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archer414

New member
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
1
Hi, guy,

I haven't been a chinchilla owner long (about a year), and I'm having problems introducing two chinchillas. My older chin is Jimmy, who's about a year old. I was worried that he wasn't getting enough affection/exercise, so I decided to take the risk of introducing a second (male) chin. Rocket is about 3-4 months old.

Before introducing the two of them, I did a lot of research about how difficult it can be to pair chinchillas, and I did everything I could think of to make it easier. I was about to buy Jimmy a new cage anyway, so I ordered the Critter Nation two-level cage, thinking it would be best to start fresh, so the whole thing didn't smell like Jimmy. I brought Rocket home in a small cat-size carrier, and left it outside Jimmy's old cage for a bit so they could get used to each other's smells. Right away, I saw positive signs: there was no hissing or urinating-- in fact, both chins went to sleep next to each other, in their respective cages.

After a couple of days, I moved the chins into the two-level cage (which is currently separated, so they cannot move from one half to another). I regularly switch them, so both cages smell like both chins. I then made a few attempts to introduce them in a neutral location: a bathroom where I had set out a dust bath and a few hidey holes.

From what I've read, I expected that Jimmy (the older, most established chinchilla) would dominate and push around poor little Rocket, and I'd have to work on that. What I did not expect, however, was for it to be the other way around. Rocket is dominant, and he scares the bejeezus out of Jimmy. Each time I attempt playtime, it starts out fine: they mostly ignore each other, with maybe a little bit of chasing. Then there's a quick, short skirmish, and Jimmy is missing a patch of hair. Rocket tends to pick up the clump of hair and gnaw at it for a minute, giving him a really creepy Hannibal Lector vibe.

No blood has been drawn, and I wouldn't even say there's been a single serious fight. I haven't owned chins that long, but from my perspective it seems like Rocket REALLY wants to play rough, and Jimmy thinks, "Oh, that could be cool," and as soon as Rocket starts to chase him he panics and releases a chunk of hair and climbs up my body to escape Rocket.

Everything I've read online suggests I should start over with side-by-side cages, but both chins are established in the double-decker cage now, and I can't take it apart. I could bring Jimmy's old cage into the room with the Critter Nation cage, and set them up side by side, but is that too jarring for Jimmy, now that he's adjusted to the new cage? Should I keep attempting playtime, or separate them for an extended period?
 
Sorry but the best advice I will give on bonding chins is don't do it! If they are pulling fur and scrapping now I don't feel that it's worth the risk of finding a badly injured or even dead chinchilla. I have nine males and only one bonded pair. The pair are litter mates but they are in a FN double with a piece of wood laying up on top to have quickly to separate them(wood goes over cut out) if they should suddenly fight(yes even a bonded pair can suddenly hate each other)! All of the other guys have there own section of a FN and they appear content that way.
 
first off, any time you bring a new chin into the house you should quarantine him away form your current chin for at least 30 days. You can never be positive the new chin does not have an illness of some time. They hide sickness very well. This give you a month to observe him for any signs. If he is sick, you dont want it spreading to your current chin.

Chins dont react well to stressful situations. And moving to a new home can be incredibly stressful. The quarantine period also gives him some time to adjust to the new home. There are lots of things they are not used to. New cage, new ppl, new smells, new sounds. New everything. It can be a lot on them some times. Adding a new chin to get used to on top of that can sometimes over whelm them and just make them aggressive.
 
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