Chinchilla Introduction

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Joined
Nov 30, 2018
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Hello all, I currently have two chinchillas Nubbz and Dusti. I have had Nubbz for almost a year and I have recently adopted Dusti. I'm trying to figure out the best way to introduce them. Right now they are in separate cages, Nubbz is in the main cage and Dusti is in a temporary cage that I borrowed from a friend. They can smell and see each other through their separate cages. Nubbz seems interested in making friends with Dusti but Dusti doesn't seem like she likes Nubbz. Every time Dusti sees Nubbz looking at her she runs over and aggressively make a sounds. I don't believe it's a bark, it's more like a low growl/grunt. But whatever it is it doesn't sound friendly. They haven't tried to spray each other with urine so I don't believe they see each other as a threat. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make them be friends and able to sleep and eat in the same cage or should I buy another cage and keep them separated at all times?
 
Few things to address here. When bringing in a new chin to the house, you want to quarantine them away from all of your chins in a different room for at leas 30 days. This not only gives the new chin time to adjsut a little bit, but allows you to watch for any signs of illness. If by chance they have something wrong health wise, you dont want it spreading to all of your chins. - But since yours al already next to each other, your well past that.

Dont keep those cages to close to each other. You want a minimum of 6" space in between other wise they can still reach each other and possibly injure each other. Even male/females in separate cages that were to close have gotten pregnant. So they really can do a lot through the bars.

Speaking of which, check, double check, and check again. Make sure they are both the same gender. It can be easy to mistake this, and many ppl do. You dont want to pair a male and female up together.

Chances are your chin, in her cage, is going to get defensive. Right now, that is HER territory. And she will act accordingly.

The new chin might need time to adjust as well depending on how long you have had her. She has a new home, new ppl, new chins, new cage, new smells, new sounds... new everything. It can be a lot to get used to.

When your ready for intros, i would suggest searching the 'smooching' method. It has the highest chance of success compared to other methods. But nothing is guaranteed.

As for your question about the cage and should you get another one. Thats partially a yes either way (depending on what cage you have now.) Even two chins that are successfully bonded and live together, can one day have enough and turn on each other. In such a case, they both need to be separated perminity, and immiditally. Its not something you can wait around on. So you always need the ability to separate them. Whether it is a separate cage, or a cage that can be split in two (that can keep both chins completely away from the other.) - Hopefully its never needed. But you need to have it just in case.
 
I just looked up the smooching method and I believe that will be what I'll have to do after everyone is well adjusted. If after they are bonded and they start fighting could I do the smooching method again to try to re-bond them?
 
Introduction

I have had my male chinchilla, Chili for about a year and a half now and I decided to get him a female friend (i plan on breeding them). I introduced them and the first time did not go well. The young female I got, Pepper, is very aggressive towards Chili and bit him on the nose causing a tiny cut. I am worried that the two will never get along. I have them in cages side by side to try to get used to each other but I have no idea how to get Pepper to stop being so aggressive. Help please!
 
A couple things to try - Rub the new chin in the resident chin's shavings. Trim both of their whiskers short - it doesn't hurt them at all and it takes away the need for dominance. Put a drop of vanilla above the tail and above the nose. When you put them together, put in a dust bath and some hay. You can also try the smoosh method if you want to, but I've found these other methods work most of the time.
 
I just looked up the smooching method and I believe that will be what I'll have to do after everyone is well adjusted. If after they are bonded and they start fighting could I do the smooching method again to try to re-bond them?

I would not try to re-bond a pair that have started fighting, depend on how far the fighting went. If it's just barking and chasing there might be hope, they may only need a few days to a week or so in separate cages to cool off, but if blood is actually drawn I wouldn't chance it. Chins can and do fight to the death, so if a fight has gotten to the point of actually biting causing physical injury they can't really be trusted not to kill each other.

The idea behind the smooch method is you take two unknown chins and put them together in a small cage/carrier for a car ride, they don't have room to fight and turn to each other for comfort, forming a bond based on the shared "traumatic" experience. I don't think that would work with chins that know each other. It would be like putting a couple that broke up and hate each other together in a small room and telling them to just work it out.
 
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