4/26/2014
Whew, its been some time! Lots of changes are coming to BKC. I am looking to offload most of my chins in an attempt to move in a different direction with my breeding program. I have had a surge of rescues that have come in that also need to go as well, as much as I love most of them. Check my Chins Available page. Im open to REASONABLE offers on most of them.
Chapter elections are coming up soon for the SEC MCBA chapter. I would like to see leadership stay exactly where it is but have MORE chapter members. So, if you would like to learn more about MCBA and specifically about our Southeastern Coastal chapter, feel free to shoot me an email on my contact page.
I still have ONE of my large wooden cages for sale. Most of you Facebookers know already that we upgraded to triplestacked CritterNations. $100 for the wooden one. If anyone knows anyone looking for a bird, reptile or chin breeding cage, send em my way. It can be converted so many ways. No trays included but it is easy to build some.
SEC show planning is under way and will be held in Rock Hill, SC again this year. No specific date has been set, but it is looking like the first or second week in November. Get your show supplies ordered so that you will have them in time.
As always, check Facebook for the most up to date info on us and the chins.
Chapter elections are coming up soon for the SEC MCBA chapter. I would like to see leadership stay exactly where it is but have MORE chapter members. So, if you would like to learn more about MCBA and specifically about our Southeastern Coastal chapter, feel free to shoot me an email on my contact page.
I still have ONE of my large wooden cages for sale. Most of you Facebookers know already that we upgraded to triplestacked CritterNations. $100 for the wooden one. If anyone knows anyone looking for a bird, reptile or chin breeding cage, send em my way. It can be converted so many ways. No trays included but it is easy to build some.
SEC show planning is under way and will be held in Rock Hill, SC again this year. No specific date has been set, but it is looking like the first or second week in November. Get your show supplies ordered so that you will have them in time.
As always, check Facebook for the most up to date info on us and the chins.
1/5/2014
First of all WE ARE EXPECTING!!!! Lily should be having her first litter very soon! She feels like she is having twins, but she may just have one very healthy kit. Cant wait! Its been months since we've had kits hopping around here! Secondly, I will be listing some chins for sale. Being that I work a normal job, it will take me some time to get updated pictures up. Should anyone be interested in any of the chins I have for sale, feel free to send me an inquiry. I would be happy to email pictures then and there and give details on each animal.
Now, I cannot express how much importance stands in researching the breeder you are purchasing from! People! You are about to invest in an animal meant to live 17+ YEARS! If you are going to spend that much money for an animal, do you not want it to be healthy, free of problems and be friendly if not pedigreed as well? Reputable breeders spend a lot of money on their breeding stock because of the QUALITY! Buy quality, breed quality, get quality. Its not just about pairing together certain animals because of their "cuteness" factor. It comes down to genetics. Fur quality, color, diseases, etc. Id love to know where Kentucky Kritters gets their animals and why they choose to breed them to the animals they do. I have a good feeling it is has nothing to do with genetics. Why would you give your business, repeatedly at that, to someone that cannot care for their animals properly? If you walk in and the place just doesnt seem right, walk away. Animals dont look happy, are kept in cages too small, cages not cleaned on a regular basis (and you can tell neglect vs. coming up on a regular cleaning day), animals too thin... WALK AWAY! If at all possible, RESEARCH the breeder you are buying from! Questions? Ask them after asking other breeders that may know them.
I had an issue come up with another breeder up north in Kentucky. I did not know the breeder personally, but when their posting for a breeding pair of chins came up on Hoobly and was shared on a chinchilla page I am a member of, I felt the need to contact these people to tell them what they were doing was wrong. The girl, Jayci Watson, admitted in her listing that the poor chin mom was in breeding continuously, popping out multiple kits per litter, and that she had 4 litters a year (Ill post pictures of everything once I get them transferred over). Now, I have done breedbacks before when I first started under Jen Hodge. I started to have problems with my chins healthwise and decided to not do them anymore. I realize other breeders do this with no issues, but before I sent my comments to her I researched Jayci and discovered her to be a young, immature breeder. THIS right here infuriated me. Finding out that the animals were kept in such disgusting conditions by a 14 year old in a breeding business. The mother, in my opinion, is more guilty than Jayci in the fact that she allows this to happen AND promotes it! Anyway, I voiced my opinion to them via the number they had listed in the Hoobly listing only for Jayci to turn around and share my contact information on her page. I got so many text messages and threats to "make my life a living hell" from her friends and customers that I had to get the Kentucky police involved to make it stop. That deputy was the one that told me Jayci had asked others to contact me. First of all, to any of Jayci's customers and friends still scoping me out, I am not in ANY way jealous of Kentucky Kritters (now Peeps 'N Paws II to try and cover their large amounts of lies). I actually care for my animals properly by veting when needed, I dont breed "seasonal" pets and sell them off in an unhealthy state when I am done with them and have gotten my money's worth, I actually have a system of standards and dont breed any ol' animal I find and I have a regular cleaning schedule. The girl that rescued those poor chins from her told me the conditions of the house, the cages of some of the animals and the lack of proper diet for the chins. I am not saying any of this without either my knowledge or the knowledge of the people directly involved with this. And Jason Safcik? Do not try to play games with me by quoting laws you think MIGHT be applicable towards me. I am a member of the MCBA and if something like the USDA law you brought up were applicable to me, I would know about it. I attend MCBA meetings a few times a year and travel to MCBA sanctioned chin shows. Word travels fast, as it always will in the chin breeding industry. Your tricks to try to scare me or make me doubt myself or my business will not work. I am backed by many strong, reputable chin breeders in this industry, both in MCBA and ECBC. People like you and Jayci do not scare me because I am not the one pulling stunts like either of you are and I most certainly do not have an unreputable business with questionable business and breeding ethics. Delete all the comments you want, but you were still busted in lies, and the change of business name does not fix the problem of piss-poor ethics. It only tells people that you have something to hide... and hide is what Jayci is doing.
By the way, you can see a bunch of Jayci Watsons bogus animal care answers on Yahoo Answers. I am appalled that people are dense enough to buy this crap spewing from a teenagers mouth. She is one of many reasons I have never supported Chins and Hedgies' website. Too many people on there are full o' crap.
Take all of this as you will, but you all have been warned about Kentucky Kritters/Peeps 'n Paws II. If you want to have some kind of idea about this "business", just check out her website. Those animals are NOT a priority. How sad.
Now, I cannot express how much importance stands in researching the breeder you are purchasing from! People! You are about to invest in an animal meant to live 17+ YEARS! If you are going to spend that much money for an animal, do you not want it to be healthy, free of problems and be friendly if not pedigreed as well? Reputable breeders spend a lot of money on their breeding stock because of the QUALITY! Buy quality, breed quality, get quality. Its not just about pairing together certain animals because of their "cuteness" factor. It comes down to genetics. Fur quality, color, diseases, etc. Id love to know where Kentucky Kritters gets their animals and why they choose to breed them to the animals they do. I have a good feeling it is has nothing to do with genetics. Why would you give your business, repeatedly at that, to someone that cannot care for their animals properly? If you walk in and the place just doesnt seem right, walk away. Animals dont look happy, are kept in cages too small, cages not cleaned on a regular basis (and you can tell neglect vs. coming up on a regular cleaning day), animals too thin... WALK AWAY! If at all possible, RESEARCH the breeder you are buying from! Questions? Ask them after asking other breeders that may know them.
I had an issue come up with another breeder up north in Kentucky. I did not know the breeder personally, but when their posting for a breeding pair of chins came up on Hoobly and was shared on a chinchilla page I am a member of, I felt the need to contact these people to tell them what they were doing was wrong. The girl, Jayci Watson, admitted in her listing that the poor chin mom was in breeding continuously, popping out multiple kits per litter, and that she had 4 litters a year (Ill post pictures of everything once I get them transferred over). Now, I have done breedbacks before when I first started under Jen Hodge. I started to have problems with my chins healthwise and decided to not do them anymore. I realize other breeders do this with no issues, but before I sent my comments to her I researched Jayci and discovered her to be a young, immature breeder. THIS right here infuriated me. Finding out that the animals were kept in such disgusting conditions by a 14 year old in a breeding business. The mother, in my opinion, is more guilty than Jayci in the fact that she allows this to happen AND promotes it! Anyway, I voiced my opinion to them via the number they had listed in the Hoobly listing only for Jayci to turn around and share my contact information on her page. I got so many text messages and threats to "make my life a living hell" from her friends and customers that I had to get the Kentucky police involved to make it stop. That deputy was the one that told me Jayci had asked others to contact me. First of all, to any of Jayci's customers and friends still scoping me out, I am not in ANY way jealous of Kentucky Kritters (now Peeps 'N Paws II to try and cover their large amounts of lies). I actually care for my animals properly by veting when needed, I dont breed "seasonal" pets and sell them off in an unhealthy state when I am done with them and have gotten my money's worth, I actually have a system of standards and dont breed any ol' animal I find and I have a regular cleaning schedule. The girl that rescued those poor chins from her told me the conditions of the house, the cages of some of the animals and the lack of proper diet for the chins. I am not saying any of this without either my knowledge or the knowledge of the people directly involved with this. And Jason Safcik? Do not try to play games with me by quoting laws you think MIGHT be applicable towards me. I am a member of the MCBA and if something like the USDA law you brought up were applicable to me, I would know about it. I attend MCBA meetings a few times a year and travel to MCBA sanctioned chin shows. Word travels fast, as it always will in the chin breeding industry. Your tricks to try to scare me or make me doubt myself or my business will not work. I am backed by many strong, reputable chin breeders in this industry, both in MCBA and ECBC. People like you and Jayci do not scare me because I am not the one pulling stunts like either of you are and I most certainly do not have an unreputable business with questionable business and breeding ethics. Delete all the comments you want, but you were still busted in lies, and the change of business name does not fix the problem of piss-poor ethics. It only tells people that you have something to hide... and hide is what Jayci is doing.
