A bonded pair playing together - what does it look like?

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Spodumena

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Joined
Aug 29, 2016
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89
Location
Manchester, UK
I was just wondering if people who have happily bonded pairs could share what their playtimes with both their chins together looks like? I am sure every chin is different so it varies quite a bit, but I'm just trying to get a good idea of what is normal/not normal as my chins (and I) are still getting the hang of playtime.

From what I understand chinchillas are herd animals and live in social groups. So what does 'playing' with another chinchilla consist of? I know the warning signs of too much chasing, fur pulling, and biting; but do 2 chinchillas ever playfully chase and stand on their hind legs sort of like how dogs might? Or does 'playing' really only include the nose-touching, grooming, and snoozing together?

We had a playtime this evening and they were extremely excited and hyper. Both seemed to be having a very good time - lots of wall surfing and the more outgoing one was popcorning. But towards the end there was some chasing, a bit of humping, and lots of peeping noises. They didn't sound like aggressive noises - definitely not kacking or barking. Just to be safe, I got one of them back into his carrier. The other one kept poking his noise into the carrier through the bars. They nose-touched, and kept on peeping to each other. Are they just excitedly chatting?

I just want to get a sense of how happily bonded chinchillas play together. Any stories would be appreciated!
 
I have a few youtube videos of playtime of my two. They aren't the greatest but should give you an idea.

Bazil and Wicket Playing
Bazil and Wicket Playtime part 1
Bazil and Wicket Playtime part 2

As you can see, there is some chasing, but not much, but that depends on the chins I've had chins in the past that seemed to play tag. They do occasionally grab a toy, stick, or treat from the other and run off with it, causing the other to chase.
The peeping sounds you mentioned are most likely the chins talking to each other, my guys do that all the time. They chat most when they are exploring or I give them something new. It's quite cute when they do things like, are exploring different areas and one runs to the other, they chat for a minute, then both run off to what ever the first one found. Bazil doesn't seem to care too much where his brother is, but Wicket tends to try to keep tabs on where Bazil is and will get upset (sometimes to the point of crying) if he can't find him.
 
Bazil and Wicket seem so calm in these videos! How old are they? It's very sweet that Wicket tends to keep tabs on Bazil. Is Bazil the dominant one? Might that have something to do with it, or is it just personality…?

I think what made me worry was the fact they were both occasionally on their hind legs. But they weren't nipping and the sounds were peeps, not aggressive sounds at all. They just seemed super excited. I'm guessing/hoping they will calm down once they get a bit older…?

I've watched a few videos on YouTube inaccurately labelled 'chinchillas playing' but it looks to me like they are fighting. The body language and sounds seems pretty clear when they are not getting along. I just want to make sure I'm not getting it wrong!
 
In the first video they are 6 years old, and the second videos they are 9 yrs, they just turned 10 in January. They are twin brothers, so you are looking at a pair who have been together for their whole lives, which has been years, so dominance and everything has long been worked out. Wicket seems more dominant, more often taking things from his brother, pushing his brother around in the cage, etc. but Bazil is definitely more laid back and outgoing. Bazil is the first one to come out to the cage, the first one to explore new things, and the first one to accept being held. I know they seem calm but they do have their crazy zoomy moments, I just can't seem to catch them on video, lol. I swear they go crazy so I grab my phone, and then they are like "oh she is recording us, act natural" lol. Both videos they had also already been out for a bit. They keep tabs on what the other is doing (don't want to miss out on something good), but pretty much do their own things when out.

If the chins in the videos are barking, fur is flying, etc, then yeah they are not playing. I hate YouTube videos for people trying to learn proper care and behavior, you can post anything there and it often gives people very wrong and sometimes dangerous ideas and info. I have seen too many videos of people throwing their chins in pools and rivers, playing with cats and dogs, being fed human junk food, etc.

Rearing up on their hind legs is normally them making themselves look bigger, more threatening, basically telling the other cool it and back off. But if it didn't seem aggressive it could be one found something and was telling the other about it.

You are right that how they play does also have to do with individual personalities though, some chins do like to play tag, others just want to be left alone to sniff around, explore, and do their own thing. I had one chin growing up that actually enjoyed being chased even by humans (she was an odd one). She would come over stand on her hind legs and hit you with her paws then run off, if you didn't follow chase she would come back and do it again. She would get one of the other females in on it and do laps chasing each other up and down the closed in stairway that we used for playtime. We use to do playtime with the females (3 or 4, playmates but not cage mates) together. So long as they are enjoying it, no barking, biting, etc. they are probably just doing normal play for them.
 
lol, I completely understand about missing the zoomy moments. I keep wanting to send my family the chin brothers popcorning, but I can never anticipate what’s going to make them jump around with joy and I don't have enough space on my phone for a 40 minute video. The chins you see on youtube always seem so calm in their cages — lounging around and calmly jumping from ledge to ledge. I know they *must* all be zooming around like nutters at times but we aren’t quick enough to catch it. I was worried I had overly-hyper chins at first.

We tried playtime again last night and there was a little excited humping and peeping again, but I let it play out. It was over pretty quick and they just seemed to be boisterous. I learn a little more about them every time they are out - it’s great. But I can’t believe a chin would *ever* enjoy being chased by a human — what a ballsy chin she must have been!
 
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