality of the skins largely depends on the conditions of detention.

Despite the fact that these animals are undemanding and unpretentious, they can reproduce even at a temperature of +40ºС, when breeding them at home you must adhere to the following recommendations:

indoor humidity level – 55-60%;
permissible temperature - +18-21ºС;
lack of direct rays of the sun;
no drafts or sudden temperature fluctuations.

Many entrepreneurs who did not know, and preferred to try the chinchilla business, at the initial stage raised animals in their own home or even in an apartment. But when expanding the business, it is necessary to build and equip a separate room for animals. The main condition in it is thermal insulation. The big advantage is that the animals do not require much space. To keep 100 individuals, a room with an area of 18-20 m² is sufficient.

To breed chinchillas at home, just purchase the following set of equipment:

cells;
automatic drinkers;
bunker feeders;
devices for heating the room in winter (the best option for this is the purchase of convectors);
swimsuits;
air conditioner;
low power lamps for lighting.

You need to install baths in the cage - containers with sand so that the animals can clean their skins. It is better to buy automatic feeders and drinkers to constantly provide the animals with food.

The height of the cage should be 40-45 centimeters, the planting area should be 30 cm² per individual. For the production of cages, it is recommended to use galvanized mesh with cells measuring 2 x 1.5 centimeters.

Advice: chinchillas should not be placed in wooden cages, as the animal will quickly gnaw through partitions of any thickness.

In a room of 18-20 m² you can place 6 sections in 2 rows. Doors are installed on the front wall to remove the animals, change water and add food, as well as a drinking bowl and feeder. A “lounger” 10-15 centimeters wide at a height of up to 20 centimeters is installed on the back wall. To ensure cleanliness, stands with wooden sawdust are installed under the cages, which need to be changed every 5-7 days (as they become dirty).

Preparing the food supply

Chinchillas are herbivorous rodents. As a rule, when breeding at home, they are fed with mixed feed. The food supply can be divided into several types:

concentrated feed - grains (wheat, corn, millet) and legumes (lentils, beans, peas);
dried herbs;
hay.

An adult should eat at least 25 grams of food per day. To organize meals, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

taste habits are formed in these animals immediately after birth, so new foods are introduced gradually and with caution;
In addition to regular food, animals need to be given vitamins to strengthen their immune system. For breeding chinchillas at home, specialized vitamin preparations intended for ferrets are suitable;
Be sure to give food in the evening, since animals are awake at night;
water must be boiled or filtered.

Features of caring for chinchillas at home

A big advantage when breeding chinchillas at home is simplicity. To support 20 families at the first stage, as with, one person is suitable.

Every day, such animals need to be fed, the water in the drinking bowl and the sand in the bathing bath changed, the cages cleaned, the temperature maintained, and the room ventilated.

Features of breeding chinchillas at home:

puberty occurs at 6-7 months;
females bear the fetus for 106-114 days;
the ability to reproduce lasts about 12-15 years;
The lifespan of these animals is about 17-18 years;
the cub is separated from the mother at the age of 2 months when the weight reaches 200 grams;
a newborn animal has teeth and sees well (unlike nutria);
start giving food to babies on the fifth day after birth;
growth and development of young animals lasts up to 12-13 months and ends after gaining weight of 450-500 grams;
animals mate at night;
During pregnancy, the female's weight increases by 40-50 grams.

According to experts, even with the rapid development of this business, a crisis of overproduction does not threaten this area for another 100-200 years. The reason lies in reproductive characteristics. During the year, a female can give birth to 2-3 times of 1-4 cubs when breeding at home.

Chinchilla families can be either monogamous or polygamous. If breeding is planned and the individuals are distinguished by high productive qualities and have good breed qualities, they should be placed together in one cage (female plus male). In another case, one male is kept in a cage with four females.