By the way, you can see a bunch of Jayci Watsons bogus animal care answers on Yahoo Answers. I am appalled that people are dense enough to buy this crap spewing from a teenagers mouth. She is one of many reasons I have never supported Chins and Hedgies' website. Too many people on there are full o' crap.
Take all of this as you will, but you all have been warned about Kentucky Kritters/Peeps 'n Paws II. If you want to have some kind of idea about this "business", just check out her website. Those animals are NOT a priority. How sad.
9/18/2013
2 chins died within 1 week. Just awful. I took little kit Pepper in to the vet a few weeks ago because of an enlarged stomach. Melissa, the surrogate "chin mom" took him to another vet for another opinion and tests and they found out that his rectum wasnt even connected to his intestines. I asked that he be put down. Tweakrs, my very first kit ever born, had seen the vet twice in one week for swollen and drippy female parts. Her last appointment yesterday went well and the vet said she was doing good and expected her to recover. I found her dead this morning in her cage with entrails of sorts coming out from behind her. Not what I or the vet expected or even suspected. This is a big blow for me. I miss my Tweakerface something AWFUL. Im currentlywaiting for her necropsy to be done. ;(
8/28/2013
WHEW! Lots of babies born recently! Betty just had her little girl this morning. Will be posting her in the for sale section as well. Show updates are coming as well. Location has moved so be sure to check the show info tab for all that info!
8/16/2013
Been awhile, I know. With my promotion at work, 2 kids, school starting, a lack of internet at the house (thanks to a tinkering husband), and other curveballs thrown, I have just been out of my mind lately. I have had several babies born in the past 2 weeks. Boys AND girls and I am still expecting more. Tweakers has yet to litter, Im estimating another 2 weeks or so by the feel of her. 13 babies this year. 13! Ive never had so many babies in a year before! Im so thankful for my recordkeeping and Evans Software for providing the chin registry to us chin-people. Its so nice. I still have some more updating to do to the website as far as pictures for new chins and babies. Do keep tabs on the Facebook page though, I update that more because it is easier to do by phone.
Once location and time is set in stone, I will update the show info on the website as well.
Once location and time is set in stone, I will update the show info on the website as well.
6/13/2013
Dixie is expecting again! I had JUST put her up for sale on the FB page and that night felt movement. Were hoping for more girls! For now, she is off the market and enjoying more supplement and willow sticks. Vera is up for sale, as is Cass. Pictures of them can be seen on the Resident Chins tab. Vera came from a poor situation at another breeder's. My original intent was to rehab her and use her for breeding, but I fear that she is not big enough to safely carry another kit. She just wont gain anymore weight than she already has. She requires work, please see her description I will get up at some point on the Kits Available tab. Cass... theres nothing wrong with this big boy, Im just using another male for those pretty ladies in with him right now. Both are $100 each.
Now, join us at the Percepta shindig at the end of this month!!!
Now, join us at the Percepta shindig at the end of this month!!!
5/24/13
We have been invited by Percepta to attend a Pet Awareness Day. We are packing up a bunch of chins, printing out pamphlets and hitting the mainland! Event is at 1320 Babcock St in Melbourne, FL (inside the Percepta building) on June 28th from 9-4. We will have a table there and any animals that are available for sale will be coming with us in addition to our "educational" chinnies. We are also working on a giveaway of sorts, so please stop by our table to say hi and such!
I am keeping an eye on Ella Buttontail. I think she may be pregnant but it is still a little early to tell. No other females are looking suspicious right now.
I have new babies posted for those interested!
I am keeping an eye on Ella Buttontail. I think she may be pregnant but it is still a little early to tell. No other females are looking suspicious right now.
I have new babies posted for those interested!
5/14/2013
Ok everyone, I feel the need to educate you all on a certain individual that I have dealt with in the past, and sadly STILL have to deal with periodically. I
have just discovered that he is back in the states. It was reveleaved to me before he left that if he came back he would like to get back in to chin
breeding. NO NO NO NO NO!! I tried to keep a positive relationship with him, but he burnt so many bridges with me and other breeders that I feel it unwise for him to return to the chin world of registered breeding. What YOU ALL need to be aware of is that this man has a tendency to buy "cheap chins" off of craiglist, specifically in Orlando, and breed them. He falsifies pedigrees and sells these kits at breeder pricing. Now, not all of his chins came from craigslist, but he has a very bad reputation with other MCBA members. The last few times I saw him and his animals, the cages were severely unkempt, so much so that there were massive amount of flies flying up from the putrid bedding everytime he stuck his hand in to get a chin. I was not the only person to have mentioned this to another breeder about him. The reason I have as many chins as I do is because of this. I
could not leave his place without taking as many chins as I could. I had a few die shortly after getting them here because of really bad infections and severe weight loss. They were to far gone and nothing I did could've helped according to our vet. Mauricio will tell you anything he can and lead you on over and over again just to get the money for the chinchillas. I am stuck paying him for animals I no longer have due to his blatant neglect. He took advantage of other breeders for advertising and didn't pay as he should've. I am out money and they are out money. Simply put, he screws people and animals hard for the sake of a buck and it is sickening. He was also previously breeding dogs (schnauzers and bassetts). They were also kept in poor conditions. The backyard and makeshift pens were far too small for that many dogs and there were very few areas you walked that wasnt covered in dog poop. It was all over the sidewalk and tracked throughout the enclosed back porch as well.
I take pride in the animals that I have and ensure their health and living conditions are well kept. I clean my cages every few days, they are fed a very
high quality diet, given treats on occasion and go to the vet as needed. I keep a first aid kit filled with general items for chin care and I can do everything
short of anything needing sutures. I VERY RARELY back breed my chinchillas. If mom is large enough to carry another without losing her health then its a possibility, but as a general rule, I give my moms a few months off between matings to regain lost weight and nutrients in order to properly carry more kits. It was not this way with Mauricio.
Be VERY careful about who you buy chins from. If you cant see the cage the animal came from, dont buy it. That whole statement on my website came about
from Mauricio and everything I had see there. If you are going to buy from a
breeder, make sure it is a GOOD breeder. Having an MCBA registration means
nothing if you cant back up it up with extensive knowledge and proper chinchilla
care and maintenance.
That is all.
have just discovered that he is back in the states. It was reveleaved to me before he left that if he came back he would like to get back in to chin
breeding. NO NO NO NO NO!! I tried to keep a positive relationship with him, but he burnt so many bridges with me and other breeders that I feel it unwise for him to return to the chin world of registered breeding. What YOU ALL need to be aware of is that this man has a tendency to buy "cheap chins" off of craiglist, specifically in Orlando, and breed them. He falsifies pedigrees and sells these kits at breeder pricing. Now, not all of his chins came from craigslist, but he has a very bad reputation with other MCBA members. The last few times I saw him and his animals, the cages were severely unkempt, so much so that there were massive amount of flies flying up from the putrid bedding everytime he stuck his hand in to get a chin. I was not the only person to have mentioned this to another breeder about him. The reason I have as many chins as I do is because of this. I
could not leave his place without taking as many chins as I could. I had a few die shortly after getting them here because of really bad infections and severe weight loss. They were to far gone and nothing I did could've helped according to our vet. Mauricio will tell you anything he can and lead you on over and over again just to get the money for the chinchillas. I am stuck paying him for animals I no longer have due to his blatant neglect. He took advantage of other breeders for advertising and didn't pay as he should've. I am out money and they are out money. Simply put, he screws people and animals hard for the sake of a buck and it is sickening. He was also previously breeding dogs (schnauzers and bassetts). They were also kept in poor conditions. The backyard and makeshift pens were far too small for that many dogs and there were very few areas you walked that wasnt covered in dog poop. It was all over the sidewalk and tracked throughout the enclosed back porch as well.
I take pride in the animals that I have and ensure their health and living conditions are well kept. I clean my cages every few days, they are fed a very
high quality diet, given treats on occasion and go to the vet as needed. I keep a first aid kit filled with general items for chin care and I can do everything
short of anything needing sutures. I VERY RARELY back breed my chinchillas. If mom is large enough to carry another without losing her health then its a possibility, but as a general rule, I give my moms a few months off between matings to regain lost weight and nutrients in order to properly carry more kits. It was not this way with Mauricio.
