How do I know if my chin is dominant?

[Arenyth]

Or, is there a way to tell if my chin is a good candidate to get a friend?
I've had my chin for a year and a half now, he was a rescue from a home that loved him but didn't have time for him. He has been passed around at least twice, and has been by his lonesome this whole time. But he's warmed up to me very quickly, he talks to me all the time and always comes to the door when I get home from work so I can give him scritches. But my fiance keeps saying he feels bad that we leave him here all day while we work and that he should have a friend.
But after reading so many threads about the possibility of chins not getting along, I am scared for my Kupo and I dont want to put him in danger or make him feel threatened. Is it possible that a chin can be alone for so long that they won't tolerate another chin? Are there warning signs? Is it possible that he will feel threatened by a certain color of chin just because he's never seen it before? Will he know what another chin looks like?
I also want to mention that Kupo will always immediately hump my hand when I first open his cage. I always figured this was a dominance thing, but he's not aggressive and its usually for like two humps and then he just lays on my arm, its pretty cute
Anyway I just want to make sure I get all questions answered before fully committing to another chin. Thank you!!

 

[alli713]

Really I think there's no way of knowing. When I had my first chin, she is the friendliest chin ever. She loves me and all humans and doesn't seem dominant. So, I thought I'd get her a friend.

Tried to introduce her with my new girl, and my first chin hated the new chin. I could not get them to get along.

Later on I got a 3rd chin to get along with my 2nd chin, but then my 4th didn't get along with any of my other 3.

There's no guarantees. And, they could get along at first and then suddenly change their mind.

If you're happy with one chin, stick with one chin. They can be just fine on their own, many people have single chins. If you did get a second one you'd have to keep a second cage on hand just in case they did decide they didn't like each other. But if you want a second chin and don't mind a second cage if they don't get along, then go ahead and give it a try.

 

[Arenyth]

I have a FN 142 so I can separate the cages if I have to, but I'll feel really bad because Kupo loves his giant apartment and I dont want to take it away from him (for longer than the quarantine anyway).
I do really want a second chin, I have a mosaic and I've always wanted a darker chin. But I think my fiance would go crazy if we ended up with two separate chin areas in our house. Maybe it's a bad idea :\

 

[Sugarised]

wow Arenyth, you are in the same situation i was in only a week or so ago. Try reading through my threads as people have responded to mine with the kind of answers you will be looking for. I however have chosen an option that not many people on here would necessarily favour, mainly due to the risks involved, but having spoken to people more locally to myself who have used the vets etc, i decided that neutering and getting a female was the best option.

HOWEVER i am yet to be proven right or wrong as my chin was a big humper, always kept alone and is pretty dominant, but friendly. I'm keeping people tuned in as ive opted for the unconventional, whereas most introduce 2 males together. I won't know for sure until 6 weeks time when he's fully recovered and quarantine is over, then he'll have to learn to share his epic cage, if not i have some further shopping to do so i will have 6 cages for if my little girl isn't safe with him, or vice versa!

Main thing is is think REALLY hard. I chose a female as i felt rather than competition they may instead have hormones on their side. I bought him a friend as he was vocally pining for a mate- he's not pining now, instead he's curled up feeling sorry for himself after his surgery. I have the extra cages to acount for not only quarantine but if they don't get on.

Being out all day shouldn't matter as chins sleep in the day, and if the cage is big, he'll amuse himself around it i'm sure ready for when you return, and greet you and then play with you. But my personal choice on taking the plunge was he's only 12 months and he's pining for another chin- he stares at the chinny in the mirror too and i thought 20 odd years was a long time on his own.

 

[Arenyth]

Ah thanks for your response Sugarised! It's interesting to hear how you went about it. I'm even more scared to get my chin neutered, I hear its a hard surgery for little ones. I know I have approved vets in our area but so far I've been recommended against neutering.
I'm definitely giving this a lot of thought. I am contacting a rescue in my area to see if I can perhaps let him pick his own friend, since I've heard that can be done? My main concern is he is not young (they did not know his age when they got him, but they guessed 4-5 so he is about 6 or 7 now) so I'm not sure if he's already "set in his ways". He tolerates our cat but only for short periods, so I hope that doesn't deter him from other animals.
I have a lot to think over, I know I would be happier with a larger family but I want Kupo to love him too!

 

[cremellomare]

We had one chin for about 4 years, and then someone offered us another chin since they knew we had one. This was before I found this site and so we played it by ear. They got along pretty well except for the first one Peppy, had not seen another chin in years so he was excited but didn't know how to behave. He would start grooming but be really rough about it until Gizmo would run off or turn around and nip at him, and Peppy was a humper too, sometimes we would take poor Gizmo out just to give him a break. They didn't fight really at all. When I got two more chins off craigslist, I had found this site and used a lot of the tips to introduce them. Everyone here has great advice about introducing them, and at least you can separate them if needed.

 

[Sugarised]

yeah i think those on here can help you for sure about older chins! As i'm in the uk the advice here is completely different to the us, making me struggle in decisions, here most are against two males due to fighting, and almost all rescue centres castrate so that they are not taken for breeding/risk of accidental breeding, so there appears to be an already established ''what's best'' across the country.

I'm guessing here, but i would have thought the choice of what's best over there is far more vast and therefore not synchronised which presents the problem of anaesthetics etc. which is why many object to it. No surgery is safe, but apparently its the anaesthetic that the chins don't make it through. But i can see from recovery the risk of an intestinal problem could occur due to the slowing down of appetite and gut production, which is something vital to chinchillas- the key thing i have to do is make sure starrkey eats so his metabolism doesn't slow

You've said you have a nice epic cage though, i'm not an expert like many who've had chins for years and years here, i have only had mine a few months, but have this site as my chin-bible!. But maybe you could introduce a new chin and even if they aren't 100% with each other they could go in compartments next to each other? so not have to squish together, and are seperate but can talk? That idea may be void though as chins can still 'attack' through the seperation....hmmm I'll let someone more experienced take over