# English Chinchilla lines



## amentalcat (Jul 16, 2009)

Hello all,

Having drastically reduced my exhibition mice due to University pressure, I am now going to commit to a Chinchilla project for the next year or so. I have a good number of Chins that originally came from Europe, but I am fully aware that these are NOT the same as the older English lines. 
Mine do have a slightly mealy coat colour and yes I am very particular about pairing up the most silvery/blue ones to get better colour. The type is a lot better than it started out, BUT as they are now so hard to get hold of, how do I go about improving them? Can I use an outcross? if so, which one?
Also, can the original English type be re-made?
As i say, I am committed to improving these lovely mice gradually over the next couple of years, but I need a bit of help if poss.

Many thanks,

Ali Christie

p.s I have already spoken to quite a few Chin breeders and they have told me that their numbers are now really really low too.


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## Miceandmore64 (Jul 16, 2013)

Awesome


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

What is the type of yours like? Are you talking pet type or better? Chinchillas on the show bench in recent years tend to have nice big ears but tend to be rather fine boned, same as the silver foxes. Beautiful mice but they don't have the strong bone seen on the pale selfs and satins, and you wouldn't expect it of them. The darker the mouse, the stronger the pigment, the smaller the mouse.

You can outcross to black silver fox if you really need to, but otherwise you're probably best off staying within your chinchillas for now because I don't know of any silver fox lines that don't carry chocolate and you really don't want to put chocolate into chinchilla. Keep breeding the best few from each generation and they will improve. You're looking for even black ticking all over the back and sides, strong dark silver colour with no hint of brown, and thick, pure white belly fur.


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