Be VERY careful about who you buy chins from. If you cant see the cage the animal came from, dont buy it. That whole statement on my website came about
from Mauricio and everything I had see there. If you are going to buy from a
breeder, make sure it is a GOOD breeder. Having an MCBA registration means
nothing if you cant back up it up with extensive knowledge and proper chinchilla
care and maintenance.
That is all.
5/3/2013
I was lucky enough to a have witnessed Tweakers littering this morning! I noticed London acting strangely while getting my daughter ready for school and hung around to see if anything would happen. Tweakers went from the top of the cage to the bottom and within seconds started making unusual sounds. I ran back to grab my phone and text my husband and I managed to get her littering on video! It took a matter of a few minutes for her to completely pull out my C3 baby! A standard gray boy weighing 49 grams! If she does ok with this one, he should be posted in about a week.
I also got in a rescue chin last night. Not happy with the living situation he was in before. Not happy at all, which is why I now have him. Poor living condition, minimal human contact and a poor diet have take their toll on this guy. He will be here for at least a week. He doesnt appear to need a whole lot other than a better living condition, a better and consistent diet and some chin lovies... all of which he can get in adundance here. He is the result of a 'backyard breeder' type person, someone who just has no idea what they are doing. :(
I have always said tht if you want to breed, we breeders are here to help you along the way. Dont ever breed chinchillas unless you have the back up of more knowledgable people behind you. So many thing can happen and there is a right way and a wrong way to breed your animals. PLEASE CONTACT A REPUTABLE BREEDER IF YOU WANT TO GO THIS ROUTE!!! And for crying out loud, DO NOT just give your animals to the first person that wants them! Investigate any and all potential owners.
I also got in a rescue chin last night. Not happy with the living situation he was in before. Not happy at all, which is why I now have him. Poor living condition, minimal human contact and a poor diet have take their toll on this guy. He will be here for at least a week. He doesnt appear to need a whole lot other than a better living condition, a better and consistent diet and some chin lovies... all of which he can get in adundance here. He is the result of a 'backyard breeder' type person, someone who just has no idea what they are doing. :(
I have always said tht if you want to breed, we breeders are here to help you along the way. Dont ever breed chinchillas unless you have the back up of more knowledgable people behind you. So many thing can happen and there is a right way and a wrong way to breed your animals. PLEASE CONTACT A REPUTABLE BREEDER IF YOU WANT TO GO THIS ROUTE!!! And for crying out loud, DO NOT just give your animals to the first person that wants them! Investigate any and all potential owners.
4/28/2013
Tweakers still needs to litter, probably sometime next week, but I just felt Betty and Im 85% sure shes pregnant! I think I poked the kit in the nose. SHe is known for having multiples, Im told, but it feels like shes only having one... probably another month or so.
4/28 UPDATE: Betty IS pregnant. I just felt her and a kick. It feels like there could be 2 or more in there, but well see.
4/28 UPDATE: Betty IS pregnant. I just felt her and a kick. It feels like there could be 2 or more in there, but well see.
4/27/2013
Belle was just sold yesterday to a very nice family. Grayson, Belles stepbrother, was just posted to my website so he is now available for deposit. What a darling little guy, so sweet and a face full of whiskers! Oh my!! Once I get show info together, I will complete the information on the page. Im also bad about getting pictures up, too, I know. Ill hopefully finish the chin pictures this weekend now that I have some downtime (its awful rainy today).
I have had to adjust my feed pricing to reflect the cost of increased shipping costs for me. I try my best to keep my prices low while providing quality chin feed supplies at the same time. The cost for a pound of Kline is now $2. Considering that pet stores dont sell high quality chin feed like Kline (Oxbow is the next best) you are still better off buying from me or another breeder. $2 for a pound of high quality, nutritionally superior chin feed is not bad. Thanks for your understanding!
Another subject to touch on would be chin pricing. I have had a few people ask me about lowering the price of the chins that I sell. No. With the time and cost of finding good quality breeding chins, vetting when needed, providing top of the line feed and bedding, caring for these animals properly, advertising costs, breeder registry costs and everything else that adds up, no, I will not drop the price of my chins for whatever reason. If you need to use some of that money to buy a cage or supplies, fine, but you need to keep shopping for a 'cheap chin' elsewhere. My chins are not cheap because they are health guaranteed and with proper care will last their full 17-20 years. The prices for the chins I have are firm. A lot of time and energy goes into the chins I have, its not just buying chins and putting them together in a cage. Breeders have to be aware of a lot to provide buyers with a quality animal and the process is NEVER cheap!
I have had to adjust my feed pricing to reflect the cost of increased shipping costs for me. I try my best to keep my prices low while providing quality chin feed supplies at the same time. The cost for a pound of Kline is now $2. Considering that pet stores dont sell high quality chin feed like Kline (Oxbow is the next best) you are still better off buying from me or another breeder. $2 for a pound of high quality, nutritionally superior chin feed is not bad. Thanks for your understanding!
Another subject to touch on would be chin pricing. I have had a few people ask me about lowering the price of the chins that I sell. No. With the time and cost of finding good quality breeding chins, vetting when needed, providing top of the line feed and bedding, caring for these animals properly, advertising costs, breeder registry costs and everything else that adds up, no, I will not drop the price of my chins for whatever reason. If you need to use some of that money to buy a cage or supplies, fine, but you need to keep shopping for a 'cheap chin' elsewhere. My chins are not cheap because they are health guaranteed and with proper care will last their full 17-20 years. The prices for the chins I have are firm. A lot of time and energy goes into the chins I have, its not just buying chins and putting them together in a cage. Breeders have to be aware of a lot to provide buyers with a quality animal and the process is NEVER cheap!
4/20/2013
TA DAAAA! We have a new baby!! Virginia littered this morning! BIG boy! 53 grams! I was surprised it was a standard gray, light one at that! Dad is a beige and mom is a dark ebony. She had a better chance of having a tan or ebony. Cute nonetheless! Have no plans to keep this one either so I will post him on the sale page in a week or so. Again, babies dont leave until they are at least 200 grams in weight! Yes, Belle is still available. LOTS of interest on her, but no one has put a deposit down.
Come Tuesday, hopefully, I will have a fresh supply of Kline for those that need feed. Just waiting on Lyn to get back from her trip to Atlantic show (good luck!!), visitng family in NC and picking up fresh feed in SC.
Due to recent findings I feel the need to express concerns about feed. Although Kline is superior to any other feed you can offer your chin, it DOES have one set back: Corn. Occasionally you will find bits of corn in the pellet itself. This is due to the fact that whoever mills the feed does not rinse out the machine after milling corn. Corn is DANGEROUS to chins!! Why? They cannot process it. Large enough pieces will get stuck in their system and cause lethal impaction. It is VERY important to me to go through every bag of Kline I get and find pellets with corn in them and remove them. There arent many pieces, but still, and its always important to check your feed after you buy it from me or others breeders as well, just in case. You will know if there is corn in the pellet if there is a blatant yellow, hard piece within the soft, green pellet. In most cases you can break way the corn piece and toss it. I always add another ounce of two of feed in each pound I sell just for this reason. Simply put, this corn is the reason we are trying to make the switch to Oxbow. Oxbow is the next best food you can give but it is difficult for us to get a steady, regular supply of at the feed store. This seems to be the issue with both my feed store and Lyn's. Shes trying to get the same thing done in Orlando.
Come Tuesday, hopefully, I will have a fresh supply of Kline for those that need feed. Just waiting on Lyn to get back from her trip to Atlantic show (good luck!!), visitng family in NC and picking up fresh feed in SC.
Due to recent findings I feel the need to express concerns about feed. Although Kline is superior to any other feed you can offer your chin, it DOES have one set back: Corn. Occasionally you will find bits of corn in the pellet itself. This is due to the fact that whoever mills the feed does not rinse out the machine after milling corn. Corn is DANGEROUS to chins!! Why? They cannot process it. Large enough pieces will get stuck in their system and cause lethal impaction. It is VERY important to me to go through every bag of Kline I get and find pellets with corn in them and remove them. There arent many pieces, but still, and its always important to check your feed after you buy it from me or others breeders as well, just in case. You will know if there is corn in the pellet if there is a blatant yellow, hard piece within the soft, green pellet. In most cases you can break way the corn piece and toss it. I always add another ounce of two of feed in each pound I sell just for this reason. Simply put, this corn is the reason we are trying to make the switch to Oxbow. Oxbow is the next best food you can give but it is difficult for us to get a steady, regular supply of at the feed store. This seems to be the issue with both my feed store and Lyn's. Shes trying to get the same thing done in Orlando.
4/19/2013
Virginia is 100% pregnant and is close to popping. Poor girl is so uncomfortable. AND, while cleaning Tilla and Minas cage, I found TWO sperm plugs! Mina is now at breeding age and those plugs are a good sign. Tweakers may be pregnant, Betty and Vera have been rather "active" and Valentine, who came back to me recently, has been quite smitten with Ella Buttontail.
4/4/2013
Easter and my birthday festivities are all done. Time to get back to chin stuff. Next MCBA meeting is next month and I will post the show details I have when I get it all up in front of me.
Virginia! Ohhh my Virginia may be pregnant! How exciting! She would be a first time mom so being sure is going to be a bit tricky with her. If she litters, Im estimating it to be about a month.