Financial calculation

If, when searching for an answer to the question “?” If you decide to raise chinchillas at home, you need to make a financial plan. According to experts, it is better for beginners to start with 20 families. This amount does not require large investments and equipment of a large room. Working on a small farm will give you the opportunity to calculate the profitability of the project and really evaluate your strengths.

Approximate starting costs for breeding chinchillas at home:

purchase of young animals (20 families consist of 80 chinchillas, each of which costs about $50) – $4 thousand;
preparation of premises, installation of cages, purchase of equipment - about 4 thousand dollars;
food costs (each individual eats approximately 20 kg of food per year) – $820.

In practice, organizing a mini-farm for 20 families requires expenses of 7-10 thousand dollars. Let’s form a family of one male and 3-4 females, each of which bears offspring 2-3 times a year, 1-4 cubs. On average, each female gives birth to 6 cubs per year. Therefore, in one year on a small farm you can get 360 animals. If you sell them for $50, your income will be $18,000 and will fully cover your startup costs.

Sales channels

Achieving a quick payback on a project is possible by establishing a competent sales policy. Ways to implement when breeding chinchillas at home:

sale of animals for pet stores or as exotic animals;
sale of skins at fur auctions. This option is suitable for large farms, since enterprises with a large turnover (from 5 thousand skins) take part in such an event;
sale of young animals for breeding;
sale of meat;
sale of fur in studios and specialized organizations.

Chinchilla meat - price

Do not forget about the dietary and healing properties of the meat of this animal. Naturally, when selling skins, the question arises about selling meat. It has been proven that it helps with sclerosis, tuberculosis, and cancer.

The meat is quite suitable for food and resembles rabbit in taste and nutritional value. Today it is not in high demand, so prices are low - 250-400 rubles per kilogram.

Breeding chinchillas as a business - reviews

Elena:
My parents raise chinchillas at home; they allocated a small outbuilding for this purpose. This case has certain nuances that are worth considering. For example, the temperature regime, which should be within +18 - +24ºС. Recently, the heater was not turned on on time, the temperature dropped to +14 ºС, and 6 animals out of 40 died. Although care is simple, you can’t go on vacation either - you need to feed every day, clean the cages, etc. The big disadvantage is the lack of skinning technology, and only expensive restaurants with exotic cuisine (at a low price) buy meat, so parents raise them as pets and sell them online. Despite this, I want to leave a positive review - they eat very little, the cost of food is insignificant. They need small cages; there is no need to buy a large breeding room. The meat is tasty and tender, and they say it is also healthy.

Eugene:
I always wanted to organize my own business, but without competition. After reading reviews and advice on the Internet, I settled on a chinchilla - easy care, low start-up costs. I don’t regret it, because in a year and a half I paid back all the expenses and broke even. But I recommend starting only for those who are really ready to devote themselves entirely to these cute little animals. Start with small quantities to learn how to breed at home. Today I sell these animals in Russia and neighboring countries. Mostly my clients are young farmers who buy young stock for breeding. Sometimes they are taken for home keeping as a favorite pet.

Maksim:
If your chinchillas do not get sick, do not die, quickly become pregnant and give birth to babies of beautiful colors of the desired sex, if you know how to build cages yourself, if you do not spend money on buying new individuals, then you will quickly recoup your investment (in 1-1.5 years). But, unfortunately, we cannot do without the above nuances. Any financial waste, illness, simple reluctance of the female to mate, unsuccessful childbirth will reduce all efforts to zero. Think about it: are you ready for difficulties? If such problems do not scare you and you are ready to try, everything will work out. Think carefully about every step, think about ways of implementation already at the start, and your business will be doomed to success.

The lack of competition in the chinchilla fur production market, ease of care and maintenance, low start-up costs make this business popular and promising. But those who want to organize a business by breeding chinchillas at home should take into account all the pitfalls and subtleties. Animals need to be looked after regularly, avoiding drafts and temperature fluctuations. Also, right from the start, you need to take care of sales channels.

It might be useful to read: