How to Determine Between Female & Male Chinchillas

The chinchilla is commonly a gray little ball of fur with large ears and a squirrel type tail, not quite as long. Their color sometimes varies between beige and black with hints of purple. The size of the chinchilla ranges from 9 to 11 inches tall and 0.8 to 1.3 lbs. They are nocturnal, can live up to 20 years and are generally very healthy creatures. A chinchilla is not a cuddly pet like a dog or cat, though they can be handled. If you want to breed your chinchilla(s), there are ways to distinguish between the male and the female.

Instructions

    • 1

      Hold your chinchilla with its front feet resting on your arm or leg. You need to have a firm but gentle grip on your chinchilla.

    • 2

      Grip the base of the tail and lift it up where you should get a clear view of the genital area. This type of hold on your chinchilla will not hurt it or you.

    • 3

      Note what looks like a penis. Actually, the female's urethral cone is sometimes mistaken for a penis as it is similar in shape. The urethral cone is located directly in front of the anus and directly behind a small slit, which is the vagina. This is a definite sign of a female.

    • 4

      Check for a penis that is further up from the anus, with skin between the anus and the penis; this is a definite sign of a male chinchilla. Sometimes the penis will lay flat, not noticeable. If you place your fingers just above the penis area and stretch the skin upward toward the chinchilla's head, the penis will lift. In a female, this same process would not lift the urethral cone. This is a definite distinction between the male and female anatomy.