Virginia! Ohhh my Virginia may be pregnant! How exciting! She would be a first time mom so being sure is going to be a bit tricky with her. If she litters, Im estimating it to be about a month.
3/25/2013
Easter Buddies is in full swing! This is a program I started to help kids in need have an Easter basket. There are programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but nothing for Easter that I have seen. How sad?! I originally started with the offer to help 2 kids. Well, that blew up into 21 AND with the creating of a FB page for it, I had a few people volunteer to help! Next year this should be bigger and Im hoping to have more volunteers throughout the county. I was lucky enough to have walked into Walmart on a clearance day. Perfect basket stuffer stuff was knocked down to $2, $1, .50, .25 and lots at .10! I was ecstatic! I also do a lot of eBaying. I found kids pajama pants for $1 and grabbed as many as I could! Last time they ahd a $1 sale like this it was baby clothing and it sold REALLY well. If anyone local can get out to Walmart I suggest you do! Lots of good Easter basket stuff and resale items for super great prices!
3/23/2013
Solution to the problem has been discussed with a few people and the problem will be dealt with accordingly.
Now I have a new issue to deal with. My facebook page is acting up. If some of you havent figured out by now, FB has yet another bug to fix with the post scheduling thing. I do not do scheduled posts, I always post in real time. I have been unable to do so for a number of days because of a fault with the post scheduler--it just gets in my way and theres no way to post right now. Until FB fixes it, updates will be posted solely on the website. I wish they would quit making ridiculous changes like this, it screws up something everytime!
Now I have a new issue to deal with. My facebook page is acting up. If some of you havent figured out by now, FB has yet another bug to fix with the post scheduling thing. I do not do scheduled posts, I always post in real time. I have been unable to do so for a number of days because of a fault with the post scheduler--it just gets in my way and theres no way to post right now. Until FB fixes it, updates will be posted solely on the website. I wish they would quit making ridiculous changes like this, it screws up something everytime!
3/22/2013
Tonight has just NOT been my night. Spent all day trying to figure out how to add someone to my billpayer so I could transfer money instead of running out each time I needed to make a payment. Our bank changed the whole bill payer interface so nothing is done the same anymore. Next, I get a text of displeasure from the payment amount. Our agreement never discussed a set payment amount only that payments could be made when we could make them (every 2 weeks) or when the stuff with our stolen money cleared up (be very careful when giving debit/credit info over the phone!!). I dont know if he forgot that I was on his page or not, but I am hoping he wasnt referring to ME as a psychopath. Im not too thrilled that he thought he could change the terms on me without discussing with me because he is having whatever problems he is having. On top of all of this stress, my daughter decided to drip sweet and sour sauce over the span of 8 feet of carpet after I had JUST steamcleaned them. Thankfully I still have my grandparents steamcleaner here.
Lesson learned here? Be very careful on who you deal with for chinchillas. I was trying to keep things positive despite being grossly overcharged for the chinchillas I purchased, but the other party made sure to nix that situation quickly. There WAS a little bit of misunderstanding on both parts, but to change the terms of an agreement like that is not right. His issues are his issues and have no part of our agreement. I can NOT stress enough how important it is to see where your chins are coming from. The only reason I bought as many from him as I did was for the fact that they were kept very poorly and I could not stand to see them living like that. If you cannot regularly clean a cage and have no shame when others see your chins in cages so filthy there are CLOUDS of flies feeding on the disgusting neglected bedding, then you really have no business owning the animals to begin with. I fought with myself over whether or not to call Animal Services over it. Had my grandmother seen it, she wouldntve hesitated. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because of everything he was going through before. My family was right. I was making excuses for him. I now see why he kept offering me chinchillas, and it wasnt because he was leaving the country. He came to me because he knew he could play on my sympathies. I shouldve taken others warnings and taken the fact that he owes and is avoiding others because he owes them as a sign. Some of the chins I got from him were very underweight and nowhere near what he claimed they were. I knew this when I saw them but felt like I HAD to get them out of there to end the suffering. One female I purchased was supposedly not pregnant, but popped out a kit shortly after we left. He included that unknown baby in the "bulk chin discount' I inquired about later. One male I purchased that was supposed to have a pedigree, didnt. I kept asking about it, he told me he would send it, never did. The last time I saw him in person he told me he couldnt find it and that he mightve given it away to the other buyer when he came down for the rest of the chins. This is the same chin that he told me was "$125, the same as a gray" and that he wasnt going to charge because he was a bit darker. Upon inquiring about the bulk chin discount, I was told that that specific chin was $150 and he lowered it to $125 for me. I kept my cool but the fact that he was charging me so much for a nonpedigreed chin is not fair, especially when I was told there was a pedigree for him. I will NOT be paying the full $125 for Charlie. I cannot use him for breeding without a pedigree and this will be conveyed with my last payment to him. That breeder has a reputation for buying "bargain chins' off of Craigslist, breeding them and selling the kits for full, pedigreed price. Most people know not to ask about pedigrees, but as a breeder investing good and large amounts of money into my animals, this is crucial.
I hide nothing from my buyers. All of my policies are laid out in black and white. I always offer visits here prior to purchasing or sending in deposits because I want to avoid drama and "you didnt mention this" type stuff. I like happy buyers and healthy chins. Everyone tells me this is a business and I need to make money. True, but I am completely fine with losing money on my chins at the sake of their happiness and healthiness. I produce only a few kits per year to pay for the $14/mo for bedding, $74 every 2 months for pellets, $4/wk for distilled water, vet care when needed, rescues when I get them in, new cage materials when needed, and to keep a steady supply of treats handy. I do not let my chins suffer for the sake of saving a few bucks.
Please dont get me wrong, there are other breeders who are very good and feel the same way I do about our animals. I have not had any other issues with other breeders so far, just this one. The other 2 breeders I deal with are exceptional and I have NO issues referring people to them. I firmly believe that we chinfolk need to stay on good terms with each other. We do a lot of business together. I have referred people to other breeders in other states often and would rather help than hinder, but when you try to screw me over time and time again, I draw the line. If your chin does not look healthy, dont buy it. If you are not getting what is advertised, dont settle and dont take verbal promises (another reason I handle a lot of business over email and text, its all in black and white). Request to see your chins cage. If it doesnt look like it has been cleaned in awhile or there is mushy poop in there, dont buy it. If your chin looks like it hasnt had a bath or the fur is too matted, ask why. If you can feel the chin is underweight or the bones are sticking out, do not buy it! These all apply even if it is just a pet and wont be bred. It is not fair for you to have to pay so much for a sick or unkempt animal. Plain put.
I have learned my lesson, but I also put myself in that situation somewhat. Shame on me for being so trusting and apparently too understanding.
Time to clean the carpets... again.
Lesson learned here? Be very careful on who you deal with for chinchillas. I was trying to keep things positive despite being grossly overcharged for the chinchillas I purchased, but the other party made sure to nix that situation quickly. There WAS a little bit of misunderstanding on both parts, but to change the terms of an agreement like that is not right. His issues are his issues and have no part of our agreement. I can NOT stress enough how important it is to see where your chins are coming from. The only reason I bought as many from him as I did was for the fact that they were kept very poorly and I could not stand to see them living like that. If you cannot regularly clean a cage and have no shame when others see your chins in cages so filthy there are CLOUDS of flies feeding on the disgusting neglected bedding, then you really have no business owning the animals to begin with. I fought with myself over whether or not to call Animal Services over it. Had my grandmother seen it, she wouldntve hesitated. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because of everything he was going through before. My family was right. I was making excuses for him. I now see why he kept offering me chinchillas, and it wasnt because he was leaving the country. He came to me because he knew he could play on my sympathies. I shouldve taken others warnings and taken the fact that he owes and is avoiding others because he owes them as a sign. Some of the chins I got from him were very underweight and nowhere near what he claimed they were. I knew this when I saw them but felt like I HAD to get them out of there to end the suffering. One female I purchased was supposedly not pregnant, but popped out a kit shortly after we left. He included that unknown baby in the "bulk chin discount' I inquired about later. One male I purchased that was supposed to have a pedigree, didnt. I kept asking about it, he told me he would send it, never did. The last time I saw him in person he told me he couldnt find it and that he mightve given it away to the other buyer when he came down for the rest of the chins. This is the same chin that he told me was "$125, the same as a gray" and that he wasnt going to charge because he was a bit darker. Upon inquiring about the bulk chin discount, I was told that that specific chin was $150 and he lowered it to $125 for me. I kept my cool but the fact that he was charging me so much for a nonpedigreed chin is not fair, especially when I was told there was a pedigree for him. I will NOT be paying the full $125 for Charlie. I cannot use him for breeding without a pedigree and this will be conveyed with my last payment to him. That breeder has a reputation for buying "bargain chins' off of Craigslist, breeding them and selling the kits for full, pedigreed price. Most people know not to ask about pedigrees, but as a breeder investing good and large amounts of money into my animals, this is crucial.
