HELP!? Female cage mates fighting

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Sarahb20

Active member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
25
Location
Maryland
I tried to introduce one of my females to my male...I have been gradually putting them together for short periods. But today when I took the female out and put her back with her original FEMALE cage mate, the cage mate attacked her! They fought and chased eachother on and off for like 15 minutes. And the seem to be calming down now.

Anyone know why this happened?
Any advice?
 
I haven't had any experience with female chinchillas b/c I only have males but I suspect your female attacked her cage mate b/c she smelled the male chin and reacted. I'd definitely keep a very close eye on them in case they start fighting again b/c it can end really badly.

Just out of curiosity, why are you attempting to introduce your female to your male anyway if you're not experienced with breeding in the first place?
 
Why would you pull a chinchilla from one cage and put them into another. Chinchillas are not like dogs you don't just shove them together and hope they mate. They need time to bond. It is great you are trying to learn but please be sure you know the breeding basics before breeding not after the kits are on the way
 
I don't know why your female attacked your other female, but I do know that you shouldn't be putting the male and female together. Breeding can and does go horribly wrong, and like Starleomach said, you can't just put them together like dogs. Chinchillas are very sensitive creatures who have very specific needs when it comes to introductions, breeding, etc.
 
How else would they bond, if I don't introduce them!? Ya know I think a lot of people on this site have great advice, but it's like you all think you are the only people who can ever breed chinchillas. How do expect future breeders to learn if all you do is tell them NOT to breed. I cannot become an experienced breeder over night...I have to start somewhere. I have had chins for quite some time now, and Yes I have done my research. I do plan on eventually breeding and I plan on doing it the right way. People are not born knowing how to breed chinchillas and I am trying my best to learn eveything I need to know. I am fully aware that things can go wrong and I have heard many horror stories, but I will learn and have the same experiences you all did with your breeding.

So please in the future, try to be a bit more supportive, because all of your "you're not an experienced breeder" comments and put downs...are not helpful to anyone!!!!!! >=|
 
If you have no idea why your females are fighting then you have no idea about breeding chinchillas and probably shouldn't do so. Most chin-pet people I know, know why your girls are attacking each other. Maybe you should hold off on wanting chin babies until you fully understand the dynamics of it all.
 
Yet you had no idea why they were fighting either Huh!?!!?!? Interesting...That's helpful, btw I discovered that the scent of the male was most likely the reason for the fighting as when I gave the FEMALES dust baths and returned them together, they were fine...thanks for no help and no encouragement!
 
Only one person said anything about you not being experienced with breeding.

Yes, we all started somewhere. On this board we strive to encourage people truly interested in breeding to start the RIGHT way. I started wrong as did many other breeders and I can't tell you how many times I wished I had started the right way or that someone had found me earlier. You have been given advice in this thread but it seems like you only read what you saw as "negative" and ignored the advice.

When you are doing introductions...you should not be moving a chinchilla between cage mates, plain and simple. Even if they are all the same gender that is a bad idea. The reason your female attacked the other female is because she probably smelled the male on her or something from the male and responded badly to it. When you're playing musical chairs with chinchillas and their cage mates there is bound to be a fight.

If this is new news to you...you need to start your research over again. I strongly recommend finding a mentor in an area near you so that you can start the right way and have someone experienced there to help when you need it. Don't just jump in with the "everyone starts SOMEWHERE" mentality. Do it the RIGHT way and do it slowly so you don't get in over your head or end up with a bunch of dead and/or hurt chinchillas. For your sake and the chinchillas I hope that you take this advice to heart and don't get defensive about it.
 
I will certainly take your advice into consideration, that is exactly what I wanted...advice, rather than criticism
 
When you change cages with chins and move them to different cage mates their entire idea of what their territory is completely changes. Females, who have been with males, can get rather defensive OR have their former female cagemates go a bit crazy on them. It has much to do with the hormones, as well.

Chinchillas crave a stable environment where not much is changing. They thrive on a schedule. Whenever you mess with things that are beyond normal for them they can lash out. Putting males and females together is one thing that really changes the atmosphere. Lots of hormones are flooding their little bodies and that can change how they act and how others around them act.

I agree with Tabitha...your little girl probably smelled the male on her former cage mate. Please don't put them together if they are fighting. Things can go really wrong with breeding at any time during the process and it can permanently alter the little relationships that chins have with other chins. A formerly super sweet female can change into a monster after being placed with a male. Males and females can become possessive and territorial.

Just be careful.
 
When you post on an open forum you're bound to get criticism. People here care about the chins. People here don't know you. No one is going to be posting rainbows and unicorn nice comments when they see potential for a dead chin. And that is what can happen when you place a chin in with different chins right after another.

Yes, all breeders start somewhere. But in general, many of these breeders here started as pet owners, then read up on breeding before attempting it. Once they felt that they read what they needed and found a good breeder mentor then they go and give it a try.

There are just so many people that come on here or any other forum or internet site and post about how they just want babies. Well, guess what. Breeding chins is not only about cute little fluffy babies. There's the chance for complications, death and injury. So people do get a bit defensive when they see someone making a mistake that more research would have prevented.
 
Thank you AZ Chins for letting me know that....I have watched them ever since I put them back in the cage together after dust baths. They have been fine and snuggling like normal ever since that. I think in this case it had alot to do with the smell....But I will be sure not to move them btw cages anymore, thanks for the advice!
 
