Sexing your Chinchilla

Working out if a chinchilla is male or female is not a difficult thing to do, but a lot of people get it wrong.

The problem comes when people see a pink cone shape next to the anus and assume it is the penis of a male chinchilla. This is not always the case, as a female chinchilla has a short urethral cone, and the vaginal opening is sealed shut unless the female is in oestrous.

Whereas the female's ureathral cone and anus are close together, there is a notable gap between the male's penis and anus, joined by a narrow ridge of skin. A male chinchilla's penis is also larger and more tapered than a female's urethral cone.. Also, the penis of a male chinchilla can be lifted away from the chinchilla's body whereas a female's urethral cone cannot.

So, when sexing a chinchilla, "if there's a gap, he's a chap."

E.R.