I hide nothing from my buyers. All of my policies are laid out in black and white. I always offer visits here prior to purchasing or sending in deposits because I want to avoid drama and "you didnt mention this" type stuff. I like happy buyers and healthy chins. Everyone tells me this is a business and I need to make money. True, but I am completely fine with losing money on my chins at the sake of their happiness and healthiness. I produce only a few kits per year to pay for the $14/mo for bedding, $74 every 2 months for pellets, $4/wk for distilled water, vet care when needed, rescues when I get them in, new cage materials when needed, and to keep a steady supply of treats handy. I do not let my chins suffer for the sake of saving a few bucks.
Please dont get me wrong, there are other breeders who are very good and feel the same way I do about our animals. I have not had any other issues with other breeders so far, just this one. The other 2 breeders I deal with are exceptional and I have NO issues referring people to them. I firmly believe that we chinfolk need to stay on good terms with each other. We do a lot of business together. I have referred people to other breeders in other states often and would rather help than hinder, but when you try to screw me over time and time again, I draw the line. If your chin does not look healthy, dont buy it. If you are not getting what is advertised, dont settle and dont take verbal promises (another reason I handle a lot of business over email and text, its all in black and white). Request to see your chins cage. If it doesnt look like it has been cleaned in awhile or there is mushy poop in there, dont buy it. If your chin looks like it hasnt had a bath or the fur is too matted, ask why. If you can feel the chin is underweight or the bones are sticking out, do not buy it! These all apply even if it is just a pet and wont be bred. It is not fair for you to have to pay so much for a sick or unkempt animal. Plain put.
I have learned my lesson, but I also put myself in that situation somewhat. Shame on me for being so trusting and apparently too understanding.
Time to clean the carpets... again.
3/20/2013
Standard baby Belle is listed. Ive had people interested in her but no one has pulled the trigger. Shouldve named her Zoomer, little girl zips around everywhere and is a PAIN to get pictures of! Still keeping an eye on Virginia. Ive checked my other females and it doesnt appear that anyone else is expecting. I have one fmale out of breeding now. Ella Buttontail, Esperanzas mom, is having some uality mom/baby time and will go back into breeding when I figure out where to put her. Im going to try for more white ebonies (like Espera) and have 2 white boys to consider for sires. Im still waiting on my male from Patty. Im pretty excited about him! I think he is the last one for a year or so. I thought my husband was going to chop me up for shark bait when he found out how much I spent on chins in the past few months... Its a good thing he loves me so much and knows how much these critters make me happy. :)
3/11/2013
We have a new baby chin here! A girl born to Dixie and Cass on Friday morning!! She will be listed soon for $125. This little girl is VERY active and was a nice big size when born. Keep an eye out on the Kits page!
3/7/2013
Well, the meeting was productive. Got some new ideas going through everyones head and show plans are being discussed. Ive invested in a few more chins. Im picking up the twin girls from Lyn the new white ebony girl and her mom from Mauricio this weekend. Im still waiting on the male from Patty to grow up a bit.
Buddy the Van Gogh chin found a great chin mom this past Sunday. She and her family just adore him and I could not be happier! That little guy found greatness in Destiny and I am sure he will live a happy life with her. :)
Buddy the Van Gogh chin found a great chin mom this past Sunday. She and her family just adore him and I could not be happier! That little guy found greatness in Destiny and I am sure he will live a happy life with her. :)
2/15/2013
So, I have the final word on the SEC meeting next weekend. Lyns place in Orlando at noon on the 23rd. One thing that is wanting to be discussed is a new show for 2013! How exciting! Hopefully this one will be a little closer to home. I also got word that we have some new members joining us at the Southeastern Coastal Chapter! If anyone around here is wanting to join, please let me know and I can put you in touch with the lady that takes care of memberships. It really is nice to be a part of MCBA and there is so much to be learned from other members all the time. I believe its $35 a year for a membership, MCBA site advertising is $12 a year (have your ranch listed under your state), and ranch brands (basically your own personal breeders ID) are a $5 one time fee. Have chinchilla supplies you sell? You can advertise in the showbooks as well!
Our next ChinVilla is nearly done. All thats left is the doors I think. My gramma says it should be here around the middle of the week next week. Im getting excitd! I have a male that was being picked on and I had to seperate him from the other male. The poor guy needs his own space and he will have just that when the new one comes in. Hell also have his mate back! Whats better is that we will have 2 open units for rescues or chins needing to be quarantined. Time to start pricing out more supplies for the cages!!
Also, a note about our Rescue portion... I was thinking about this the other day since its something we are looking into and feel the need to put this out just as an FYI. We are not a 501(c) rescue. We very seldom get in rescues and this is probably why we never really considered going through the process to get that status. I simply help chins find homes, get better, etc because I love them. And when I say I love them... well, you should see my house. I have chinchilla art, chinchilla stuffed animal, my car has a chinchilla sticker on it and I have 2 rather large cages full of chinchillas. We travel for shows and dote on them tirelessly. These are amazing animals and we want them happy and healthy and if it means we can do that by offering a helping hand to other chins in distress, then it just makes it better. Any money we make off of our own breeding chins or rehoming rescues is put directly back into these animals. Vet visits, food, bedding, even a new cage, time to post, answer emails and phone cals, find suitable homes, etc. There IS no profit when it comes to the rescues we get in. We had an issue some time back with a girl trying to rehome 4 chins. She didnt think her decision through and quite literally went off the deep end when they left. She is the reason we have developed the "fine print" for the chins here and why I feel the need to mention this thing about our rescue. We dont hide anything from anyone and always offer for people to come here when surrendering an animal. If there is anything you would like to ask about us as breeders or as a rescue, we are an open book. I love chin talk and company of those that enjoy the same!
Our next ChinVilla is nearly done. All thats left is the doors I think. My gramma says it should be here around the middle of the week next week. Im getting excitd! I have a male that was being picked on and I had to seperate him from the other male. The poor guy needs his own space and he will have just that when the new one comes in. Hell also have his mate back! Whats better is that we will have 2 open units for rescues or chins needing to be quarantined. Time to start pricing out more supplies for the cages!!
Also, a note about our Rescue portion... I was thinking about this the other day since its something we are looking into and feel the need to put this out just as an FYI. We are not a 501(c) rescue. We very seldom get in rescues and this is probably why we never really considered going through the process to get that status. I simply help chins find homes, get better, etc because I love them. And when I say I love them... well, you should see my house. I have chinchilla art, chinchilla stuffed animal, my car has a chinchilla sticker on it and I have 2 rather large cages full of chinchillas. We travel for shows and dote on them tirelessly. These are amazing animals and we want them happy and healthy and if it means we can do that by offering a helping hand to other chins in distress, then it just makes it better. Any money we make off of our own breeding chins or rehoming rescues is put directly back into these animals. Vet visits, food, bedding, even a new cage, time to post, answer emails and phone cals, find suitable homes, etc. There IS no profit when it comes to the rescues we get in. We had an issue some time back with a girl trying to rehome 4 chins. She didnt think her decision through and quite literally went off the deep end when they left. She is the reason we have developed the "fine print" for the chins here and why I feel the need to mention this thing about our rescue. We dont hide anything from anyone and always offer for people to come here when surrendering an animal. If there is anything you would like to ask about us as breeders or as a rescue, we are an open book. I love chin talk and company of those that enjoy the same!
2/6/2013
FINALLY! Im able to get on and update my site! That only took FOREVER! Pictures and whatnot of the new chins will be coming soon!
Now, I have updated my Deposit and Purchasing information page extensively. Its long, but its meant to protect us, our animals and our buyers. Each person wanting to put down a deposit or adopt a chin will be redirected to this page and will need to sign a contract with applicable information (chin coing back to us if unable to keep, refund information, etc) prior to taking the chin(s) home.
We have 2 more kits coming from Orlando, hopefully tomorrow as planned, another ChinVilla being built and 2 more kits coming next month for the violet male we have. If you have been following us on Facebook you will have seen our rescue, Buddy. This little guy needs to gain a bit of weight before he leaves here. He had suffered the loss of an entire ear and a broken back leg presumably at the hands of young kids. He came to us from a kind tech at a local vet clinic after receiving some vet care. He is resting comfortably in his cage along with another male in my breeding herd that was being picked on a bit. They are pretty good buds. :) Aside from his weight, we are woking on getting him a little more socialized as well. We cant blame the guy for being so shy, hes only 2 and has gone through more than any chin ever should in his short little life. He thoroughly enjoys furry companionship (our Charlie is in with him now) and likes his cage free time usuualy spent running along the couch and exploring us "hoomans". He is shy when it comes to handling, but let him roam and hell be curious about you. We love this little furry, but were hoping to have him a new home with no small kids or larger animals to harrass him by the end of next month. Well see how straight Kline feed does for him.
Now, I have updated my Deposit and Purchasing information page extensively. Its long, but its meant to protect us, our animals and our buyers. Each person wanting to put down a deposit or adopt a chin will be redirected to this page and will need to sign a contract with applicable information (chin coing back to us if unable to keep, refund information, etc) prior to taking the chin(s) home.
