Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Q & A => Topic started by: yayamag on January 15, 2007, 08:31:45 PM
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I was told my chinchilla was a black velvet but i know nothing about chinchillas. She does seem noticeably darker on the top (black) and she lightens up to her tummy which is grey. But I can't help but notice that she doesnt look THAT different from a standard. I was just wondering how I could know for sure.
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Post a picture and I'm sure one of the experienced breeders here will gladly let you know. :)
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I was going to but I don't have a camera lol. I will try to get one as soon as I can
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If the belly is grey, it's very possible she's an ebony. Pictures would certainly help us to be able to answer with more certainty. ::nod::
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Grey on the belly can be a real problem when breeding for black Velvet. How old is she? A black velvet is usually born with a black mask on her face that will slowly spread down the back as the chinchilla gets older. If you bought her at weaning age she is probably not done darkening. I have found in my herd it can take several months for a black velvet to get the full color. They can also grow slower so if it is a female and you got it for breeding don't count on the 8 month old rule. Sometimes it can take as much to a year for a Black velvet to reach breeding size.
Another easy spot to check are her front paws. A black velvet will have white stripes running across her paws a little above her toes.