Scared chin

[shaeway]

Ok, so Moche is apparently being a real turd to Shadow. Poor Shadow has been hiding under the top shelf of the cage for about two days now. (He's passed out in a hammock today) He kacks at Moche whenever he comes close. He aslo took 30 mins to come out for play time yesterday and hid whenever Moche came near. So I clipped Moche's whiskers. However, I've never seen what triggers this behavior. I don't see them fight or anything. I had Teddy in with Shadow for a while yesterday, about two hours. Shadow came out and they were doing the usual strange chin in my cage chase sences with intermissions to eat hay or chew toys. I put Moche back in and took Teddy out and everyone was quiet. Now the question I have is this: do boys just get obnoxious sometimes and pester the crap out of their cagemates, or should I be concerned? I think the missing fur on shadow is a from Moche trying to mount him and Shadow is fur slipping to get away, but that's speculation. Susan from AZ chins pointed that out when she saw him. Anyway, I'm not sure about this behavior and any light shed on it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

It sounds as though these chins don't like each other. You've given them days to become friends. I would separate them permanently. When males fight it is often fatal. Poor Shadow doesn't want to face Moche's aggressive behavior. Moche may not be a good cage mate for any chin.

 

[Sandi]

I agree, I think you need to separate them. The attacks between cagemates that I've heard have happened in the middle of the night.

 

[mishellyshel]

i would separate them. i have my two separate but living side by side. And their new cage is split vertically so there will only be the chicken wire between them so they will be close but not close enough to critically hurt one another. i just didnt want to take the risk since they were not from the same litter and did not grow up together from kits.

 

[AZChins]

I think he is having his fur pulled a bit. Poor guy.

I would hate for you to have to separate them because it took so long to get them to get along. I wonder why they're doing this now...

 

[Laurie]

Even though we want all our chins to have a cagemate it isn't always what's best. Unless you can give constant 24 hour around the clock supervision I would separate them. You would feel awful if something were to happen.

 

[shaeway]

I think he is having his fur pulled a bit. Poor guy.

I would hate for you to have to separate them because it took so long to get them to get along. I wonder why they're doing this now...

That was such a long intro. Constant mounting and fighting. Constant.

I was watching them a bit ago. Everyone was out eating rosehips. Shadow ran down and dusted off. Moche kept eating hay. Then Shadow went back under the shelf. I think I have a chinchilla that is afraid of his fur being pulled, but other than that I think they're fine. Sometimes Moche is extra "frisky", so maybe he was just acting out on Poor Shadow. They don't fight. Ever since they moved in if Moche pesters, Shadow hides, then they move on. I was just worried because it had been two days of hiding and then lack of playfulness. Yep, Moched just hopped by and Shadow didn't respond. What in the world?