Much like humans, a chinchillas heat cycle can vary from chin to chin or month to month. Generally female chins go into heat about every 30 days. If you own a male chinchilla you probably know that they are in heat year round!

The length of time a female is in heat can vary greatly. A sign of a female chin in heat would be a heat plug, which is a small waxy looking plug, but these are not common to find as they usually get lost in the bedding. You may also notice increased noise and activity. Another way to determine if a female is in heat is to look at the cone of the vagina, and if its “open” the slit will be separated, not together as usual.

As you learn your chinchillas you can usually tell when one is in heat, but please do not think just separating them while you think they are in heat will prevent your female chin from becoming pregnant.