We have 2 more kits coming from Orlando, hopefully tomorrow as planned, another ChinVilla being built and 2 more kits coming next month for the violet male we have. If you have been following us on Facebook you will have seen our rescue, Buddy. This little guy needs to gain a bit of weight before he leaves here. He had suffered the loss of an entire ear and a broken back leg presumably at the hands of young kids. He came to us from a kind tech at a local vet clinic after receiving some vet care. He is resting comfortably in his cage along with another male in my breeding herd that was being picked on a bit. They are pretty good buds. :) Aside from his weight, we are woking on getting him a little more socialized as well. We cant blame the guy for being so shy, hes only 2 and has gone through more than any chin ever should in his short little life. He thoroughly enjoys furry companionship (our Charlie is in with him now) and likes his cage free time usuualy spent running along the couch and exploring us "hoomans". He is shy when it comes to handling, but let him roam and hell be curious about you. We love this little furry, but were hoping to have him a new home with no small kids or larger animals to harrass him by the end of next month. Well see how straight Kline feed does for him.
1/5/2013
Our trip to Mauricios went really well! I originally wanted only kits, but I got a great deal on some older chins. I picked out a pink/white male, a pregnant beige female, a violet wrap female and a gray sapphire carrier female. I didnt exactly pick out a violet male, but I ended up with one when the violet female I left with gave birth to one on our way home from my grandparents!! I highly doubt I will consider selling him until after SEC show in the fall, but I have the beige female that is reportedly ready to pop anytime now and should be pregnant with twins at least. The chins are settling in, bathed and checking out their surrounding and new "people".
1/3/2013
Here's to the start of what will hopefully be a great year! I am sick, but things are going well so far in regards to this household. Chins are fine and I am keeping an eye on Virginia. I know shes been mating recently. I am especially interested in the kits she will produce. Speaking of kits, a friend is leaving the chin business and I am supposed to meet with him this Saturday to look at babies and adults. I might be coming home with a few. :)
For now, everything is quiet and the chins are relaxing.
I posted it on BKCs Facebook page because I couldnt get Weebly up to edit the site. The feed store had an issue, again, with getting in a food order. There is a serious lack of communication at that store and I can't deal with it a third time. We were supposed to make the switch to Oxbow but when this happened, my husband and I decided to just switch to Kline. For those that dont know about Kline, its a few dollars more, but the quality is top of the line and there are far more reliable sources to get it. I just got in my shipment yesterday and it is available now for pick up at $1.50 a pound. I will make the change to my supplies page as soon as it lets me. I still have the regular hayblocks and supplement we use for our chins as well.
For now, everything is quiet and the chins are relaxing.
I posted it on BKCs Facebook page because I couldnt get Weebly up to edit the site. The feed store had an issue, again, with getting in a food order. There is a serious lack of communication at that store and I can't deal with it a third time. We were supposed to make the switch to Oxbow but when this happened, my husband and I decided to just switch to Kline. For those that dont know about Kline, its a few dollars more, but the quality is top of the line and there are far more reliable sources to get it. I just got in my shipment yesterday and it is available now for pick up at $1.50 a pound. I will make the change to my supplies page as soon as it lets me. I still have the regular hayblocks and supplement we use for our chins as well.
12/13/2012
Momma gave birth to 2 beautiful ebony boy/girl twins on the 9th. Unfortunately, she passed right afterwards for unknown reasons and I had to dropper feed the kits name Kris and Miss. They were off and on with how well they were doing and both had passed between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m. this morning. I tried so hard to keep them alive but Momma apparently needed them more and was waiting just over the Rainbow Bridge to love on them when I was no longer able to physically.
I bought Momma as a mate for Tilla in 2009. During her time here, she gave us 9 stunning little kits and was incredibly loved by everyone in this family. I miss her terribly. She was such a little lover and the girl I went to first when I needed some chinchilla lovies.
I bought Momma as a mate for Tilla in 2009. During her time here, she gave us 9 stunning little kits and was incredibly loved by everyone in this family. I miss her terribly. She was such a little lover and the girl I went to first when I needed some chinchilla lovies.
12/6/2012
DIXIE IS FOR SALE! She was just posted to the Kits Available page.
11/28/2012
Momma is most definitely pregnant! Judging by size and activity of the kit(s), I am guessing she will litter by the New Year. The twins are coming very close to the breeding age and were hoping to get some pretty little babies from them next year as well, specifically from Cass and Virginia! I will post Mommas kit(s) for deposit after a week or so when I deem them healthy (given I choose to sell and not keep for show).
11/24/2012
Heres hoping everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did!
11/14/2012We managed to both make the trip thanks to my mom pet sitting! It was an eventful weekend, learned a lot, saw lots of beautiful landscape, met up with family about an hour northeast of Rock Hill for dinner, drinks and brunch the next morning. We earned 4 ribbons for our 4 chins entered. Not good, but not bad... I didnt have any chins ejected from show for any reason (which Ive seen happen before). We didnt have terrible comments on them, but we now know what to work on for a better chinchilla. Well try again next year with some of them and see how much further we can get. Momma has been steadily gaining weight,
which is a sign for pregnancy, and we are keeping our eye on her to see if she really is (like were thinking and hoping for---we havent had kits here since Easter!). |
11/8/2012
Looks like itll just be me and the chins for this trip. My car started having issues this morning and our house sitter backed out. Hubby is staying home to work on the car. :( This is a big deal for me since it is my first year showing and we have both put in a lot of work prepping the chins being entered in show. Sigh. Hopefully things will go smoother for us both next year.
11/7/2012
We believe Momma may finally be pregnant again! Since she has been increasingly good at hiding her pregnancies until the last minute, I invested in digitl scale and have been weighing her almost daily. She has steadily been gaining! My husband has decided to stay home this weekend since our house sitter fell through. We cant risk her eating the placenta and becoming impacted if she litters. Were not expecting her to litter this weekend, but better be safe than sorry!
11/3/2012Sidelia's company RubberHedgehog makes the stamps pictured to the right. These are the ones I own, but she has several more chinchilla stamps, for nearly every major US holiday, to choose from. Interested in other animals? Oh my goodness she has so many more to choose from! I have spoken with Sidelia myself and she is just a wonderful human being. When someone as wonderful as her runs a business, you can bet the business is just as great-- and RubberHedgehog sure is! We stamp EVERY piece of mail that goes out of this house! Be sure to visit www.rubberhedgehog.com to order your stamps in time for the holidays! Tell her Beachy Keen Chinchillas sent you!
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10/28/2012--Special Request!
I just got off the phone with a new friend of mine, Jenny. She runs a ferret rescue here in Brevard and currently has 63 ferrets in her care. Yes, people... 63. Her rescue is not for profit and is in need of items! I got a call the other day from a guy needing to surrender his older ferret and he wanted to give it to a no-kill rescue or ferret breeder. Since I couldnt help him myself I told him Id search and get back to him. This is how I found Jenny. She runs Asti's Ferret Haven. Even with 63 ferrets and having almost no funds to care for another, she told me she would take in the ferret. Now, as we were talking I started asking about supplies and the Giving Tree was brought up (I had seen her listed on the website). Her rescue goes through about 300 lbs a month of food, 500 lbs of litter a month, 500 puppy pee pads a month and 16 paper towel rolls a week all on top of vetting all of the ferrets that need it. We all know that animals do not ask for the situations that land them in the pound, a rescue or a vets office. Animals simply cant help it. Angels, like Jenny, for furry animals require a bit of help at times to keep doing good for the animals down on their luck. She has several of the ferrets in her care listed on the Giving Trees website and we were given the OK to share. Please help her if you can! Use the drop down menu to find Asti's Ferret Haven!
www.ferretgivingtree.com
www.ferretgivingtree.com
10/27/2012
Ok, Im still holding off on giving news BUT I forgot to mention all the goodies for raffle this year! We saw everything that came in during the meeting. What AWESOME goodies! There are so many nice items from fellow breeders and chinchilla item suppliers! Way more than last year! Really people, bring some raffle money. Last year tickets sold for $1 each and 6 for $5. You can get some GREAT items for a really good price if you buy thos raffle tickets. Not sure if they are doing it this year or not, but a 50/50 raffle was done last year (we won!) which is also a good way to get some cash back in your pocket. Some of the items up for raffle this year are Patty's famous fleece covered tubes and hammocks (she wont be with us this year, but stop by and say hi at www.blueribbonchinchillas.com), at least one cage from Martins Cages, different kinds of feeds and supplements from breeders and suppliers from all over the U.S. (including us) and were hoping Ann Ingram of Carolina Chinchilla Connection puts up another lovely chin for silent auction. The female she brought last year was just gorgeous! Lyn also has show books that she may or may not charge for. Last year we bought ours for $5 just to give an idea.
10/25/2012
We might have some news!!! :D
10/24/2012
I took my show prospects to the chin meeting this past Sunday. Two breeders with years of breeding and showing under their belts looked them over and I got good remarks on all with very few things to fix. What a relief to hear when youre still fairly new to the business and brand new to showing! Aside from some grooming tips I learned that the food we are giving our chins (Mazuri) is not the best for them. The only reason I started purchasing it is because there are other breeders that use and sell it. Well, we will be changing that! We were told Oxbow and Kline are the best to use. Kline is difficut to get a hold of in my neck of the woods so we are working with our feed store (C&J--theyre just great!) to see if they can get in Oxbow for us. As soon as we get it in, we will make the change to our supply page. It is more expensive so the cost will be adjusted as well. I will also be tweaking my supplement recipe as well. Everything in it is fine, I just got some great tips on more things to add into it. If the cost of that goes up, it shouldnt be much. Hayblocks will stay the same.
