# On Breeding & USDA Reqs for Exotics



## aurora (May 23, 2013)

I have the legal limit of 2 females without licensing. I have no problem with getting licensed, but am considering also breeding my Chins so I see no need in expanding my herd yet. I'm curious if anyone knows about how the USDA regulates that? In other words is it legal to be breeding two hedgehogs females and simultaneously be breeding two female chins?


----------



## DesertHedgehogs (Apr 2, 2013)

Just a note about the number of hedgehog females. You are allowed to breed and sell babies from 3 females. Only if you get a 4th do you need to be licensed. In fact you have to have the 4th in order to start the licensing process, but once you get her you can't sell any more babies legally.


----------



## aurora (May 23, 2013)

DesertHedgehogs said:


> Just a note about the number of hedgehog females. You are allowed to breed and sell babies from 3 females. Only if you get a 4th do you need to be licensed. In fact you have to have the 4th in order to start the licensing process, but once you get her you can't sell any more babies legally.


Thank you for the input. The documentation says "3 or more" requires licensing. Am I interpreting wrong?


----------



## DesertHedgehogs (Apr 2, 2013)

On this site the outline some of the requirements, and they state "more than 3" It is kind of confusing and none of the literature makes it any less so. How I've gotten my information about licensing is by only asking very specific questions of the USDA or talking to other breeders about how they did everything. Here's the section on this site for licensing. http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/usda.shtml

As for breeding other animals, I think it would be a separate license and so wouldn't be affected by the number of hedgehogs you have, but you can always call the USDA office to check.


----------



## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Chinchillas are not an exotic animal (at least they are not considered so by the USDA) and so you do not require any licensing to breed chinchillas, no matter if you have hedgehogs or not.


----------



## SaltCityHedgies (Jul 15, 2013)

I just spoke to the lady at my local USDA office. She said there is a pet rule now, and any female that I consider a pet and not breeding doesn't count towards my limit of breeding females. Does this sound right? Or does she not know what she is talking about?


----------

