Volume 2, Number 2
March 4, 2003

Chinchillas.com Newsletter

Auction update
AuctionFAQ's
ECBC Nationals
Show Terminology
Standards
"7th Generation" Ebonies
E-mail response time

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Auction Update

On the auction this week, we have a really good TOV light hetero ebony male, 1825, who would be a good asset to many ebony breeding programs. He has high quality standards and blacks close up in his pedigree, as well as being the result of a herd outcross. He was sired by a PSK bred TOV hetero ebony male, who also sired the very popular 1789, that sold on the auction several weeks ago. 1825 is out of a Ritterspach bred ebony carrier female, as was 1789.

We also have a nice quality violet ebony carrier male this week, for those wanting to breed their own wrap around violets, and TOV wrap around violets. He is a triple mutation hybrid, and is only one gene away from a wrap, and 2 genes away from a TOV wrap.

Auction FAQ's

We have had more questions than usual about the auction over the past month, especially concerning how it works. The Chinchillas.com auction is a business to consumer (B2C) auction, not an "open" consumer to consumer auction. Operating a strictly B2C auction allows us to maintain tight control over quality, high standards of business integrity, and active communication with the majority of the bidders on the auction. Buyers can be assured that they are buying from a reputable, well known business, and not from multiple sources that they are unfamiliar with, as is the case with "open" or consumer to consumer auctions. Chinchillas.com is not only a domain name, but it is also our business name and an established brand name. The Chinchillas.com business and auction is a collaborative effort between Laurie Schmelzle, Jim Ritterspach, and Lisa Dean, with the help of various subcontractors. Laurie provides the "virtual services" and Jim and Lisa provide the "real world" products and services. Laurie handles all of the client relations, e-mail fielding and response, customer support, herd consultation services to clients, and makes the shipping arrangements. Jim is a sanctioned MCBA and ECBC chinchilla judge and breeder since 1966. He breeds the majority of the chinchillas offered on the site, and maintains all of the chinchillas on the site. He also provides professional descriptions of the chinchillas. Lisa helps Jim with the "real world" end of the chinchilla business. All of the chinchillas on the site are located in western/central Ohio, and any and all chinchillas purchased on the site can be shipped together. Potential bidders are welcome to arrange a visit, by appointment, to see any chinchilla(s) they are interested in bidding on prior to the close of the auction, or to purchase chinchillas directly.

ECBC Nationals

The 2003 ECBC National show takes place this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. There is more information about the show under "upcoming shows and events" on the front page of the Chinchillas.com website. You do not have to be an ECBC member to attend the show, and there is no admission fee.

Show Terminology

If you decide to attend the Nationals this weekend, or another show anytime soon in the U.S., here is some useful judging terminology that might help new spectators and participants understand and enjoy the show more thoroughly.

Bright - The degree to which the color reflects light. Brightness usually refers to a lustrous coat.

Clear - Having the desired color that is bright in appearance. This quality in fur allows the fur to maintain its color and not oxidize as quickly over time.

Dull - Fur that lacks luster. Many times the "dull" animal has gone past prime.

Casty - This term is used then the fur is off color, not clear blue-grey.

Muddy - Usually refers to the bar color. Not a clear white bar.

Density - The thickness of the fur shaft and the number of follicles per square inch.

Loft - Density plus fur strength.

Texture - Refers to the fineness or coarseness of the individual fur fiber.

Plushy - A good loft plus a silky look.

Soft Fur - A fur that lacks strength. May be due to lack of guard hairs.

Cottony - Fur that is very soft, which may tend to form an uneven flow or pattern.

Guard Hair - Each follicle in the chinchilla has as many as 100 hairs, including 1 "guard hair." The guard hair helps the overall fur stand straight.

Bull Neck - An animal that is fully furred in the neck.

Costina - Type of animal, which evolved at lower elevations, that is narrow in the shoulder and wider at the hips.

Blocky - An animal with a rounded body, and with full neck and shoulders.

Grotzen - The dark pattern down the center of the back. The grotzen starts at the tip of the nose, and ends at the base of the tail.

Lacks Finish - An animal that lacks eye appeal due to not being in prime.

Halo - Usually used in judging black velvets, to describe lack of veiling in the neck, causing a white ring.

Veiling - The darker color at the tip of the fur.

Fur Pattern - The appearance of the surface of the fur. Ideal is an unbroken, smooth flow.

(This terminology is courtesy of ECBC Breeder Magazine)

Standards

The most important resource for mutation hobbyist breeders is high quality pure standard chinchillas. Hobbyist breeders in the US have a tremendous resource for obtaining high quality pure standards. Many of the best standard herds in the world are in the US. Take advantage of them!!! No color mutation herd can maintain quality and be competitive in shows without high quality pure standards. They are vital for quality, and for reducing the incidence of inherent diseases. A hobbyist breeder can expect to pay $300-$500 for a herd improvement quality pure standard chinchilla. Standards are the backbone of quality!!!

"7th Generation" Ebonies

We get feedback from clients that they have seen advertised an ebony chinchilla that is, for example, "7th generation ebony." This is often used as a supposedly positive selling point in advertisements, but my initial reaction is that the seller is highly misinformed about the real negativity of such breeding, and does not understand the genetics. Knowledge of such a breeding background would send any well informed buyer running! Uninformed buyers are somehow misled into thinking that there is some advantage to having an ebony that is the result of "7 generations" of ebony to ebony breeding. This, in actuality, is a HUGE disadvantage, and is, in the opinion of most respected breeders, irresponsible breeding. Additionally, there is no difference in the color genetics present in the homozygous ebony offspring produced by 2 ebony carriers, 2 hetero ebonies, or 2 homo ebonies "from 7 generations of homo ebonies," EXCEPT, a loss of critically needed hybrid vigor. A homozygous (meaning 2 of the same gene) ebony out of a light hetero ebony female and a light hetero ebony male has 2 ebony genes, one inherited from the dam, and one inherited from the sire. A homozygous ebony out of a 7th generation homozygous ebony dam, and a 7th generation (or 20th generation for that matter) homozygous ebony sire still has only 2 ebony genes, one from the dam, and one from the sire. There is no genotypic (the genetic make up) color difference, or phenotypic (the traits you can actually see) color difference between the 2 offspring. The real difference is that one offspring has all the advantages and strengths of the other genes that standards contribute behind him, and the much needed hybrid vigor, and the other does not (the one out of multiple generations of ebony to ebony breeding).

* We highly encourage breeders to outcross to high quality pure standards as a constant part of their ebony breeding programs, and to acquire good outcross lines when available. This practice should be a constant part of any ebony, violet, or sapphire breeding program, to maintain good size and quality, and to help reduce the incidence of teeth problems found more frequently in line-bred recessives. It is not a good idea to constantly breed homo ebony to homo ebony, violet to violet, or sapphire to sapphire (or to constantly breed any mutation color to another mutation color).

E-mail response time

We usually try to respond to our e-mail inquiries within 24 hours of when we receive them during the business week (Monday through Friday). We occasionally take longer. If you ever need to contact us sooner, just call! We can be reached at (785) 336-6833. Please limit your calls to the hours of 10am-10pm CST unless there is an emergency. E-mail sent on the weekends may not be responded to as quickly. If you need weights, breeder information, or more detailed information on auction chinchillas, it is better if you can ask those questions earlier in the week. If you have last-minute questions on Saturdays concerning auction chinchillas, call us!

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