Getting a Second Chinchilla

[Brittany85]

Hi everyone. I have a 10 month old male chinchilla and I would like to get him a male friend. I have a done a lot of reading on it but would like some advance from experts.


-What age is best to get? Should I get an older chin (a couple years old) or a younger chin like Tiko?

-What ways of introducing work best for you?


Thanks in advance!

 

[liewwan]

It's always easier to introduce a chin to a younger chin. Make sure you quarintine for 30 days. Keep in reminder that introductions are never a guarentee so you may end up with 2 cages should they not get along. After quarintine you put their cages side by side, leave 6 inches between the cages and slowly move it closer so they can get used to each other's presence. You can do play time together, but watch for aggressive behaviors, swap cages and so forth. Just take your time.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

I would not do playtime together. When chins have a big area to play in they tend to chase each other which often ends in a fight. I would wait until after they are friends for playtime together.

 

[saphire]

I agree with Cathy and Alena. I would add to this that patience is a must!!!

 

[Brittany85]

So when you say no playtime together, do you mean just doing the whole -put the cages close by for a bit then put them in the same cage under supervision for a small amount of time?
Thanks for the advice
How long, in your experience, did it take from the first day until they were able to be trusted alone in the same cage?

Also would under 12 months be considered a "young chin"? or under 6 months?

 

[andreya]

Typically the younger the better, though I've put a one year old with a four year old with no issues. It really depends on the chin.

Personally, I have two sets of boys that wouldn't get along in the same cage but I let them have play time together. As long as I watch them they pretty much stay with their buddies. I would say just keep an eye on them in any situation and if they get aggressive, separate, wait and try again. Just be prepared to have two cages if it doesn't work out. I've found pairing chins to be like that baby game with the different shaped blocks, sometimes no matter what you do, they won't get along. Other times, it's love at first sight.

 

[sushi998]

I have to agree with all the comments above. The younger the better, but it depends on their personalities. Also males are easier to introduce then females. In my experience coupling very young chins never has been much of a problem. I placed two cages side by side and after 2 days I could put them together and it worked out just fine. But patience is indeed the key. I myself never succeeded in coupling older chins. You will indeed have to put them in a smaller cage together first and make sure it's a neutral cage for both of them, so that it’s nobody's territory yet.