Now, I found out some interesting news when it comes to water. In all of my readings and research for chin care all over the internet, I had never heard of tap water causing sterility! Holy chinchillas! I freaked out and on our way home from Orlando that night we stopped and picked up a gallon of distilled water and I switched it all out when I got home. Boil your water or give them istilled water people! Theres no sense in your chinnies going sterile unless its completely necessary... and thats usually not the case!
For those that have been asking about Tweakers: She is doing a bit better. She is still seperated from Hemi and London and is slowly putting on weight. I think she likes her "me" time. :)
I am also working on getting some new pictures of the chins.
Now, I found out some interesting news when it comes to water. In all of my readings and research for chin care all over the internet, I had never heard of tap water causing sterility! Holy chinchillas! I freaked out and on our way home from Orlando that night we stopped and picked up a gallon of distilled water and I switched it all out when I got home. Boil your water or give them istilled water people! Theres no sense in your chinnies going sterile unless its completely necessary... and thats usually not the case!
For those that have been asking about Tweakers: She is doing a bit better. She is still seperated from Hemi and London and is slowly putting on weight. I think she likes her "me" time. :)
I am also working on getting some new pictures of the chins.
10/18/2012
Tweakers gave us a surprise kit this morning! Unfortunately it did not survive. Recently Tweak was removed from cage with London and Hemi and was placed in a cage by herself. London had been picking on her tail constantly and she needed time for it to heal properly. She had also dropped a lot of weight. London can throw his weight around and be a bit of a bully at times. We had no idea she was even pregnant, even though she eats like normal she just couldnt get weight on her. She had gotten so skinny Im surprised I wasnt able to tell. At least now I know why she couldnt fatten up, poor girl. This is her second kit and the second one shes lost. My husband and I are going to discuss her as a breeder this evening. She is currently snacking on some more supplement and has gotten lots of "lovies" this morning. Hopefully this alone time will give her the healing time she and her tail need and give her the time to get back to normal.
10/16/2012
If you are interested in breeding or are breeding already and dont already have the back up of MCBA it's totally worth it to join! I was left in the dark when my previous mentor left the business with no notice and Im so glad Lyn and the others from the central Florida area kind of picked me up. Even though I have been doing this for a few years there are still new things being learned about these little animals and its great to have someone nearby to help out when its needed. If you arent interested in joining MCBA, its ok. Breeders will still help where they can. Working under the MCBA organization name just makes it better for a chin breeder. Read up on them and what they do as an organization at www.mutationchinchillas.com.
As we get closer to show our decision for attending chins is going to come to a finalization. So far we have London, Virginia and Dixie, POSSIBLY Momma. We are going to Orlando for a "pre-show prep meeting" on the 21st where we get to meet more MCBA members. Were excited. Its awesome to be able to connect with people that love chins as much as we do. :)
As we get closer to show our decision for attending chins is going to come to a finalization. So far we have London, Virginia and Dixie, POSSIBLY Momma. We are going to Orlando for a "pre-show prep meeting" on the 21st where we get to meet more MCBA members. Were excited. Its awesome to be able to connect with people that love chins as much as we do. :)
10/10/2012
Sigh. Chinchillas. Looks like no babies STILL! If you are joining us for show you will get a chance to see at least one of our Easter kits at show. We are considering selling a few of our chins in the next few months. We want to focus on a specific color mutation and are hoping to get in some GREAT breeders. Momma and Tilla are our only breeding chins right now. Tweakers, who was paired with London, is now sitting in her own cage. Someone decided to start nibbling on her tail (we think it was London) and she needs to recoup a bit. The twins are still too young to breed but they are promising little boogers... Momma and Tilla produce REALLY pretty babies that sell quick so if you see one posted JUMP ON IT!
9/25/2012
Gave our show chins a good combing the other night. Oh my goodness.... I shouldve gotten a picture of all the fur that came out of them! My brother-in-law, who is currently living with us (hopefully for not much longer), was amazed that they were still ultra fluffy! And they still had fur left to come out! The Ryersons make a tool that wisks away extra fallen fur for a few dollars. It works, but Ive also discovered that a paper type lint roller works a little better. If you plan on ordering the fur wisker tool make sure you order it with your other supplies. The shipping costs more than the tool itself seperately. "I Love Chinchillas" on Facebook has a weekly chin toy giveaway! Search for them and enter their drawing! Be sure to mention that we sent you their way!
Nothing too terribly exciting still. If you want to come by and look at our chins, how we prep for show, or just sit down and talk about chins make an appointment! We love all things chin here and pet chinnies are welcome to join in the conversation!
Nothing too terribly exciting still. If you want to come by and look at our chins, how we prep for show, or just sit down and talk about chins make an appointment! We love all things chin here and pet chinnies are welcome to join in the conversation!
9/17/2012
Nothing too fantastic going on here. It appears we are still expecting no babies, but they sure are going at it! We are working hard on show prep both for the critters and ourselves. If you are wondering about the show, places to stay, etc, check out my show page! If you arent familiar with car rentals, shop around! We found a better deal through Budget.com with their Pay Now price rather than paying at the counter when we pick the car up. We got in our supplies from the Ryersons a few weeks ago, they always do such an awesome job when it comes to their customers and as far as I know they are the only ones that sell chinchilla show combs. Get them while you can because I heard the manufacturer doesnt make them anymore!
I suppose I should get some more pictures of the chins up. The twins espeially are getting rather large now and are quite handfuls. They demand attention anytime someone is near the cage and you will be bombarded with little balls of fur as soon as the door is opened! It is very rare that I have less than 3 chins crawling on me when I open the cages up to play with them. :) If you are looking at my page and have never owned a chinchilla but are contemplating it, DO! These really are the best little animals to own! Have questions on them? Email me or view my Q&A page.
I suppose I should get some more pictures of the chins up. The twins espeially are getting rather large now and are quite handfuls. They demand attention anytime someone is near the cage and you will be bombarded with little balls of fur as soon as the door is opened! It is very rare that I have less than 3 chins crawling on me when I open the cages up to play with them. :) If you are looking at my page and have never owned a chinchilla but are contemplating it, DO! These really are the best little animals to own! Have questions on them? Email me or view my Q&A page.
8/15/2012
I am so THANKFUL to everyone for your support of Beachy Keen after the horrible situation created recently! I was so worried that the horrible, untrue comments made by that girl would harm our business and/or reputation we work so hard at. I have received a ton of requests for information on what happened and shared all of the emails between us and Leah. Every one of your responses were so pleasant and understanding, such encouragement!!! We were the bigger person in that situation she created and we know that she will continue to be a hateful, manipulative person. We know it is impossible to please every single person out in this world, all we can do is try our best and hope we haven't come up against one of "those" people. We really do try hard to please our customers and we ALWAYS put our chinchillas best interest at heart. You all have told us by your kind words that we are doing just that! Thank you again from Beachy Keen!!! We have thee BEST customers and network of people out there!!
Other than that, there really is no other news. Chins are happy and we are in the process of preparing for show. Lots of work to be had in this household! Chin supplies need to be ordered, any fur issues need to be fixed, looking at hotels, etc. Big bundles of fun here!!
Other than that, there really is no other news. Chins are happy and we are in the process of preparing for show. Lots of work to be had in this household! Chin supplies need to be ordered, any fur issues need to be fixed, looking at hotels, etc. Big bundles of fun here!!
8/10/2012
We are now members of the Mutation Chinchilla Breeders Association! We are waiting for our new member packet to arrive but Brenda at MCBA gave the news to me today! We are so excited!!
8/7/2012
Someone made it quite clear to us this afternoon that we have some gaping holes when it comes to policies, specifically regarding rescues and adopting them out. We are in the process of coming up with appropriate policies and paperwork to be signed when you hand your animal's care over to us. It has also been made clear that some people think our rescue is a scam. Is it really impossible to believe that people might actually have the animal's best interest in mind as opposed to the absolutely ridiculous rehoming fees you would find for chinchillas found in papers and on other public classifieds websites? Apparently our reasonable fees for rescues are so unfathomable that they just HAVE to be lies. Let me touch on this: I am a HOBBY breeder. This means that I make my money elsewhere and this chinchilla thing we have going on is enjoyable for me and my family. I love my chinchillas so much that I am willing to lose money on them on a daily basis. To date, I have actually sold 3 bred chinchillas all $200 or less. Our cage cost $450 to make, the food each month is $35 (remember we buy in bulk), bedding per month is $14. Chinchilla dust runs us about $5 a month. Vet care when needed is $45-$70 a visit depending on if it is a new chin or not, x-rays and prescriptions are at cost. All the liquid vitamins, treats, playthings, etc add up. My pedigreed chinchillas alone are over $1000 combined. We lose money on this and its ok. We love these fuzzbutts. Ours have great bonds with me especially because I am always playing with them. There is not one time when Im sitting with the doors open that I dont have at least 2 chinchillas running around on me. Asking $30 or $40 for a rescue is not unreasonable and does NOT mean we are scamming the previous owners giving us the rights to their chin(s). Asking a lower price like this for a rescue promotes that animal over a pedigreed one. We always try to find rescued chins homes first. We do not pay for rescues, we pay to make sure they are healthy enough to leave here for an appropriate home. We simply help the animal find an appropriate home while recooping some of our costs. Again, chinchillas are enjoyed by me and my family! We like to help, but not when it comes to situations like this afternoon's. If you are going to willingly hand over your chinchilla to someone else, be ABSOLUTELY sure of what you are doing before you create a mess and stress out your animal(s) needlessly. And for crying out loud, don't badmouth the business you accepted help from when you asked for it in the first place, especially when all information was made available to you before you made your decision!