You stated
I tried to introduce one of my females to my male...I have been gradually putting them together for short periods. But today when I took the female out and put her back with her original FEMALE cage mate, the cage mate attacked her! They fought and chased eachother on and off for like 15 minutes. And the seem to be calming down now.
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When introducing a mating pair you cannot take a female and put her with a male for short periods and expect that to work well. There are too many reasons why that is a bad idea to list. And then you tried putting her back with her females cage mate. You cannot bounce a chinchilla from one cage to the next. I stand by my statement they are not like dogs you cannot just swap them around suddenly it will not work out very well.


Saying you should do a bit more research based on what you have writen in this thread and other threads is not meant to be an insult. I looked at your other posts before answering and you are asking basic questions. That like I said is great, good for you learning we are all always learning. Just based off of the limit information I have about you thus far you seem to need to do some back up research.


Trouble with internet is it is hard to read tone through writing. I may have made assumptions but it seems you have as well. I was offering advice. part of being involved in any hobby especially breeding animals is taking criticism as it is handed to you and taking what you can learn from it.


Chinchillas are funny little animals, it may have been the scent of the male it may have been the stress of her being gone, then back. sometimes a brief time away is all it takes, I have a female that if you take the cagemate away for even an hour you have to reintroduce all over again. It may have been because the wind was blowing North who knows. But either way A different introduction method would be advised. It will not work having little times here and there together and putting her with the other female will undo any bonding.


And for the record we help a lot of new breeders start. But We try to make sure they know the basics before they start. It is much less nerve racking when you know how to handle a situation before it arises. Many of us have already been where you are right now and are trying to help you skip some steps. Being rude and attacking us is not productive either. Again remember that it is hard to hear tone in writen word.
 
Chinchillas are funny little animals, it may have been the scent of the male it may have been the stress of her being gone, then back. sometimes a brief time away is all it takes, I have a female that if you take the cagemate away for even an hour you have to reintroduce all over again. It may have been because the wind was blowing North who knows. But either way A different introduction method would be advised. It will not work having little times here and there together and putting her with the other female will undo any bonding.
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I've had the same thing happen here so many times! They just want everything to stay the same, when something is changed quickly they can react in a less than favorable way.
 
Even doing the introductions right and then finally putting them (male and female) together and watching doesn't always work. Breeding can be very dangerous. I had worked with one pair and thought everything was ok. The male was in a cage with the female for 5 hours and nothing happened (fight-wise) so I thought everything was ok. I went outside to do yard work for 1/2 hour and came back and the male was dead. The female decided she really didn't like the male. So you really have to be VERY careful
 
I would not intro this way at all.

You want to "eventually" be a breeder, but since you've had a male and a female together, even for "short periods" you have taken that step past eventually.

People are jumping all over you because you've been a member for over a year, and have less than one post per month you've been on. No one knows you, your chins, or your set up, so all we can really do is assume.

One thing I assumed was that you don't have another cage, because I don't understand why you'd keep putting the female back with the male. I don't know if it's ever worked for anyone, but to me joint play time is a waste of time for intro's. I personally, throw 'em in and see what happens.

If you want to slow intro then I feel the best way to to set two cages by each other with the desired intro chins in them. They each have their own space, but can interact. Once they get used to that, and start spending time by each other, put them together.

ETA: Never mind the advice. I have new advice. Get chins from quality breeders. You have 3 chins, per your status, and you have one male and two females, per you in this thread. You're trying to intro a female to a male you know nothing about, that came from a pet store, and had an unexplained abscess and eye issue. Doesn't sound like you've done much if any research on here in the last year at all. Kits can also fit through the wire on those super pet cages. The benefit of only having one post per month... it's easy for people to see what you've posted...
 
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That's true that I don't post very much, but I do read ALOT of these forums. Also I do have an extra cage which I have as a backup. My two females chins did come from breeders. When I got my male he was only 2 months old and very small. I have a solid bottom cage that I put him in for a quite some time until he grew. I also had planned on using that cage if the females ever started fighting randomly or I ever bred.
 
How do you know he was 2 months old?

What caused the abscess? Did you know there are several diseases that can cause abscesses, including pasturella and malo? Especially along the jaw line, which is where it sounds like his was.

I don't have a problem with people breeding, I've helped people get started into breeding. Otherwise I'd be a hypocrit. But I do believe in breeding properly, and having ethics. I had a chin sold that I think might have malo, the night before she was to go to her new home, I called them, told them what I thought, and offered them a female I was keeping for myself instead, because I don't want to sell anyone a chin who has malo anymore than I want to get one.
 
Sarahb20 said:
Yet you had no idea why they were fighting either Huh!?!!?!? Interesting...That's helpful, btw I discovered that the scent of the male was most likely the reason for the fighting as when I gave the FEMALES dust baths and returned them together, they were fine...thanks for no help and no encouragement!
Click to expand...

This is what I said.

I suspect your female attacked her cage mate b/c she smelled the male chin and reacted.
Click to expand...

I gathered from your posts that you were very inexperienced with chinchillas in general and meant you should get to understand them as pets first before you attempt to pair them to breed, and I still believe that.

You've been given some good advice from actual chinchilla breeders and I hope you follow it so your chins don't end up killing each other and it DOES happen more than you probably think.
 
I don't know if the abcess was called by a disease, I had never had ANY health issues with any pervious chins. The vets did not seem to believe it was a disease ...they were thinking more along the lines that he snagged his skin on something or his foot got caught in the mesh on the bottom of his cage(1/2inch squared). His leg was casted and changed 2x/wk. for about 2 months. And now his fur is almost fully grown back and he is doing well.

You guys think I should not breed him since he came from a pet store? Let me know
 
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