So, expect some changes to the rescue page in the next few weeks. Policies will be held regardless of the situation!
As a side note to this: MCBA has our application!!
So, expect some changes to the rescue page in the next few weeks. Policies will be held regardless of the situation!
As a side note to this: MCBA has our application!!
7/31/2012
We are ready to submit our MCBA application!! We've been meaning to do this for quite some time now, we've just been wrapped up in other things and if it's not sitting right in front of us, we seem to forget about it. Well, it's sitting right in front of me! All filled out and ready to go once we get a money order for the fees! What will this do for us? Well, I do believe we will now be the only breeders in Brevard County that are MCBA registered. We will be recognized nationally as chinchilla breeders and our breeding standards are kept much higher. How EXCITING! Jen from Chinchilla Rampage in Rockledge was my original mentor and the one that I purchased my starting stock from (Tilla, Momma, Hemi). She disappeared from the business entirely a year or two ago. :( We miss Jen. She was a source of information, a great breeder and a tremendous help to me. Thankfully we now have Lyn from Lyn's Chins and Mauricio from Altamonte Chins. We greatly appreciate their chin help and advice and look forward to many years of being MCBA cohorts!
7/3/2012 Updates
I am 90% sure Momma is pregnant. She keeps getting bigger and it doesnt feel food related. Tweak has also taken to London VERY well and will more than likely become pregnant soon, too! Check back for updates as we get closer to littering! We have contacted our monthly drawing winner and are now taking entries for this month as well!
Current news and updates as of 6/16/2012
There really isnt a whole lot of action here. We have some chins heading into the breeding age so we are hoping for some Christmas kits. All is well with our chins here, Dixie and Virginia are separated from mom now and doing well with the new cage mates. Momma is looking good and should be ready to breed again within the next few months.
We have decided to do a monthly drawing for some food supplies! Each month BK is giving away 3# each of hay blocks and Mazuri pellets. Only catch is that the winner must be here within a week to pick it up. You can enter once per month (one person per household) and can enter every month with no limits as to how many times you can win per year. All information submitted will ONLY be used for the purpose of the monthly drawing and will not be sold to any other person or company. The winner will be chosen on the last day of every month and notified by phone and email so check your messages and spam! Entries will be accepted until noon on the last day of every month. If you want to save, we offer great prices on our food supplies. Feel free to place an order for pick up and pay ahead or when you arrive. Please be sure to bring your ID if paying with credit card through Square! You can enter by emailing your name and phone number to [email protected].
Thanks to Square, we are now able to accept credit card payments! This is great news for those of you that don't have a Paypal account or don't want to mess with it. Call ahead for your order and we can swipe your card through our nifty little reader when you pick up! Please know that purchases over $10 will have a 2.75% charge added to it. Please remember to bring your ID as well. We won't complete the transaction if you don't.
We recently upgraded our chinchilla cage with the help of my grampa! He and I designed a LARGE 4 unit cage made from untreated pine and metal. It. Is. AWESOME! Thanks grampa!! If I have any suggestions to make when it comes to housing your chin, it is to have a custom cage if possible! It is so much easier to clean and if designed properly, it gives them something safe to chew on that can easily be replaced when needed. Our shelves and trays are easy to build and replace when needed. My husband also brought home some PVC pipe scraps and installed little hide-a-ways for them (so spoiled). Pictures coming soon of it!
Looking for great chinchilla related products for yourself?? Rubber Hedgehog rubber stamps have quite a few chinchilla stamps for everyday and holiday use. Their link is posted under the Information & Websites tab. I have purchased a few chin stamps and spoken with the owner myself. She's as sweet as could be and has a great team of artists working hard every day. Everything that leaves this house for mailing or shipping purposes are stamped with one of my chin stamps!! I also found an incredible artist in the UK through Etsy. She paints all kinds of animals but of course her chin artwork really caught my attention. I ordered a large print and 2 smaller ones to be framed and donated for raffle at show in a few months. If I can get a hold of her link I'll post it under the Information tab but she is searchable through Etsy by Irina Garmashova. Some of her work, specifically cats, can be found on eBay as well. She also does commission work so if you have some chinchillas you want painted you can contact her for more information. She is really nice, packages her prints really well and ships fast, just like Rubber Hedgehog does!!
In other news, show date and location for the SEC chapter of MCBA has been released and will be held November 10th in Rock Hill, SC. This location is the hometown of the judge that did the show last year. If any of you are interested in showing or just attending let me know and I'll give more information. You do NOT have to be an MCBA registered breeder or have a pedigreed chinchilla to enter. You can enter as many chins as you want. As far as I know the entry fee for each chin is still just $5. This event really is a lot of fun. We went to the show in Kissimmee last year and learned SO MUCH! If you just want to go to check it out and leave your chin(s) at home, the raffles alone make it worth it! Every year different breeders and chin supply companies donate the most wonderful things. Everything from cages to toys, food supplies, chin jewelry, and the judge herself donated a GORGEOUS female standard for silent auction. This year we happen to be donating stunning chinchillas artwork as well as some food supplies. Everyone is nice, there are hotel discounts for show attendees and you learn a lot about how an animal is judged and things to look for when breeding.
We have decided to do a monthly drawing for some food supplies! Each month BK is giving away 3# each of hay blocks and Mazuri pellets. Only catch is that the winner must be here within a week to pick it up. You can enter once per month (one person per household) and can enter every month with no limits as to how many times you can win per year. All information submitted will ONLY be used for the purpose of the monthly drawing and will not be sold to any other person or company. The winner will be chosen on the last day of every month and notified by phone and email so check your messages and spam! Entries will be accepted until noon on the last day of every month. If you want to save, we offer great prices on our food supplies. Feel free to place an order for pick up and pay ahead or when you arrive. Please be sure to bring your ID if paying with credit card through Square! You can enter by emailing your name and phone number to [email protected].
Thanks to Square, we are now able to accept credit card payments! This is great news for those of you that don't have a Paypal account or don't want to mess with it. Call ahead for your order and we can swipe your card through our nifty little reader when you pick up! Please know that purchases over $10 will have a 2.75% charge added to it. Please remember to bring your ID as well. We won't complete the transaction if you don't.
We recently upgraded our chinchilla cage with the help of my grampa! He and I designed a LARGE 4 unit cage made from untreated pine and metal. It. Is. AWESOME! Thanks grampa!! If I have any suggestions to make when it comes to housing your chin, it is to have a custom cage if possible! It is so much easier to clean and if designed properly, it gives them something safe to chew on that can easily be replaced when needed. Our shelves and trays are easy to build and replace when needed. My husband also brought home some PVC pipe scraps and installed little hide-a-ways for them (so spoiled). Pictures coming soon of it!
Looking for great chinchilla related products for yourself?? Rubber Hedgehog rubber stamps have quite a few chinchilla stamps for everyday and holiday use. Their link is posted under the Information & Websites tab. I have purchased a few chin stamps and spoken with the owner myself. She's as sweet as could be and has a great team of artists working hard every day. Everything that leaves this house for mailing or shipping purposes are stamped with one of my chin stamps!! I also found an incredible artist in the UK through Etsy. She paints all kinds of animals but of course her chin artwork really caught my attention. I ordered a large print and 2 smaller ones to be framed and donated for raffle at show in a few months. If I can get a hold of her link I'll post it under the Information tab but she is searchable through Etsy by Irina Garmashova. Some of her work, specifically cats, can be found on eBay as well. She also does commission work so if you have some chinchillas you want painted you can contact her for more information. She is really nice, packages her prints really well and ships fast, just like Rubber Hedgehog does!!
In other news, show date and location for the SEC chapter of MCBA has been released and will be held November 10th in Rock Hill, SC. This location is the hometown of the judge that did the show last year. If any of you are interested in showing or just attending let me know and I'll give more information. You do NOT have to be an MCBA registered breeder or have a pedigreed chinchilla to enter. You can enter as many chins as you want. As far as I know the entry fee for each chin is still just $5. This event really is a lot of fun. We went to the show in Kissimmee last year and learned SO MUCH! If you just want to go to check it out and leave your chin(s) at home, the raffles alone make it worth it! Every year different breeders and chin supply companies donate the most wonderful things. Everything from cages to toys, food supplies, chin jewelry, and the judge herself donated a GORGEOUS female standard for silent auction. This year we happen to be donating stunning chinchillas artwork as well as some food supplies. Everyone is nice, there are hotel discounts for show attendees and you learn a lot about how an animal is judged and things to look for when breeding.